Special Needs Dentistry 1 (DENT90105)

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this subject, the students will be able to:

• Identify and describe concepts and legislation relevant to consent and capacity, and determine the frameworks most relevant to obtaining informed consent for a patient with special needs
• Utilise their knowledge of communication, including augmented communication methods and supportive decision-making strategies, to select and practice appropriate techniques to interact with patients with special needs and the support networks
• Recognise key aspects of a patient's health and social circumstances and relate these to how they may impact on oral health or the way in which they access or receive dental treatment
• Analyse behavioural support plans, differentiate and compare between available behavioural support techniques and other supportive measures, and justify their application to individual patients with special needs
• Utilise their understanding of pharmacology and drug interactions, sedation, general anaesthesia, and analgesia, and principles related to reducing restrictive practices to evaluate and justify a patient's suitability for these modalities in the context of the patient's overall health and treatment needs
• Evaluate and assess a patient's capacity to consent, and integrate their knowledge of communication, informed consent, and supported decision making into the clinical management and treatment planning of patients with special needs
• Devise and demonstrate appropriate communication strategies to elicit and convey relevant information with patients with special needs and their support networks
• Integrate an understanding of patient and society-related determinants of oral health and barriers to access of dental care into a considered approach to patient assessment, prevention, treatment planning, and provision of oral health care for patients with special needs
• Plan and communicate options for behaviour management, sedation, and general anaesthesia and the required assessments and procedures to patients and their support networks
• Collaborate in a professional manner with other dental specialties to advocate for relevant treatment options required by patients with special needs outside of individual scope of practice
• Develop an open-minded approach to listening to and understanding the lived experience of people with disability and health issues and how this can inform clinical practice and our approach to respecting patient autonomy
• Construct a reflective approach to their learning in special needs dentistry, to enable self-assessment of their performance and development towards becoming a specialist in the field