Melbourne Faculty of Dentistry
Encyclopedia
The Melbourne Dental School is one of the graduate schools of the University of Melbourne
. In addition to the 4 year graduate dental program, Melbourne offers speciality training programs combined with the Doctor of Clinical Dentistry degree, advanced training programs, and research degrees including MSc. and Ph.D. programs.
Thanks largely to his efforts, the Melbourne Dental Hospital opened its doors in 1890 and was followed in 1897 by the Australian College of Dentistry devoted solely to the education of dentists.
In 1904 a Faculty of Dental Science was established and the College was affiliated with The University of Melbourne. In 1963 the Faculty and the hospital moved from 193 Spring Street to the new Royal Dental Hospital at 711 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.
In 1989 the Faculty of Dentistry merged with the Faculty of Medicine (established 1876) to create a new Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry comprising a School of Medicine and a School of Dental Science respectively. To reflect additional responsibilities, the faculty expanded in 1991 to become the present Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences.
The Faculty also offers graduate programs in Forensic Odontology and Restorative dentistry.
The major research activities of the School are conducted by four Research groups. This research covers a vast area of scientific research from basic science to clinical studies and involves a range of scientific disciplines.
The School published 46 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals in 2003 and attracted over $8 million in external grants from government agencies (National Health and Medical Research Council and Medical Research Council, Australian Research Council etc.) and industry.
Research within the School has led to several products, including Recaldent
, a unique product which helps prevent and reverse dental decay.
The Melbourne Dental School is one of five participants in the Victorian Centre for Oral Health Science established in 2003 with an infrastructure grant (major equipment grant) from the Victorian State Government.
The Melbourne Dental School was a core party in the Cooperative Research Centre
for Oral Health Science (CRC-OHS) from 2004 - 2010. The success of the CRC resulted in an extension being granted, with the Oral Health Cooperative Research Centre (Oral Health CRC) commencing in January 2010.
In 2009, an Oral Health Therapists Graduate Study was being conducted at the Melbourne Dental School. This study is being jointly funded by both the Dental Hygienists Association Australia and the Victorian Dental Oral Health Therapists Association. Ethical approval was been granted for this study with all findings to be made public in October 2009 on "Research Day".
The Melbourne Dental School is a participant in the Bio21 Institute with research encompassing a wide variety of sub-disciplines, including structural chemistry, bacterial biofilms and peptide vaccine technology
The Henry Forman Atkinson Dental Museum is located on the ground floor, 720 Swanston Street Melbourne, in the same building occupied by The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne
.
Tours of the museum are available by appointment by contacting the Melbourne Dental School
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. In addition to the 4 year graduate dental program, Melbourne offers speciality training programs combined with the Doctor of Clinical Dentistry degree, advanced training programs, and research degrees including MSc. and Ph.D. programs.
History
In 1884 a group of dentists formed the Odontological Society of Victoria with the aims of the regulation and education of dentists in the state of Victoria. Mr John Illife (1847–1914), a member and later President of the Odontological Society of Victoria, was the driving force in negotiations for the regulation of dentistry in Victoria and the establishment of a hospital and college in Melbourne.Thanks largely to his efforts, the Melbourne Dental Hospital opened its doors in 1890 and was followed in 1897 by the Australian College of Dentistry devoted solely to the education of dentists.
In 1904 a Faculty of Dental Science was established and the College was affiliated with The University of Melbourne. In 1963 the Faculty and the hospital moved from 193 Spring Street to the new Royal Dental Hospital at 711 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.
In 1989 the Faculty of Dentistry merged with the Faculty of Medicine (established 1876) to create a new Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry comprising a School of Medicine and a School of Dental Science respectively. To reflect additional responsibilities, the faculty expanded in 1991 to become the present Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences.
Graduate programs
The Faculty of Dentistry offers formal graduate programs leading to a Doctor of Clinical Dentistry degree (DClinDent) in the following areas:- Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Oral medicineOral medicineOral medicine is the dental specialty placed at the interface between medicine and dentistry.- Scope :Oral medicine is concerned with diagnosis and non-surgical management of non-dental pathology affecting the oral and maxillofacial region, such as oral lichen planus, Behçet's disease and pemphigus...
- Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeryOral and maxillofacial surgeryOral and maxillofacial surgery is surgery to correct a wide spectrum of diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region. It is an internationally recognized surgical specialty...
(Offered conjointly with a medical degree from the Faculty of Medicine) - Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics
- Pedodontics
- Periodontics
- ProsthodonticsProsthodonticsProsthodontics, also known as dental prosthetics or prosthetic dentistry, is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons...
