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Intro to Dental Medicine and Surgery (DENT90126)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 6.25On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | January |
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Fees | Look up fees |
Students will learn about the links between oral and systemic health as well as systemic health and disease more generally. Components will include: General Pathology for Dental Practice; Therapeutics for Dental Practice; Principles of Medicine in Dental Practice.
Intended learning outcomes
On the completion of this subject students will be able to:
- understand the principles of medicine as it relates to dentistry, with particular emphasis on haematological disorders and cardiovascular diseases, liver and renal diseases, gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, stroke and epilepsy, rheumatology, diseases of the endocrine system, paediatric medicine and metabolic disorders;
- comprehend the importance of therapeutics in dental practice. In particular, students should have an in-depth understanding of: drug classification systems, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, adverse drug reactions, drug therapy of pain, anticoagulants, antimicrobials; immunosuppressants and local anaesthetics;
- understand principles and develop skills of diagnostic pathology including types of diagnostic tests available, disorders of growth and differentiation, acquired disorders of differentiation and growth, cell injury, inflammation, metabolic disorders, inherited and acquired disorders, immunopathology and neoplasia as these relate to dentistry.
Generic skills
- Students should: 1. be able to access new knowledge from different sources, analyse and interpret it in a critical manner; 2. have developed skills in effective communication with teaching staff and peers; 3. have developed effective organisational and time management skills; 4. be able to identify and address their own learning needs; 5. understand the need for precision, accuracy and self-evaluation. 6. develop skills in analysing and evaluating experimental and clinical data. 7. develop skills in team work and develop skills of workplace safety.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Code
Name
Teaching period
Credit Points
DENT90062
Preclinical Dental Practice 2
12.5
DENT90064
Plaque Related Diseases 2
12.5
DENT90065
Clinical Dental Practice 1
12.5
DENT90066
Oral Structure and Function 2
12.5
Corequisites
One of the following:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
DENT90064 | Plaque Related Diseases 2 | Semester 2 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
A candidate for the Melbourne DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY must have abilities and skills in the following five categories:
• observation;
• communication;
• motor;
• conceptual, integrative, and quantitative;
• behavioural and social.
I. Observation:
Practical Classes
The student must be able to observe mandatory demonstrations and experiments in the designated subjects.
Clinical Work
The student must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand. Observation necessitates the functional use of the senses of vision, hearing and somatic sensation. It is enhanced by the functional use of the sense of smell.
II. Communication:
Practical Classes
The student must be able to hear and comprehend instructions in laboratories and practical sessions and be able to clearly and independently communicate knowledge and application of the principles and practices of the subject during assessment tasks.
Clinical Work
A student must be able to hear, to speak, and to observe patients in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity, and posture and perceive nonverbal communications. A student must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients in both oral and written modalities. The student must also be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in both oral and written modes with all members of the health care team, including using telephones and computers.
III. Motor:
Practical Classes
A student must be able to undertake the motor requirements for any mandatory practical sessions. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional use of the senses of touch and vision.
Clinical Work
Students should have good motor function to elicit information from patients by physical examination; for example palpation, percussion, and other diagnostic manoeuvres. Students should possess sufficient manual dexterity to be able to perform procedures required as a dental practitioner. The student should be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general dental care and emergency treatment to patients. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, hand eye coordination and functional use of the senses of touch and vision.
IV. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities:
Practical Classes
The student is expected to have the ability to develop problem-solving skills and demonstrate this ability in practical sessions. These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem solving requires all of these intellectual abilities.
Clinical Work
The student is expected to have the ability to develop problem-solving skills and demonstrate the ability to establish oral health care plans and priorities. These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem solving requires all of these intellectual abilities.
V. Behavioural and Social Attributes:
Practical Classes
A student must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his/her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgement, the prompt completion of all required tasks, and display professional behaviour at all times.
Clinical Work
A student must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his/her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgement, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients. A student must display professional behaviour at all times and develop mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients and colleagues.
It is a requirement of the course that students will be expected to physically examine their peers (of all genders) in teaching settings and patients (of all genders) in clinics.
The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details can be found at the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/
The Melbourne Dental School policy outlining requirements in relation to student disability for entry to and progression within the DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY are outlined below.
Melbourne Dental School Policy in Relation to Students with Disabilities
The curriculum of the DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY has been developed using 64 graduate attribute statements in six domains (professionalism, scientific knowledge, patient care, dental profession, systems of health care and the society). Students entering the Melbourne DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY must therefore have the aptitude to achieve these attributes during the course in readiness for progression to independent practice.
The Melbourne Dental School welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and Faculty policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study. Appropriate adjustments will be made to enhance the participation of students with a disability in the dental course. A prospective student with a disability is advised to discuss with Student Equity and Disability Support any issues related to his or her ability to successfully meet all the course and subsequent registration requirements.
All students of the DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY must possess the intellectual, ethical, physical and emotional capabilities required to participate in the full curriculum and to achieve the levels of competence at graduation required by the faculty and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation agency.
A student with a disability may be asked to provide independent medical or other clinical assessments of the disability and its possible impact on the ability of the student to successfully complete the course, before being accepted into the course. This statement would be treated in confidence with only those on the admissions committee and the Student Equity and Disability Support having access to the document.
Deliberate misinformation about the student’s ability to successfully complete the course will be regarded as unprofessional practice and treated as such.
While the Melbourne Dental School will make reasonable adjustments to minimise the impact of a disability, all students must be able to participate in the program in an independent manner. It is not reasonable for students to use an intermediary as an adjustment to compensate for a disability impacting on any of the five categories. In the clinical environment there is a primary duty of care to the patients and the needs of students cannot compromise this. It is expected that all students will be able to participate fully in all classroom based learning activities and to successfully fulfil the self-study requirements of the course. The presence of a disability will not automatically entitle the student to preferential treatment in clinical place allocation.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
1 x LMS MCQ on principles of medicine and therapeutics related to dentistry
| During the teaching period | 35% |
1 x written essay-style exam on pathology, therapeutics for dental practice and principles of medicine in dental practice
| End of the teaching period | 65% |
Hurdle requirement: 75% attendance at Lectures; 100% attendance at Seminars/Tutorials (including Computer Assisted Learning [CAL]) and Practical Classes (including Computer Assisted Learning [CAL] & Laboratory Sessions) | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- January
Principal coordinator Nicola Cirillo Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 85 hours Teaching period 27 January 2020 to 17 April 2020 Last self-enrol date 12 February 2020 Census date 31 May 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 2 October 2020 Assessment period ends 1 May 2020
Time commitment details
50 contact hours (indicative), 35 non-contact hours (indicative)
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022