４年制口腔保健学科のあり方 : 過去から未来へ

Currently there is twelve universities in Japan offering a four-year course for the training of dental hygienists. The School of Oral Health and Welfare, Tokushima University, Faculty of Dentistry was established on April 1, 2007 to foster dental hygienists who can respect bioethics and team-based approach to treatment/care/welfare, who can respond to diverse social needs. More than ten years passed since its establishment, it may be time to seriously ponder the future. In this article, I would like to discuss the direction/future on the School of Oral Health as a four-year course for the training of dental hygienists at universities while comparing it with the history on the school of dentistry for the training of dentists.