Dentistry Study Program in Georgia

Dentistry Program goals:

The goal of the program is to coach qualified dentists, whose professional activities will help to increase the level of dental services, prevent oral diseases and improve overall health. The graduate of this program will have basic knowledge of oral health care medicine (clinical and natural sciences) and deep knowledge of dental specializations. 

One will also assimilate dental clinical skills considering professional ethical values. Additionally, the graduate will also have skills of learning and teaching, professional growth-development, research and analysis, decision-making, which allows him to logically analyze identified symptoms and see the connection between common pathogenetic process, reasonably set and implement comprehensive treatment plan, pursue patient’s management, have basic manual skills that ensure both prophylactic and therapeutic activities. 

After the course completion the graduates will have the right to hold the positions according to the Georgian legislation in dental clinics (junior dentist, dental assistant – Order of the Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs ? 01-11 / N 2012, March 14), health care organizations and health insurance providing companies (relations with medical and dental institutions, with the focus on the dental services and dental management of insured people, assistant of the family doctor). Also, prepare the student for specialization (residency programs) and the next levels of learning (Master and Doctoral programs). 

Also, hold the positions according to the legislation of various countries.

Methods for Attaining Learning Outcomes:

• Lecture-seminar;
• The method of working on the book;
• Explanation method;
• Demonstration method ;
• Using of audio-video learning material;
• Interactive classes;
• Situational exercises;
• Role-playing games;
• Practical work;
• Laboratory work ;
• Teamwork skills;
• The simulated performance;
• Posing and solving the problems;
• Critical analysis;
• Group exercises;
• Projects;
• Exercises oriented on solving of the problems;
• Case study;
• Literature review;
• Searching the files in electronic format or library ;
• Written work method;
• Writing topics;
• Introduction of presentations;
• Verbal method;
• Observation method;
• Simulations on phantoms;
• Production of electronic and non-electronic medical records;
• Making of written professional instructions;
• Clinical practical studies;
• Working considering the methods of evidence-based dentistry;

Knowledge and understanding

The graduate will be able to:

• The knowledge of chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology and histology of human body ongoing procedures in both normal and pathological conditions;
• Deep knowledge of human anatomy and physiology;
• Systematic knowledge of clinical sciences, which are closely related to oral diseases (Dermatology, venereal diseases, basic medicine and diagnosis, otorhinolaryngology, pediatrics, neurology, ophthalmology, internal medicine and infectious diseases, cardiology, endocrinology, head and neck oncology, surgery and other).
• Systemic knowledge of health care service formation, management, and operation of the system, diseases, prevention, and their management (sanitary – hygienic requirements, infection control, etc.), healthy lifestyles and behavior change;
• Systematic knowledge of research methods (biostatistical and epidemiological);
• The knowledge of health care legislation and ethical aspects, patient rights and medical provider issues;
• Deep knowledge of dental sciences – therapeutic dentistry, pediatric dentistry, dental surgery, maxillo-facial surgery, Prosthetic Dentistry, Orthodontics;
• Basic knowledge of dental materials;
• Systematic knowledge of diagnostics of oral diseases (making patient history, managing physical examinations, assessment), the issue of treatment planning and treatment methods considering the respective competencies;
• Knowledge of manipulations (vena punctio, the stitches on the skin and mucous membranes, subcutaneous and intramuscular injection, a drug administered intravenously, tooth extraction, tooth preparation, root canal filling, tooth restoration, etc. ).
• Systematic knowledge of control and result in maintenance and management of treated patients;
• Systemic knowledge of the main groups of drugs, their mode of influence and their interaction mechanisms;
• Understanding of health and non-medical fields/spheres, meaning Indications in professional activity;
• Knowledge of basic diagnostic and therapeutic-preventive principles and methods of diseases;
• Knowledge of the principles of medical psychology, medical physics, biophysics (natural and performed, physical factors, biophysical mechanisms of influence on organism etc);

Applying knowledge

The graduate will be able to:

• Ability to diagnose, prevent, treat and manage oral diseases considering the competences of therapeutic dentistry, prosthetic dentistry, surgical dentistry, implantology, as well as pediatric dentistry, and also the specifics of various general acute and chronic co-diseases”;
• With the aim of promoting public oral health, the ability to independently plan and implement basic and alternative activities of public health using epidemiological study methods;
• The ability to use in new environmental conditions relevant clinical assessment methods and procedures, medical technique, with the aim of selecting drug groups methodic recommendations in medical-preventive activities, protocols at the public health and patient-specific level;
• Ability to conduct research considering social and health care values, of evidence-based decision making, and integrate into the country’s health care achievements;
• Management skills in leadership of health care field and management, which allows enabling new ways for solving complex health care problems
• The ability of history-making, diagnosing of basic and co-diseases considering basic functional indicators of the general status of the organism, differentiation, patient data registration, and storage.
• The ability to provide emergency medical care
• Ability to fulfill medical manipulations (skin surgery, purulent abscess surgery, venepuncture, making stitches on the skin and mucous membranes, injecting subcutaneously or intramuscularly, injecting medication intravenously, tooth extraction, tooth preparation, the tooth root canal filling, tooth restoration, etc.) and procedures (drainage and to, etc.);
• The ability to safely using treatment medications

Making judgments

The graduate will be able to:

• Ability to make critical analyses and judgments of incomplete and in some cases contradictory data, with the aim of identification of patient’s health, including oral health problematic issues;
• Ability to evaluate the health status, including oral health, in individuals, target groups and population, and individual and public health, differentiate and clinically diagnose diseases, considering the age and co-factor diseases;
• Ability of individual or public health data synthesis, analysis and well-founded judgments, in the oral cavity related difficult clinical cases, based on the achievements of modern medicine, and elaboration of recommendations;
• Ability of research, making analysis, formulating judgments and elaborating recommendations regarding the oral health-related population problem identification;
• Ability to analyze diagnostic methods and medical technique related to biophysical factors and their potential influence on human organism;

Communications skills

The graduate will be able to:

• Ability to present and protect in verbal and typing, or electronic (including online) modes and English language, personal ideas, proposals, decisions, judgments, accounts, and recommendations in academic and professional circles ;
• Ability to use opinions of professional information and evidence-based decisions;
• The ability to provide instructions for the preparation of orthodontic appliances and prosthetic constructions in verbal and written format for the dental technician. Professional communication skills with patients and their relatives, colleagues, persons or organizations interested in oral health issues;
• Ability of professional relations and informing, patients and their relatives, colleagues, and health (including oral health) issues interested persons or organizations;

Learning skills

The graduate will be able to:

• Ability to establish the importance of the need for learning and independently managing dental public health and other medical modern thematic issues;
• The ability to learn the next level of scientific-research works and scientific components of the depth of vision;
• Ability to understand and strategically plan continuing education in medical fields, including dental specializations;
• The ability to learn independently using methods of evidence-based dentistry.

Values

The graduate will be able to:

• Social, religious equality and democratic values? based ability of evaluation of inter and intrapersonal relationships considering one’s own and other’s bioethical aspects and
• The ability of establishment of the protection of patients’ rights and the requirements of professional ethics