Curriculum Goals and Objectives

Operative Dentistry

  1. To understand and demonstrate proper restorative technique and selection.
  2. To understand and demonstrate proper material selection and handling.
  3. To be able to modify restorative treatment plans as a result of unexpected circumstances or the patient’s individual needs.
  4. Place restorations and perform techniques to enhance patient's facial esthetics.
  5. To increase efficiency and utilization of time and personnel.
  6. To restore endodontically treated teeth.

Restoration of the Edentulous Space

  1. To treat patients with missing teeth requiring fixed restorations
  2. To understand and demonstrate basic principles in fixed prosthodontics, including proper tooth preparation/design
  3. To understand and demonstrate appropriate material application and its limitations and usage
  4. To understand and demonstrate specific case design in RPD
  5. To treat patients with missing teeth requiring removable restorations including full and partial dentures
  6. To communicate case design with laboratory technicians and evaluates the resultant prostheses
  7. To treatment plan complex fixed and removable cases including alternate treatment plans

Periodontal therapy
The goals of the division of periodontics is to provide the resident with a comprehensive background to periodontics including:

  1. To treatment plan and understand periodontal interrelationships with restorative dentistry.
  2. To review of and understand how to evaluate the periodontal literature.
  3. To provide lectures and interactive seminars requiring the resident to employ their knowledge of basic science and clinical dentistry.
  4. To gain clinical competency to treat gingivitis and early to moderate periodontitis.
  5. To stress initial therapy consisting of root planning and scaling.
  6. To perform various periodontal surgical techniques and to be exposed to different treatment philosophies The resident will work under the supervision of the periodontal attendings.
  7. To gain knowledge of occlusion and its effects on the periodontium.
  8. In cooperation with the department of orthodontia, to understand minor tooth movement and uprighting.

Endodontic Therapy

  1. To differentiate between those symptoms arising from disease of the pulp and those arising from other tissues, using proper diagnostic tests.
  2. To appreciate the factors which affect the complexity of treatment in each endodontic case and distinguish between those cases which are within his/her capabilities and those which are likely to require referral.
  3. To perform a thorough clinical examination including appropriate pulp tests
  4. To perform nonsurgical root canal treatment on anterior teeth
  5. To perform nonsurgical root canal treatment on posterior teeth

Oral Surgery
Through lectures, clinical demonstrations and working side by side with attendings in the department residents should expect to attain the following:

  1. To gain confidence in the field by repeated clinical exposure to procedures.
  2. To gain the ability to assess and manage the medically compromised patient creating an awareness of when to treat and when to refer a patient.
  3. To become knowledgeable as to the scope of the specialty by exposure to complicated surgical procedures.
  4. To gain confidence to perform routine dentoalveolar procedures in the office.
  5. To be able to admit patients, write orders, ask for proper consults and be comfortable performing dentistry in the operating room.
  6. Integrate their knowledge of surgery into the practice of general dentistry.

Evaluation and treatment of dental emergencies

  1. To recognize, anticipate and manage emergency problems related to the oral cavity.
  2. To differentiate between those symptoms arising from disease of the pulp and those arising from other tissues using proper diagnostic tests.
  3. When potential or actual pulpal pathosis has been identified, the resident should be able to determine its probable cause, determine its severity, select and execute the proper treatment regimen
  4. To gain the skill and knowledge to recognize, anticipate and manage primary care for acute infection of oral origin
  5. To gain the skill and knowledge to recognize, evaluate, and manage primary care of acute oral pathological conditions
  6. To gain the skill and knowledge to recognize, anticipate and manage primary care of hemorrhage of the oral cavity,
  7. To gain the skill and knowledge to recognize, evaluate and manage traumatic injuries to the dentoalveolar structures

Pain and anxiety control utilizing behavioral and/or pharmacological techniques

  1. To properly manage the anxious patient (using a stress reduction protocol) including the pediatric patient
  2. To use behavioral and pharmacological modalities beyond local anesthesia
  3. To understand how to use oral premedication for the anxious patient
  4. To properly use inhalation nitrous oxide analgesia
  5. To understand the use of IV sedation
  6. To properly use local anesthesia technique

Medical Emergencies

  1. To gain knowledge and/or skill to review a medical history to recognize factors which predispose a patient to systemic emergency during dental treatment
  2. To gain skill and/or knowledge to anticipate systemic emergencies by preoperative evaluation and management
  3. To gain knowledge and/or skill to manage the primary systemic abnormalities in a patient with a medical emergency
  4. To gain knowledge and/or skill to manage a patient’s respiration and/or circulation when required because of systemic collapse
  5. To gain knowledge and/or skill to evaluate and manage seizure and sudden loss of consciousness in a patient
  6. To gain knowledge and/or skill to manage allergic reactions encountered in the course of dental treatment
  7. To gain knowledge and/or skill to manage proper wound debridement and wound closure
  8. To gain knowledge or skill to manage dental and alveolar fractures as well as the initial management of fractures of facial bones

Manage: Coordinate the delivery of care using a patient-focused approach within the scope of their training. Patient-focused care should include concepts related to the patient’s social, cultural, behavioral, economic, medical and physical status.

