Unit information: Preclinical Dentistry - Dental Therapy in 2015/16

Unit name	Preclinical Dentistry - Dental Therapy
Unit code	DENT10011
Credit points	40
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Miss. Susan Vine
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Bristol Dental School
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

To provide knowledge of dental diseases related to the scope of practice by the Dental Therapist, and relate current treatment techniques and materials to their management.

The unit aims are:

• To produce a student who is capable of sound safe clinical restorative practice and to demonstrate sound theoretical knowledge on related subjects.

• To develop the relevant skills of restorative dentistry to a level of clinical competence, using simulated clinical practice on manikin heads.

Intended Learning Outcomes

• Be competent in the completion of a range of restorative procedures, including amalgam and tooth-coloured restorations in the permanent and primary dentitions, using manikin heads.

• Be competent in the principles of cavity design and the management and treatment of carious lesions.

• Have knowledge of working to a prescriptive treatment plan as issued by a supervising dentist.

• Have knowledge of the science that underpins the dental biomaterials used by the dental therapist.

• Have knowledge of the limitations of such dental biomaterials.

• Be familiar with those aspects of biomaterials safety that relate to the work of the dental therapists.

Teaching Information

Students are given pre-course learning material and recommended reading prior to commencing the programme.

• Lectures
• Small group teaching
• Practical teaching sessions in the Clinical Skills Laboratory
• Independent study
• Pre-course learning material

Assessment Information

Formative:

Open book essay (2000) words on polishing amalgam restorations.

Summative:

Practical summative assessment on simulator units. This assessment must be completed in 1.5 hours and students must pass with a minimum of 50% in order to progress on the programme.

Dental materials written assessment. This is a 2 hr written paper with a pass mark of 50%.

These two summative assessments are weighted 60:40 respectively

Reading and References

Pickards Manual of Operative Dentistry – 7th Edition Kidd/Smith ISBN: 01926 26094

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials – 10th Edition Anusavice ISBN: 07216 57419

The Future of Dental Amalgam Eley ISBN: RK 519 A41E

Applied Dental Materials – 8th Edition McCabe/Wells ISBN: 0632 1217X

Dental Materials and their Selection – 2nd Edition O’Brien ISBN: 6525646