School of Dentistry and Oral Health
The School of Dentistry and Oral Health was established at the Bendigo campus in response to dentistry and oral health needs especially in rural and regional areas of Victoria.
Dentistry
Dentists are primary health practitioners that treat teeth, gums and soft tissues of the mouth. Dentists may examine the mouth, take x-rays, clean teeth, provide preventative care, repair decayed and broken teeth with fillings, extract and replace teeth, apply anaesthesia, perform surgical operations, design, construct and fit dentures, crowns and bridges. Dentists employed in the public sector may work in schools, universities, community health centres, mobile dental vans, hospitals and institutions such as residential care facilities. dentists in the private sector may work for other dentists or managers, or own a practice alone or in partnership with other dentists. They can also be employed in research management, education and policy development roles. Dentists can specialise to become orthodontists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, periodontists, paediatric or special needs dentists.
The Bachelor of Health Sciences in Dentistry/Master of Dentistry will be undertaken over five years and will qualify students to register as dental practitioners. The Bachelor of Health Sciences in Dentistry is a three year pre registration degree that prepares students for entry into the Master of Dentistry. The Masters component is a two year program heavily focused on clinical education. The first two years of the Bachelor of Health Sciences in Dentistry will focus on basic science and exposure to clinical issues with students studying science and public health units. Students will also start to have some preclinical and clinical exposure. The third year of the program develops predominately the preclinical and clinical skills allowing students to build up technical skills before the highly focused clinical exposure in the final two years (Masters of Dentistry). Students who successfully complete the Bachelor’s program will gain entry into the Masters in Dentistry which is predominated by the clinical components of the program, with students placed in clinical facilities around regional Victoria. Students who successfully complete the Masters degree will be able to register as dental practitioners in Victoria (subject to professional accreditation and dental board rules).
Career Prospects
Dentists are registered to practice the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, injuries and malformations of the teeth, jaws and associated structures. The majority of practicing dentists in Australia work in the private sector predominant as general practitioners. There is an increasing demand for dentists across Australia and there are job opportunities in both metropolitan and rural Victoria are available.
Oral Health
The School offers the Bachelor of Oral Health Science which is taught for 6 semesters. It has an intake of 30 students in 2008. Students will be trained in both dental therapy and hygiene and will undertake general science units, in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pathology and pharmacology, as well as public health units and specific oral health units.
Graduates of the course will be competent in both dental therapy and dental hygiene as well as have an understand the principles of public health and the particular aspects of working in rural and regional health. Further information about the course can be obtained from:Bachelor of Oral Health Sciences 2008 brochure.
Bachelor of Oral Health Sciences course information booklet 2008.
Scholarships
The Department of Human Services (Victoria) is awarding ten scholarships to students commencing the course in 2008. Further information can be obtained from the Scholarships 2007 website.
Enquiries about the Bachelor of Oral Health should be directed to Janice Rothacker, Administration Officer, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bendigo campus, phone 03 5444-7417,fax 03 5444-7977.
Email oralhealth@latrobe.edu.au.
Graduate Certificate in Oral Health
For information on the Graduate Certificate in Oral Health please click here.
Booklists
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