International Dentist Education Program (IDEP)

IDEP 5000. IDEP Prep Course. 23.5 Credit Hours.

This second year Dental Science course prepares students from diverse backgrounds, training and experience levels for integration into the third and fourth year. This hybrid course consists of online training followed by customized hands-on training taught by specialists and content experts, geared to maximize clinical skills.

COMD 7031. Professional Ethics. 0.5 Credit Hours.

This course provides a deeper understanding of the role that ethics plays in dental practice through a series of small-group discussions focused on the resolution of ethical dilemmas. It also provides a more thorough appreciation of the ethical principles and theory of normative ethics, as well as an understanding of the importance of dental research ethics, the role of ethics in the "business" of dentistry, and dentist's role in addressing social justice issues.

COMD 7050. Preventive Dentistry Clinic. 1.5 Credit Hour.

As part of the junior clinic, this course is for the clinical application of prior study of Preventive & Community Dentistry, Preventive Methods, Nutrition, Cariology, Caries Risk Management, and Sophomore Clinic. With the emphasis on dental caries, it also includes prevention of gingivitis, oral cancer, and orofacial trauma. Students record preventive history, diagnosis and document caries, request appropriate lab and dietary assessments, carry out a caries activity (risk) assessment, write a preventive plan, and evaluate outcomes.

COMD 8014. Oral Health Care System. 1 Credit Hour.

A series of lectures and panel discussions introduce students to the structure as well as methods of financing dental care. Concepts of both traditional and recently evolved forms of dental practice also are discussed.

COMD 8032. Jurisprudence. 0.5 Credit Hours.

An in-depth review of the Texas Dental Practice Act and the Rules and Regulations of the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners will be presented as preparation for the Dental Jurisprudence examination given by the Board. General review of the interface of the law and dental practice including dental torts, malpractice, partnerships, insurance, record keeping, and other related legal issues are presented.

DIAG 7036. Radiographic Interpretation. 1 Credit Hour.

This is a comprehensive didactic course in dental radiologic interpretation of diseases of the jaws including differential radiological diagnosis of developmental abnormalities and pathological lesions of the teeth and jaws.

DIAG 7052. Geriatrics. 1.5 Credit Hour.

Lectures and seminars emphasizing dental management of the geriatric patient cover such topics as normal aging, treatment planning, pharmacologic considerations, management and communication techniques, dementias, dentistry for nursing home and homebound elderly, and clinical care.

DIAG 7055. Oral Medicine. 2 Credit Hours.

Lectures, demonstrations, and visual aids present the fundamentals of diagnosis and treatment in general medicine and surgery as they relate to dentistry. Students have the opportunity to demonstrate skill in physical diagnosis in laboratory sessions.

EMSP 7001. Basic Cardiac Life Support. 0 Credit Hours.

Course instruction satisfies AHA guidelines for Basic Cardiac Life Support. Successful completion merits AHA BLS Healthcare Provider course completion certification. Topics include basic airway and ventilatory management of the choking and/or unconscious infant, child or adult victim, cardiac chest compression techniques, and automated external defibrillation (AED). AHA standard written and skills exams administered.

ENDO 7041. Junior Endodontics Lecture. 1 Credit Hour.

This course enhances the cognitive skills attained by the student that has successfully completed ENDO 6041 and ENDO 6142 in the Sophomore year. Topics covered include: endodontic radiography, endodontic diagnosis, endodontic irrigants and medicaments, evaluation of endodontic outcomes and retreatment, management of endodontic emergencies including pain control, diagnosis and management of tooth root resorption, endodontic treatment risk assessment, management of the immature root apex and management of traumatic tooth injuries including tooth fracture, luxation and avulsion. The importance of the inter-relationships with other dental disciplines such as periodontics and restorative dentistry are also emphasized.

ENDO 7043. Endodontics Clinic. 1 Credit Hour.

Students perform endodontic diagnosis and treatment procedures necessary to provide endodontic treatment as part of overall comprehensive clinical patient care.

GEND 7001. General Dentistry Clinic. 4 Credit Hours.

The Junior General Dentistry Clinic course oversees student progress towards competency in: patient assessment and diagnosis, comprehensive treatment planning and assessment of outcomes, management of periodontal and pre-implant tissues, and management of malocclusion and occlusal disorders as described in Statements 01, 02, 07, and 13 of the HSC Dental School Competencies for Graduating Dentists. Junior students will be evaluated by GPG faculty on their independent efforts in satisfying the educational outcomes described for each of the four component competencies included in the course. Results of the evaluation will be kept in the student portfolio by the group leader. Unsuccessful attempts will be repeated until the student demonstrates adequate progress towards competency. A final grade at the end of the junior year will be Pass or Fail. Each component of the course must be passed to receive a passing grade.

