Unit information: Primary Care Dentistry Year 4 in 2021/22

Unit name	Primary Care Dentistry Year 4
Unit code	ORDS30004
Credit points	50
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Mrs. John
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

This unit aims to develop student skills in clinical dentistry. It expands and builds on the student’s experience gained in Year 3 in the management of patients within a range of clinical settings and to include more complex management.

The unit is comprised of five elements of:

• Restorative Dentistry Year 4
• Oral Surgery Year 4
• Child Dental Health Year 4
• Community Based Dentistry Year 4
• Urgent Dental Care (UDC) Year 4

The majority of the learning within the Unit occurs during supervised treatment sessions where the student communicates with and carries out prescribed treatment for patients under staff supervision.

Aims (at the level of a confident learner):

• To enable the student to learn from and apply knowledge from an evidence-based understanding of oral and dental health and disease and to develop diagnostic and decision making skills in treatment planning.
• To expand student insight into integration of dental care into the wider health care setting.
• To enable the student to identify and fulfil the role and responsibilities of the dental surgeon and the clinical assistant and to participate as a member of the wider dental team

To enable the student to bring together knowledge and skills from subjects within the teaching specialties of primary dental care to ensure comprehensive patient care.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of Year 4 a successful student should obtain knowledge and understanding in the following areas of primary dental care. These meet the following GDC Preparing for Practice (2017) learning outcomes for dentists (in brackets).

In all disciplines

1. Record a contemporaneous, clear and concise patient history and examination and formulate a differential diagnosis and treatment / management plan (1.2.1 and 1.2.2, 5.3). Confidently undertake the roles of operator and assistant at the dental chairside (8.1,8.2) (1.1.8, 1.8.1, 1.8.2). Recognise the importance of respecting and protecting patient confidentiality (6.2,6.3,6.4)
2. Apply knowledge of medical conditions that may impinge on dental treatment
3. Prescribe accurately to other health care professionals and critically assess the quality of lab work

In Restorative Dentistry

1. Maintain an adult dentition whilst evaluating health risks (1.10.7).
2. Assess and manage pain of dental origin (1.7.5, 1.9.1) and instigate preventive and interventive regimes to control periodontal disease, dental caries, and diseases of the dentino-pulp complex to ensure a functioning and aesthetic dentition ( 1.1.3, 1.10.2, 1.10.3, 1.10.4, 1.10.5)
3. Manage diseases with minimal intervention in a risk free environment (1.8.1, 1.8.2)
4. Clinically apply knowledge of dental materials and therapeutic agents administered to patients requiring prevention and restorative clinical intervention (1.1.9, 1.1.10).
5. Assess and treat chronic periodontal disease and treat aggressive periodontal disease non-surgically with or without therapeutic adjuncts (1.11.1, 1.11.2, 1.11.3, 1.11.4, 1.11.5, 1.11.6)
6. Recognise features of the edentulous and partially edentulous mouth relevant to the provision of removable and fixed prostheses and understand the complexities that loss of function or anatomic form contribute to restoration (1.14.11)
7. Request work from and work alongside dental laboratory services (4.4, 5.2, 8.2)

In Oral Surgery

1. Summarise and apply the standard management of medical emergencies that can occur in dental practice (1.8.6)
2. Describe the anatomy of the head and neck in relation to anaesthesia for dental treatment (1.1.6) and explain the pharmacological effects of local anaesthesia (1.1.9).
3. Demonstrate safe administration of local anaesthesia for dental treatment in both the maxilla and mandible (1.7.8)
4. Name commonly used instruments and identify appropriate usage for dental extractions and straightforward surgical removal of teeth (1.12.7).
5. Undertake extraction of permanent teeth and assist with surgical removal (1.12.7).

In Child Dental Health

1. Define normal childhood development and behaviour patterns (1.1.13; ) and describe and utilise dental health promotion teaching materials (1.10.4). Deliver preventive advice and restorative care for children with straight forward needs, but with possible mild management issues (social, emotional or intellectual) (1.10.2; 1.10.5).
2. Understand treatment of children with injuries to the dental and/or supporting tissues (1.9.3, 1.9.4).

In Community Based Dentistry

1. Evaluate factors contributing to general & oral health & assist in behaviour change (1.10.7).
2. Provide patients with comprehensive and accurate preventive education and instruction in a manner which encourages self care and motivation (1.10.2).
3. Underpin all patient care with a preventive approach that contributes to the patient’s long term oral and general health (1.10.4).

In Urgent Dental Care (UDC)

1. They should be able to recognise dental pain and interpret investigations and formulate effective treatment plans (1.1.1, 1.5.1, 1.14.6).
2. They should be able to manage patient in pain (1.9.1, 1.9.2).
3. They should be able to differentially diagnose radiolucencies, radiopacities and mixed lesions affecting the teeth and jaws (1.2.3, 1.4.1).

Teaching Information

Teaching will use a blended learning approach delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities. Students will be expected to engage with all learning.

A range of teaching are used in the unit including:

• Lectures
• Seminar and small group teaching
• Chairside teaching during supervised direct patient care.
• Self-directed learning

Assessment Information

Formative:

Continuous assessment on clinic using a predetermined standard assessment scheme with immediate feedback to the student. Each student to complete a logbook/portfolio during the course with opportunity to reflect on progress during and at the end of the Unit. Student's overall performance will be monitored and discussed at the School Progress committee.

Summative:

1. OSCE mapped to Unit learning outcomes. (50% of Unit total).
2. e-Assessment exam, using multi format e-format questioning. Knowledge assessment mapped to Unit learning outcomes. (50% of Unit total). The Restorative section of the E assessment will cover material taught within Primary Care and the 'Advanced Restorative' and 'Advanced Periodontology' courses within the Element of Restorative Skills.

The Primary Care e-Assessment and OSCE must both be passed.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ORDS30004).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.