BDS Dental Surgery

• Programme mapped against the General Dental Council’s guidance ‘Preparing for Practice’.
• Treat patients through partnership with the NHS Primary Care Trust in Devon and Cornwall.
• Engage directly with participants and service users in a unique and meaningful way with the Community Engagement Team.
• Benefit from the state of the art facilities provided by established Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise (PDSE), a Community Interest Company (CIC).
• Become familiar with a variety of clinical situations.
  
• Prepare for a future career path through solving clinical problems.
• Become competent at diagnosing disease and planning preventive care.
  
• Choose your own areas of interest to study further.
  
• Early clinical contact with a strong patient focus.
  
• Gain the core dental knowledge and communication skills you need to practise as a competent and caring dentist.
• Strong partnerships within the University.

• Year 1
• In your first year, you'll learn the core scientific foundations of dentistry in a clinical context. You’ll explore the scientific basis of normal structure, function and behaviour, with a focus on dental health, prevention of dental disease and the underlying principles of personal and professional development. You will be introduced to the clinic and the Simulated Dental Learning Environment (SDLE) at an early stage, and gain insight into the importance of team working in dentistry as you integrate with other members of the team and work in small study groups.

  Core modules

  • DEN412 Clinical Dental Practice 1

    This module provides an introduction to clinical dentistry and the management of medical emergencies and by the end of the module, at the mid-point of the year, students will be ready to commence providing dental care for patients. All learning and assessment in the module take place in the simulated setting to enable students to practice clinical skills.

  • DEN413 Clinical Dental Practice 2

    This module continues the students' introduction to the essential range of basic skills needed for the safe practice of primary dental care and provides the clinical basis for the student's first experiences caring for patients. From the beginning of this module, each time a student is successful at a capability assessment within the simulated environment they may start to provide that procedure for patients in the clinic.

  • DEN411 Integrated Dental Science 1

    This module introduces basic and clinical sciences and the principles of human disease prevention which underpin dental skills, the safe use of ionising radiation together with the properties and usage of biomaterials in dentistry.

  • DEN414 Inter-Professional Engagement 1

    This module introduces the student to community health and social care. Students will undertake a community engagement visit and work closely with a target organisation to understand the impacts of demography and lifestyle issues on local people. The project will enable students to develop an understanding of the wider determinants of health such as environment; employment and education which influence health behaviours and health outcomes, and which directly impact on oral health, use of dental services and quality of life. This project is one of the building blocks for students at Peninsula Dental School introducing core academic skills in exploring, searching and selecting evidence-based information as well as developing societal and community awareness so students understand their future role in the healthcare system and wider society.

  • DEN415 Professional Development 1

    This module introduces students to reflective adult learning and assists with the development of professional behaviour and attitudes appropriate to dentistry. Every term the student will meet their Academic Tutor and reflect and review on their performance in all aspects of professionalism within the BDS programme by presentation of a reflective questionnaire and discussion.

• Year 2
• In your second year, you build on your foundations with common dental problems, as well as disease mechanisms being considered in much greater depth. In term one, training intensifies in the SDLE and you are prepared for your first own patient contact. Term two sees the introduction of face-to-face contact with patients in clinics, where you will be able to develop your communication skills under the close supervision of dental practitioners,bringing to life experience and skills gained in the SDLE.

  Core modules

  • DEN522 Clinical Dental Practice 3

    Continuing clinical experience caring for patients and the development of further skills in the simulated environment. Following each patient visit students will reflect on their clinical and professional performance and receive feedback. Further support is provided for individual students who have difficulty with any particular procedure. Assessments regarding tooth coloured restorations, tooth extraction and minor oral soft tissue surgery will be taken.

  • DEN523 Clinical Dental Practice 4

    This module enables students to acquire the clinical, administrative and communication skills relevant to the safe and effective practice of an increasing range of treatments within primary care dentistry for a student in preparation for Year 3.

  • DEN521 Integrated Dental Science 2

    This module enables students to further develop their depth of knowledge and understanding of the scientific principles underpinning dental practice and includes oral disease, pharmacology and dental materials. The module continues to support the application of basic biomedical, clinical sciences and disease prevention principles which underpin dental skills and the effective and safe care of patients in the dental environment.

  • DEN524 Inter-Professional Engagement 2

    In year two of the programme, students are able to build on their learning from the year one inter-professional engagement project by focusing on a single community-based organisation within Devon and Cornwall. Students in small groups visit organisations to develop an understanding of how these organisations support particular community groups and/or individuals to adopt positive healthy lifestyles and how they help their clients/service users to overcome the social and organisational barriers that prevent them from achieving this.

  • DEN525 Professional Development 2

    This module supports students to further develop reflective adult learning skills and assists with the development of professional behaviour and attitudes appropriate to dentistry. Every term the student will meet their Academic Tutor and reflect and review on their performance in all aspects of professionalism within the BDS programme.

• Year 3
• In your third year, the amount of time spent in clinics will increase to three days a week to continue your exposure to clinical material, to build upon existing skills and introduce additional topics where appropriate. One of the themes for years three and four is to consolidate the learning of medically-related issues for the safe practise of dentistry. You will be given an opportunity to learn about dentally relevant medical issues in patient-based demonstrations, hospital outpatient clinics, and accident and emergency departments.

  Core modules

  • DEN631 Applied Dental Knowledge 1

    This module enables students to achieve the level of knowledge of clinical and communication skills, professionalism and management and leadership skills required of a graduate entering primary care as a Dental Foundation dentist. Topic areas include basic sciences as applied to dentistry, knowledge of the comprehensive delivery of clinical dentistry including restorative dentistry for children and adults, dental radiology, oral surgery, pharmacology and therapeutics, oral medicine, oral pathology, medicine and surgery applied to dentistry, professionalism, law and ethics.

