Course Descriptions

This course offers an introduction to the practice of Dentistry for new DMD students. Lectures will cover dental ethics and oral health issues in Canada, including an overview of Dental Health Issues in Indigenous communities. The course will also offer a general overview of dental specialties, practice management, research, and technological developments.

Weekly hours: 2 Lecture hours

A lecture and laboratory course that studies the development, histology and function of oral structures that have special significance to dentistry. Course content considers the processes involved in craniofacial development; the development of the teeth and palate; and the histology of hard and soft tissues of the oral and perioral regions.

Weekly hours: 2 Lecture hours

A preclinical lecture/ demonstration/ laboratory course introducing the student to the basic biomechanical principles of tooth restoration. The course emphasizes the development of manual dexterity skills using rotary and hand instruments. Attention is also given to the development of professional skills in terms of organization, tidiness and time management. The need for infection control is also introduced.

Weekly hours: 2 Lecture hours and 6 Practicum/Lab hours

A basic program to familiarize students with the terminology and theoretical concepts of dental materials used in clinical dentistry, as well as the safety issues concerning dental materials.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours

An introductory course in dental anatomy and morphology. The general objective is to provide the undergraduate dental student with the knowledge of dental anatomy and morphology that forms the basis for much of the practice of clinical dentistry.

A lecture and laboratory course that provides an in-depth study of the interrelationships of the components of the stomatognathic system as these apply to the principles of intermaxillary occlusion. Included will be discussions of sleep apnea, bruxism, occlusal traumatism, and occlusal equilibration.

Considers those areas of microbiology, immunology and physiology with special significance to dentistry. Major topics are oral microflora and ecology; molecular biology of microbial adherence; formation and metabolism of dental plaque; microbiology of dental caries and periodontal disease; immunology of dental caries and periodontal disease; physiology of salivary glands and saliva; classification and physiology of neuroreceptors and their integration/modulation by the central nervous system; and the physiology of pain, taste, swallowing and mastication.

Weekly hours: 2 Lecture hours
Note: Students with credit for DENT 314 cannot receive credit for this course.

This is a full year course introducing students to the concepts and principles surrounding health promotion, microbiology, immunology, physiology, biochemistry, histology, pathology, and gross anatomy as they pertain to dentistry.

Restriction(s): Restricted to students enrolled in the College of Dentistry.
Note: Students with credit for DENT 292, DENT 294, MED 102, MED 109, or MEDC 115 will not receive credit for this course.

Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.

Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.

Provides didactic information on: basic radiation physics; radiation biology; creation of a film-based radiographic image; digital radiography; intraoral, panoramic and extraoral radiographic technique; introduction to normal radiographic appearances; and radiographic localization techniques. The preclinical laboratory component provides instruction in intraoral radiographic techniques, and introduces digital radiography, pantomography and other extraoral imaging procedures.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 4 Clinical Service hours

Consists of didactic lectures, laboratory exercises, and clinical microbiology conferences, part of which are taken in conjunction with the College of Medicine. Deals with the general principles of medical bacteriology, mycology, virology, parasitology, and the organisms involved in systemic infections in general and oral infections in particular. Complications of systemic infections with oral manifestations or oral infections resulting from dental procedures are discussed. The role of the medical laboratory in the diagnosis of infectious diseases is also discussed together with consideration of antimicrobial therapy in relation to both systemic and oral infections.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours
Prerequisite(s): Restricted to students enrolled in the College of Dentistry.
Note: Students with credit for PATH 305.6 may not receive credit for this course.

Effective communication is required as part of the patient-dentist relationship, in addition to technical competency. This course provides students with exposure to various situations likely to arise in private practice which benefit from well developed communication skills. This is achieved through the use of standardized patients, who allow students to develop and practice listening, verbal and non-verbal language skills, rapport, empathy, professionalism and ethical awareness.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours

The orthodontic lectures in this year emphasize the diagnostic and treatment planning aspect of simple and complex orthodontic cases, as well as their treatment and management. Second year provides the basics of case presentation and patient evaluation and prepares the student for the orthodontic clinic.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 2 Practicum/Lab hours

A lecture and clinical demonstration course which provides an introduction to the etiology, pathogenesis and epidemiology of diseases that affect the periodontal tissues. Students will be given opportunities to provide preventive periodontal care in the clinic.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours

Term 1 consists of an extension of material learned in DENT 220.6 with the addition of complex operative procedures. Term 2 consists of a five week competency after which there is an introduction to patient care followed by eight weeks of patient treatment in the clinic.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 2.5 Practicum/Lab hours

