Preventive Dentistry

Preventive Dentistry

„Preventive Dentistry“ is taught in the following semesters: VI and VII.
Forms and methods of teaching: lectures, seminars, discussions, decision making in clinical cases, set up of preventive programs, problem-orientated education, self-training.

ANNOTATION: 
The course of “Primary Preventive dentistry”/”Dental prevention” gives an opportunity for gaining of knowledge and competences, needed to carry out a primary prophylaxis/ primary preventive dentistry against development of caries, periodontal diseases, and malocclusions. This course has two aspects:

1. Acquirement of preventive methods for normal development of teeth, periodontium, gingiva, and oral mucosa.
2. Application of preventive methods to eliminate local pathogenic factors in the mouth to avoid development of diseases.

AIM OF THE SYLLABUS:
Acquirement of preventive methods and instruments for primary prophylaxis of caries, periodontal diseases and malocclusions. Knowledge and skills for application of all forms, methods and instruments to carry out a primary prophylaxis of dental diseases.

PROGRAM TASKS:

1. To apply preventive methods for normally development of teeth, periodontium, gingiva, and oral mucosa. 
   • Endogenous fluoride prophylaxis.  
   • Topical fluoride prophylaxis.
   • Dietary prophylaxis for a pregnant woman.
   • Dietary prophylaxis for children in different ages.
2. Application of preventive methods to eliminate local pathogenic factors in the mouth to avoid development of diseases.
   • Oral hygiene.
   • Fissure sealing.
   • Remineralization therapy.
   • Topical fluoride prophylaxis.

AUXILIARY REASOURSES FOR TEACHING:
Multimedia PowerPoint presentations, tests, cases report, personal, school and communally based preventive programs, educational films.

PRELIMINARILY REQUIREMENTS: 
To begin the course of primary preventive dentistry the students should have basic knowledge of histogenesis, morphology and physiology of the oral structures.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

At the end of the course the students should:

1. Be familiar with the common principles of primary preventive dentistry;
2. Know and interpret the dental caries etiology, pathogenesis and histomorphology;
3. Know and comment tooth demineralization end remineralization mechanisms during development of enamel and dentin caries lesions;
4. Know and apply the methods, instruments, oral hygiene indices and motivation oral hygiene programs in children;
5. Know and apply the methods, instruments, oral- hygiene indices and profession oral hygiene for prophylaxis of periodontal disease in children;
6. Assess the risk for development of periodontal diseases;
7. Have competences about (put into practice) endogen fluoride prophylaxis;
8. Be able to define the individual optimum preventive doses of fluoride;
9. Know and apply contemporary methods and fluoride supplements for exogenous fluoride prophylaxis in children;
10.  Know end apply contemporary methods for pit and fissure sealants and caries remineralization therapy;
11. Have knowledge about the role of food compositions in development of teeth, periodontium, and mucosa to achieve prophylaxis of dental diseases in children through dietary control;
12.  Be able to set up and apply the programs for dietary control in children from different ages;
13. Be able to construct a complex program for prophylaxis of dental diseases;
14.  Set up individual, group and community-based programs for dental prophylaxis.

FORM OF ASSESSMENT:           

• Continuous assessment, participation in seminars, tests, set up of personal preventive programs
• Final exam – the course finishes with written exam that is hold in the regular exam session after VII-th semester. The written exam includes: test, written questions, work on a preventive task.

Evaluation of the knowledge: Forms by mean current score, score of the colloquium, score of the practical exam, and score of the final exam.

Aspects of assessment: participation in discussions, decision making in clinical cases, scores from practical and theoretical exams.

Thematic program:

1. Endogenous fluoride prophylaxis. Water Fluoridation and other fluoride resources.
2. Topical fluoride prophylaxis.
3. Professional oral hygiene. Toothbrushes and tooth-brushing methods, dentifrices, mouthwashes, and chewing gums.
4. Individual oral hygiene. Oral-health self-care supplemental measures to complement tooth-brushing
5. Dietary prophylaxis. Sugar and Other sweeteners. Nutrition, diet and oral conditions.
6. Fissure sealing.  Pit and fissure sealants.
7. Remineralization therapy. Oral biologic defenses in tooth demineralization and remineralization. Rationale, guidelines and procedures for prophylaxis of the plaque diseases.
8. Development of individually based preventive programs. Understanding human motivation for behavior change.
9. Development of group based preventive programs. Oral health promotion in schools.
10.  Development of community-based preventive programs. Dental public- health programs.
11.  Development of preventive programs for physically and mentally disabled children. Preventive oral-health care for handicapped individuals.
12.  Oral healthh promotion.

TITLES FOR SELF - DEPENDENT WORK    

1. Oral hygiene.
2. Endogenous fluoride prophylaxis.  
3. Topical fluoride prophylaxis.
4. Fissure sealing.
5. Remineralization therapy.
6. Dietary prophylaxis for children
7. Caries and periodontal diseases risk assessment.
8. Oral health promotion.