Doctor of Dental Surgery

The Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) is a professional postgraduate degree of 4-years' duration. It is a fixed, full-time program and will lead to registration as a general dental practitioner with the Dental Practice Boards throughout Australia and New Zealand. Students will be expected to take on leadership roles within the profession and with the different specialties of the profession. The DDS will use current scientific evidence in oral health to impart the philosophies, skills and knowledge related to all areas of clinical dental practice. This will create a graduate well versed in advanced treatment options such as dental implants, all-ceramic restorations and other advanced materials. It will be taught in association with the underpinning ethos of prevention of dental disease for which the Melbourne Dental School has a world-renowned reputation. The curriculum will be delivered using lectures, pre-clinical practical classes, clinical patient treatments in all specialties of dentistry, case-based and on-line learning, as well as reflective practice of patient treatment cases. Students will spend a significant time of their experience in provision of patient care using advanced materials and clinical methods. Part of the final year curriculum will incorporate the model of working in a private practice like setting, which will be supported by learning how to run a small business equivalent to a private dental practice. The Melbourne Dental School is an international leader in oral health research and this experience will become part of the DDS experience where students will learn how to plan, seek and attain ethics approval, complete and analyse and finally prepare a research project for publication and oral presentation at the School research day. Students will graduate with advanced clinical skills and advanced knowledge in all aspects of oral health provision and will be ready to work having attained skills in managing a small business.

Expected equipment costs for 1st year DDS students will be in the order of $5,000 AUD for equipment that will be used throughout the course.

The Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) is designed to enable graduates to become outstanding dentists and leaders in their chosen profession. Students will graduate with advanced knowledge of all aspects of oral health care provision with advanced clinical skills.

The graduate attributes have been developed and methodically mapped to the intended learning outcomes of the subjects in the course (from the 1 st year through to the final year) to meet the appropriate AQF level.

The DDS graduate attributes reflect the University of Melbourne’s graduate attributes of academic excellence, knowledge of the discipline, ability to live and work competently with people from different cultures and be active global citizens. The graduate attributes (course learning outcomes) have been organized in to the 5 domains listed below:

1. Professionalism
2. Scientific knowledge
3. Patient care
4. Dental profession
5. Systems of health care
6. Society.

The DDS incorporates all aspects related to the provision of advanced general dental care to patients as well as teaches students to prepare, develop, execute and write for publication a small research project. It is a fixed, full-tiime course of 4 years' duration.

In the first 3 years, the course is structured around 8 week teaching blocks. Teaching Blocks 1 and 2 are in the first half of the year (and include one week's vacation at Easter) and are followed by 1 week of revision and examination preparation, 2 weeks of assessment and 2 weeks of vacation/supplementary assessment. Teaching Blocks 3 and 4 are in the second half of the year with 1 week's vacation scheduled between the end of Teaching Block 3 and the commencement of Teaching Block 4. Teaching Block 4 is followed by 1 week of revision, 2 weeks of assessment then a period of vacation/supplementary assessment.

The course commences with the introduction of specialised oral health subjects to allow students to enter the clinic as quickly as possible to maximise the experience in all aspects and phases of clinical treatment.

The final year of the course is structured around 9 week teaching blocks. It is comprised of one subject in Teaching Blocks 1 and 2 and one subject in Teaching Blocks 3 and 4. Teaching Blocks 1 and 2 (which include one week's vacation at Easter) are followed by 1 week of revision and examination preparation, 1 week of assessment and 1 week of vacation/supplementary assessment. There is one week's vacation scheduled between the end of Teaching Block 3 and the commencement of Teaching Block 4. Teaching Block 4 is followed by 1 week of revision, 2 weeks of assessment then a period of vacation/supplementary assessment. In the final year subjects, students will spend 36 weeks in clinical settings including the planned University of Melbourne private dental clinic, community health centres and rural community clinics which will include provision of oral health care to the aboriginal community. In addition, students will learn how to run a private practice based on a small business model. The subjects are outlined below.

