Introduction to Dentistry: Overview and Values

• Dentistry is a healthcare profession concerned with the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of oral cavity diseases, disorders, and conditions.
• Dentistry entails specialized knowledge gained through systematic investigation, as well as skilled craftsmanship and technical abilities, following substantial training.
• Perspective in dentistry enhances understanding and prioritizing aspects of the profession.

Value of Dentistry

• Service to Mankind: Preventing and addressing dental issues.
• Social Security: Providing a stable livelihood and career opportunities.
• Prestige: Earning professional recognition and respect.

Ideal Dentist Traits

• Dedication to service, honesty, diligence, resourcefulness, and charity.
• Dental students should possess energy, enthusiasm, patience, and perseverance.

Oral Health Needs

• Requires understanding the conditions of the oral cavity and its relationship to the overall health

Preventive vs. Remedial Services:

• Preventive Services: Aim to prevent disease onset.
• Remedial/Corrective/Curative Services: Address existing dental issues, including treatments like heart bypass surgery (in medicine) and restorations in dentistry.

Common preventative measures that dentists utilize

• Regular dental check-ups, oral prophylaxis (cleaning), fluoride application, oral health education, and maintaining a good oral hygiene regimen.

Common remedial measures that dentists utilize

• Restorations, root canal therapy, oral surgery, and prostheses

Career Opportunities in Dentistry:

• Private Practice: Solo, partnership/group, multi-located, or part-time practices.
• Public Health Dentists: Working for national or local governments.
• Hospital Dentists: Practicing in private hospitals.
• Military Dentists: Serving in the armed forces dental corps.
• Industry/Company Dentists: Employed by private companies.
• School Dentists: Working in private schools or universities.
• Dental Educator: Teaching positions requiring additional education and administrative skills.

Other Avenues in Dentistry:

• Dental Assistant: Gaining experience before private practice.
• Dental Researchers: Conducting research in dental fields, typically in universities.
• Graduate Study: Specializing through advanced degrees in various dental fields.
• Heritage Practice: Taking over a family dental practice.
• Dental or Medical Representative: Working for drug companies or dental traders.
• Dental Consultants: Providing expertise to dental companies or laboratories.
• Foreign Employment: Opportunities for licensed dentists and assistants abroad.

Areas of Specialization Abroad

• Dental assistants (require a license abroad), Dental Hygienists (work on certain procedures), Dental Nurses (provide patient care), and Dental Technicians (for dentures).

Scope of Dental Subjects:

• Pre-clinical subjects provide basic skills on ivorine teeth and model casts.
• Clinical dentistry trains students in actual patient handling.

Basic Medical Subjects of Dentistry

• General Anatomy: Study of the human body by regions.
• General Anatomy 2: Focuses on the head and neck.
• Biochemistry: Study of cell and organelle biochemistry and metabolism.
• General Physiology with Family Planning: Study of body functions with applications to dentistry and family planning.
• General Pathology: Study of general and systemic pathology that focuses on disease/abnormalities of humans.
• Pharmacology: Study of drug actions.
• Microbiology: Study of pathogenic microorganisms and their infectious nature.
• Principles of Medicine: Provides a framework for understanding internal medicine and its relevance to dentistry.

Basic Dental Courses:

• Oral Anatomy: Morphology of dentition and relationships with supporting structures.
• Oral Histology and Embryology: Study of oral/dental tissues' microscopic structures and embryonic development.
• Dental Materials: Study of dental materials' physical and chemical properties, appropriate handling, and uses.
• Cariology: Diagnosis, etiology, prevention, and management of tooth decay.
• Infection Control: Aseptic protocols and sterilization techniques to prevent contamination.
• Oral Physiology and Occlusion: Study of oro-facial mechanisms and their interrelationships influencing occlusion.

Clinical Disciplines

Stomatognathic System

• Structures involved in tasting, receiving, chewing swallowing food.

Oral Pathology

• Study of diseases and abnormalities afflicting the coral cavity and adjacent structure.

Oral Pathology 2/Oncology

• Specializes in the patholpgy of cancers tumors.

Operative Dentistry 1

• Cavity preperation and filling carious teeth.

Operative Dentistry 2

• Restoring lost tooth structure to their proper form.

Prosthodontics 1 (Fixed Partial Denture)

• The restoration of natuaral teeth but anchored to existing teeth.

Prosthodontics 2 (Removable Partial Denture)

• Restoring missing teeth using removable prostheses.

Orthodontics 1

• Managing abnormal craniofacial structures.

Endodontics

• Treating disease of the soft tissue of the dental pulp.

Roentgenology

• Study of radiographic apparatus application and interpretation.

Periodontics 1

• Study of normal periodontiumas well as disease classification

Periodontology

• Study of normal and abnormal parts of the mouth

Basic Dental Implatology

• Gaining knowledge on the scientific basis for implants.

Forensic Dentistry

• Use of dental records identify victims.

Interdisciplinary Approach in Patient Management

• Effectively working effectively for optimal patient care.

Current Trends in Dentistry

• Stay updated of latest developments in the feild.

Dental Public Health and related Courses

• Biostatistics - to identify health trends that lead to life saving measures
• Dental Publich health 1 - focus on disease and health
• Dental Public Health 2 (School Based) oral health education in schools
• Dental Public Health 3 (Field work) - practice of community dentistry
• Dental Informatics - Computer applications in dental practice.
• UG Research 1 & 2
• Undergraduates preparing a preentation for a scientific forum.

Practice Management and Entrepreneurship

• Practicing dentistry appropriately in relation to cultural conditions.

Jurisprudence and Ethics

• Practicing ethically with law.

Andragogy

• Teaching adults dentistry

Hospital Dentistry

Orientation to different departments .

Clinical Dentistry

• Clinicians work on actual patients with the supervision and guidance of a senior clinician.