The study programme at Department of Dentistry and Oral Health

At the Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, we offer a dental surgery assistant study programme, where the key words are quality and collaboration in a lively academic and social environment. This strengthens the student's personal and professional competences and prepares the dental surgery assistant for the many different tasks that need to be taken care of in modern dental clinics.

We train all staff categories within the odontological team: dental surgery assistants; dentists; dental hygienists; laboratory dental technicians; and clinical dental technicians.

Requirements for the internship host organisation

In addition to the requirement for a dental clinic to be approved as an internship host organisation, the Danish Ministry of Education stipulates a range of requirements for the clinic undertaking the practical part of the student's study programme.

The internship

The objectives of the internship describe a range of tasks which the dental surgery assistant must be able to take care of under supervision after graduating. They are divided into different levels and should ensure that the trainee has the opportunity to acquire the required skills during the internship.

The requirements for the internship can be read on the academic committee's website (FUTKA).

Contact person

The trainee must have a contact person at the clinic.

Education and training plan

At the start of the study programme, the student will prepare his or her own education and training plan, outlining personal and academic goals for the entire study programme. The student draws up the plan for training and education at the school with support from the contact teacher at the school, while the student, school and dental clinic cooperate on preparing the education and training plan for the internship. This work takes place in Elevplan - an electronic web-based tool.

The aim of the personal education and study plan is for the student to have an overview of their study programme, to take responsibility for their own learning and to learn how to assess their own efforts. Through reflection and discussions with the contact teacher at the school and the contact person at the clinic, the trainee revises the education and study plan on an ongoing basis so that it is dynamic and future-orientated.

Elevplan (student plan)

The student must gather all relevant information in an education and training book. This contains personal data, the education and training plan, information about the school and formal documents such as e.g. diplomas, credit transfer applications and a copy of the training agreement. The education and training book is used as documentation for the student's completion of the individual elements of the programme.

It also serves as a contact book to facilitate communication between the clinic and the school. This is where internship statements, which describe what tasks the student has had at the dental clinic, whether there are any special circumstances that the school should be aware of etc., are collected. In the same way, the student and the contact teacher can note information about the student’s school period and wishes for the internship period at the dental clinic.

Read more about the education and training plan on the degree programme board's website

Entering into the training agreement and determining study periods

A training agreement is only valid if it is in writing and entered into using a special agreement form which is provided by the local school or downloaded from the Ministry of Education's website.

For the agreement to be valid, it must be created before the agreement period begins. The form should be completed and signed by both parties and sent to the school who then endorse the agreement and register it. If the student is under 18 years of age, the custodial parent(s) must also sign the agreement.

The company must also comply with legislation on the employer’s duty to notify the employees of the terms and conditions of employment.

Important: the training agreement must be sent to the school without delay

The student can first be admitted to the school-based parts of the study programme after the school has received the training agreement. It is therefore important that it is submitted as quickly as possible. The name of the school at which the student will follow the study programme's school-based periods should also be stated. 

There are different types of training agreements

Combination agreement. This means:

• That two or more companies share the responsibility for the trainee’s training and education and that each assumes responsibility for a part of this training.
• That all training agreements are entered into from the beginning and the companies must divide training and the periods in between among themselves.
• That the first three months are still only a probationary period, even though there are several companies and agreements.
• That the individual company is not required to be approved for training during the entire internship, but can make do with partial approval.

Short-term agreement. This means:

• That the trainee can piece together his or her own study programme as he/she finds internship companies willing to provide parts of the training.
• That there is a new probationary period of three months each time the trainee starts at a new company.
• That there is no lower limit for how short the individual agreement can be, but it should at least include a school-based part during the main programme and a period of practical training in the company.
• That the companies are not required to be approved for training during the entire internship, but can make do with partial approval.

The practical training centre helps students who have taken the basic module of the dental surgery assistant degree programme to find an internship. Dentists from Jutland and Funen can always contact the practical training centre if they require a dental surgery assistant. Companies can enter into a sub-agreement with one of our students in the practical training centre which lasts between one and six months.

The practical training centre also provides advice to companies about all the practical formalities involved in taking on a trainee, e.g. completing training agreements, providing information about funding opportunities and helping with the administrative aspects.

Good reasons for taking on a trainee

• You ensure a high level of professionalism in your company
• You tailor your employees to the company
• You bring renewal and youthful energy into the company
• You get up-to-date knowledge