Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description

CODE DNS4003

 
TITLE Child Dental Health and Orthodontics 2

 
UM LEVEL 09 - Years 4, 5 in Non-Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL Not Applicable

 
ECTS CREDITS Not Applicable

 
DEPARTMENT Dental Surgery

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit gives further knowledge on the development of the dentition, diagnosis and management of dental disease and correction of growth anomalies in young patients. Subjects taught include Management of Abused Children and Trauma, Special Needs and High-Risk Children. The Principles of Managing Dental Disease in Mixed Dentition and Preventive Measures. Further subjects include advanced orthodontic techniques, the aetiology of more complex malocclusions, fixed appliances and dentofacial orthopaedics.

Learning Outcomes:

Child Dental Health

During this year the student will acquire advanced knowledge of Child Dental Health and acquire the necessary clinical skills, specifically:

• Competence in the principles of management of the Immature Apex;
• Knowledge of sedation techniques including inhalational sedation in clinical practice;
• Knowledge of the issue of child abuse, knowledge of the spectrum of oro-facial injuries in child abuse and the role of the general practitioner in recognising and reacting to suspected abuse;
• Competence in the principles of treatment of young first permanent molars in terms of caries, pulp or periradicular involvement;
• A theoretical knowledge and understanding of the role of dental care professionals within Special Care Dentistry and an understanding of the features characteristic of a select group of special needs conditions;
• Competency regarding the prescription of appropriate fluoride supplements for children based upon dental status, age and other fluoride sources;
• Competence in the principles of obtaining a comprehensive history and examination of a child who has suffered dento-alveolar trauma;
• Competence in the indications for further investigations, emergency care and follow-up treatment for the trauma patient.

Orthodontics

During this year the student will acquire further knowledge of Orthodontics and orthodontic techniques, specifically, you will acquire competence in:

• Aetiology of Class 2 and Class 3 malocclusions and the principles of treatment;
• Aetiology and treatment of ectopic teeth;
• Orthodontic stability and retention;
• Basic principles of advanced Orthodontic Techniques:
- Fixed appliances;
- Treatment of Orthognathic cases;
• Dentofacial Orthopaedics.

The student will take on selected patients for treatment and apply knowledge gained in order to plan treatment and carry a treatment plan out to a successful conclusion.

Reading List:

Child Dental Health

Recommended Textbooks

Paediatric Dentistry (Paperback Edition). Richard Welbury. Publisher : Oxford University Press ; 3rd Edition
ISBN: 019 26 3186 1.
Oral and Dental Trauma in Childen and Adolescents. Graham Roberts, Peter Longhurst Publisher : Oxford University Press.
ISBN 0192620495. Paperback edition

Orthodontics

Recommended Textbook

A Textbook of Orthodontics (Dental Practitioner Handbook). W. B. Houston, Jack Tulley, Chris Stephens. ISBN: 0723609861.

Recommended Reading

Diagnosis of the Orthodontic Patient (Paperback). F. McDonald and A. J. Ireland. ISBN: 0192628895.
The Orthodontic Patient: Treatment and Biomechanics. A.J. Ireland and F. McDonald. ISBN: 0198510489.

Reference only

Contemporary Orthodontics. William R. Proffit. ISBN: 1556645538.

 
RULES/CONDITIONS Before TAKING THIS UNIT YOU MUST TAKE DNS3003

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Minimum of 20 diagnostic cases, which will be graded and entered into a student logbook. These cases will be carried forward to the following year.

8 fissure sealants
5 preventive resin restorations
2 pulpotomies
3 amalgam restorations – primary molars
2 composite restorations – primary molars

IMPORTANT

Students who do not attend at least 92% of the scheduled clinical or phantom head sessions will not be allowed to sit for any of the assessment components mentioned below.

In order for students to be awarded an overall pass in the study-unit, they need to satisfy the following conditions:
• obtain a mark of at least 45% in the Written Examination; and
• obtain an overall pass in the Yearly Clinical Performance* and Oral Examination.

* The Yearly Clinical Performance mark is an average of all the clinical work completed throughout the year

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Clinical Practice, Lecture, Tutorial and Seminar

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Oral Examination [See Add. Notes] Yes 20%
Yearly Clinical Performance [See Add. Notes] No 20%
Examination - Jun [See Add. Notes] (3 Hours) Yes 60%

 
LECTURER/S Audrey Camilleri
Gabriella Gatt
Kevin Mulligan
Jan Muscat

 

 
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 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

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