The DDS course is a fixed full time course over four years.

First Year Subjects

The subjects listed below are the only subjects which can be undertaken in the first year of the DDS.

Second Year Subjects

The subjects listed below are the only subjects which can be undertaken in the second year of the DDS.

Third Year Subjects

The subjects listed below are the only subjects which can be undertaken in the third year of the DDS.

Fourth Year Subjects

This final year is a comprehensive clinical year in which students will undertake a cobmination of Clinical Placement, On-call, didactic teaching and assessment.

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
• either
— an undergraduate degree in any discipline, with studies to have been completed within 10 years of commencing the Doctor of Dental Surgery, or
— for applicants whose most recently completed undergraduate degree was completed 10 or more years before 1 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the Doctor of Dental Surgery, a Graduate Diploma, Master or PhD degree or equivalent completed within 10 years before 1 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the Doctor of Dental Surgery;
and
• prerequisite studies in anatomy, physiology and biochemistry at second-year level or equivalent, with prerequisite subjects to have been completed within 10 years of commencing the Doctor of Dental Surgery; and
• the Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admission Test (GAMSAT) or, for international students residing overseas, the United States DAT (Dental Admission Test) or the Canadian DAT (Dental Aptitude Test) or the UK GAMSAT (the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test) or the UK BMAT (Biomedical Admissions Test).
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
• prior academic performance; and
• the GAMSAT, US DAT, Canadian DAT, UK GAMSAT or UKBMAT score.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 7 is required.

Additional notes for the Handbook

1. The performance of applicants in their previous studies will be assessed using a Grade Point Average (GPA) computed in a manner approved by the Academic Board for the Doctor of Dental Surgery (see note 2 below). Offers will be made on the basis of a combined ranked list where ranks by GPA and ranks by GAMSAT, DAT or BMAT score are given equal weighting. All sections in the GAMSAT will be weighted equally to determine the GAMSAT score.

2. Except for (i) applicants eligible under the Guaranteed Pathway and (ii) as explicitly provided for under clause 5 below, the Grade Point Average (GPA) used to rank applicants on academic merit based on their tertiary previous studies will be computed in the following way. The most recent bachelor degree results (including Honours) will be used for the purposes of calculating the Grade Point Average (GPA) regardless of any subsequent graduate studies completed. The Grade Point Average (GPA) will be measured by considering the last three years of the applicant's undergraduate coursework studies (including Honours). Weightings will be applied by weighting the first of the final three years by 1, the second year by 2 and the final year by 3.

3. In considering students under special entry schemes the Selection Committee will consider aspects of disadvantage as set out from time to time in the University of Melbourne Graduate Access policy, evidence of rurality for rural applicants, and confirmation of aboriginality for indigenous applicants.

4. Students applying for the Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Physiotherapy, or Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Melbourne degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Environments, Bachelor of Music, or Bachelor of Science who meet entry and course requirements for a guaranteed place are admitted subject only to meeting any minimum grade point average as prescribed by the Academic Board; satisfactory performance at an interview to demonstrate adequate communication skills (Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Physiotherapy only); and completion of relevant pre-requisite subjects.

5. The Selection Committee may re-rank applicants with a high level of performance in postgraduate studies in a cognate area subject to the following:
• postgraduate study must have been completed within ten years of commencement of the
Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Physiotherapy;
• postgraduate study must be the equivalent of at least a one year full time program;
• postgraduate study must be in a discipline that builds upon studies completed at the undergraduate level;
• postgraduate study must be in a health related or biological sciences discipline.
The quotas of places available for selection of applicants re-ranked on the basis of postgraduate study as prescribed below are set initially as follows:
(a) Doctor of Medicine — up to 10 places,
(b) Doctor of Dental Surgery — up to 2 places,
(c) Doctor of Physiotherapy — up to 3 places.
Re-ranked applicants not selected on this basis, who otherwise satisfy the selection criteria, will be considered on the basis of their undergraduate results. The Selection Committee is not required to fill the quotas and any unused places will be allocated as normal.

