Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE DNS2014

 
TITLE Dental Specialities 2

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Faculty of Dental Surgery

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit is designed to provide students with the knowledge about the Dental Specialities of Restorative Dentistry, Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics and their relationships with Dental Hygiene Practice and the rationale for referrals.

- Restorative Dentistry: The principles of Removable and Fixed Prosthodontics including Implant-retained prostheses, Endodontics, Operative Dentistry and Dental materials will be covered;
- The impact of Restorative Dentistry on oral health and its maintenance is discussed;
- Paediatric Dentistry: The factors influencing a child’s normal physical and behavioural development and how these may impact on their oral health, the provision of care and patient management will be discussed. Abnormalities of dental growth and development shall also be discussed. Students shall be taught about paediatric restorative techniques and the classification, epidemiology and management of dental traumatic injuries and non-accidental injury;
- Orthodontics: A basic knowledge of the establishment of normal occlusion and common malocclusions, orthodontic techniques including removal appliance therapy, functional appliances and fixed straight appliances shall be discussed.

Study-unit Aims:

The aim of this study-unit is to provide the student with in-depth knowledge necessary to be able to recognise, appreciate and understand the variety of oral health care options provided by the Dental Specialities of Restorative Dentistry, Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics and their impact on oral hygiene and its maintenance.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Understand the role and the relative responsibilities/contributions of the dental hygienist and the other members of the dental team in the overall patient management process;
- Identify the need and time correctly the referral of select patients to the correct specialities;
- Understand and choose the best practice approach to communicate and collaborate with dental and medical practitioners and specialists;
- Understand and interpret correctly patient clinical notes and charts;
- Record correctly observed dental restorations using correct terminology and abbreviations;
- Describe the use and the physical, mechanical and biological characteristics of materials used in the laboratory and in clinical practice;
- Analyse the factors that affect selection of biomaterials to meet patients’ needs;
- Explain the sequencing of dental restorative procedures;
- Understand potential oral health risks related to dental implant therapy and perform care and maintenance procedures for dental implants and manage the health of peri-implant tissues;
- Compare between the different morphological features of the primary and permanent dentition and relate this to their identification;
- Recognise normal and abnormal facial growth, dental, physical, mental and emotional development in a child patient;
- Justify the need for and apply appropriately anxiety management strategies in the child patient;
- Identify the need for and complete correctly pit and fissure sealants;
- Distinguish accurately between intrinsic and extrinsic stains and perform extrinsic stain removal procedures;
- Support orthodontic and paediatric patients by assessing the need for, planning and administering professional fluoride/remineralising pastes.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Refer patients in their care to the correct specialities;
- Communicate and collaborate with dental and medical practitioners and specialists;
- Interpret interpret correctly patient clinical notes and charts;
- Recognize and manipulate dental materials;
- Perform care and maintenance procedures for dental implants;
- Describe normal and abnormal facial growth, dental, physical, mental and emotional development in a child patient;
- Apply anxiety management strategies in the child patient;
- Apply correctly pit and fissure sealants;
- Perform extrinsic stain removal procedures;
- Administering professional fluoride/remineralising pastes.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- Paediatric Dentistry, OUP Oxford; 3 edition (14 July 2005), Language English, ISBN-10: 0198565836, ISBN-13: 978-0198565833.
- An Introduction to Orthodontics by Laura Mitchell, 288 pages, OUP Oxford; 3 edition (17 May 2007), Language English, ISBN-10: 0198568126, ISBN-13: 978-0198568124.
- Fundamentals of Operative Dentistry: A Contemporary Approach, Summitt JB, Robbins JW, Schwartz RS Quintessence Publishing Company, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 2001 576 pages, illustrated, indexed ISBN: 0-86715-382-2.
- Complete Dentures: From Planning to Problem solving. Quintessentials of Dental Practice. P Finbarr Allen, Sean Mc Carthy. Publisher: Quintessence Publishing Co ltd. ISBN 13: 978185090644.
- Lecture Notes

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Please note that a pass in the Examination component is obligatory for an overall pass mark to be awarded.

Attendance to scheduled sessions, inclusive of lectures/tutorials, practical, laboratory and clinical components is compulsory. Students who do not attend at least 90% of the scheduled sessions will not be allowed to sit for any of the assessment components mentioned below.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture, Independent Study & Placement

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Logbook SEM2 No 30%
Examination [See Add. Notes] (2 Hours) SEM2 Yes 70%

 
LECTURER/S Emad Eddin Alzoubi
Nikolai Attard
Adrienne Busuttil
Gabriella Gatt
Daniel Keir
David Paul Mifsud
Kevin Mulligan

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit