Oral Medicine
Course Convener
BDSc (Melb) LDS (Vic) MDSc (Melb) FRACDS PhD (Melb)
Doctor of Clinical Dentistry degree in Oral Medicine
- Didactic.
- Clinical
- Research
Individual Subject Details and Content
Student Supervision
A good supply of patients is seen through the Oral Medicine Clinic of the RDHM. The students see new patients and reviews, present the cases, discuss management and carry out procedures commensurate with their knowledge and experience. A registered specialist is available on each clinic for supervision and the staff to student ration is one to one.
The minor thesis is an important component of the course. Students select topics in consultation with their supervisor, taking into account the research interests of staff within the School as well as in other centres. The School allows students to apply for funds to support this research and there is the possibility of using external funding also. Research facilities available include a fully equipped histopathology laboratory, a molecular biology laboratory as well as an image analysis laboratory, Students meet with their supervisor(s) to discuss progress. Theses are examined by one internal and one external examiner.
Teaching Institutions
The clinical component of the course involves management of patients with oral mucosal disorders, oral manifestations of systemic disease and the assessment and treatment of patients with oro-facial pain. Progress through the course brings increasing clinical and administrative responsibility to the candidates. Students participate in the teaching of undergraduate dental students for one session per week.
- DHSV, Oral Medicine Clinic – students undertake clinical sessions in Oral Mucosal disease, temporo-mandibular disorder and oro-facial pain.
- Skin and Cancer Institute, St. Vincent Hospital – 2nd and 3rd year students attend to clinic a month.
- Dermatology Dept. Royal Melbourne Hospital – 2nd year students attend to clinic a week.
- Dental Oncology Unit, Peter MacCallum Hospital - 2nd year students attend to clinic a week.
- Royal Children’s Hospital - 2nd year students attend to clinic a fortnight.
- Barbara Walker Centre for Pain Management, St. Vincent Hospital - 2nd year students attend to clinic a week.
Program Objectives
The course provides advanced study in oral medicine such that, at the end of the program, the candidate has a detailed knowledge of the scientific basis of the oral pathology, is experienced in diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the oral mucosa and oro-facial pain. The course is undertaken in the Oral Anatomy, Medicine and Surgery Unit of the Melbourne Dental School and consists of seminars, clinical practice and research components.
Program Description
Didactic
The didactic component consists of course work involving basic clinical sciences in particular, oral pathology, oral medicine, oral radiology and relevant aspects of general and forensic pathology and general and forensic medicine. This includes participation in tutorials, presentation of seminars and participation in review meetings at various venues, including the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine.
Clinical
The clinical component of the course consists of practice in oral pathology and oral medicine at The School of Dental Science, The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute and The Royal Children's Hospital. It may also require attendance at hospital and/or coronial autopsies. This involves management of patients with oral mucosal disorders, oral manifestations of systemic disease and the assessment and treatment of patients with oro-facial pain. Participation in the forensic science activities of the Unit in conjunction with the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine can be arranged throughout the course. Progress through the course brings increasing clinical and administrative responsibility to the candidates. Students participate in the teaching of undergraduate dental students for one session per week.
Research
Based on the view that research is essential for development of a critical approach to the subject, candidates undertake a research project, the results of which are presented for examination in the form of a minor thesis (of approximately 25,000 words) which should include one or more papers suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Assessment
Formative assessment is ongoing but more formal formative assessment is held by way of three-monthly interviews. Students receive continuing assessment in clinical work and seminar presentations.
Summative assessment occurs each year with a written paper and a viva voce for discussion of clinical cases and oral histopathology cases.
Assignment Requirements
Weekly assignments are produced by the students on a rotational basis (i.e. each student will be required to present an assignment to the group every three weeks). The presentation of the assignments is via both an essay and discussion. The essay is submitted on the Friday prior to the presentation and discussion that is held each Monday.
Clinical case presentation occurs every Tuesday with at least an hour long discussion regarding a diverse range of clinical cases from a wide variety of DHSV and non-DHSV sources. Journals are presented, copied and circulated prior to Friday, and students meet and discuss literature from a number of journals.
