Faculty of Dentistry

Home / Faculty of Dentistry

Program Aims

 The Program aims at:

Creating an environment that stimulates learning, teaching, research and creative expression.

Attaining high standards of patients care; to meet the dental needs of the community.

Transferring recent scientific knowledge and services adopted by our graduates to their communities through sharing in scientific research.

Graduate attributes

The graduate must be able to:

 

·         Deliver independently oral health care services within the scope of general dentistry

·         Provide ethical professional practice including compassion, empathy, integrity, responsibility and tolerance.

·         Provide comprehensive practice management encompassing patient assessments, and maintain patient’s records in complete and accurate forms.

·         Communicate effectively to develop a mature, sensitive and caring relationship with their patients.

·         Respond to socio-economic aspects of different communities and engage effectively in community services.

·         Maintain a safe and infection-controlled environment.

·         Realize the importance of lifelong learning and strive for continuous professional education.

·         Recognize the various features of medico-legal aspects of the dental profession.

·         Recognize the limitation of their current knowledge and clinical abilities and realize the need for proper referral.

·         Evaluate and respond to ongoing dental technology.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1.        Knowledge and Understanding

Upon completion of the dental program the dental student must know and understand:

·         Human growth and development of different biological systems through understanding of the basic biomedical sciences

·         The structure and function of the molecules, cells, tissues, organs and systems of the human body relevant to the practice of dentistry

·         The mode of integration of human body systems, normal homeostasis and mechanisms of responses to insults including disease and trauma.

·         The disease processes such as infection, inflammation, disorders of the immune system, neoplastic transformation, metabolic disturbances and genetic disorders relevant to the practice of dentistry

·         The structures and functions of oral and dental tissues, oral biological processes as well as causes, mechanisms and significance of oral diseases

·         The different principles of health promotion, health education and prevention of oral and dental diseases.

·         The different methods of diagnosis and management of oral diseases.

·         The scientific bases of dental biomaterials and knowledge of the properties and the biological behaviour of materials.

·         The different sources of infection in dental practice

·         The scientific principles of sterilization, disinfection and antisepsis

·         The hazards of ionizing radiation and including radiation protection and dose reduction.

·         The different oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures and management of the different cases of dental traumatology

·         The medicolegal and ethical principles in dental practice, including the confidentiality of patient information as well as patient inclusion in research

·         The different techniques, procedures and materials used to treat the different oral and dental diseases.

·         The basics of quality management in dental practice.

·         The basics of forensic odontology

·         The basis of research methodology and evidence based dentistry

 

2.        Intellectual Skills

The dental student must be able to:

 

·         Integrate knowledge of dental biomaterials in the selection and use of appropriate materials in clinical practice

·         Construct the relationship between medical and surgical diseases and disorders that may impinge on dental treatment

·         Integrate knowledge of appropriate lab investigation and interpret their results

·         Estimate importance of submitting specimens for laboratory investigation and demonstrate the ability to interpret diagnostic reports

·         Assess the need for and provide preventive instructions based on sound biological principles to maintain the health of oral tissues and prevent disease

 

3.        Professional Skills

The graduate must be able to

 

·         obtain a relevant medical history including details of current medications that might affect dental management.

·         Record a comprehensive and detailed dental history.

·         Assess patient’s general appearance and identify physical, emotional or mental abnormalities that might affect dental management.

·         Perform physical examination of the head and neck, including TMJ, salivary glands, muscles and lymph nodes and recognize disease states and abnormalities.

·         Examine the oral soft and hard tissues and diagnose various diseases and abnormalities of the teeth and periodontal tissues.

·         Carry out process and interpret intra-oral, extra-oral and dental panoramic radiographs and write an accurate radiographic report.

·         Discuss individual treatment plan options for patients of all ages and recommend the ideal treatment plan incorporating consideration of patient expectations and goals for oral care.

·         Obtain valid consent when necessary from the patient or parent, guardian or care giver.

·         Manage patients from different social and ethnic backgrounds, elderly patients and those with special needs.

·         Apply the principles of behavioural and pharmacological management techniques in treatment of anxious patients both children and adults.

·         Deliver a range of restorative dental procedures so as to restore teeth to form, function and appearance considering the need to preserve the health of the pulp and avoid unnecessary loss of tooth structure in both dentitions.

·         Deliver treatment techniques involved in management of diseases and conditions of the pulpal and periradicular tissues in both dentitions.

·         Manage traumatic injuries

·         Provide biocompatible functional and esthetic fixed and removable dental prosthesis.

·         Apply Knowledge of functional occlusion, facial growth and development to manage etiological factors associated with disordered occlusion.

·         Manage appropriately preventive orthodontic procedures including referral where necessary.

·         Manage appropriately space maintenance problems.

·         Manage minor soft tissue surgeries including management of intra and post operative complications and Extraction of teeth

·         Administer infiltration and block anaesthesia in the oral cavity and manage potential complications related to their use.

·         Carry out resuscitation techniques and immediate treatment of cardiac arrest, anaphylactic reaction, upper respiratory obstruction, collapse, vasovegal attack, haemorrhage, inhalation or ingestion of foreign bodies and diabetic coma.

·         Prescribe different relevant drugs, monitor their effectiveness and safety and be aware of drug interactions.

·         Provide periodontal examination and diagnosis.

·         Perform periodontal preventive procedures and periodontal therapy and be aware of their clinical limitations.

·         Evaluate indications, contra indications, limitations and risks of conscious sedation and general anaesthesia and explain them to their patients.

·         Refer of patients for specialist advice or treatment including referral for treatment under conscious sedation or general anaesthesia.

 

4.        General and transferrable skills

 

·         Communicate effectively with patients and other members of the dental team and other health professionals verbally and in writing.

·         Use of information technology as a means of communication for data collection and analysis, and for self directed learning.

·         Apply principles of scientific research and evaluation of evidence necessary for an evidence based approach to solve problems.

·         Recognize audit, peer review and clinical governance including the need to evaluate treatment outcomes and undertake remedial action where appropriate.

·         Manage learning in the context of establishing a philosophy of continuing professional development

·         Work efficiently in a team and exercise personal responsibility.

·         Analyze and resolve problems

·         Manage time, set priorities and work to prescribed time limits

·         Make decisions based on sound ethical, moral and scientific principles.