Introduction to Dental Medicine

About this course: The mouth is the window into human health. This course provides an overview of dental medicine to engage, educate, excite and assist you in improving the oral health of your patients and members of your community. We will review topics in dental medicine including scope of the field, what to expect in function, and some of the many ways that dysfunction may present for different patients. This will include discussions of mouth, jaw, and tooth anatomy, pathology, and treatment. We will talk about differences between patients and the unique roles that different members of the dental field may play in treatment depending on the patient and condition. This course starts from basic concepts and proceeds to review trends in current research and technology. We offer scientific background, some skills for patient evaluation and interview, and some suggestions for further learning for those interested in or involved in dental education.

Who is this class for: This course is designed to be beneficial to all; it is recommended for health professionals, researchers, members of dental and medical support teams, and patients. The material is meant to be accessible but broad to help anyone interested understand more fully the ways in which the oral cavity functions and what effect that has on the rest of the body.

Created by:  University of Pennsylvania

• Taught by:  Dr. Uri Hangorsky, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs/ Director PASS

  School of Dental Medicine

• Taught by:  Dr. Thomas P. Sollecito, Professor and Chairman of Oral Medicine

  School of Dental Medicine

• Taught by:  Dr. Eric Stoopler, Associate Professor of Oral Medicine

  School of Dental Medicine

Level Beginner Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.8 stars Average User Rating 4.8See what learners said Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

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University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Penn) is a private university, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. A member of the Ivy League, Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and considers itself to be the first university in the United States with both undergraduate and graduate studies.

Syllabus


WEEK 1


Week 1 - Introduction to Dental Medicine and Its Relations to Public Health



In this course, you will learn about basic dental anatomy, how to evaluate a patient, and the causes and impact of oral diseases. We will use case examples and live demonstrations with patients to illustrate these points. Please note that some lectures in this course contain graphic medical images, including illustrations of the human body, oral cavity, early development, and photographs of medical conditions and deformities. Discretion is advised. The materials in this course are intended for education purposes only and are not intended to serve as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek the advice of your dentist, physician, or other qualified health professional if you have any questions related to this material and its relevance to your health or that of someone else. Week 1 is your introduction to dental medicine! This includes oral health's relation to general health, sources of infection, modern technology in dentistry, and the public health impact of dental medicine. Let's get started!


8 videos expand

1. Video: Course Introduction
2. Video: Lecture 1: Goals of the Course (2min)
3. Video: Lecture 2: Oral Health Related to General Health: Oral Cavity Tissue (9min)
4. Video: Lecture 3: Modern Scope of Dental Medicine (2min)
5. Video: Lecture 4: Educational Opportunities in Dental Medicine (7min)
6. Video: Lecture 5: Public Health Impact of Dental Medicine (5min)
7. Video: Lecture 6: Dental Public Health (10min)
8. Video: Lecture 7: Advances in Dentistry (10min)

Graded: Week 1 quiz

WEEK 2


Week 2 - Form and Function of the Oral Cavity
The modules in week 2 describe basic dental anatomy including embryology of the oral cavity, oral functions, basic tooth structure, and clinical implications of disease. Emphasis is placed on the clinical implications of these concepts and structures.


4 videos expand

1. Video: Lecture 1: Embryology of the Oral Cavity and Tooth Eruption (10min)
2. Video: Lecture 2: Oral Structures and Functions (11min)
3. Video: Lecture 3: Periodontium and Periodontal Disease (7min)
4. Video: Lecture 4: Basic Tooth Structure: Occlusion (12min)

Graded: Week 2 quiz

WEEK 3


Week 3 - Comprehensive Evaluation of Dental Patient Needs
These modules will demonstrate the evaluation of extra- and intraoral structures. They also review the taking of a thorough medical history, with live patient demonstrations. This unit emphasizes the complex relationship between the systemic and oral health.


