Predoctoral Program: Curriculum

Oral Diseases and Rehabilitation

The Oral Diseases and Rehabilitation track consists of the Restorative Sciences course and the Oral Diseases and Infection course.

Restorative Sciences:
The Restorative Sciences course covers the entire range of oral reconstruction in the restoration of diseased, damaged, or missing teeth. Major subject areas include:

Dental Morphology – The Dental Morphology section focuses on the characteristics that comprise the gross anatomy of the human dentition including the anatomic structures of the individual teeth as well as their supporting structures.

Operative Dentistry – The Operative Dentistry section gives students an understanding of the basic concepts of operative dentistry, single tooth restorative treatment options, instrumentation, nomenclature, and terminology. Emphasis in this section is placed on recent advances in esthetic and cosmetic dentistry.

Dental Occlusion – The Dental Occlusion section examines the relationship of the opposing dental arches as they interrelate during closure and when undergoing dynamic jaw movements. The process of mastication and the contacting relationships of anterior and posterior teeth are covered in reference to the potential restorative needs of the teeth.

Dental Materials – The purpose of this section is to develop an understanding of the fundamentals of metals, ceramics, polymers and other dental materials to complement the Restorative Sciences technique courses. Emphasis is placed on the relationships between a material's structure and its properties.

Fixed Prosthodontics – The Fixed Prosthodontics section of the course covers the biological and mechanical principles of restoring diseased and/or damaged teeth with cast metal or porcelain restorations and replacing missing teeth with fixed prostheses (bridges).

Removable Prosthodontics – The Removable Prosthodontics section examines the role of partial and compete removable dentures in the treatment of missing teeth and edentulous dental arches.

Dental Implants – The Dental Implant course provides the student with background on the biology of dental implants and the management of implants within the scope of the general dentist. The course focuses on the establishment of a database, development of a treatment plan and the coordination of implant therapy with other specialties. Students also receive hands-on surgical and restorative laboratory experience with the ITI and Branemark implant systems.

Oral Diseases and Infections:
The Oral Diseases and Infections course covers the general areas of cariology, periodontology, endodontology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, prevention, and the principles of treatment planning.

Cariology – The Cariology section of the course focuses on the etiology, pathogenesis, prognosis, prevention and treatment of dental caries in humans. Emphasis is placed on microbial causation, dietary influences, tooth demineralization and remineralization, and prevention and patient management strategies.

Periodontology – The Periodontology section of the course includes consideration of bacteria-host interactions in inflammatory periodontal diseases, surgical as well as nonsurgical periodontal therapy, and management of both acute and chronic periodontal disease.

Endodontology – The Endodontology section of the course is concerned with the morphology, physiology, and pathology of the dental pulp and periapical tissues. The section includes the biology of the normal pulp; and the etiology, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disease and injuries of the pulp, and the resultant associated pathological conditions.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery – This section deals with the principles of surgery, wound repair, asepsis, infections and antibiotics and dentoalveolar surgery, including open and closed extraction of teeth and roots. Advanced topics discussed include dental implants, and the removal of impacted teeth, the medical and surgical management of severe facial infections and osteomyelitis, orthognathic surgery, the management of facial cleft deformities, and facial trauma.

Prevention of Oral Disease – The primary objectives of the Prevention of Oral Disease section are to provide students with the rationale and methods for maintaining the dentition and surrounding oral structures in good health for life. The section emphasizes the ethical and intelligent care of the patient and that the concepts of prevention of oral disease are an integral part of comprehensive care.

Treatment Planning – The Treatment Planning section of the course is designed to assist the student in creating a comprehensive and coherent strategy to achieve and maintain oral health. The section emphasizes the broad principles and multidisciplinary integration necessary for the development of a sound treatment plan based on the major oral and systemic diseases, associated problems and general approaches to their management.