Program Matrix
| Subject No. | Doctor of Clinical Dentistry Total points = 300 | Points | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| 511-731 | Research Design 1 | 6.25 | 1 |
| 511-732 | Research Design 2 | 12.5 | 2 |
| 511-733 | Research Proposal 1 | 6.25 | 1 |
| 511-734 | Research Proposal 2 | 12.5 | 2 |
| 511-735 | Principles of Specialty 1 | 6.25 | 1 |
| 511-736 | Principles of Specialty 2 | 6.25 | 2 |
| 511-737 | Clinical Practice in Specialty 1 | 25 | 1 |
| 511-738 | Clinical Practice in Specialty 2 | 25 | 2 |
| 100 | |||
| Year 2 | |||
| 511-741 | Minor Thesis 1 | 12.5 | 1 |
| 511-742 | Minor Thesis 2 | 12.5 | 2 |
| 511-743 | Advanced Seminars in Specialty 1 | 12.5 | 1 |
| 511-744 | Advanced Seminars in Specialty 2 | 12.5 | 2 |
| 511-745 | Advanced Clinical Practice in Specialty 1 | 25 | 1 |
| 511-746 | Advanced Clinical Practice in Specialty 2 | 25 | 2 |
| 100 | |||
| Year 3 | |||
| 511-751 | Minor Thesis 3 | 18.75 | 1 |
| 511-752# | Minor Thesis 4 | 18.75 | 2 |
| 511-753 | Advanced Seminars in Specialty 3 | 6.25 | 1 |
| 511-754 | Advanced Seminars in Specialty 4 | 6.25 | 2 |
| 511-755 | Advanced Clinical Practice in Specialty 3 | 25 | 1 |
| 511-756 | Advanced Clinical Practice in Specialty 4 | 25 | 2 |
| 100 | |||
Individual Subject Details and Content
Year 1: 511-731/732 Research Design
- In the first year, all students will attend a research design subject. This subject, currently entitled “Tools for Research, Writing and Publishing”, introduces students to critical analysis of literature, planning a research protocol and writing a thesis. This subject is intended to assist students to develop the necessary analytical and writing skills that are needed for thesis preparation and publication. Assessment consists of one written assignment per semester, each worth 50% of the final mark for the course. The assignments are open-book in style, and address current issues in information collection, critical analysis of current literature and research design.
- Contact Hours/Time Commitment: One 1-hour lecture each week for two semesters. Three hours of non-contact private study each week.
Year 1: 511-733/734 Research Proposal
- In the first year, students will select a research topic and complete a literature review, leading to the development of the research proposal which should be submitted for review by the end of second semester.
- Contact Hours/Time Commitment: Regular meetings with the supervisor. These may be weekly, fortnightly or as determined by agreement between the student and the supervisor. Three hours of non-contact study each week for the preparation of the research proposal
Year 1: 511-735/736 Principles of Specialty
- A series of seminars, assigned readings and student prepared assignments on the scientific foundations of the discipline. Students must pass the written assignments and any oral presentations that may be requested from time to time. A topic for the minor thesis must be decided by mutual agreement between student and supervisor by the end of the year. Histopathological diagnostic casework begins.
- Contact Hours/Time Commitment: 3 hours per week of seminars and case presentations, 6-8 hours of non-contact hours of private study.
Year 1: 511-737/738 Clinical Practice in Specialty
- A series of supervised clinical opportunities to examine and provide care for patients with oral mucosal lesions, orofacial pain or temporomandibular dysfunction. Continuous assessment of clinical performance will be augmented by written paper and oral examinations on both clinical skills, histological diagnosis and patient management. Students will be required to pass all sections (clinical, laboratory and theory) of this subject.
- Contact Hours/Time Commitment: Five 3-hour sessions each week attending assigned clinics. This may include one 3-hour session each week of clinical demonstration to undergraduate students.
Year 2 & 3: 511-741/742 (year 2): 511-751/752 (year 3) Minor Thesis
- Based on the view that research is essential for development of a critical approach to the subject, candidates undertake a research project, the results of which are presented for examination in the form of a minor thesis (of approximately 25,000 words) which should include one or more papers suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Year 2: 511-743/744 (year 2): 511-753/754 (year 3) Advanced Seminars in Specialty
- A series of seminars, assigned readings, student prepared assignments and clinical case presentations. An overall pass mark on the assignments and case presentations for the year must be achieved for a pass in this subject.
- Contact Hours/Time Commitment: 3 hours per week of seminars and case presentations, 6-8 hours of non-contact hours of private study.
Year 2 & 3: 511-745/746 (year 2): 511-755/756 (year 3) Advanced Clinical Practice in Specialty
- Exposure to more difficult and advanced cases of persons with a wide range of oro-facial and dental problems, those with complex pharmacological management of medical conditions and those with oral manifestations of systemic disease. An overall pass mark on the assignments and case presentations for the year must be achieved for a pass in this subject.
- Contact Hours/Time Commitment: Five 3-hour sessions each week attending assigned clinics. This may include one 3-hour session each week of clinical demonstration to undergraduate students.