Course Coordinator: Sue Aldenhoven
Phone: +61 8 8313 6454
Email: susan.aldenhoven@adelaide.edu.au
Location: Room 4.07, Oliphant Building

1	demonstrate an understanding of the ethical and legal responsibilities of an oral health therapist by applying knowledge of scope of practice and codes of ethics to clinical conduct and decision making, to accurately mirror professional practice standards as indicated by professional associations and Dental Board of Australia.
2	demonstrate an understanding of OH&S and infection control by applying and adapting knowledge of these principles and practices to work safely and effectively in the clinical environment.
3	demonstrate effective communication skills to work collaboratively as a member of th edental team and create and maintain effective working relationships with patients and other health professionals.
4	demonstrate an understanding of hard and soft tissue diagnosis by utilizing clinical investigation skill sand appropriate diagnostic aids to gather information for clinical diagnosis and decision making, and the ability to make appropriate management decisions including when to refer and refer for specialist consultation.
5	demonstrate and understanding of the aetiology and pathogenesis of periodontal diseases by developing and applying existing knowledge to analyse and manage patient needs, through appropriate treatment plans, preventive regimens and counselling.
6	demonstrate an understanding of the aetiology of dental caries, deciduous exodontia, cavity preparation, dental materials and pulp therapy and apply knowledge to clinical situations to provide appropriate treatment plans, preventive regimens and restorative solutions for children and adolescents.
7	demonstrate skills in intra-oral radiography and expertise in radiographic diagnosis, and skills in exposure and interpretation of extre-oral radiographs.
8	demonstrate appropriate patient management through an understanding of pain control by applying knowledge of psychological and physical pain control methodologies to manage dental pain and anxiety during treatment.

Clinic jacket, safety glasses, Radiography Log (including 2nd yr log)

1.    Clinical practice
2.    Class meetings/debriefing sessions
3.    Self-assessment
4.    Self-directed learning

Class Meetings Debriefing sessions:
Time will be allocated for regular debriefing sessions. These may vary but will generally be on non clinic days. This time will be used for interactive learning, case studies, clinical discussion and assessments – attendance is compulsory.


Clinic Sessions Clinical Practice - Dental Hygiene & Dental Therapy:
There will be dental therapy and dental hygiene sessions each week across the 48 week clinical year. Clinic sessions, locations and tutors may change during the year. Students will be informed of these changes in advance.

All clinic sessions are compulsory. You may be required to make up missed clinic sessions at nominated times.

The course will consist of a range of learning/teaching activities which focus on the following disciplines:
•    Behavioural Science        
•    Orthodontics
•    Conservative Dentistry      
•    Paediatric Dentistry
•    Oral Diagnosis        
•    Dental Materials        
•    Preventive Dentistry    
•    Radiology and Radiography
•    Rural & Remote Practice
•    Periodontics
•    Special Needs
•    Geriatric Dentistry

 

Assessment Task	Assessment Type	Weighting	Learning Outcome(s) being addressed
Adult Clinic Dental Hygiene	Formative Week 10 Week 30	NGP	1-8
Paedo Clinic Dental Therapy	Formative Week 10 Week 30	NGP	1-8
Adult Clinic Dental Hygiene	Summative Weighting Week 20 30% Week 40 70%	50%	1-8
Paedo Clinic Dental Therapy	Summative Weighting Week 20 30% Week 40 70%	50%	1-8

A uniform system of clinical assessment is used in all years of both BDS and BOH programs.  It is based on self-assessment and it:
•    gives you direct input into your clinical assessment and learning experiences
•    encourages you to reflect on the learning process as a whole
•    teaches you to reflect on and assess the quality of your clinical work using a standardised assessment procedure
•    encourages you to learn by receiving regular feedback
•    encourages you to accept responsibility for what you say and do in the clinic
•    includes objective measures of clinical performance in each discipline
•    helps develop life-long learning skills.

Wherever possible, each session will have time allocated for you to:
•    review with your tutor what you propose to do for each patient for the session
•    debrief to self-assess and discuss the self-assessment with your tutor.

You need to follow up learning issues that have been raised during the assessment process by researching the relevant information or by taking steps to improve aspects of your clinical work that have been identified as requiring improvement.You will have further opportunity for reflection and sharing experiences with peers during regular debriefing sessions.

You are required to keep and maintain detailed up-to-date information about your work in the clinic throughout the year.  You will be issued with a self-assessment booklet, which you must have with you at each clinic session.

Learning can be defined as a change in understanding.  Therefore it is your responsibility to demonstrate improved understanding in relation to your knowledge, skills and attitudes throughout the year.  The assessment process is designed to provide you with feedback on your progress.

You will be given a Clinical Assessment Criteria booklet describing specific skills criteria for the clinical procedures that you undertake in the Dental Clinical Practice course.  The criteria for the assessment of Infection control, Knowledge base and Professional behaviour are common to all procedures and disciplines.

Please have the Clinical Assessment Criteria booklet with you in the clinic during every session.

Both you and your tutor will use these standard criteria.  If your assessment differs significantly from that of your tutor’s, the reason(s) should be recorded during the self-assessment process.

On completion of a clinical procedure, you are required to self-assess your work in your self-assessment booklet.  You should identify strengths, areas needing improvement and strategies for improvement. You are then required to seek feedback from your tutor about your clinical performance.

It is your responsibility to seek these assessments from your tutors.

If you choose not to carry out self-assessment, your tutor will mark your performance as unsatisfactory.

Tutors will record details of student and patient attendances in the clinic and whether or not you have self assessed your work regularly.

You need to follow up learning issues that have been raised during the assessment process by researching the relevant information or by taking steps to improve aspects of your clinical work that have been identified as requiring improvement.

You will be given forms for recording your own and patient attendances at each clinical session during the year.  This log comprises an important part of your assessment portfolio.

An assessment portfolio comprises:
•    Self-assessment booklet
•    Radiography log book
•    Casenote reviews.

Note:    You should be aware that your final grade in the clinical component of Clinical Practice is not just the sum of individual assessments in your self-assessment booklet.  These assessments are formative comments and provided to help you with your learning.  Your final assessment will be based on an overall review of your knowledge, skills and attitudes in a clinical context.  You should discuss your overall performance with your tutors and mentors throughout the year.

•    Dental therapy and dental hygiene clinics will have equal weighting
•    Weeks 1-20 will contribute 30% and Weeks 21-40 will contribute 70% towards your final mark in Clinical Practice III OH.

However you must reach a satisfactory standard in each area to pass Clinical Practice III OH.

Further information about the practical assessment component will be given during class meetings.  However, it is important to note that the final assessment for each semester is based upon the standard obtained towards the end of the assessment period.  It is not based on an average of the entire semester.

Every effort will be made to help students identify areas in which difficulty is being experienced, and to provide help to remedy problems.  If you are aware that you are having difficulty with any part of the course, please see one of your tutors or the Course Co-ordinator.

As part of the clinical assessments, you will be expected to demonstrate satisfactory knowledge of concepts related to work in both Dental & Health Science III OH and Clinical Practice III OH courses.  The assessment will test your problem solving abilities and have a strong applied clinical focus.

Details will be made available on MyUni.

•    Increased opportunities for clinical experience and community involvement (Minda Clinic and Nursing Homes)
•    Consolidation of full clinical days
•    Revised rostering out to specialist clinics
•    Expanded Special Needs/Community Outreach programm.