Università degli Studi di Parma

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Single cycle degree course 6 years

School of Dental Medicine

COD. 5027
WEBSITE
A.Y. 2009/2010
CLASS:
LM-46 - Classe delle lauree magistrali in Odontoiatria e protesi dentaria
Years of study: 6
Credits (CFU): 360
Mode of study: full-time

COURSE STRUCTURE DIAGRAM WITH CREDITS

CORSO GENERICO (curriculum)

Year of study: 1

Year of study: 2

Year of study: 3

Year of study: 4

Year of study: 5

Year of study: 6

Profile of the programme

The general aims and structure of the Course Programme described below are based on the new draft of the Ministerial Decree on New Degree Classes. The academic programme comprises 360 total credits (60 credits/year). These 360 credits are distributed as specified in the annexes to the Decree, which sets out the credits for each subjects and the training activities necessary for dental professionals. The educational background in the physiopathological mechanisms and clinical aspects of general medicine and the specific dentistry education acquired through the programme, together with the clinical training, determine and define the professional profile of dentists working in European Union countries. The sixth year of the course includes mainly practical activities, which account for a total of 5,000 hours, in agreement with the latest European regulations.

Admission requirements

To gain admission to the School of Dental Medicine, applicants must have a secondary school leaving diploma or other equivalent qualifications.
The organisation of the programme ensures that 1st year Students possess sufficient proficiency in Italian, and background education in logic, general knowledge, biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics. The Single Cycle Degree Course in School of Dental Medicine is open to a limited number of students, as per Article 1 of Law 264/99, selected on the basis of an admission test.

Key learning outcomes

The general objectives and structure of the study plan are in agreement with the Ministerial Decree for New Degree Categories, which defines second-cycle degree courses in compliance with the directives of the European Union, and the Course Regulations of the University of Parma. The aim of the Degree Course is to provide students with an operative knowledge of the aetiology, pathogenesis, symptoms, diagnostics and therapy for congenital and acquired diseases and anomalies of teeth, the mouth, jaw bones, temporomandibular joints and associated tissues, and dental rehabilitation, to enable students to plan suitable and specific treatments. The academic programme comprises 360 University Training Credits (CFU) over the course of 6 years, and 60 credits per year. The distribution of the 360 training credits is determined according to the conditions specified in the annexes to the Decree, which sets out the credits to be allocated to different subjects and the necessary training activities for the profession of dentist. University Credits (ECTS) correspond to an average of 25 hours of work per student, and the programme sets a value of 7 hours/Credit for classroom or theory/practical lessons, 12 hours/Credit for practice sessions/laboratories and 25 hours/Credit for professional internships, in compliance with the guidelines of the University of Parma. Students can use the remaining training credits for individual study. Lecturers in clinical subjects are responsible for supervising internships. Lecturers assess internships whilst they are ongoing, and these concur to grade the final examination. The educational background in the physiopathological mechanisms and clinical aspects of general medicine and the specific dentistry education acquired through the programme, together with the clinical training, determine and define the professional profile of dentists working in European Union countries.

Career opportunities

Graduates will be able to perform the professional roles and functions in the respective areas of employment: Dentistry. Functions: - perform activity related to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and congenital and acquired anomalies of teeth, mouth, jawbones, temporomandibular joints and related tissues. - Takes care of dental rehabilitation, prescribing all the medications and aids necessary for practicing the profession. - Designs, checks and inserts dental prostheses, and checks their adequacy. Professional opportunities as freelance professional or employee as required by current laws.