- EndodonticsEndodonticsEndodontics is one of the dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons, and deals with the tooth pulp and the tissues surrounding the root of a tooth...
- Special Needs DentistrySpecial needs dentistrySpecial needs dentistry, also known as special care dentistry, is a specialty of dentistry concerned with the oral health of people who have intellectual disability, or who are affected by other medical, physical, or psychiatric issues....
- Oral Health Promotion (Offered conjointly with an oral health degree from the Melbourne Dental School)
The Faculty also offers graduate programs in Forensic Odontology and Restorative dentistry.
Melbourne Model changes
- In 2008 and 2009 the School of Dental Science will continue to accept applicants into the 5 year Bachelor of Dental Science (BDSc).
- In 2010 there will be no intake into the Bachelor of Dental Science.
- In 2011 the School of Dental Science will only accept students who have completed a relevant undergraduate degree into the new 4-year graduate-entry dental program which will replace the 5-year Bachelor of Dental Science for training dentists at Melbourne University. Melbourne will be the 2nd dental school in Australia to transition to a 4-year graduate program after the University of SydneySydney Faculty of DentistryThe Faculty of Dentistry is a constituent body of the University of Sydney, Australia. It is an Australian graduate-entry dental school based at two locations: Westmead Centre for Oral health which is a part of Westmead hospital, and Sydney Dental Hospital which is situated between Chalmers...
.
Research
The Melbourne Dental School has a strong tradition in dental research and an established international reputation in several research areas. Research in the School is an integral component of staff and student activities underpinning both the undergraduate and graduate curricula.The major research activities of the School are conducted by four Research groups. This research covers a vast area of scientific research from basic science to clinical studies and involves a range of scientific disciplines.
The School published 46 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals in 2003 and attracted over $8 million in external grants from government agencies (National Health and Medical Research Council and Medical Research Council, Australian Research Council etc.) and industry.
Research within the School has led to several products, including Recaldent
Recaldent
Recaldent, with the technical name casein phosphopeptide – amorphous calcium phosphate, or CPP-ACP, is a milk derived product that strengthens and remineralizes teeth and helps prevent dental caries...
, a unique product which helps prevent and reverse dental decay.
The Melbourne Dental School is one of five participants in the Victorian Centre for Oral Health Science established in 2003 with an infrastructure grant (major equipment grant) from the Victorian State Government.
The Melbourne Dental School was a core party in the Cooperative Research Centre
Cooperative Research Centre
Cooperative Research Centres are key bodies for Australian scientific research. The Cooperative Research Centres Program was established in 1990 to enhance Australia's industrial, commercial and economic growth through the development of sustained, user-driven, cooperative public-private research...
for Oral Health Science (CRC-OHS) from 2004 - 2010. The success of the CRC resulted in an extension being granted, with the Oral Health Cooperative Research Centre (Oral Health CRC) commencing in January 2010.
In 2009, an Oral Health Therapists Graduate Study was being conducted at the Melbourne Dental School. This study is being jointly funded by both the Dental Hygienists Association Australia and the Victorian Dental Oral Health Therapists Association. Ethical approval was been granted for this study with all findings to be made public in October 2009 on "Research Day".
The Melbourne Dental School is a participant in the Bio21 Institute with research encompassing a wide variety of sub-disciplines, including structural chemistry, bacterial biofilms and peptide vaccine technology
Accreditation
- Melbourne University Faculty of Dentistry is accredited by the Australian Dental Council and the Royal Australasian College of Dental SurgeonsRoyal Australasian College of Dental SurgeonsThe Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons or RACDS is a professional college established in 1965 that administers Fellowship Exams for both general and specialist dental practitioners in the Australasian region...
.
The Henry Forman Atkinson Dental Museum
The Henry Forman Atkinson Dental Museum contains over 2500 objects, photographs, documents and catalogues relating to the history of dentistry and dental education in Victoria. Objects in the collection date from the early 18th century and provide insights into the changes and developments within the dental profession and its striving to improve the standard of dental education, dental health and dental care within Victoria.The Henry Forman Atkinson Dental Museum is located on the ground floor, 720 Swanston Street Melbourne, in the same building occupied by The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne
The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne
First established as the Melbourne Dental Hospital, it opened its doors to patients on 12 September 1890 from rooms at 225 Lonsdale Street above Garton's Horse and Carriage Bazaar opposite the Melbourne Hospital...
.
Tours of the museum are available by appointment by contacting the Melbourne Dental School