Bachelor of Dental Surgery

The qualification aims to empower a dedicated dental graduate with the necessary knowledge, skills and disposition, to promote the health and more specifically the oral health status of the individual patients as well as the community, focusing on preventive, therapeutic, curative/surgical and rehabilitative aspects of the disease.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution conducts RPL in terms of the policy and guidelines of the institution to recognise other forms of formal, informal and non-formal learning and experience. In cases where learners do not comply with the formal admission requirements, the institution applies its RPL policy.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4, granting access to Bachelor studies.

Assess the patient's general health and oral health

1. Examination of the patient.
2. Diagnosis.
3. Treatment Planning.

Establishment and maintenance of a healthy oral environment

1. Prevention of disease and maintenance of health.
2. Self-care instructions.
3. Control of pain and anxiety.
4. Caries management.
5. Endodontic therapy.
6. Periodontal therapy.
7. Surgical and Pharmacological therapy.
8. Emergency situations.
9. Occlusal therapy.
10. Orthodontic therapy.
11. Stomatology.
12. Restorative/Prosthodontic therapy.
13. Temporomandibular disorders.
14. Traumatology.
15. The dental graduate must be able to recognise signs of physical or emotional neglect and or abuse and make appropriate reports in consultation with a social worker.

The Oral Health of the community

1. Oral epidemiology.
2. Health promotion and disease prevention.
3. Public oral health.
4. Project management.

Practice management and administration

1. Establishing a practice.
2. Office systems.
3. Record keeping.
4. Personnel management.
5. Ethics.
6. Information management and critical thinking.
7. Infection control.
8. Prevention of occupational hazards.

Assess the patient's general health and oral health

• The dental graduate must be able to perform an examination that collects relevant biological, psychological and social information necessary to evaluate the medical and oral conditions, including patients of all ages. This includes the ability to recognise and manage behavioural factors, which affect oral health and to use the information to implement strategies that facilitate the delivery of oral health care.
• The dental graduate must be able to determine a provisional, differential and/or definitive diagnosis by interpreting and correlating findings from the history, clinical and radiographic examination and other diagnostic tests within the scope of dentistry.
• The dental graduate must be able to develop, present and discuss appropriate individual treatment plans for patients of all ages that are preventive and yet address every aspect of the patient's condition, priorities, and capabilities.

Establishment and maintenance of a healthy oral environment

• The dental graduate must be able to provide care for patients of all ages (including handicapped patients, maxillofacial surgical cases and patients with facial trauma and deformities) emphasising prevention of oral disease and supports the maintenance of existing systemic and oral health.
• The dental graduate must be able to provide planned educational services using appropriate interpersonal communication skills and educational strategies to promote optimal health.
• The dental graduate must be able to employ techniques to manage oro-facial discomfort and psychological distress.
• The dental graduate must be able to manage* the preventive, therapeutic, curative and minor rehabilitative aspects of caries in the primary, mixed and permanent dentitions and refer patients for rehabilitation.
• The dental graduate must be able to treat diseases of pulpal and per-radicular origin in the primary, mixed and permanent dentitions.
• The dental graduate must be able to treat and manage periodontal disease in the primary, mixed and permanent dentitions.
• The dental graduate must be able to evaluate, treat and manage conditions requiring pharmaco-therapy reparative surgical procedures of the hard and soft tissues in patients of all ages.
• The dental graduate must be able to prevent and manage the majority of dental and medical emergency situations encountered in the practice of general dentistry.
• The dental graduate must be able to treat and manage functional disorders involving the occlusion.
• The dental graduate must be able to diagnose and manage limited developmental or acquired occlusal abnormalities of the primary, mixed and permanent dentitions.
• The dental graduate must be able to diagnose and manage limited or common non-life-threatening oral diseases or disorders.
• The dental graduate must be able to provide restorations and prostheses that are correct in anatomical form, comfortable and functionally effective and which satisfy the esthetic requirements of the patient or guardian.
• The dental graduate must be able to diagnose and manage temporomandibular disorders.
• The dental graduate must be able to diagnose and manage trauma to the dento-facial complex.
• The dental graduate must be able to recognise signs of physical or emotional neglect and or abuse and make appropriate reports in consultation with a social worker.
• To "manage" the oral health needs of a patient means that the particular oral health professional may provide treatment, may provide treatment in consultation with another health care professional or may refer the patient to another health care professional for management.

The Oral Health of the community

• The dental graduate must be able to interpret the results from an epidemiological survey of a specified community or district for oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontal diseases, dental fluorosis, malocclusion and pathology of the oral mucosa.
• The dental graduate must be able to participate in preventive, promotive and interceptive community-based projects aimed at the most prevalent oral diseases and at improving the oral health of a given population.
• The dental graduate must be able to assess his/her position within the oral health system and identify and apply the principles of public oral health within his/her working environment.
• The dental graduate must be able to manage a health promotion and specific protection project in which human, material and financial resources are organised according to a given specification within the constraints of cost and time so as to achieve beneficial changes as defined by quantitative and qualitative objectives.

Practice management and administration

• The dental graduate must be able to develop and manage a general practice or clinic.
• The dental graduate must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills in the administration of a practice using sound business principles.
• The dental graduate must be able to record all information regarding the patient.
• The dental graduate must be able to perform as an effective employer and leader.
• The dental graduate must be able to discern and manage the ethical issues of a dental practice in a rapidly changing environment and guard against human right abuses.
• The dental graduate must be able to acquire and synthesise information in a critical, scientific and effective manner.
• The dental graduate must be able to select and use appropriate barrier techniques, sterilisation and disinfecting procedures to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases.
• The dental graduate must be able to recognise and institute procedures to prevent occupational hazards related to the profession of dentistry.

Integrated Assessment

The assessment is integrated. It is expected of the candidate to examine and assess the oral health status of a wide spectrum of patients; to develop a comprehensive treatment plan; to implement the treatment plan and to be able to evaluate the outcome of the treatment.

A variety of assessment procedures will be used. These include the following

• Formal end of course assessment (summative).
• Continuing formal assessment (formative and summative).
• Continuing informal assessment (formative).

Assessment will be designed to monitor the learner's level of theoretical knowledge and critical thinking and the learner's practical skills and clinical reasoning.