Special Needs Dentistry 3 (DENT90107)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 75Not available in 2023
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
Overview
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Special Needs Dentistry 3 is the final subject that follows from the two years of specialist training that focuses on advanced aspects of special needs dentistry and how they pertain to complex patient centred care. Students will manage treatment of patients with complex care needs whilst considerations are taken into account with interdisciplinary care, public advocacy, role of autonomy and clinical decision making.
Learning is achieved through a series of weekly 4-hour seminars, journal meetings and clinical placements, which occur throughout the teaching period. Clinical placements are in major public hospital and Community Care Centres facilities that have dental clinics.
Seminar presentations require students to present on several aspects pertinent to the particular semester. The seminars are on a 6-semester rotation and all post graduate students across the three years take part. The themes include: ageing, public dental health, the aged care system and domiciliary care; polypharmacy, saliva, common medical conditions facing the elderly; physical and intellectual disabilities; Oral pathology, oral medicine, oral cancer; medically compromised series 1, transplants, and palliative care; and blood and bleeding disorders.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon completion of this subject, students will:
- Have superior capacity to articulate knowledge and understanding in oral and written presentations through their developed skills in case presentation; and have developed an appreciation for the complexities of SND
- Develop high-level awareness of the basis of Special Needs Dentistry including gerodontics and related medical issues with aging, disease and health, developmental disabilities, neurodegenerative disorders, management of endocrine diseases, transplant medicine and dentistry as well as palliative dental care
- Recognise the complexities of managing patients and link between general health and oral health to apply specialist knowledge to a range of social and medical issues impacted by their special needs
- Develop and apply advanced techniques during complex special needs patient cases in a range of clinical, aged care and home settings
- High-level awareness of ethical and consent issues surrounding SND patients, and complexities of managing patients in a range of medical, dental and allied health settings together with the use of pharmacological management in the context of SND
- Be experienced in behavior management techniques appropriate for use in the special care setting
- Have strong awareness of trans-disciplinary cooperation and its specific relation to special needs to plan and provide high quality oral care to individuals with special needs
- Develop specialist knowledge and skills in oral health promotion in order to develop, design and implement oral health programs for individuals with special needs
Last updated: 29 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 29 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
2 x essays on assigned topics in journal article format (2000 words each), Mid-Year and End Year
| Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Clinical assessment (log book, clinical performance) | End Year | 20% |
Take Home written exam on material covered in the second semester's didactic sessions
| End Year | 20% |
Take Home written exam on all aspects of Special Needs Dentistry covered throughout the 3-year course
| End Year | 20% |
Viva Voce exam on case presentations (total of 4 cases)
| End Year | 10% |
Viva Voce exam for clinical examination of an unknown case
| End Year | 10% |
General Viva Voce exam on any aspects of Special Needs Dentistry
| End Year | 10% |
| Hurdle requirement: Overall achievement of a satisfactory grade for Clinical Demonstrator Feedback Forms (pass/fail) | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
| Hurdle requirement: 100% attendance for all Seminars & Clinical Sessions, including rostered On-Call Sessions, throughout the year (pass/fail) | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 29 March 2025
Dates & times
Not available in 2023
Time commitment details
1353 hours (36hrs per week)
Additional delivery details
This subject is delivered either partially or fully in-person in Second Half Year 2020. Please ensure you are able to attend any essential in-person requirements or speak to Stop 1 about alternative subject options.
Last updated: 29 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
Last updated: 29 March 2025