# Mapping the medical status of patients in a dental school: adapting dental curricula to demographic change - a cross-sectional study

## TL;DR

This study examines the medical conditions of dental patients to inform curriculum changes for training dental students to handle medically complex cases.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into the medical complexity of dental patients and suggests adapting dental education to demographic changes.

## Key findings

- 63.6% of patients had systemic diseases, and 60.1% were on medication.
- Polypharmacy was observed in 28% of participants, with medication use increasing significantly with age.
- Female patients were more likely to use hormonal medications compared to male patients.

## Abstract

Medical assessment of patients treated by dental school students with regard to medical history, medication use and allergies to determine potential medical risks of the changing population structure and to develop implications for future curriculum design.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the medical records of patients, treated between November 2020 and October 2021, for demographic data (age, sex), allergies, systemic disorders, existing diseases, and medication use. Diseases were categorized according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), while medication was classified based on the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification. A statistical analysis of the correlations between patient characteristics and prevalence data was performed.

Data of 297 participants were analysed, including 142 women (mean age 55.51 ± 14.9 yrs) and 155 men (54.91 ± 15.52 yrs). Systemic diseases were present in 189 individuals (63.6%), 178 (60.1%) were taking medication, and 138 (46.5%) had at least one allergy. Polypharmacy (≥ 3 medications) was observed in 28% of participants (mean age 62.4 years). Medication use and disease burden increased significantly with age (e.g., cardiovascular medication: OR = 1.09 per year; 95% CI: 1.07–1.12; p < 0.001). A statistically significant sex difference was observed for hormonal medication (ATC H: 68% female vs. 32% male; p = 0.0012).

The observed advanced age profile of the patients and its correlation with the prevalence of systemic diseases, medication use, and allergies demonstrated the medical complexity of dental patients care. These observations emphasize the importance of providing undergraduates but also postgraduates with a more comprehensive medical education to prepare them to effectively treat medically complex patients.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-025-08180-w.