News

From July 7 to 9, 2025, a conference and a working meeting took place as part of the Erasmus+ project titled "HEAL – Enhancement of Special Oral Healthcare Practice and Lifelong Learning among Dental Practitioners in Georgia." The events were hosted by Akaki Tsereteli State University in Kutaisi, Georgia.

In addition to two staff members from Poznan University of Medical Sciences, the gathering was attended by representatives from four Georgian medical universities: European University in Tbilisi, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University in Batumi, Akaki Tsereteli State University in Kutaisi, and Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University in Tbilisi, a representative of the Georgian National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE), as well as partner medical universities from Bulgaria (Medical University of Sofia) and Turkey (Istanbul Aydin University).

During the visit, the progress of the HEAL EU Erasmus+ project was discussed, including:

• Detailed discussions on modifying the learning outcomes for students,
• Review of existing syllabi and development of new course syllabi in the dental programs of the aforementioned Georgian universities,
• Planning of educational tools for postgraduate training,
• Coordination of informational activities in the Georgian healthcare system,
• Promoting awareness in the media about the health issues faced by patients with disabilities and their caregivers, with a focus on oral health and accessibility to dental care.

In practice, this stage was crucial for analyzing the standardization of knowledge and skills acquired by Georgian students, as well as promoting oral health and preventative care for people with disabilities in Georgia.

Although the visit was short, it was very intensive. There were opportunities to visit institutions specializing in therapy for people with disabilities, including the Myelin Foundation's rehabilitation center for children, Bridge for Social Inclusion, and a dental center providing treatment under general anesthesia.

We hope that the analyses conducted during the long discussions, as well as the direct interaction with academic teachers who are practicing dentists from the four Georgian universities, will contribute to:

• The development of the dental teaching staff in higher education institutions,
• The enhancement of educational activities through the implementation of new courses in pregraduate education,
• And the increased engagement of the dental community in Georgia.

Prof. Karolina Gerreth, DDS, PhD - Clinic of Dentistry for Risk Groups, PUMS
Prof. Elżbieta Paszyńska, DDS, PhD - Clinic of Integrated Dentistry, PUMS