GEND 7026. Practice Administration. 2.5 Credit Hours.

This course presents the various career choices available in dentistry and presents material to aid students in the career decision-making process. An introduction to the basic principles of beginning and managing a dental practice with emphasis on establishing a philosophy of practice, establishing goals, selecting practice modes, and choosing a location. The principles of office design and equipment selection also are covered.

GEND 8026. Practice Administration. 1.5 Credit Hour.

This series of lectures deals with the business aspects of conducting a practice. Consideration of establishing and administering a practice, estate planning, bookkeeping methods, banking, marketing, management and utilization of personnel, and completion of a prospectus and office design project also are presented.

GEND 8077. General Dentistry Clinic. 26.5 Credit Hours.

Clinical experience for senior students under supervision of the Department of General Dentistry emphasizes comprehensive patient care in an atmosphere that closely simulates the private practice environment. Providing students an opportunity to accomplish procedures from each discipline of dentistry is the goal; therefore, students receive instruction from a faculty of general dentists. Various specialty departments provide didactic material, rotations in specialty clinics, and consultation. Senior Seminars, conducted by the Department of General Dentistry, entail lectures, problem-solving sessions, and presentations of selected cases designed to enhance the students' knowledge of comprehensive clinical dentistry.

GEND 8078. General Dentistry Seminar. 2 Credit Hours.

This seminar presents topics relevant to clinical practice including application and selection of dental materials, an overview of dental equipment, and clinical techniques. It is intended to reinforce philosophies presented by the specialty disciplines, to provide the opportunity to discuss dental topics of current interest, and to promote dialogue between students and faculty.

INTD 7020. Clinical Patient Management. 5 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to help students develop skills in clinical behavioral dentistry through small group discussions, lectures, and routine patient treatment by application of the principles of coordinating patient care; communicating effectively with colleagues, staff, and faculty; and managing time, records, and environment. The students are required to manage their comprehensive care patients in the Junior Clinic following the principles presented in this course.

ORTH 7073. Junior Orthodontic Lectures And Case Analysis. 1 Credit Hour.

This advanced lecture/case presentation series emphasizes the principles of orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning for limited orthodontic procedures and the principles of comprehensive orthodontic therapy, interdisciplinary dentistry, and orthognathic surgery.

OSUR 7051. Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. 4 Credit Hours.

The junior Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery experience will be a concentrated exposure to the specialty. OSUR 7051 consists of clinical experiences and a self-study, Canvas-based course. Biweekly seminars will supplement the self-study course. Junior students will be assigned to the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery service for four weeks. During this time they will treat patients in the outpatient OMS clinic, the University Hospital Clinic Downtown, and they will work in the OMS Suite. Outpatient dentoalveolar surgery will be the focus. Students will have an opportunity to administer nitrous oxide sedation and observe cases where intravenous sedation is used. Opportunities may also be available for a limited number of students to observe and participate in the OR, ER, and on rounds at the University Hospital.

PATH 7023. Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology: Clinicopathologic Conference. 1 Credit Hour.

This course is a series of 14 clinicopathologic conferences presented in an interactive case-based/clinical problem-solving format. Students will be expected to apply their fund of basic science knowledge learned in the prerequisite didactic pathology courses to simulated dental practice situations. Cases will be discussed systematically utilizing the S.O.A.P. format (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan). Students are required to complete and turn in a worksheet and self assessment for each case. Students are expected to read articles from current scientific literature posted on the course site and take the online challenge examinations. Lectures on the critical topics of head and neck cancer and skin cancer will be given by the course director.

PEDO 7091. Pediatric Dentistry Clinic. 2 Credit Hours.

Clinical experience with child patients gives students the opportunity to gain clinical judgement and proficiency while practicing comprehensive dentistry for children. Areas of competency include prevention, examination, diagnosis and treatment planning, local anesthesia, operative dentistry, pulpal therapy, oral injuries, oral surgery, preventive and interceptive orthodontics, behavior management, maintenance care, and periodontics.

PERI 7059. Implantology. 1 Credit Hour.

Through lecture sessions, this introductory course offers students an opportunity to obtain both background and knowledge regarding accepted dental implant systems.

PERI 7081. Periodontics. 1.5 Credit Hour.

