UWA Handbook 2025

Unit Overview

Description

This is the first-year clinical practice unit in Oral Medicine in the Doctor of Clinical Dentistry course. The unit is taken over two semesters and parts 1 and 2 must be completed to fulfil the requirements of the unit. It provides clinical experience in oral medicine to introduce the student to the discipline at the specialist level. The case mix is selected to match the student's level of experience and expertise. Diagnostic histopathology is introduced by means of studying selected routine cases. Students are required to manage all relevant aspects of the oral medicine cases referred to the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia (OHCWA). They spend 50 per cent of their time in this work. Completion of a logbook of cases seen on clinic and in the laboratory is mandatory.

Professional Behaviour Requirements - Please refer to the Dental School Handbook regarding requirements and consequences of non-compliance, which can delay course progression and/or graduation, depending on circumstances.

Credit

6 points

Offering
(see Timetable)

Availability	Location	Mode
Non-standard teaching period	Oral Health Care Centre of WA (OHCWA)	Face to face

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) evaluate, synthesise and apply diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in cases referred to OHCWA for oral medicine management; (2) demonstrate advanced problem-solving and diagnostic skills; (3) effectively instruct undergraduates and other health care professionals in the pertinent aspects of oral medicine; (4) demonstrate the responsibility of being a practitioner in oral medicine; (5) provide clinical leadership; (6) use effective communication skills with colleagues, patients and the broader community; (7) display professional behaviour in the educational and clinical settings,; (8) discuss challenges to professionalism and reflect on professional behaviours in the clinical setting; (9) display critical and insightful self-reflection of their own personal values, wellbeing, personal difficulties and professional performance; and (10) respond to professionalism challenges and insightful self-

reflection by implementing effective management strategies.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) objective structured clinical examination; (2) viva voce; (3) oral examination (OSCE); and (4) professional behaviour assessment. Further information is available in the unit outline.

To pass this unit, a student must: (a) achieve an overall mark of 50 per cent or higher for the unit; and (b) achieve the requisite requirements(s) or a mark of 50 per cent or greater, whichever is higher and specified in the unit outline, for the objective structured clinical examination, viva voce, oral examination (OSCE), and professional behaviour assessment components.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Associate Professor Ramesh Balasubramaniam

Unit rules

Prerequisites

a Bachelor of Dental Science of The University of Western Australia or equivalent , a pass in the Primary examinations of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons or equivalent and at least two years' full-time equivalent experience in general dental practice

Co-requisites

Students are required to be registered with the Dental Board of Australia for the duration of the Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (90840).

Contact hours

clinics/labs: 18 hours per week for 45 weeks

Textbooks:

Please refer to LMS for the list

 

Journals:

Head and Neck Journal

Journal of Oral Pathology and Medicine

Oral Oncology

Oral Disease

Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Endodontics

Pain

Journal of Pain

Journal of Oral & Facial pain and Headache

Journal of Oral Rehabilitation 

Headache

Journal of Dental Sleep Medicine

Sleep

Other journals as advised during the course and as relevant to clinical and laboratory cases. Note: students will often need to read medical and general pathology journals also.