Pediatric Dentistry

Objective:

This course in pedodontics will provide the student with an understanding of health promotion, prevention and treatment of dental and oral diseases of children and adolescents 0-18 years, including children with chronic health conditions.

Content:

The course will consist of behavioral aspects in pediatric dentistry (clinical communication, dental fear, pain control, sedation, general anesthesia). The instructions will also include aspects on how to communicate with children and their parents and how to prevent dental fear for treatment. As pediatric dentistry applies to the child population, the issues of child abuse and neglect are included in the instruction.

After having completed the course, the student has achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge:

The student has knowledge of:

• behavioral aspects in pediatric dental care.
• disorders in eruption of teeth.
• cariology in the young dentition (dental caries, tooth decay).
• erosion and attrition.
• periodontology in the young dentition (diseases of gingiva and periodontal conditions).
• endodontology in the young dentition (endodontic treatment).
• interceptive orthodontics (prevention and treatment of minor malocclusions).
• juvenile prosthodontics (simple oral prosthetics).
• dental care for children with disabilities and chronic diseases.
• regulations regarding consent from young patients.

Skills:

The student:

• communicates with all young age groups and their caregivers in an appropriate manner.
• performs adequate examination and diagnostics of the common diseases in the relevant age group.
• recognizes abnormity and when to refer the patient to other health professionals.
• plans treatment and conducts prevention therapy.
• uses adequate pain control, and prevents and treats refusal of treatment and phobia, using psychological and pharmacological techniques.
• is able to obtain consent from young patients and their caregivers.

General competence:

The student:

• has the ability to integrate various fields of expertise and shows reflection regarding his/her limitations in treating young patients.
• communicates and treats young patients and their caregivers in a professional and appropriate manner.
• also shows an ethically proper attitude towards the safeguarding of the young patient, in interaction with other healthcare personnel.