Special Needs Dentistry 3 (DENT90107)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 75Not available in 2025
About this subject
Overview
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|---|
Special Needs Dentistry 3 builds on the knowledge and skills developed over the previous two years of study. This subject provides students with the opportunity to hone their knowledge and skills in this specialty area. Learning is achieved through a combination of interactive teaching sessions and clinical placements. Students have a greater opportunity to explore their own areas of interest, including new and emerging technologies or areas of medicine, through their assignments, seminars, and placements, and thus craft the knowledge and skills essential to the specialist pathway on which they hope to embark. This subject enables students to ensure they have the have developed the necessary understanding and skills to be a specialist in Special Needs Dentistry, and to transition to work across any of the areas of clinical practice, education, and/or research.
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
Generic skills
- Assemble and lead a collaborative team
- Interpersonal and communication skills
- Demonstrate capacity for continuing independent learning
- Advocate for a diversity of opinions, beliefs, and lifestyles.
Last updated: 28 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: 28 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Assignments x2
| Throughout the teaching period | 20% |
Portfolio (includes a logbook of clinical practice, cases, feedback from clinical supervisors and reflective practice )
| Throughout the teaching period | 0% |
Written exam (3000 words)
| End of year teaching period | 30% |
Oral Exam (Viva Voce) 2000 words
| End of year examination period | 50% |
Additional details
Portfolio: The portfolio is an ongoing assessment that monitors clinical progress throughout the subject. As this monitors clinical safety, it is a hurdle assessment. Students also compile a record of their experiences (e.g. case reports and logbook), clinical feedback, and reflections throughout the course of study.
Written exam: The written exam is a case-based assessment of application of knowledge measured against specialist competencies.
Oral exam (viva voce): The oral exam is a case-based discussion with a panel of examiners. Real-life and hypothetical seen and unseen cases will be discussed to assess application and safety of knowledge in relation to patient care measured against specialist competencies.
Last updated: 28 March 2025
Dates & times
Not available in 2025
Time commitment details
Non-contact hours: 9 hours per week Working on assignments: ~2 hours per week Preparation for seminars: ~3 hours per week (Seminar content is assessed in the written and oral exams) Study for written and oral exam: ~4 hours 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: 28 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
Last updated: 28 March 2025