<p>The accommodation arrangements went so well. The international coordinator worked with the head of housing at Karolinska institute and booked us into the available KI accommodation. They shared timely information regarding the bookings.A few weeks before our arrival date, they provided sufficient information to enable us to settle in KI, and access surrounding facilities and the various modes of transport and communication. This included access to the train, bus, phone network services, and KI campuses.</p>

<p>Teaching at KI is conducted in the Swedish language; however, the problem of the language barrier was greatly overcome with various measures. The majority of the lecturers were also fluent in the English language,and we held our discussions in English. In the student clinics, either the tutors or students, translated at the end of each session, which was very helpful.</p>

<p>Yes, there were numerous social events planned for us. On the second day of our visit, we were graciously welcomed and given the honor of dining at the home of the general director of this program. Daily we had the pleasure to have lunch with different faculty members from the KI department of dentistry, at times with their spouses. In the last week of our stay, we were invited to a wonderful dinner and enjoyed traditional Swedish cuisine. In addition, students who had been to Makerere also invited us to a guided tour of part of the city.</p>

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<p>I had discussions with the Chief of Cariology, Restorative, Prosthetics Unit, and the Head of Cariology. We discussed a variety of topics related to teaching and learning, as well as some of the recent or ongoing research in this specialty. Collaborations in this area have the potential to yield significant results, in my opinion. We met and had discussions with thehead of internationalization in dentistry and the director of postgraduate studies atKI. Discussed the ongoing collaboration in addition to the potential for future relationships including teacher-student exchange, collaboration in research, graduate studies, and fellowships. We shared information regarding potential funding opportunities and the need to make timely grant applications. In addition, we also had a presentation and discussions with the head of the teaching and learning department at KI and expressed the need for more collaborations geared toward improving teaching, learning, and assessment at the department of dentistry, Makerere University. I made contact with the head of the oral hygiene program. Oral hygienists are well vast in preventive dentistry. This cadre is very important in preventive dentistry, one of my keep interests in dentistry. In addition, this contact would be important in the case of designing and planning for an oral hygiene program at Makerere university or in trying to improve students learning in preventive dentistry.</p>

<p>I learned about this teacher exchange program from the chair of the Department of Dentistry, Makerere University. She informed me about the opportunity to go to Karolinska Institute this year in September as one of the teachers; this was later approved at a departmental meeting. We next got in touch with the Karolinska Institute's international coordinator, who gave us crucial details about this visit and helped us start planning. Following the submission of the visa applications, other preparations, such as those for accommodation, air tickets, and other materials, were made.</p>

<p>This teacher exchange program has given me the chance to observe dentistry being practiced in a high-income setting such as Karolinska Institute where the majority of the needed resources are available.The experience has enabled me to deeply reflect on our training and consider what needs to be adapted at a personnel level and what has to be modified at a unit or departmental level. This includes both theoretical and clinical training in addition to the methods used for assessment.I've classified the probable modifications into two categories: 1) those that can be modified immediately or very soon. Such changes do not require any resources other than the will and time but may result in major improvements to the training, such as improved infection control practices for students at clinics. These also include adjustments on a personal level that will enhance the training and evaluation of students for the courses I teach. 2) Modifications, that may demand that my (our) experiences are shared with departmental or unit team members. Such that, the different units may devise feasible ways and methods for attaining such improvements and plan for realistic goals. All are aimed at improving student training and patient management at MUK dental hospital and the oral health of Ugandans at large.</p>

<p>Teaching methods and activities at both institutions are quite similar for some of the courses I have observed. At both institutions, the training of dental students included theory and preclinical classes followed by clinical work at the different clinics. However, work for the preclinical activities and student clinics are quite more organized at Karolinska institute with each student having their equipment, instruments, and materials for the scheduled preclinical class while at Makerere university students have to share the available instruments and materials for their phantom sessions. At both institutions, assessments are done for preclinical work, however, part of the assessment at Karolinska institute is done by the student self-reflection after each phantom/practical session while at Makerere University assessments are done by the lecturers for practical sessions. At both institutions, students work in pairs in most of the clinics and several students are supervised by one clinical tutor. However, various additional infection control measures are ensured at KI in the clinics. We appreciated the detailed protocols and procedures followed for cleaning and sterilization of instruments at KI. At KI records are managed using the electronic system however, at Makerere electronic records management is in its infancy with most records still paper-based. In addition. KI has an oral hygienist program that is not present at Makerere University.</p>

<p>A lot of the work was done through observation during my time at KI, and I also attended some seminars and formal discussions with various lecturers from different departments within KI. They covered on average around 7 hours each day, which translated on average into about 35-40 hours a week for classes and clinical observation at KI. During my time at KI, I did a lot of the work through observation. I also went to certain seminars and had formal discussions with different lecturers from the different departments at KI. I spenton average, 6 hours per day covering material, which translated into approximately 35 to 40 hours per week for classes or clinical observations, or discussions at KI.</p>