University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry
Encyclopedia
University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry is one of the faculties of the University of Otago
.
Founded in 1907, the Faculty of Dentistry is the only Faculty and School of Dentistry in New Zealand. It forms an integral part of the Division of Health Sciences within the University of Otago in Dunedin. It offers courses in all branches of dentistry, dental hygiene, and clinical dental technology training programs.
In addition to the undergraduate dental program
, Otago offers specialty training programs combined with the Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (DClinDent) degree, advanced training programs, and research degrees including Ph.D and DDSc. programs.
A major strength of the Faculty has been the establishment of substantive research groupings that include the Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, the Immunopathology Laboratory, Clinical Research, Biomaterials and Biomechanics, Epidemiology and Public Health, and Oral Implantology. Many of the researchers in the Faculty also belong to the University of Otago research theme Oral Microbiology and Dental Health.
The third Dean, Sir John Walsh strengthened the scientific and clinical base of the Dentistry by providing modern research facilities and introduced post-graduate programmes a, in the early sixties, when the Faculty moved into the third Dental School, later to be called the Walsh Building. Sir John was an advocate for water fluoridation in N.Z. but will be best remembered for his patent and construction of the a high speed air turbine handpiece (1949) which is very similar to the high speed handpieces in use today.
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
.
Founded in 1907, the Faculty of Dentistry is the only Faculty and School of Dentistry in New Zealand. It forms an integral part of the Division of Health Sciences within the University of Otago in Dunedin. It offers courses in all branches of dentistry, dental hygiene, and clinical dental technology training programs.
In addition to the undergraduate dental program
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
, Otago offers specialty training programs combined with the Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (DClinDent) degree, advanced training programs, and research degrees including Ph.D and DDSc. programs.
Research
Research is one of the normal activities of academic staff and postgraduate students. Current activities cover a broad spectrum including, dental public health, general dental practice, paediatric dentistry, periodontology, guided tissue regeneration, local delivery of therapeutic agents, orthodontics, experimental craniofacial growth, influence of periosteum and muscle activity on bone growth; normal and abnormal dental enamel, molecular aspects of preneoplasia and neoplasia, the role of calcium in cellular metabolism, salivary gland dysfunction, oral cancers, oral and maxillofacial surgery, dental alveolar and implant surgery; oral microbiology and molecular biology, the mechanical properties of dental hard tissues, biocompatibility of dental materials, exodontia, prosthodontics, removable prosthodontics, archaeological and palaeontological investigations of dental remains.A major strength of the Faculty has been the establishment of substantive research groupings that include the Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, the Immunopathology Laboratory, Clinical Research, Biomaterials and Biomechanics, Epidemiology and Public Health, and Oral Implantology. Many of the researchers in the Faculty also belong to the University of Otago research theme Oral Microbiology and Dental Health.
Graduate programs
The Faculty of Dentistry offers formal graduate programs leading to a Doctorate in Clinical Dentistry (DClinDent) in the following areas:- Biomaterials science
- Community Oral Health & Epidemiology
- Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
- 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...
(Offered conjointly with a medical degreeMedical schoolA medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
from the Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Otago Dunedin School of MedicineThe Dunedin School of Medicine is one of three medical schools that make up the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Otago. All Otago University medical students who gain entry after a first year "Health Sciences" program, or who gain graduate entry spend their second and third years studying...
) - 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 degreeMedical schoolA medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
from the Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Otago Dunedin School of MedicineThe Dunedin School of Medicine is one of three medical schools that make up the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Otago. All Otago University medical students who gain entry after a first year "Health Sciences" program, or who gain graduate entry spend their second and third years studying...
) - Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics
- 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...
- 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...
History
In “A History of Dentistry in New Zealand” Brooking, (1980) has the origins of the profession of dentistry amongst barbers, pharmacists, blacksmiths, doctors and a number of other trades with the result being that a visit to the “dentist” was usually a gruesome experience. In an attempt to ensure a “standard of practice” the registration of “dentists” in New Zealand was introduced in 1880. In 1904 an Act of Parliament placed the education of dentists under the control of the University of New Zealand. A four year Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree was introduced in 1907 with provision for 20 - 25 students. The first Dean was Dr H.P. Pickerill who achieved distinction for his research into dental caries and later as a plastic surgeon.The third Dean, Sir John Walsh strengthened the scientific and clinical base of the Dentistry by providing modern research facilities and introduced post-graduate programmes a, in the early sixties, when the Faculty moved into the third Dental School, later to be called the Walsh Building. Sir John was an advocate for water fluoridation in N.Z. but will be best remembered for his patent and construction of the a high speed air turbine handpiece (1949) which is very similar to the high speed handpieces in use today.
Accreditation
- Otago University Faculty of Dentistry is accredited by the Dental Council of New Zealand 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...
.