Bachelor of Dental Therapy

Purpose

The purpose of the Bachelor of Dental Therapy is to train dental professionals as part of the oral health team to play preventive, promotive, supportive, curative, and rehabilitative roles. Graduates in Dental Therapy can function as practitioners in oral health care, independently and/or as a part of the multidisciplinary healthcare team. A Graduate can perform all functions within the scope of primary and secondary levels of prevention in dentistry. Learners qualifying with the Bachelor of Dental Therapy degree can work in the public sector as well as in private practice.

The practitioner will focus on the holistic care of patients, which ranges from the prevention of oral disease and promotion of oral health to the alleviation of oral abnormalities, pain and disease, and placement of direct restorations on teeth within the defined scope of practice. They do extractions, fillings, scaling and polishing, dental x-rays, local anaesthesia, health education and promotion, and are able to examine and diagnose common oral diseases. The practitioner will be able to provide a service for individual patients as well as the broader public.

A qualified learner will be able to

• Demonstrate scientific knowledge and understanding to work as a health care professional
• Demonstrate Clinical/technical/practical skills to implement the preventive, assessment, and management plans for quality health care services.
• Communicate effectively and appropriately in writing and orally to patients/clients, caregivers, other health professionals, and other members of the community.
• Communicate effectively and respectfully with interdisciplinary team members to achieve

coordinated, high-quality health care.

• Demonstrate a sense of inquiry and investigation for raising relevant and contemporary questions, synthesizing, and articulating.
• Identify ethical issues and apply ethical values in professional life.
• Promote health and access to health care in communities and the larger public

In addition, learner attributes, including the ability to manage themselves and others effectively,

Critical thinking and problem-solving abilities will be integrated into the learning process.

Rationale

The prevalence, distribution, and impact of largely preventable oral health diseases place a huge burden on scarce resources within the health system in South Africa. The oral disease profile, potential burden of oral diseases, and the oral consequences of health problems indicate that strategies and interventions need to be addressed at various levels, such as promotion, prevention, therapeutic, and curative measures.

This significant oral disease burden can be managed by the dental therapist; however, there is a great shortage of dental therapists in the country to serve the greater underserved communities. The Department of Health, in a document of the National Human Resources plan in 2006, recommended that dental therapists trained be increased from 25 to 600 per year. The document also states that "Dental therapists are critical to the provision of Primary Health Care (oral health). Current production must be increased, and training of dental therapists must occur at all dental schools in the country." As UKZN is one of only two universities offering dental therapy, the training of dental therapists is of paramount importance.

Most learners who enrol for this qualification will be school leavers who meet the requisite entry requirements. Graduates will occupy positions as health care practitioners in dental therapy in private and public health care facilities.

The Bachelor of Dental Therapy meets the requirements of the Health Professions Council of South Africa and has been accredited by this body.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

In terms of the institution's RPL Guidelines (2024), RPL may be used in this qualification.

RPL for Access

For access: to enable an applicant who does not have the normal entry requirements to access an undergraduate qualification by recognising relevant prior learning obtained through formal, informal, or non-formal means.

RPL for exemption from modules

For exemption: to recognise that a learner has sufficiently mastered the content and achieved the learning outcomes of a module, though prior formal or non-formal means, for them to be exempted from that module without credit (Rule GR8a).

RPL seeks to achieve inclusion and to overcome a variety of barriers to access and success in higher education and hence should be premised on overcoming possible barriers to higher education studies for those people who lack the formal prerequisites.

The implementation of RPL is context-specific in terms of discipline, qualification, and level. The learning (prior knowledge, skills, and competencies) assessed must be related to the purpose for which the recognition is required and must be sufficient and current. Learning must be assessed against the learning outcomes of specific qualifications and/or modules and not solely the content. It must be evidence-based and recognise the learning from the experience, not the experience on its own.

Full qualifications may not be awarded solely based on RPL, and RPL cannot be used to grant a learner exemption from more than 50% of the modules required for the qualification. Normally, not more than 10% of a cohort of learners in a programme may be admitted through a formal RPL process. Quality assurance procedures that guarantee the integrity and credibility of the assessment must be in place.

Assessment criteria for RPL is undertaken within the school as the disciplinary expertise of academic staff plays a crucial role in assessing the learning achieved by RPL. Assessment tools must be fit-for-purpose and aligned to the qualification/module outcomes. In assessing applicants with a qualification at a lower NQF level than that required for admission to a postgraduate qualification, the level descriptors of the NQF level of the current qualification should be considered in relation to those of the qualification required for admission, and an assessment made on whether the prior learning addresses the difference in descriptors between the two levels.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

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

Or

• Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4 with endorsement.

Or

• National Certificate (Vocational), NQF Level 4, granting access to Bachelor's studies.

Or

• Higher Certificate in Dental Assisting, NQF Level 5.

This qualification comprises compulsory and elective modules at NQF Levels 5 6c and 7, totalling 384 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 5, 8 Credits:

Year One

• Anatomy of the Head, Neck, and Back, 8 Credits.

Elective Modules, NQF Levels 5, 16 Credits (Choose ONE of the following isiZulu modules)

• Basic isiZulu Language Studies A, 16 Credits
• Academic Writing, 16 Credits

And

Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 6, 104 Credits

:> Introduction to Anatomy and Neuroanatomy, 16 Credits.

