| Unit name | Bachelor of Dental Therapy – Year 3 |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ORDS30043 |
| Credit points | 0 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Miss. Sarah Bain |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
Bachelor of Dental Therapy/Hygiene – Year 1 Bachelor of Dental Therapy – Year 2 |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Bristol Dental School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
This unit will introduce more complex clinical skills such as management of the orthodontic patient and identification of advanced treatment planning requirements. The unit introduces extraction of the primary dentition, trauma management, and care of dental implant-supported structures. You will develop their skills through further reflective practice and via the application of knowledge obtained from clinical practice. During clinical sessions in this unit, you will become competent at communicating with patients, their families and carers, other members of the dental team and other health care professionals and organisations. You will complete a critical and analytical dissertation, presented as a structured review. This will be based on principles of systematic review and focused on a current relevant research question. The dissertation allows students to demonstrate knowledge of the importance of evidence-based clinical practice, and to demonstrate self-directed learning and the ability to access and discuss literature from a variety of sources.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study'?
The final must-pass unit equips you with the appropriate skills, knowledge and behaviour to graduate as a competent Dental Therapist and safe beginner as set out by the General Dental Council (GDC). You will apply knowledge obtained from teaching in previous units to write a dissertation whilst working in a variety of clinical settings with a more comprehensive patient base. This unit allows you to develop sound team working and development of leadership skills with a holistic approach to clinical management. You will understand the importance of multisource feedback and the value of reflective clinical practice across their scope of practice.
An overview of content
This unit introduces basic principles of orthodontics and malocclusion, behavioural management, treatment of dental trauma, and paediatric restorative techniques. You will demonstrate extraction skills in the clinical laboratory before completing procedures on paediatric patients under supervision. This unit provides the you with the knowledge, skills and experience to practice within the scope of practice of a Dental Therapist as specified by the GDC. You will gain valuable experience from their clinical training, understanding the clinical management of patients with more complex medical histories. You will gain the tools to understand the social and behavioural issues that influence dental health and disease. In writing their dissertation, you will develop analytical thought processes and skills to support a commitment to lifelong learning. You will recognise the benefits of clinical integration and working with the wider dental team.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will have the skills, knowledge and behaviours to competently practise within the permitted range of procedures as specified for a Dental Therapist by the GDC. Students will be familiar with reflective practice and be deemed a safe beginner capable of independent practice.
Learning Outcomes
Acquire the appropriate knowledge, skills and behaviours to extract erupted primary teeth, select appropriate biomaterials and to competently practise within the permitted range of procedures as specified for a Dental Therapist by the General Dental Council.
Carry out clinical orthodontics relevant and within the scope of practice of a Dental Therapist
Produce a dissertation utilising the principles of critical appraisal and hierarchy of evidence.
Teaching methods include:
Lectures
Small Group Seminars
Individual tutorials with dissertation mentor
Research methods project
Flipped classroom
Tutorials
Practical classes
Clinical Practice (Work based learning)
Guided Independent study
Continuous Clinical Assessment logbook/portfolio (CCA) including Reflective Practice
Teaching will use a blended learning approach delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities. You will be expected to engage with all learning. Small-group tutorials are designed to support asynchronous learning and will provide opportunities to post questions to the tutors. Individual tutorials support students to complete draft and final versions of their dissertation.
Clinical simulated skills teaching using mannikin heads for students to practice the necessary practical procedures. These sessions will be supported by preparatory material, viewing images/video clips and demonstrations, and formative assessment and feedback by supervising staff.
Communication skills continue to be developed during every patient interaction when completing supervised clinical practice. Clinical teaching provides opportunities for both operating and assisting a clinical partner as well as taking radiographs under close supervision in Year 3. In all cases, you will reflect on what you experience on clinic, and record sessions in your CAFs ePortfolio. You will gather staff feedback on each clinical interaction in addition to this, so will have many chances to gain both verbal and written feedback at multiple points on your clinical skills, knowledge and behaviours.
You will continue to attend NHS hospital based clinical placements to engage in consultant-led Oral Medicine clinics, consultant-led Orthodontic Clinics, and a General Anaesthetic Clinic to gain clinical skills in the extraction of primary teeth. These sessions provide you with important experience that enriches your experience by bringing lecture content to life. You will continue to assess and treat patients (within their scope of practice) within the General Practice Unit and the Urgent Dental Care Clinic (UDC) This provides excellent hands-on experience in complex dental patient management and an understanding of the role of a primary care service and the wider referring team.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Throughout training in the simulated clinical skills suite, you are given feedback on each completed task to support your clinical skills development. You will attend small group seminars on a variety of clinical and orthodontic topics throughout the year and are set formative assignments to complete on selected key content. A formative single best answer assessment on foundations for practice content helps to prepare students for questions on their own cases in finals. Tutors provide formative feedback both during the seminars and on any written work, which helps to prepare you for both multiple short answer and patient case studies in the summative assessment period.
As patient sessions progress, you will continue to present every patient you treat, discussing the stage of treatment with your clinical supervisor. Following each patient encounter, you must complete an entry in their ePortfolio including reflections on the procedure (must-engage). Each entry is in turn graded by the clinical supervisor, considering the knowledge and skills that have been demonstrated and the professionalism shown during the session. These verbal presentations provide many opportunities to develop the skills that will be assessed in management of the paediatric patient exam, as well as the unseen patient case scenarios and the summative case presentation.
In order to prepare for completing a 6000-word written dissertation on a subject relating to the clinical practice of Dental Therapy, you are assigned an individual mentor. You will regularly with your mentor to discuss the topic and to gain feedback on draft submissions.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
You must satisfy all engagement requirements and successfully complete all 'must pass' assessments, as set out below and in the student progression requirements for Year 3 in the BDT Assessment Handbook. Satisfactory and appropriate engagement with the programme will be determined by the Progress Committee which will normally meet termly. The committee will monitor engagement against the engagement and progression criteria, review performance in 'must pass' assessments and monitor levels of professionalism.
Must-pass assessments are a requirement, but do not contribute towards the numerical unit mark:
There are five parts to the unit summative assessment; all are must-pass:
When assessment does not go to plan
A student who has not demonstrated satisfactory and appropriate engagement with the programme, and/or reached a satisfactory level of professionalism (as determined by level of engagement and any other evidence relating to professonalism presented to the Progress Committee; outlined in the BDT Assessment Handbook) will not be permitted to progress to graduation.
In accordance with university regulations, a student who has not achieved the pass mark for the end of Year 3 summative assessments at the first attempt will normally be offered a second and final attempt. If a student does not achieve the pass mark at the second and final attempt, they will be required to withdraw from the programme. In exceptional circumstances students may be offered one further attempt to demonstrate satisfactory engagement by retaking Year 3 in its entirety.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ORDS30043).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