Implants

  1. To understand and/or gain knowledge in the treatment planning and management of dental implants
  2. To manage the surgical aspect of implants
  3. To manage the prosthetic aspect of implants
  4. To understanding and/or gain knowledge implant concepts and design

Oral Mucosal Diseases

  1. To recognize and manage diseases of the soft tissues
  2. To perform and/or manage biopsies of oral tissues and follow up with the patient when the results are confirmed.


Temporomandibular Disorders and

  1. To recognize and manage temporomandibular disorders

Orofacial pain

  1. To recognize and manage typical orofacial pain
  2. To recognize and manage atypical orofacial pain

Occlusal Disorders

  1. To diagnose and manage a patient’s occlusion
  2. To gain the knowledge of current concepts of occlusal relationships including centric relation and centric occlusion.
  3. To gain the knowledge to manage anterior guidance and posterior disclusion in function
  4. To gain the knowledge to manage treatment modalities including occlusal splint therapy and occlusal equilibration
  5. To gain the knowledge to manage of the proper mounting of models and its value.

Consultations

  1. To provide dental care as a part of an inter-professional health care team such as that found in a hospital.
  2. To use proper hospital protocol when treating and managing patients in a hospital environment.
  3. To perform dental consultations and request medical consultations for hospitalized patients and patients in other health care settings.
  4. To request and respond to requests for consultations from physicians and other health care providers.
  5. To understand and utilize an inpatient hospital chart and to coordinate the dental treatment with other departments in the hospital

Physical Evaluation and Medical Evaluation
Formal instruction in physical evaluation and medical assessment is provided, including:

a) taking, recording, and interpreting a complete medical history;
b) understanding the indications of and interpretations of laboratory studies and other techniques used in the diagnosis of oral and systemic diseases;
c) understanding the relationship between oral health care and systemic diseases; and
d) interpreting the physical evaluation performed by a physician with an understanding of how it impacts on proposed dental treatment.

The PROGRAM provides in Practice Management

a) instruction in the principles of practice management including the management of allied dental professionals and other office personnel.
b) instruction in starting a practice
c) instruction in maintaining a practice
d) instruction in becoming an associate
e) instruction in business management and practice development
f) knowledge and experience in performance improvement (quality management)
g) instruction in risk management.

Hospital Organization
The PROGRAM

a) Provides student/residents with an understanding of hospital organization, functioning, and credentialing process.
b) Provides an opportunity to interact with other health professionals
c) Provides an understanding of consultations of a dental origin
e) Provided an understanding of the application process and experience in hospital-based records.

Inpatients or same-day surgery patients:
The PROGRAM provides the resident with training and experience in the management of inpatients or same-day surgery patients, including:

a) reviewing medical histories and physical examinations;
b) prescribing treatment and medication;
c) providing care in the operating room; and
d) preparing the patient record, including notation of medical history, review of physical examination, pre- and post-operative orders, and description of surgical procedures.

Other:
The PROGRAM provides

  1. Structured patient care conferences held at least twelve (12) times a year.
  2. Students/Residents assignments that require critical review of relevant scientific literature.
  3. develop overall program goals and objectives that emphasize:

    a) general dentistry,
    b) student/resident education,
    c) patient care, and
    d) community service
    e) training students/residents to provide oral health care in a hospital setting.

Ethics and Professionalism

  1. To demonstrate the application of the principles of ethical reasoning, as they pertain to the academic environment, research, patient care, and practice management.
  2. To demonstrate the application of the principles ethical decision making as they pertain to the academic environment, research, patient care, and practice management.
  3. To demonstrate the application of the principles professional responsibility as they pertain to the academic environment, research, patient care, and practice management.

Pediatric Dentistry

  1. Diagnoses, treatment plans and treats uncomplicated diseases and abnormalities of the pediatric patient
  2. Understands and/or performs pediatric pupal therapy
  3. Restores intra and extra-coronal defects of the primary dentition
  4. Performs uncomplicated surgical procedures on pediatric patients
  5. Uses non-pharmacologic behavior management skills with the pediatric patient

Orthodontics

  1. Diagnose malocclusions
  2. Understands growth and development
  3. Gain knowledge of interceptive treatment
  4. Gain knowledge of orthodontic preventive treatment
  5. Gain knowledge of corrective treatment
  6. Gain knowledge of removable (ortho) appliances
  7. Gain knowledge of fixed (ortho) appliances