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 the DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY are articulated in the Course Description, Course 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 Student Equity and Disability Support website:

http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

The Melbourne Dental School policy outlining requirements in relation to student disability for entry to and progression within the DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY are outlined below.

Melbourne Dental School Policy in Relation to Students with Disabilities

The curriculum of the DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY has been developed using 64 graduate attribute statements in six domains (professionalism, scientific knowledge, patient care, dental profession, systems of health care and the society). Students entering the Melbourne DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY must therefore have the aptitude to achieve these attributes during the course in readiness for progression to the prevocational year (internship).

Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, insight into the effects of their own behaviour, and motivation are all personal qualities that will be assessed during the admissions and education processes.

The Melbourne Dental School welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and Faculty policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study. Appropriate adjustments will be made to enhance the participation of students with a disability in the dental course. A prospective student with a disability is advised to discuss with the staff in the student service centre issues related to his or her ability to successfully meet all the course requirements.

All students of the DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY must possess the intellectual, ethical, physical and emotional capabilities required to participate in the full curriculum and to achieve the levels of competence at graduation required by the faculty and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation agency.

A student with a disability may be asked to provide independent medical or other clinical assessments of the disability and its possible impact on the ability of the student to successfully complete the course, before being accepted into the course. This statement would be treated in confidence with only those on the admissions committee and the Student Equity and Disability Support having access to the document.

Deliberate misinformation about the student’s ability to successfully complete the course will be regarded as unprofessional practice and treated as such.

While the Melbourne Dental School will make reasonable adjustments to minimise the impact of a disability, all students must be able to participate in the program in an independent manner. It is not reasonable for students to use an intermediary as an adjustment to compensate for a disability impacting on any of the five categories. In the clinical environment there is a primary duty of care to the patients and the needs of students cannot compromise this. It is expected that all students will be able to participate fully in all classroom based learning activities and to successfully fulfil the self-study requirements of the course. The presence of a disability will not automatically entitle the student to preferential treatment in clinical place allocation.

A candidate for the Melbourne DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY must have abilities and skills in the following five categories:

• observation;

• communication;

• motor;

• conceptual, integrative, and quantitative;

• behavioural and social.

I. Observation:

Practical Classes

The student must be able to observe mandatory demonstrations and experiments in the designated subjects.

Clinical Work

The student must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand. Observation necessitates the functional use of the senses of vision, hearing and somatic sensation. It is enhanced by the functional use of the sense of smell.

II. Communication:

Practical Classes

The student must be able to hear and comprehend instructions in laboratories and practical sessions and be able to clearly and independently communicate knowledge and application of the principles and practices of the subject during assessment tasks.

Clinical Work

A student must be able to hear, to speak, and to observe patients in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity, and posture and perceive nonverbal communications. A student must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients in both oral and written modalities. The student must also be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in both oral and written modes with all members of the health care team, including using telephones and computers.

III. Motor:

Practical Classes

A student must be able to undertake the motor requirements for any mandatory practical sessions. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional use of the senses of touch and vision.

Clinical Work

Students should have good motor function to elicit information from patients by physical examination; for example palpation, percussion, and other diagnostic manoeuvres. Students should possess sufficient manual dexterity to be able to perform procedures required as a dental practitioner. The student should be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general dental care and emergency treatment to patients. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, hand eye coordination and functional use of the senses of touch and vision.

IV. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities:

Practical Classes

The student is expected to have the ability to develop problem-solving skills and demonstrate this ability in practical sessions. These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem solving requires all of these intellectual abilities.

Clinical Work

The student is expected to have the ability to develop problem-solving skills and demonstrate the ability to establish oral health care plans and priorities. These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem solving requires all of these intellectual abilities.

