Why is dentistry in a unique position to screen and treat patients with a sleep breathing disorder?

Essential non-clinical skills and training required by dentists in South Africa

“…They seem to prefer focusing on their clinical work, and leaving the management and leadership tasks to support staff. 28 Ultimately, our results, and those of previous studies, 9,29 support the inclusion of management and leadership training at all levels of training. The MLCF proposes that basic leadership skills such as personal qualities and working with others be included in undergraduate curricula.…”

“…19 Our findings confirm that leadership training should be facilitated from the undergraduate phase through to the postgraduate phase, which is in line with previous studies. 9,29 For leadership training to be successful, students should be accepting and willing to participate in training. 30,31 Unfortunately, undergraduate curricula are often overloaded and there is not enough time for undergraduates to see the relevance of leadership training.…”

“…7 The need for effective leadership across all aspects of dentistry such as dental education, dental public health and clinical practice has also been recognised in the literature. 8 Similarly, Patel et al 9 reported that practitioners in private practice also advocate for fostering leadership abilities in dental students as there is lack of these qualities in practice. Given South Africa's (SA's) healthcare challenges, acquiring leadership skills may enhance healthcare outcomes by fostering collaborative efforts among healthcare professionals.…”