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Special Needs Dentistry 1 (DENT90105)
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
Year Long
Dr Mathew Lim
Overview
Availability | Year Long |
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Fees | Look up fees |
Special Needs Dentistry 1 provides the foundations for the study of Special Needs Dentistry (SND) which includes establishing an understanding of the links between disability and impairment, mental and general health and well-being, and oral health. Learning is achieved through a combination of didactic teaching sessions and clinical placements. The subject will introduce a student to concepts of communication, advocacy and consent, and health, functioning, and ageing in the context of patients with disabilities and special health care needs. The subject aims to enable a student to develop and apply their growing understanding of these principles that might impact on an individual’s oral health, to the treatment planning and management of patients with special needs, with a particular focus on the role of clinicians in special needs dentistry in the facilitating the oral health care needs for people with special needs and as part of the wider dental system and multidisciplinary dental team.
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
Last updated: 24 February 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Corequisites
Non-allowed subjects
Recommended background knowledge
General dentistry knowledge of health and disease including medically compromised individuals, International Classification of Functioning (ICF) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD).
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: 24 February 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
4x assignments (12,000 words)
| Throughout the teaching period | 40% |
Written Exam - 3 Hours (3,000 words)
| Mid-year examination period | 10% |
Written Exam - 3 Hours (3,000 words)
| End-of-year examination period | 10% |
Oral Exam (Viva Voce) - 1 Hour (1,000 words)
| Mid-year examination period | 20% |
Oral Exam (Viva Voce) - 1 Hour (1,000 words)
| End-of-year examination period | 20% |
Portfolio (including clinical and multi-source feedback, student reflections, and case presentations) 10,000 words
| Throughout the teaching period | 0% |
Additional details
Assignments: Assignments are designed as an opportunity for students to extend their evidence-based knowledge through research into subjects of interest throughout the program of study. The first assignment of this subject will be on a compulsory topic related to medicolegal and ethical obligations to ensure students are aware of their professional obligations to relevant Australian legislation and professional standards in patient care. This will need to be completed prior to commencement of patient care to meet professional expectations and protect patient safety. The remainder of assignments are designed with flexibility to be completed throughout the teaching period to support the student in developing of knowledge and/or skills applicable to patient cases and care. While designed primarily as a literature review, the assignment format allows for flexibility for the student to present acquired knowledge in different formats and styles.
Oral exam (viva voce): The oral exam is a case-based discussion, of both real-life and hypothetical seen and unseen cases, designed to assess application of knowledge to patient care. It offers a significant opportunity for a panel of examiners to assess acquisition, integration, and application of knowledge and skills to patient care. Given that this course of study involves provision of patient care to vulnerable populations, this assessment provides a vital opportunity to ensure ongoing patient safety in line with professional expectations. As such, the assessment requires a heavier weighting, at 20% as demonstrated, to reflect these key timepoints of progress in the subject and in the interests of public safety in line with professional and public expectations.
Portfolio: The portfolio is a new assessment aimed at helping students compile a record of their experiences, feedback, and reflections throughout the course of study. As such, this assessment will encompass other previous assessments, such as the ‘Presentation’ of logbook cases and Clinical / Placement Competency, as is designed in line with best practice to provide opportunities for feedback rather than summative assessment as specified in the previous assessment. As it is anticipated to be an ongoing and cumulative body of work, it is intended for formative feedback throughout this subject and in an ongoing nature throughout the program of study. To ensure that the student is making adequate progress, it has been identified as a hurdle requirement to ensure students have adequate knowledge, skills, and experience to move to the next year of study in this course.
Last updated: 24 February 2024
Dates & times
- Year Long
Principal coordinator Mathew Lim Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 1,224 hours Teaching period 26 February 2024 to 20 October 2024 Last self-enrol date 8 March 2024 Census date 31 May 2024 Last date to withdraw without fail 20 September 2024 Assessment period ends 15 November 2024 Year Long contact information
Dr Mathew Lim
Time commitment details
1224 Hours Indicative
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: 24 February 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
Last updated: 24 February 2024