Skip to main content
Unit of study_

DENT5121: Oral Medicine Level 2A

Semester 1, 2023 [Normal day] - Westmead, Sydney

This discipline aims to equip students with the theoretical background and practical experience necessary for the practice of clinical Oral Medicine; being the non-surgical management of diseases affecting the oro-facial tissues and adjacent areas. Skills and knowledge in a range of relevant areas are developed including: history taking; examination; application and interpretation of special investigations including radiology, serology and biopsies; differential diagnosis; treatment planning; clinical records; quality of care evaluation; development of effective communication skills in interdisciplinary clinical practice; and the principles and practice of relevant pharmacology. In addition; Oral Medicine as taught and practiced at the University of Sydney and Westmead Centre for Oral Health includes diagnosis and treatment planning for dental management of medically complex patients.

Unit details and rules

Unit code DENT5121
Academic unit Discipline of Oral Surgery, Medicine and Diagnostics
Credit points 12
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
DENT5218 and DENT5219 and DENT5220 and DENT6010
Corequisites
? 
DENT5122 and DENT5123 and DENT6011
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Mark Schifter, mark.schifter@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Suma Sukumar, suma.sukumar@sydney.edu.au
Mark Schifter, mark.schifter@sydney.edu.au
Ben Karim, ben.karim@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Supervised exam
? 
hurdle task
Written exam
Written exam
60% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Skills-based evaluation hurdle task Viva voce
Oral exam
20% Formal exam period 1 hr
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Skills-based evaluation hurdle task Continuous sessional assessment
Clinical skills evaluation
20% Progressive n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

  • Continuous sessional assessment : Continuous sessional assessment occurs during each pre-clinical and clinical session. These assessments aim to determine student development of clinical competency with patient care as developed during the semester. The assessments also contribute to progression decisions and include consideration of professionalism; patient management and communication.
  • Oral viva voce : There is a general viva voce examination in which both oral pathology and oral medicine are examined in concert together with internal and general medicine, covering the full range of both theoretical and clinical aspects of these disciplines, with the expected standard of a second year trainee in oral medicine.
  • Written exam: There is a written paper, subject matter to be examined will include the full range of theoretical and clinical oral medicine and internal and general medicine, with the expected standard of a second year trainee in oral medicine.
  • Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Weekly Bacterial infections Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Antibiotics Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Fungal infections Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Anti-fungal agents Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Viral infections Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Anti-viral agents Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
HIV-AIDS Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Potentially malignant disorders Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: Attendance is a professional responsibility required of all students admitted to academic programs within the Sydney Dental School. All programs in the Sydney Dental School have a 90% attendance policy, for all compulsory components of Units of Study, as detailed in the Faculty of Dentistry Attendance Provisions 2015. This includes all clinical and practical sessions. The course requirements cannot be satisfied if more than 10% of any section of a course is missed for any reason.

  • Professionalism: Students in all Sydney Dental School programs are subject to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Professionalism Requirements 2019 and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Professionalism Provisions 2019. Professionalism is an essential component of developing competency to practice. It is important for students to demonstrate professional behaviour in all contexts and environments. In accordance with these local provisions: candidates who demonstrate serious or repeated unprofessional behaviour may be required to show cause as to why their enrolment should be continued. Failure to show cause may result in exclusion from the course.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 12 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 240-300 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. demonstrate a very good understanding of oro-facial diseases and conditions, at the level expected of a second year trainee in oral medicine
  • LO2. demonstrate a very good knowledge and systematic approach for diagnostic procedures, treatment planning and management of oro-facial diseases, at the level expected of a second year trainee in oral medicine
  • LO3. demonstrate a very good understanding of medically compromised patients and appropriate dental management, at the level expected of a second year trainee in oral medicine
  • LO4. work in hospital multidisciplinary teams at the level of a second year trainee in Oral medicine.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9
LO1         
LO2         
LO3         
LO4         

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered

Work, health and safety

Students must comply with work health and safety, infection control and dress standard policies of all laboratories, placement sites and Local Health Districts (LHDs).

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.