This course is an expansion of the foundation presented in the sophomore year. Surgical treatment planning, rationale, techniques, and wound healing are emphasized. A three-hour surgical laboratory exercise is included. Periodontal interrelationships with prosthodontics, endodontics, and orthodontics are examined in case presentation formats with student participation.

PERI 8015. Periodontics. 0.5 Credit Hours.

This lecture course is a comprehensive review of current periodontal topics. Topics include those that should be employed in the diagnosis, treatment planning, and management of periodontal diseases in a general dentistry practice setting. Both non-surgical and surgical treatment approaches will be discussed.

PHAR 8009. Pharmacotherapeutics. 2 Credit Hours.

The emphasis of this course is on understanding the rationale, indications, and contraindications for prescribing pharmacologic agents in dentistry. Consideration of the pharmacologic agents that the patient may be taking at the time of the dental visit is emphasized.

PROS 7018. Fixed Prosthodontics. 1 Credit Hour.

This course is designed to be adjunct to and to complement the preclinical course so that the student correlates previous instruction in the clinical care of patients in need of crowns and/or fixed partial dentures.

PROS 7019. Fixed Prosthodontics Clinic. 4.5 Credit Hours.

This clinical course consists of diagnosis and treatment planning, instruction in making complete and partial veneer crown preparations and modifications, management of supportive tissues, provision of adequate pain control for restorative procedures, fabrication and insertion of provisional as well as cast restorations, and instruction to patients in the care and maintenance of restorations.

PROS 7091. Removable Partial Denture Prosthodontics Lecture. 0.5 Credit Hours.

This didactic course is designed to acquaint the student with a variety of approaches that may be used in treating the partially edentulous mouth. Lectures cover critical steps in treatment of the partially edentulous patient, stabilization of periodontically weakened teeth, intracoronal and other attachments used in partial denture construction, swinglock partial dentures, removable partial overdentures, and cancer therapy as it relates to prosthodontic treatment.

PROS 7092. Removable Partial Dentures Clinic. 1.5 Credit Hour.

A clinical experience designed to place continued emphasis on diagnosis, treatment planning, design principles, mouth preparation, and dental laboratory coordination. The student is given the opportunity to correlate biological and mechanical information in clinical care of patients requiring removable partial dentures. The student is required to complete treatment for one partial denture patient during the junior year.

PROS 7095. Complete Dentures Lecture. 1 Credit Hour.

This course offers a series of lectures designed to present more sophisticated concepts in the prosthodontic treatment of edentulous and partially edentulous patients not included in previous courses. Lecture topics include preparation of the tissues for dentures, complete denture esthetics, occlusal systems for complete dentures, single complete dentures, immediate dentures, overdentures, maintenance care for the complete denture patient, and relining of dentures.

PROS 7099. Complete Dentures Clinic. 2.5 Credit Hours.

This clinical course consists of diagnosis and treatment planning, management of supportive tissues, fabrication and placement of complete dentures, and instruction to patients in the care and maintenance of complete dentures. The clinical experiences encourage students to correlate biological and biomechanical information into the prosthodontic treatment of edentulous and partially edentulous patients.

PROS 8001. Dental Implantology. 0.5 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to be an ever-evolving lecture series designed to provide senior dental students with more information regarding advanced topics in implant dentistry. The premise of this course is to provide evidenced-based materials regarding the latest information and current topic of interest in the field of implant dentistry. Lecture topics may include but are not limited to advanced treatment planning, immediate provisionalization (Non-loaded) of dental implants, the controversy of connecting an implant to a natural tooth, implant esthetics, advanced prosthodontic techniques, and implant and the maxillofacial patient.

RESD 7010. Operative Dentistry Lecture. 1.5 Credit Hour.

A series of lectures designed to present more sophisticated didactic material in areas not included in the first and second year preclinical courses. This course serves as a forum for discussion of individual clinical problems and their solutions which are of interest to the class as a whole.

RESD 7011. Operative Dentistry Clinic. 4.5 Credit Hours.

Students are given the opportunity to commence the clinical practice of operative dentistry. Each student is expected to achieve competency in the restoration of teeth with various restorative materials. Students' application of knowledge of proper patient management is assessed.

RESD 8051. Senior Esthetic Dentistry. 0.5 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to present available alternatives in esthetic dentistry, indication and clinical applications for each alternative, new materials designed for the concepts of esthetic dentistry, and appropriate methods of patient communication and patient management. Emphasis will be placed on clinical applications, efficacy of materials, precise communication with the laboratory concerning veneer shade information, and methods of doing chair-side color modifications.