8 videos expand

1. Video: Lecture 1: First Dental Appointment (13min)
2. Video: Lecture 2: Dental Local Anesthesia (4min)
3. Video: Lecture 3: Comprehensive Patient Evaluation (14min)
4. Video: Demo 1: Physical Examination: Introduction (3min)
5. Video: Demo 2: Physical Examination: Extraoral Examination: Head, Neck and Face (4min)
6. Video: Demo 3: Physical Examination: Extraoral Examination: Cranial Nerve (10min)
7. Video: Demo 4: Physical Examination: Extraoral Examination: TMJ (5min)
8. Video: Demo 5: Physical Examination: Intraoral Examination (9min)

Graded: Week 3 quiz

WEEK 4


Week 4 - Most Common Dental Diseases Affecting Teeth and Periodontium



Diseases affecting the dentition and its surrounding structures have a profound influence on the patient and his/her health. Untreated conditions can result in severe pain, localized, and systemic infections and result in partial or complete loss of teeth.The etiology and the contributing factors to these diseases are discussed in detail.


4 videos expand

1. Video: Lecture 1: Dental Diseases (12min)
2. Video: Lecture 2: Periodontal Diseases: Part 1 (7min)
3. Video: Lecture 3: Periodontal Diseases: Part 2 (11min)
4. Video: Lecture 4: Periodontal Diseases: Contributing Factors (9min)

Graded: Week 4 quiz

WEEK 5


Week 5 - Oral Mucosal Conditions: Diagnosis and Management



Possible oral and mucosal conditions include anomalies, ulcers, cancer and associated diseases. Some of these conditions have localized or idiopathic etiology; others are manifestations of systemic diseases of the body. Many times these oral conditions appear as the initial symptom of a systemic disease. The management of such conditions often involves an interdisciplinary approach to management involving the patient's dentist, physician, and medical specialists.


3 videos expand

1. Video: Lecture 1: Oral Mucosal Disease: Herpes (8min)
2. Video: Lecture 2: Oral Mucosal Disease: Aphthous Ulceration and Lichen Planus (10min)
3. Video: Lecture 3: Oral Mucosal Disease: Leukoplakia and Erythroplakia (7min)

Graded: Week 5 quiz

WEEK 6


Week 6 - The Science of Pain Affecting the Intraoral and Extraoral Structures



These modules address oral and facial pain from common conditions to rare ones, including an exploration of the psychological aspects of oral and facial pain. Dental pain can originate not only from diseased dentition, but also from various disorders affecting the TMJ, nerves, soft and hard tissue infections and other sources. Dental pain can have underlying psychosocial etiology as well, and the diagnosis in such cases can be challenging.


10 videos expand

1. Video: Lecture 1: Introduction to Orofacial Pain (8min)
2. Video: Lecture 2: Biopsychosocial / Biobehavioral Aspects of Orofacial Pain (7min)
3. Video: Lecture 3: Common Orofacial Pain Conditions: Temporomandibular Disorders (13min)
4. Video: Lecture 4: Common Orofacial Pain Conditions: Articular Disc Disorders and Arthritic Conditions (14min)
5. Video: Lecture 5: Imaging and Management of TMDs (7min)
6. Video: Lecture 6: Trigeminal Neuralgia (11min)
7. Video: Lecture 7: Persistent Idiopathic Facial Pain (11min)
8. Video: Lecture 8: Oral Cavity Health Part 1 (9min)
9. Video: Lecture 9: Oral Cavity Health Part 2 (9min)
10. Video: Lecture 10: Oral Cavity Health Part 3 (9min)

Graded: Week 6 quiz

WEEK 7


Week 7 - Overview of Dental Specialties: Scope and Modalities of Treatment



Selected cases in dental medicine ranging from oral surgery to prosthetic reconstruction are discussed in the context of the important role of dental specialists. Each presenter discusses the challenges of focused dental treatment and presents cases with "before" and "after" documentation.


7 videos expand

1. Video: Lecture 1: Dental Specialties: Introduction (1min)
2. Video: Lecture 2: Periodontal Treatment (11min)
3. Video: Lecture 3: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (7min)
4. Video: Lecture 4: Orthodontic Treatment (16min)
5. Video: Lecture 5: Aesthetic Dentistry (8min)
6. Video: Lecture 6: Periodontics and Prosthodontics (7min)
7. Video: Lecture 7: Endodontics (8min)

Graded: Week 7 quiz
Graded: Final exam