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Bachelor of Oral Health Science

Course code/s: Bendigo (HBOHSB)

The Bachelor of Oral Health Science will qualify students to register as dental hygienists, dental therapists and oral health therapists. The course has a strong focus on public oral health in rural and regional Victoria.

Graduates of this course are qualified to provide a wide range of preventive and dental care in a variety of settings. Students complete a number of common core health subjects in the first two years, as well as specific subjects in oral health and health sciences which underpin the theoretical and clinical practice of oral health.

Preclinical and clinical oral health subjects are undertaken over the six semesters of the course. Clinical experience will be completed in different interdisciplinary settings in mostly rural and/or regional areas. Students will work with a wide variety of patients and will gain experience in treating patients with special needs. A summer semester is completed at the end of second year. During this summer semester, students will have the opportunity to elect to undertake an international placement of two weeks duration.

The course offers students theoretical and practical experience in the complete scope of practice of the oral health therapist and is currently the only accredited oral health program in Australia that prepares graduates to restore teeth in adults of all ages.

There are a number of costs inherent in the course and students will be required to purchase items of equipment. These items and associated costs may include, and are not limited to:

• protective clothing and uniform - $150
• books - $400 per semester
• instruments and equipment - $4000

Please note that all costs are approximate. For further information and more detailed costing of instruments and equipment, please visit our website at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/students/health/your-studies/materials-required/dentistry-and-oral-health.

All students will need to comply with credentialing requirements of the Department of Dentistry and Oral Health and the clinical placement sites. This will include a police record check, Working With Children check, vaccination requirements, Level 1 First Aid/CPR certification and registration with the Dental Board of Australia (www.dentalboard.gov.au). Students need to be familiar with the requirements of the Dental Board of Australia and are advised to read the Guidelines on infection control (http://www.latrobe.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/142246/dental-guidelines-infectioncontrol.pdf) which have been developed and endorsed by the Dental Board of Australia.

These documents require applicants and students to be aware of their blood borne virus (BBV) status. Students with a BBV will not be able to undertake the course, in line with the requirements of the Dental Board of Australia. New students will be required to undertake blood tests to determine their BBV status. Students must comply with all credentialing requirements prior to the census date in semester one of their first year of the course. Failure to satisfy all these requirements (including having a BBV) may result in immediate discontinuation from the course.

Course structure

 

First year

Teaching period	Subject code	Subject title	Credit points
TE-ALLYR	ORH1POH	Preclinical Oral Health Practice	30
TE-ALLYR	ORH1IOS	Introduction to Oral Health Sciences	30
TE-SEM-1	HBS1HBA	Human Biosciences A	15
TE-SEM-1	PHE1IDH	Individual Determinants of Health	15
TE-SEM-2	HBS1HBB	Human Biosciences B	15
TE-SEM-2	PHE1SDH	Social Determinants of Health	15

 

Second year

Teaching period	Subject code	Subject title	Credit points
TE-SEM-1	PHE2PHP	Principles of Public Health Practice	15
TE-SEM-1	DEN2MDA	Medicine for Dentistry A	15
TE-SEM-1	ORH2CPC	Clinical Practice C	30
TE-SEM-2	DEN3REM	Research Methods	10
TE-SEM-2	ORH2OMP	Oral Medicine, Pharmacology and Special Care Dentistry	20
TE-SEM-2	ORH2ICP	Integrated Clinical Practice	30

 

Third year

Teaching period	Subject code	Subject title	Credit points
TE-SEM-S	ORH3CPE	Clinical Practice E	60
TE-SEM-1	PHE3BRH	Rural Health	15
TE-SEM-1	ORH3CPF	Clinical Practice F	30
TE-SEM-1	ORH3ACP	Advanced Clinical Practice	15