Knowledge and understanding

At the end of six years the graduate in dentistry and dental prostheses has acquired the knowledge and technical skills to professionally enter the practice of dentistry on a private or public basis. Graduates will also have developed the learning skills necessary for undertaking specialist studies. They perform activities related to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and congenital and acquired anomalies of the teeth, mouth, jawbones, temporomandibular joints and related tissues, as well as dental rehabilitation, prescribing all the medications and aids needed for practicing the profession. They possess professional, cultural, decision-making and operating autonomy which allows them to constantly become updated, having followed an academic programme characterised by a holistic approach to oral health of healthy or ill people, including in relation to the physical and social environment which surrounds them. In the general aspects, the two-year course period is aimed at the study of foundation academic activity aimed at familiarising students with the basics of the structural organisation and vital functions of the human body and includes courses which cover problems related to the doctor-patient relationship and understanding the principles scientific methodology is based on. Students learn the method for handling patients with oral/dental problems. The following three-year course involves the study of medical, surgical and specialist subjects with particular reference to clinical problems connected to odontostomatologic pathologies. These academic activities are performed at the same time as the study of dentistry subjects and clinical work experience. Acquired during the first two-year course the knowledge on major systems and including the etiopathological principles which are the basis of organic, functional and homeostatic alterations, the pathologic anatomy pictures of the most common afflictions are examined and general principles of pharmacology and anaesthesiology sciences are introduced. The theoretical courses and clinical work experience on oral pathology, reconstructive dentistry, oral surgery, parodontology, orthodontics, paediatric dentistry and prostheses, despite each developing different skills, pursue the common aim of gaining skills and experience to handle and resolve oral health problems from a preventive, diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutic and rehabilitative viewpoint, including in compliance with medical, legal and ethical regulations in force in Member States of the European Union. During the fifth year a course of dento-facial pathology and treatment and an implantology course are introduced for which, as for the previous ones, a global patient treatment approach is used. The sixth year involves exclusively specialist academic activity aimed at treating patients with odontostomatologic problems. The clinical sessions in special odontostomatologic, preventive and community dentology, conservative dentology and endodontics, oral surgery, parodontology, orthodontics, gnatology, odontostomatologic clinic, paedodontia and prostheses continue and integrate the skills attained in the various clinical areas in previous years, also emphasising the relationships between systemic pathology and the oral cavity. The required frontal-seminar lessons, are mainly aimed at interdisciplinary discussion of the assigned clinical cases.

Applying knowledge and understanding

Graduates will possess the following skills: - They will be able to practice the full range of general dentistry in a global patient treatment context without producing additional risks for the patient and the environment. – They will be able to identify the treatment priorities in line with needs, participating with other subjects in planning interventions aimed at reducing oral diseases in the community resulting from knowledge of the principles and practice of dentistry in the community. – They will be able to control cross infections to prevent physical, chemical and microbiological contamination when exercising their profession. – They will know and apply the complete range of control techniques for anxiety and pain connected with dentistry treatments (within the limits allowed for the dentist). - They will be able to organise and guide the dentistry team using the complete range of dental assistant personnel available. The academic instruments aimed at achieving the abilities to apply knowledge in the field of the specialist activities include an intense laboratory activity at individual benches and clinic work experience activity on patients and examination, reformulation and presentation of scientific texts analysed by individuals or groups of students.

Making judgements

Graduates will possess the following skills: - The ability to independently set up and create treatment programmes aimed at treating and rehabilitating the stomatognathic system. – Be able to recognise their limits in helping the patient and recognise the need to refer to the patient to others for medical treatment. – Be able to independently manage dental treatment of the patient. – Be able to assess the effectiveness of the treatment plan, performed interventions and obtained results, having followed an academic programme characterised by a holistic approach to oral health problems. Independent judgement is encouraged in students by reading scientific articles and writing scientific projects.

Learning skills

Graduates will possess the following skills: - The ability to consult databases in order to acquire scientific documentation and analyse scientific literature by applying research results to treatment in a reliable manner. – They shall be able to correctly interpret legislation concerning the practice of dentistry in an EU country where the dentist practices and provide care in line with the medical, legal and ethical standards in effect in the country where they practice. Learning abilities shall be assessed during academic activities, by penetrating the knowledge acquired during the course of specific activity with that achieved through personal study, assessing the critical contribution demonstrated during exercises, seminars and clinical work experience, as well as by assessing the independent learning skills achieved during performance of the activities related to the final examination.

Communication skills

Graduates will possess the following skills: - An intermediate knowledge of English necessary for consulting scientific texts and journals. - They will be able to effectively communicate with patients and educate the patients on appropriate and effective oral hygiene techniques and provide them with adequate information, based on knowledge accepted by the scientific community, in order to obtain informed consent for treatment. - They know how to develop an interdisciplinary type approach to the clinical case, including and above all in collaboration with other figures of the healthcare team, examining the knowledge of rules and dynamics which characterise the teamwork of healthcare operators. Communication skills shall be particularly developed during thesis work. In this regard the presentation of the thesis is critical, which shall be performed using multimedia instruments before a specific degree examination commission.

Final examination, if any

The final examination for the Single Cycle Degree consists in an original thesis written by the Student, under the guidance of a supervisor. The thesis may also be written in English.