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Special Needs Dentistry 2 (DENT90106)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 75On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable (login required)(opens in new window)
Contact information
Overview
Availability | Year Long (Extended) |
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Fees | Look up fees |
Please note: This subject was originally published with an incorrect Subject Overview. The first overview listed reflects teaching that took place in the subject in 2022. The second overview is the historical record of what was published in the Handbook.
Updated Overview
Learning is achieved through a series of weekly seminars as well as clinical placements. Clinical training commences at different SND clinics. The subject introduces the students to the advanced clinical management of a wide range of adolescent and adult individuals with special needs at a specialist standard including, dental treatment using sedation and/or general anaesthesia. A student will begin to participate in regular meetings and interdisciplinary clinical sessions at different major hospitals in Melbourne. Other interdisciplinary meetings within the Dental School are regularly scheduled. The theoretical teaching covers a broad range of topics scheduled on cyclical rotation over the three years of the course and based on a review of the research literature. Students from all three years of the course attend all seminars. Students are assigned seminar topics on a roster at the beginning of the year and are required to research and present these topics to the class. Each semesters work will be examined at the end of that semester with all the three years work forming the basis of the comprehensive exam at the end of third year.
Original Overview
This subject provides the basis for the study of orthodontics, the specialty of dentistry that is concerned with the study and treatment of malocclusions, which may be a result of tooth irregularity and/or disproportionate jaw relationships.
Learning is achieved through a series of weekly seminars as well as clinical placements. The subject introduces a student to all aspects of orthodontic treatment and inter-disciplinary management of patients. Clinical training commences at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne and the Melbourne Dental Clinic under the guidance of experienced orthodontists. A student will begin to participate in regular meetings and interdisciplinary clinical sessions with members of the surgical teams at RMH. Other interdisciplinary meetings within the Dental School are regularly scheduled.
Each student is allocated roughly 50 new cases at the commencement of the course, including orthognathic surgery patients. At the end of the year, each student also receives transfer cases. Students treat a variety of cases with different malocclusion types and of different ages.
All students attend weekly diagnosis and treatment planning sessions of student and unseen cases to foster collegiate interaction and friendly debate on treatment options.
The theoretical teaching covers a broad range of topics scheduled on cyclical rotation over the three years of the course and based on a review of the research literature. Students from all three years of the course attend all seminars. Students are assigned seminar topics on a roster at the beginning of the year and are required to research and present these topics to the class.
DDS Teaching Requirement
All students are required to conduct seminars for the Doctor of Dental Surgery students of roughly 24 hours annually. This is undertaken in the second half of each year.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students will have:
- Demonstrate capacity to articulate knowledge and understanding in oral and written presentations related to SND and be maintaining a comprehensive collection of reading materials as they pertain to the relevant seminar topics
- Develop skills in case presentation as it relates to more complex SND case scenarios and in addition continue to develop an appreciation for the complexities of SND
- Intermediate understanding 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
- Developing a greater understanding of the complexities of managing patients with a range social and medical issues impacted by their special needs (including the role of the ICF and ICD models for care)
- Continue to develop a clear understanding of the link between general health and oral health and feel comfortable when confronted with complex special needs patients in a range of clinical, aged care and home settings
- Students will be continuing to develop a sound knowledge of ethical and consent issues pertaining to this patient cohort including when patients are unable to consent for themselves and the role of groups such as the Office of the Public Advocate
- Understand the role of government and public agencies in the context of special needs and understand the complexities of managing patients in a range of medical, dental and allied health settings.
- Build an understanding of the use of pharmacological management in the context of SND and be experienced in behaviour management techniques appropriate for use in the special care setting including the use of oral sedation and nitrous oxide
- Adequate communications skills to deal with patients with cognitive impairment, understanding the role of trans-disciplinary cooperation and its specific relation to special needs and begin to be able to plan an provide high quality oral care to individuals with special needs
- Commence development of skills in oral health promotion in order to develop, design and implement oral health programs for individuals with special needs
Last updated: 31 January 2024
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: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Submission of 4 essays (2000 words each)
| Throughout the teaching period | 20% |
Written examination
| End of year examination period | 40% |
Clinical assessment (logbook of 10 cases minimum, clinical performance) | End of the teaching period | 20% |
Oral viva voce exam
| End of year examination period | 20% |
Hurdle requirement: Overall achievement of a satisfactory grade for Clinical Demonstrator Feedback Forms, End Year (pass/fail) | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Hurdle requirement: 100% attendance at all Seminars & Clinical Sessions, including rostered On-Call Sessions, throughout the year (pass/fail) | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Dates & times
- Year Long (Extended)
Principal coordinator Mathew Lim Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 1353 hours (36hrs per week) Total time commitment 1,224 hours Teaching period 20 November 2023 to 20 October 2024 Last self-enrol date 1 December 2023 Census date 31 May 2024 Last date to withdraw without fail 20 September 2024 Assessment period ends 15 November 2024
Time commitment details
1353 hours (36hrs per week)
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
Last updated: 31 January 2024