• Oral Biology, 16 Credits.
• General Basic Physiology, 16 Credits.
• Health and Illness Behaviour, 16 Credits.
• Community Studies, 16 Credits.
• Foundations for Clinical Practice, 16 Credits.
• Academic Skills and Clinical Practice, 8 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 7, 128 Credits

Year Two

• Minor Oral Surgery and Clinical Pharmacology, 16 Credits.
• Basic Dental Clinical Sciences, 16 Credits.
• General Medicine and Special Patients, 16 Credits.
• Preventive Dentistry and Radiography 1, 16 Credits.
• Restorative Dentistry and Dental Materials - Preclinical, 16 Credits.
• Dental Public Health, Ethics and Practice, 16 Credits.
• Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine, 16 Credits.
• Preventive Dentistry and Radiography 2, 16 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 7, 128 Credits

Year Three

• Minor Oral Surgery 1, 16 Credits.
• Restorative Dentistry and Dental Materials 1, 16 Credits.
• Integrated Clinical Dentistry 1, 16 Credits.
• Diagnostic and Medical Emergencies 1, 16 Credits.
• Minor Oral Surgery 2, 16 Credits.
• Restorative Dentistry and Dental Materials 2, 16 Credits.
• Integrated Clinical Dentistry 2, 16 Credits.
• Diagnostic and Medical Emergencies 2, 16 Credits.

1. Practice the principles of ethics, relevant legislation, and professional behaviour within the oral healthcare milieu.
2. Apply universal precautions to avoid cross-infection and maintain the highest standards of health and safety. Apply universal precautions to avoid cross-infection and maintain the highest standards of health and safety.
3. Promote oral health to prevent oral disease in a community.
4. Demonstrate the various preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative interventions expected of the dental therapist.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Explain the ethical and legal responsibilities of oral healthcare practice
• Apply ethical and legal practices during all interactions with patients, colleagues, and/or the community.
• Render treatment within the framework of the Bill of Rights and the Patient Charter to ensure confidentiality throughout.
• Demonstrate personal and professional growth within the clinical or community setting by assuming various roles (Including, but not limited to, clinician, educator, and administrator) during interactions between practitioner and patient and/or practitioner and colleagues.
• Promote human dignity in interactions with colleagues, patients, and communities by ensuring sensitivity to ethnic, cultural, religious, and gender diversity.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Maintain the cleanliness of the clinical oral health facility through adequate supervision of the cleaning assistant and personal management of professional equipment and instruments.
• Ensure personal protective equipment is consistently used by learners and supplied to patients when appropriate
• Ensure the consistent use of personal protective equipment by clinical staff and, when appropriate, by patients.
• Store all bio-hazardous medical products securely and deposit waste in the special waste container/s for removal by the dedicated hazardous-waste collection agency.
• Oversee the sterilisation of instruments to ensure the efficacy of the process and the integrity of instruments.
• Clean away all body-waste spillages immediately using the required cleaning agent and method of disposal.
• Apply appropriate First Aid measures when dealing with medical emergencies and send for professional assistance.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Identify environmental conditions and probable risks and/or barriers to behaviour change.
• Assess quality, type, and availability of dental services and associated resources to promote behaviour change.
• Explain daily living practices and nutritional changes and recommend advancing general health, and thereby, oral health.
• Provide patient education, outlining risk factors that threaten oral health and specifying measures to ensure oral health. (The range of risk factors includes but is not limited to: Diet, tobacco product usage, and poor personal hygiene).
• Provide preventative care to maintain the current oral health status and prevent the onset of oral disease. The range of preventative measures includes, but is not limited to, regular oral health checks, plaque removal, remineralisation, sealant application, and fluoridation.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Perform a patient examination and generate a comprehensive, patient-specific oral healthcare plan, based on current scientific information.
• Deliver various gingival treatments in accordance with the scope of practice of the dental therapist. The range of gingival treatments includes, but is not limited to, scaling and polishing, pocket depth measurement, and root planning.
• Perform operative dentistry procedures within the specific range as required.
• Manage children in terms of required treatment modalities, instruments, primary and secondary dentition, and correctional devices, in accordance with the relevant scope of practice.
• Provide patient education in terms of special treatment required for endodontic, periodontic, orthodontic, or prosthodontic procedures and/or treatments positively and reassuringly.
• Perform specific oral surgical procedures when required in accordance with the relevant scope of practice. The range of surgical procedures includes but is not limited to: Primary and secondary tooth extraction.
• Demonstrate treatment of dentition and surrounding tissues following traumatic injury.
• Provide appropriate instructions for post-operative management to the patient and/or significant other (Including caregivers).

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

Formative Assessment

All formative assessments within a specific module are weighted. These weightings are discussed with the learners at the beginning of the year.

A variety of assessments are used in different modules. These include: Written tests per module; Group presentations; Portfolios of Evidence; Role-play; Oral assessments; OSCE; Assessment of practical work; Pre-clinical tests; Clinical assessments; Assignments and Online assessments including online quizzes and assignments

Summative Assessment

Summative assessment is conducted in most of the modules from first to third year. Summative assessments comprise of a theory/written paper and OSCES for first- and second-year modules, the weightings for the exam marks are specific to each module. The summative assessment for all exit level in third year modules is made up of a written paper, clinical exam and oral exam or OSCE. These exams are overseen by external examiners. Certain modules offered in first semester have continuous assessment. These include DENT 242 in the second year, DENT 351, DENT 352, DENT 355, DENT 356, and DENT 357 in the third year. Dent 355 and DENT 356 are the only modules that are assessed using purely continuous assessment and learners need a compile a portfolio of evidence of the whole year's work, which is overseen by an external examiner.