V. Behavioural and Social Attributes:

Practical Classes

A student must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his/her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgement, the prompt completion of all required tasks.

Clinical Work

A student must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his/her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgement, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients and colleagues.

It is a requirement of the course that students will be expected to physically examine their peers (of all genders) in classroom settings and patients (of all genders) in clinics.

Information about postgraduate programs at the Melbourne Dental School is available at:

http://www.dent.unimelb.edu.au/study/courses

The competencies and qualities of the new graduate have been grouped in the 5 domains of professionalism, scientific knowledge, patient care, dental profession, systems if health care and the society. The different dimensions of patient-centred care are incorporated into the attributes mentioned below.

Professionalism:

On graduation DDS graduates will have developed:

1. the ability to apply reflective practice skills and a recognition of their importance in health care;
2. empathy, compassion, honesty, integrity, resilience and lifelong curiosity, the ability to demonstrate them and a recognition of their importance in health care;
3. employ a critically reflective approach to practise dentistry based on current evidence;
4. self-awareness, the ability to recognise when clinical problems exceed their knowledge and skill, and a willingness to seek help and/or to refer;
5. the ability to negotiate, give and receive constructively to criticism, appraisal, performance review or assessment;
6. the ability to manage uncertainty;
7. the ability to identify and address their own learning needs ;
8. the ability to apply effective time management and organisational skills;
9. the ability to maintain their own physical, emotional, social and spiritual health and a recognition of the importance of professional support in this process;
10. a recognition of their own personal, spiritual, cultural or religious beliefs and an awareness that these beliefs must not prevent the provision of adequate and appropriate care to the patient;
11. the ability to apply strategies of stress management to oneself, to patients and to the dental team as appropriate;
12. a thorough understanding of the ethical principles and legal responsibilities involved in the provision of dental care to individual patients;
13. skills to use contemporary information technology for documentation including patient records, communication, management of information and applications related to health care.

Scientific Knowledge:

On graduation DDS graduates will have developed:

1. knowledge of the basic biological, medical, technical and clinical sciences in order to recognise the difference between normal and pathological conditions relevant to clinical dental practice;
2. skills to analyse oral health as it relates to symptoms, signs and pathology;
3. skills required to prevent, diagnose and treat anomalies and illnesses of the teeth, mouth, jaws and associated structures;
4. knowledge of the management and interaction (pharmacological, physical, nutritional, behavioural and psychological) of important oral and medically-related conditions;
5. skills to provide treatment options based on the best available information;
6. Understand pharmacology and therapeutics relevant to clinical dental practice and be familiar with pharmacology in general medicine;
7. scientific principles of sterilisation, disinfection and antisepsis and infection control;
8. knowledge of the hazards of ionising radiations and their effects on biological tissues, together with the regulations relating to their use, including radiation protection and dose reduction;
9. knowledge of research methods and their applications
10. the ability to access new knowledge from all sources, to analyse and interpret it in a critical manner, and to apply it appropriately in the provision of oral health care
11. skills required to contribute towards new knowledge
12. ability to evaluate the validity of claims related to the risks-benefits ratio of products and techniques
13. knowledge of the moral and ethical responsibilities involved in the provision of care to individual patients, to populations and communities;
14. 1Understand basic principles of practice administration, financial and personnel management to a dental practice.

Patient care:

On graduation, DDS graduates will have developed:

1. the ability to communicate with patients from diverse backgrounds including the ability to listen to, respond to, and provide appropriate information to patients;
2. respect for patients’ values and their expressed needs;
3. the ability to identify patient expectations, desires and attitudes during treatment planning and provision of treatment;
4. skills to manage and the potential impact of chronic illness and disability on the patient’s oral health;
5. appropriate skills to obtain a thorough dental, medical and social history and perform an accurate oral examination;
6. the ability to integrate and interpret clinical findings and apply rigorous reasoning to arrive at an appropriate diagnosis or differential diagnosis;
7. the ability to formulate an evidence-based and cost effective treatment plan in collaboration with the patient;
8. the ability to perform appropriate dental procedures effectively and safely, with due regard for the patient’s comfort including during emergency procedures;
9. the ability to predict, prevent and correct deficiencies in patients' oral hygiene regimens and provide patients with strategies to control undesirable habits affecting the maintenance of oral and general health;
10. skills to alleviate pain and provide appropriate treatment outcomes (physical comfort).

