Advanced Dental Study 1

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Advanced Dental Study 1 comprises the background research and literature review of a research project. (In fifth year, the continuation and completion of this project will take place under the companion module Advanced Dental Study 2 .)

At the commencement of this subject, students are divided into groups and a research project is allocated to each group. Each group will be maintained throughout fifth year. The School reserves the right to adjust the membership of a group when necessary.

The research project can be undertaken in any of the following: Restorative Dentistry, Growth and Development, Oral Medicine, Pathology and Surgery or Oral Health Sciences. After allocation of projects, each group should elect a leader and contact the supervisor(s) for further information in relation to the research project and facilities.

On completion of this subject, students should:

(1) Comprehend/understand:

a) the principles of research methodology;

b) the importance of formulating precise objectives for a research project;

c) the need for a thorough review of the existing knowledge of the research topic;

d) the necessity for thoughtful planning for the execution of the project; and

e) the need for the scientific assessment of the results and the presentation of the findings in a manner acceptable to the scientific community.

(2) Have developed:

a) skills in:

· working as a member of a research team;

· formulating a hypothesis and in planning how the hypothesis may be tested;

· planning the execution of the research, in carrying it out, recording data and in analysing results;

· writing up the project, its oral presentation and in responding to questions;

b) the ability to assess the validity of results and to set these into the overall knowledge of the topic.

(3) Appreciate:

a) the necessity of research as a means of furthering advances in all aspects of dentistry;

b) a commitment to research in dentistry;

c) the value of team research;

d) the need for the lucid and accurate presentation of results; and

e) ways of evaluating the findings in research reports.

Oral presentation of the planned research protocol and submission of a literature review (to the project supervisor) related to the research project at the end of Semester 2 – pass/fail.

Attendance at all research presentations is compulsory and will form part of the assessment.

Bowling A and Ebrahim Shah Eds 2005 Handbook of health research methods: investigation, measurement and analysis, Maidenhead, England; New York : Open University Press, 2005.

Mitchell KR, Kerridge IH and Lovat JJ 1996 Bioethics and clinical ethics for health care professionals 2nd edn, Social Science Press, NSW.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.