Nordic Institute of Dental Education Is Growing

As dental technologies continue to evolve rapidly, the development of preventative dental care and the orthodontic sectors are increasingly important topics. Nordic Institute of Dental Education (NIDE) works to bring together rapidly evolving dental technologies and the brightest academic minds in order to benefit and empower dental professionals worldwide.

– The purpose of NIDE is to provide accredited evidence-based professional training and competence development programmes that are in line with the ever-developing standards of care solutions that improve the daily workflow of dental professionals around the world, says Chief Executive Officer of NIDE Thomas Koponen.

– Every day there are new tools, software, or equipment being pushed to the market by multiple manufacturers that can significantly improve patient care and reduce human error in surgery, diagnostics, and treatment plans, but not enough quality training programmes on how to apply these for clinicians, states Koponen.

Globally, the need for professionally and academically accredited training programmes is enormous, and NIDE has strategically selected a few markets for pilot programmes in the upcoming years, including the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. 

Courses with Various Topics

NIDE’s courses have been organised in Finland at the University of Turku and at Planmeca Digital Academy Training Centre and headquarters in Helsinki since the autumn of 2015. 

It is also possible to arrange the courses as education export courses in the local countries of the learners. In recent years, NIDE has arranged courses in Shanghai, Croatia, and Dubai, for example. Courses can also be arranged in several languages including French, Russian, Chinese, and Arabic. NIDE also arranges summer and winter schools.

The academically accredited courses cover a wide range of topics, such as CBCT and CAD/CAM education, as well as aesthetic, restorative, and adhesive dentistry. Over 500 dental professionals from 40 countries have attended NIDE courses so far.

– Usually, the courses consist of approximately 15 students and the teaching methods are rather practical. The courses also include a high-end socially inclusive Nordic social programme outside the classroom, tells Training Coordinator Elli Abdou.

New Academic Coordinator from Turku Reinforces the Team

The Nordic Institute of Dental Education reinforced its team with the new Academic Coordinator Hend Abdelkader. 

As the Academic Coordinator, Abdelkader is responsible for academic affairs including course planning, contents, and quality assurance. Abdelkader also participates in organising, planning, and reviewing the course materials and contents. She is involved in creating educational content and planning upcoming e-learning courses for general dentistry and other areas of digital dentistry. 

– My goal is to ensure that our programmes maintain their academic accreditation and endorsement from the University of Turku through an emphasis on evidence-based programmes and research, and that NIDE maintains its recognition from the American Dental Association (ADA) as a quality provider of continuing dental education, she says.

Abdelkader is also responsible for the relations between the Institute of Dentistry and NIDE as well as for developing relations with the global teacher network. 

NIDE is able to offer courses from the most distinguished teachers in the world. For example, the collaboration with the experts from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is long-standing. Several times, teachers have also made some time to lecture to the undergraduate students of the Institute of Dentistry at the University of Turku. 

– We aim to provide the best continuing dental education in the world.  Accordingly, our lecturers are also leading experts in their fields and always aiming to add more to our network, says Abdelkader.

New Chair of the Board of Directors Appointed

NIDE has also a new Chair of the board of directors. Collaboration Manager Mikko Pohjola from the Innovation Services of the University of Turku was appointed before the summer. The board is responsible for NIDE’s strategic guidelines and oversight. 

– NIDE is a great example of the continuously expanding transnational education efforts of the University of Turku. The opportunity to develop courses based on top academic research and education together with the leading dental equipment manufacturer is unique and gives us a true vantage point to the field. NIDE will increasingly aim to seize this opportunity and develop international collaboration further, says Pohjola.

Continuous education is a lifelong commitment that NIDE strives to implement in its learners along with a thirst for new knowledge and critical thinking about the scope of treatments and digital workflows.

– I am humbled when I imagine the thousands of patients around the world that our alumni come into contact with, and how our alumni are able to improve the lives of their patients and families with new and improved abilities in patient care and treatment, summarises Koponen.

The Institute of Dentistry at the University of Turku is a leading and top-ranked dental school providing education to undergraduate and postgraduate (specialist and doctoral) programmes in line with international standards and modern teaching techniques. Planmeca Oy is the largest privately owned company in the field and the third largest dental equipment manufacturer in the world. Planmeca specialises in the design and manufacture of technologically advanced dental equipment including dental units, CAD/CAM solutions, leading 3D and 2D imaging systems, and software solutions. The company has also pioneered in digital dental practice concepts that allow efficient management of clinic information.

>> Read more: https://www.nordicdented.com/ 

>> Follow NIDE on social media: @nidedental

Text: Tilda Junko
Main image: NIDE