Dental profession:

On graduation, DDS graduates will have developed:

1. an understanding of the continuum of dental training and the various roles and expertise of different dental and oral health practitioners and their interaction
2. the ability to apply the principles of ethics in the provision of health care and research
3. the ability to be an active participant in professional organisations, and an appreciation of the benefits of this participation
4. the ability to provide effective peer review in order to assist colleagues to improve their performance
5. maturity and responsibility to maintain standards of dental practice at the highest level throughout a professional career;
6. ability to understand apply Commonwealth, State and Territory legislation relevant to practise as a dentist;
7. the philosophy of lifelong learning and accept that continuing professional development is required for professional growth.

Systems of health care:

On graduation, DDS graduates will have developed:

1. knowledge of the roles, responsibilities and expertise of all health professionals, and how they work in teams to deliver health care;
2. a respect for the roles and expertise of other health care professionals and the ability to communicate effectively with them;
3. skills of team work and the ability to work effectively in an oral health care team, including as a leader;
4. knowledge of the principles of efficient and equitable allocation and use of finite resources in especially in the public oral health care systems;
5. the ability to work effectively as a dentist within a quality and safety framework including the ability to recognise, respond to and learn from adverse events;
6. skills of effective record keeping and the ability to maintain high quality records;
7. knowledge of the structure of the Australian oral health care system;
8. an understanding of the role of political systems in shaping health and oral health care systems locally, nationally and internationally;
9. skills of provision of continuity, coordination and integration of oral health care to the individual patient and to the community.

The society

On graduation, DDS graduates will have developed:

1. the ability to contribute to their communities wherever they choose to live and work;
2. knowledge of the determinants of a ‘healthy society’ and the economic, political, psychological, social and cultural factors that contribute to the development and persistence of oral health and illness;
3. skills of oral health promotion including primary and secondary prevention;
4. an understanding of the principles of oral health literacy and a willingness and ability to contribute to the oral health education of the community;
5. knowledge of the health of indigenous Australians including their history and cultural development and the ongoing oral health disparities of indigenous people;
6. knowledge of the burden of oral disease in differing populations and geographic locations in Australia;
7. skills to identify the requirements of health care systems in a culturally diverse society;
8. the ability to deliberate on local, regional and national ramifications of health care issues;
9. the ability to respect community values, including an appreciation of a diversity of backgrounds and cultural values;
10. a commitment to contribute to the resolution of oral health inequities;
11. knowledge of the relationship between environmental issues and the oral health and health of local communities and society.

Graduates of the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) are eligible for registration with the Dental Board of Australia.

On completion of the DDS, students will be able to:

1. work effectively as a member of a team;
2. have skills in interpersonal understanding, problem-solving, decision making, program design and implementation, evaluation and advocacy;
3. demonstrate capacity and motivation for continuing independent learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiousity throughout life;
4. demonstrate professional skills and attitudes;
5. design and conduct scientific investigations;
6. exhibit professional responsibility;
7. critically appraise research evidence;
8. demonstrate the ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner;
9. apply effective, creative and innovation solutions, both independently and co-operatively, to current and future problems;
10. be proficient in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies;
11. have an awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of profesisonal skills and responsibilities;
12. value diversity of opinion within health care;
13. value diversity in health beliefs, lifestyles, ethnic and cultural background;
14. demonstrate a non-judgemental approach to their interactions within the health system, with other health professionals;
15. ensure safe and effective care for people of diverse backgrounds.