M.D.Sc. - Preventive & Comm.Dent (Thesis

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This is the subject student enrol in who are admitted to the Master of Dental Science degree in Preventive and Community Dentistry by major thesis. This is course is designed to promote the development of academic and research skills of dental graduates. These skills will contribute to developing a career in an academic or research setting in Preventive and Community Dentistry, or in Dental Public Health. For many students, the degree will serve as a first postgraduate degree, and may lead to further study, for example, the Master of Population Health or PhD degrees.

Didactic Component

The didactic component may cover the principles of research, public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, data management, and other specialised areas appropriate to the candidate's field of research. Generally, students complete two compulsory subjects and one elective subject in epidemiology and biostatistics (offered by the School of Population Health) during the first year of their candidature in preparation for the research component.

Research Component

Apart from any selected coursework, the candidates will spend their time conducting their research project. Almost always, a research degree in Preventive and Community Dentistry entails epidemiological research. Such a study will usually involve the gathering of both clinical and questionnaire type data for analysis. Since a proper understanding of the questionnaire data and certain aspects of the clinical data is linked to the cultural and social settings of the participants examined, it is appropriate, therefore, that the participants, who comprise the material of the study, belong to the cultural community of the candidate. In the case of an overseas candidate, this means that the candidate will return to his/her country of origin for a period of at least one semester for the implementation of the research project and data collection.

At the completion of data collection, the candidate will then return to the University of Melbourne to analyse the data and prepare one or more papers for publication. The paper(s), along with other related material, will comprise the major thesis of approximately 40,000 words for the MDSc degree.

To promote the development of academic and research skills of dental graduates.

To contribute to developing a career in an academic or research setting in Preventive and Community Dentistry, or in Public Dental Health.

To serve as a first graduate degree for students wishing to pursue further study eg. PhD.

Satisfactory progress in the development of a research project, a pass in an assignment and passes in any coursework undertaken will be required by the completion Year 1. The assessment will comprise two written assignments during the two-year program, and the examination of the major thesis.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.