Periodontology

Periodontology

„Periodontology“ is taught in the following semesters: VII, VIII, IX and X.

The course consists of 210 academic hours:

1. Lectures 75 hours

• Lecture program in preclinical periodontology ІV year – VІІ (winter) semester – once in two weeks
• Lecture program in clinical periodontology ІV year – VІІІ (summer) semester – once in two weeks
• Lecture program in clinical periodontology V year – ІХ (winter) semester – once in two weeks
• Lecture program in clinical periodontology V year – Х (summer) semester – every week

2. Exercises 135 hours

• Practical exercises in periodontology ІV year – VІІ (winter) semester (one exercise in two weeks of 2 training hours = 15 hours)
• Practical exercises in periodontology ІV year – VIII semester (one exercise of 2 training hours every week = 30 hours)
• Practical exam in periodontology ІV year – VIII semester: “Instruments and instrumentation in periodontology. Diagnosis of periodontal diseases.”
• Practical exercises in Periodontology V year - ІХ semester (one exercise of 3 training hours every week = 45 hours)
• Practical exercises in periodontology V year - Х semester (one exercise of 3 training hours every week = 45 hours)
• Practical exam in periodontology V year Х semester

Seminars in Periodontology for 5th course - 9th semester
1. Gingivitis – clinical features, diagnosis and treatment.
2. Periodontitis – clinical features, diagnosis and treatment.
3. Periodontal treatment planning and preparing a periodontal treatment plan.

Seminars in Periodontology for 5th course - 10th semester
1. Initial periodontal therapy.
2. Antibacterial drug therapy of periodontal diseases: local and systemic administration. Chemical control of bacterial plaque: supragingival and subgingival.
3. Clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of oral lesions.


COURSE ANNOTATION:
The course in "Periodontology" provides an opportunity to acquire knowledge and competencies necessary for the full diagnosis, prevention, treatment and control of periodontal diseases.

The course consists of 210 academic hours:
• Lectures 75 hours
• Exercises 135 hours

The practical exercises in the 7th semester are thematic and represent training on typodont and students working on models with hard and soft periodontal gingiva: students study instruments and instrumentation in periodontology. Synchronization of lecture teaching and practical training in periodontology is provided, as well as compliance with the content of the curriculum with the real needs of the clinical dental practice. 
From a didactic point of view, the training begins with a preclinical 7th (winter) semester, in which students get acquainted with the anatomy of periodontal structures; periodontal instruments and instrumentation techniques; study different surgical suturing techniques on a model. In the next 8th (summer) semester students master the methods of diagnosis in periodontology: registration of medical and dental history; extra and intraoral status; hygienic status; gingival status; measurement and registration of periodontal parameters - probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level, furcation lesions, tooth mobility, gingival recessions, etc.; X-ray diagnostics, microbiological diagnostics and acquaintance with the documentation in the periodontal practice. Examination of the oral mucosa is part of the students' education. Clinical training also includes clinical prophylaxis, treatment of gingivitis and diagnosis of periodontal disease. The preclinical course ends with a practical exam: “Instruments and instrumentation in periodontology. Diagnosis of periodontal diseases.”
In the following clinical semesters, students consolidate the clinical and paraclinical methods of diagnosis, with an emphasis on improving the techniques of instrumentation (scaling and root planing) and the fulfilment of cause-related therapy associated with the control of the inflammatory causes and factors and destructive periodontal disease. The seminars during this clinical semester examine the clinic of plaque-associated periodontal diseases - gingivitis and periodontitis. During the last clinical semester, students gain more independence in clinical procedures and actively prepare and implement a treatment plan that includes an initial, corrective and maintenance phase. The seminars are dedicated to the modern treatment of periodontal diseases - preparation of a treatment plan; systemic, local and topical antibacterial therapy and clinics of the oral mucosa diseases. The clinical training in periodontology ends with a practical exam, which is carried out in three clinical exercises and consists of diagnosis, treatment plan of a periodontal patient and performance of supra- and subgingival removal of calculus and plaque.
The clinical training of the students continues in the sixth year during the undergraduate internship with periodontal treatment of a patient, to whom the students have to complete a treatment plan, including corrective and maintenance therapy.

AIM OF THE CURRICULUM:
The curriculum is synchronized with the concept of the European Federation of Periodontology and related to the new terminology of periodontal diseases, modern methods of diagnosis of periodontal diseases and oral mucosa and comprehensive treatment of these diseases, as well as their long-term. The program aims to prepare students in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease.

PROGRAM TASKS:

• To provide students with information about the nature of periodontal structures and their functions;
• To provide students with knowledge about the nature of periodontal diseases and their aetiology and pathogenesis;
• To present the modern classification and clinical characteristics of periodontal diseases;
• To train students in modern methods for diagnosis of periodontal diseases;
• To provide students with a certain amount of clinical work to acquire criteria for the clinical characteristics of diseases and for healing;
• To present the modern concept of basic approaches to treatment of various periodontal diseases and to provide an opportunity for practical achievement of basic clinical treatment procedures.

Possible synchrony of the lecture teaching and practical training in periodontology is provided, as well as compliance of the content of the curriculum with the real needs of the clinical practice.
The practical exam is held within the last three weeks of the summer semester, and during the first week the group assistant accepts and approves the student patient for the exam. The patient should have periodontitis, have at least 15 teeth and at least 4-6 of them have a pocket depth of 5 mm or more, and have not been treated in the last 6 months. During the third week, in the presence of a habilitated lecturer and the group's assistant, the students' work is evaluated and accepted.

FORMS OF GRADING/EVALUATION:
Current control
Current control includes participation in seminars for each semester, preparation of essays by students, test scores on the 8th semester, preparation of treatment plans in the 9th and 10th semesters.
Practical exam
Practical exam at the end of 8th semester, which includes recognition of instruments from a set and demonstration of working with them, as well as a performance of a periodontal suture.
The practical exam at the end of the 10th semester is held within the last three weeks of the summer semester, and during the first week the group assistant accepts and approves the student patient for the exam. The patient must have generalized periodontitis, have at least 10 teeth and some of them should have probing pocket depth of 5 mm or more. During the third week, in the presence of a habilitated lecturer and the group's assistant, the students' work is evaluated and accepted.

Semester exam
The semester exam is held at the end of the 10th semester, includes 1 written (20 minutes) and 2 oral questions from the syllabus.
Others
The state exam includes written and oral part. Written part consists of 20 test questions which should be completed in 20 minutes. Oral part includes 2 questions from the syllabus. Fail on any of oral or written part of this exam is considered as fail on the exam.