  • DEN633 Clinical Dental Practice 5

    This module provides students with the ability to undertake more complex dental care for patients of all ages and the development of further skills in the simulated environment.

  • DEN634 Clinical Dental Practice 6

    This module provides students with continuing clinical experience treating patients with more complex needs.

  • DEN632 Critical Appraisal 1

    Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) requires that decisions about health care are based on the best available, current, valid and relevant evidence. These decisions should be made by those receiving care, informed by the tacit and explicit knowledge of those providing care, within the context of available resources. All health care professionals need to understand the principles of EBP, recognise it in action, implement evidence-based policies, and have a critical attitude to their own practice and to evidence. Without these skills professionals will find it difficult to provide 'best practice'.

  • DEN635 Inter-Professional Engagement 3

    In this module students will work closely with oral healthcare and other healthcare professionals to share working practices and understand how different population groups needs and demands are managed. The main links will be with other health professional groups including medicine, pharmacy, speech therapy, general nursing, oncology, community mental health, audiology, physiotherapy.

  • DEN636 Professional Development 3

    This module supports students to further develop reflective adult learning skills and assists with the development of professional behaviour and attitudes appropriate to dentistry. Every term the student will meet their Academic Tutor and reflect and review on their performance in all aspects of professionalism within the BDS programme.

• Year 4
• In your fourth year, clinical activity will expand to four days a week. For senior students, the work will embrace all of the aspects of dental care provision expected of a qualified dentist and will give you experience in advanced restorative techniques. You'll gain first-hand experience of the role and services provided by specialists in primary and secondary care, by spending time in specialist clinics such as restorative dentistry, oral surgery, oral diseases and orthodontics.

  Core modules

  • DEN641 Applied Dental Knowledge 2

    This module enables students to achieve the level of knowledge of clinical and communication skills, professionalism and management and leadership skills required of a graduate entering primary care as a Dental Foundation dentist. Topic areas include basic sciences as applied to dentistry, knowledge of the comprehensive delivery of clinical dentistry including restorative dentistry for children and adults, dental radiology, oral surgery, pharmacology and therapeutics, oral medicine, oral pathology, medicine and surgery applied to dentistry, professionalism, law and ethics.

  • DEN642 Clinical Dental Practice 7

    This module enables the student to consolidate the practice of an increasing wide range of primary care dental procedures and start to work more independently, assessing situations and making safe and appropriate decisions in managing patient care.

  • DEN643 Inter-Professional Engagement 4

    Clinical audit is a key component of clinical practice and is a way of continuously improving the quality of clinical care. The process of audit is an important requirement in developing as a reflective practitioner and key to maintaining professional standards and revalidation. During the project students will learn about the theory of audit, understand why it is important, examine clinical standards and guidelines and look at various ways of conducting clinical audit against agreed standards of care.

  • DEN644 Professional Development 4

    This module supports students to further develop reflective adult learning skills and assists with the development of professional behaviour and attitudes appropriate to dentistry. Every term the student will meet their Academic Tutor and reflect and review on their performance in all aspects of professionalism within the BDS programme.

• Final year
• The emphasis in your final year is on the practical implementation of what you have learnt in previous years and is the final preparation for dental practice. You will also become much more confident with clinical situations, healthcare teams and the principle of practice both in the NHS and in private practice.

  Core modules

  • DEN651 Applied Dental Knowledge 3

    This module enables students to achieve the level of knowledge of clinical and communication skills, professionalism and management and leadership skills required of a graduate entering primary care as a Dental Foundation dentist. Topic areas include basic sciences as applied to dentistry, knowledge of the comprehensive delivery of clinical dentistry including restorative dentistry for children and adults, dental radiology, oral surgery, pharmacology and therapeutics, oral medicine, oral pathology, medicine and surgery applied to dentistry, professionalism, law and ethics.

  • DEN652 Clinical Dental Practice 8

    This module enables the student to consolidate the practice of an increasing wide range of primary care dental procedures in addition to further development of professionalism required for the safe practice of oral clinical care as an independent practitioner.

  • DEN653 Clinical Dental Practice 9

    This module enables the student to consolidate the practice of an increasing wide range of dental procedures in addition to further development of professionalism required for the safe practice of oral clinical care as an independent practitioner.

  • DEN654 Inter-Professional Engagement 5

    Students visit a variety of specialist oral care facilities which provide them with a wide range of clinical experience in line with the GDC learning outcomes for undergraduate dental education. These observation visits enable students to gain insight into the patient journey through the specialist care services.

  • DEN655 Professional Development 5

    This module supports students to further develop reflective adult learning skills and assists with the development of professional behaviour and attitudes appropriate to dentistry. Every term the student will meet their Academic Tutor and reflect and review on their performance in all aspects of professionalism within the BDS programme.

The modules shown for this course are those currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new modules. Please note that programme structures and individual modules are subject to amendment from time to time as part of the University’s curriculum enrichment programme and in line with changes in the University’s policies and requirements.

All applications must be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). All applications for the BMBS and BMS programmes must reach UCAS between the beginning of September 2015 and 15 October 2015. Applicants should apply to no more than four clinical degree programmes.

The remaining choice on the UCAS form may be used for any alternative course. The UCAS code for the Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine & Dentistry is P60 PLYM. All applications for the BSc in Dental Therapy and Hygiene and programmes in the School of Biomedical and Healthcare Sciences, must be received by UCAS no later than 15 January 2016.