Rare Diseases Oral Phenotype:  Early Learning for Diagnosis

Method: 89 students (54, year 2010-11; 35, year 2011-12) answered an anonymous questionnnaire (scored from 0 to 5) about their interest, awareness and knowledge of the oral clinics, diagnostic and managementof rare diseases. We compared the maximum answers about the selection of the course, the acceptance of learning methods, the competences acquired about rare diseases, and its influence in their future professional exercise.

Results: Both years, the main reason for choosing the course was to obtain credits (30% and 31%), while the interest increased from 7% to 21%. The impression that the course was "easy" (11%, both years) descended when the studens selected the reasons to advise younger colleagues to register in the course from  9% to  3%. The acceptance of the teaching methods increased: group work (from 0% to 9%) and litterature review (from 9% to 17%). Better values appeared when advising younger colleagues about group work (from 4% to 17%) and litterature review (from 6% to 31%). The student’s knowledge about the oral phenotype, management and diagnosis of rare diseases was improved (7%, 0 and 0 in 2011, 29%,11%, 11% in 2012). 94% considered the course useful for their profesional development both years. However the relative value of the competences acquired (awareness,  diagnosis and management and litterature review) increased in the second year.  Moreover, despite being in an early academic year, six groups presented clinical cases, four diagnosed by the students themselves.

Conclusion: Litterature review by the students is an effective method to train the future dentists in the diagnosis and management of rare diseases.