Developing common competencies for Southeast Asian general dental practitioners

Objectives Current policy in Southeast Asian dental education focuses on high-quality dental services from new dental graduates and the free movement of dental practitioners across the region. The Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dental Councils has proposed a set of ‘Common Major Competencies for ASEAN General Dental Practitioners’ to harmonize undergraduate dental education. This paper discusses how ASEAN competencies were developed and established to assist the development of general dental practitioners with comparable knowledge, skills and attitudes across ASEAN. Methods The competencies were developed through four processes: a questionnaire about current national oral health problems, a 2-round Delphi which sought agreement on competencies, a panel discussion by representatives from ASEAN Dental Councils, and data verification by the representatives after the meeting. Numeric data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Key themes of the ASEAN competencies were compared with the competencies from USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Japan. Results Thirty-three competency statements, consistent with other regions, were agreed. Factors influencing the ASEAN competencies and their implementations include: oral health problems in ASEAN, new knowledge and technology in dentistry, limited institutional resources, underregulated dental schools, and uneven distribution of dental practitioners. Conclusions The ASEAN competencies are the foundation for further development in ASEAN dental education including: policy development, curriculum revision, quality assurance, and staff development. Collaboration amongst stakeholders is essential for the successful harmonization of ASEAN dental education