Embedding environmental sustainability within oral health professional curricula-Recommendations for teaching and assessment of learning outcomes.

The FDI World Dental Federation suggests that "dentistry, as a profession, should integrate Sustainable Development Goals into daily practice and support a shift to a green economy in the pursuit of healthy lives and wellbeing for all, through all stages of life." This article reports on the recent activity of the Association for Dental Education in Europe Special Interest Group for Sustainability in Dentistry. Following on from the group's previous activities, which explored current educational practice, this work aimed to reach a pan-European consensus on a number of learning outcomes for environmental sustainability, in order to (i) support institutions in designing and delivering their curriculum, and (ii) to further harmonise the delivery of oral health professional education across Europe. This article presents specific learning outcomes relating to environmental sustainability and recommendations relating to curriculum development, including methods of teaching and assessment.

Clinical validity of self-rated oral health among New Zealand nursing home residents.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical validity of self-rated oral health among older New Zealanders in aged residential care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A national survey of oral health in aged residential care was carried out throughout New Zealand. Self-rated oral health was measured using Locker's global item and clinical examinations carried out by calibrated examiners. Analyses used survey weights. RESULTS: Consistent gradients were observed across the self-rated oral health categories in the mean number of decayed teeth (whether coronal or root surface caries), mean number of filled teeth (albeit in the opposite direction), and in the mean number of fillings needed. Consistent gradients were also seen in the same categories when comparing the current oral health status to their oral health status a year previous. No gradients in periodontal status were apparent. CONCLUSIONS: The older population in aged residential care can validly self-rate their oral health, although further investigation of periodontal status is warranted.