Análisis prospectivo de la educación odontológica en Latinoamérica.

Abstract

Dental education in Latin America faces a contradiction between the growth in the number of educational institutions and the quality of training, which has not met the increasing oral health needs of the region. Despite technological advances and new educational models, such as Competency-Based Learning, the challenges to improve the training of future dentists remain significant. Objective: To analyze the prospective state of dental education in Latin America. Methodology: This study was based on a bibliographic review of scientific literature, employing a descriptive design. Primary studies related to dental education in Latin America, published in the last ten years, were collected using academic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, among others. Results: Various current trends in dental education were identified, such as the integration of gamification and simulation, which have shown improvements in student motivation and performance. A shift t owards deep learning, favoring comprehension, was also observed. However, the quality of education in key areas like forensic dentistry remains a concern. Additionally, a lack of preparation in administrative skills was evident, affecting the professional performance of dentists. Among the most significant challenges were stress, a lack of interpersonal communication skills, and the need for better education in bioethics. The importance of university extension projects was also highlighted as a means to integrate academic knowledge with the social needs of the population.