Strives to introduce students to various aspects of basic Pediatric Dentistry. Consists of a series of lectures, laboratory exercises, and a visit to a pre-kindergarten classroom. Develops skills required for clinical diagnosis and restorative treatment of the primary and young dentition. Pulpal therapy for primary and permanent young teeth is covered. Clinical skills and knowledge for identifying the indications and contraindications for the restoration of primary teeth using fissure sealants, resin, amalgam, and full coverage is explored. Students will gain knowledge of the development, morphology, and eruption of the dentition. Differences between the permanent and primary dentition and how these apply to restoration procedures are dealt with. A basic knowledge of space maintenance and basic management skills are introduced.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 2 Practicum/Lab hours

A preclinical/clinical lecture/ demonstration/ laboratory course in which students undertake exercises relating to technical procedures involved in fabricating complete dentures and treatment planning of removable partial dentures.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 2.5 Practicum/Lab hours

A preclinical course that introduces basic fixed prosthodontic principles and techniques required to prepare teeth, to fabricate provisional restorations and to learn the clinical and laboratory techniques necessary to fabricate definitive fixed prostheses.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 2.5 Practicum/Lab hours

Prepares students for clinical management of patients. It includes a systematic approach to diagnosis and patient management. Students are introduced to history taking, patient examination, laboratory testing and record systems. The problem-oriented approach to diagnosis and management is presented. A complementary clinical course provides experience to prepare students for clinical sessions in diagnosis and patient management. Principles of treatment planning are also covered to prepare students for practice in the clinic.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 2 Clinical Service hours

The objectives are to teach students the basic principles of administering local anesthetics safely and effectively. Topics to be discussed will include the indications and advantages of regional anesthesia, and the various techniques available to the dentist. Emphasis will be placed upon an understanding of the pharmacologic actions of local anesthetics and vasoconstrictors and their side effects and complications. Proper patient evaluation to identify high-risk patients will be stressed.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours

Presents three segments: a lecture series, a preclinical laboratory, and clinical procedures on patients. The lectures outline the basic rationale and treatment materials and techniques. In addition, clinical topics regarding specific treatment modalities are covered. Technical procedures are learned through laboratory exercises designed to permit visualization and practice, and examined via competencies. The clinical management of lesions of endodontic origin through treatment of patients occurs in the second term.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 5 Clinical Service hours

Successful prevention of disease spread and proper maintenance of clinic safety require the knowledge of infection control. Dental students must play key roles in the maintenance of the well being of patients and in the organization of safe dental clinics. These responsibilities require an understanding of procedures used for infection control. The objective of the course is to provide a basic concept of infection control in the form of didactic lectures and clinical practice.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture/Clinical Service hours
Note: Students with credit for DENT 288 will not receive credit for DENT 388.

Deals with the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, therapeutic uses and toxicity of drugs. Pharmacological methods and principles are illustrated and applied in case-based, peer-teaching tutorial sessions.

Restriction(s): Restricted to students enrolled in the College of Dentistry.
Note: Students may receive credit for only one of PCOL 350, MED 201, DENT 391, and DENT 392.

Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours

Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.

Lectures, self-instructional packages, and seminars cover normal radiographic appearances in the jaws as well as the radiographic manifestations of disease processes. Time is also spent discussing general principles of radiographic interpretation. The clinical component of this course involves selecting an appropriate intra-oral radiographic series, taking intra-oral radiographs and interpreting intra-oral and panoramic radiographs of clinic patients that the student sees in the Diagnosis clinic.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours

Effective communication is required as part of the patient-dentist relationship, in addition to technical competency. This course builds on the DENT 309.2 Communication Skills I course to provide students with exposure to more advanced situations likely to arise in private practice which benefit from well-developed communication skills. This is achieved through the use of standardized patients, who allow students to develop and practice listening, verbal and non-verbal language skills, rapport, empathy, professionalism and ethical.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours
Restriction(s): This course is restricted to students in the Doctor of Dental Medicine program in the College of Dentistry.

Orthodontic lectures in this year will continue to emphasize the diagnostic and treatment planning aspects of simple and complex orthodontic cases, as well as provide an insight into their treatment techniques and patient management.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 2.5 Clinical Service hours

A lecture/seminar/clinic course designed to enable students to become competent in periodontal diagnosis and to develop the clinical skills necessary to perform periodontal therapy within the context of a comprehensive dental treatment plan. In term 2, the interrelationship of periodontics to other disciplines is emphasized and a review of current aspects of the periodontal scientific literature is undertaken.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 3 Clinical Service hours

A program of continued experience in the discipline of operative dentistry, providing treatment planning and efficient delivery of restorative dental procedures. Students will build upon previous experience tackling more complex cases and utilizing a broader array of dental materials. The lecture program will provide supplemental knowledge to encourage independent inquiry and self-evaluation.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 2.5 Clinical Service hours

A continuation of DENT 324 and strives to introduce further aspects of basic pedodontics not covered in the introductory course. The course objectives have also been designed to aid the students in gaining a clinical knowledge of subjects such as traumatic injuries to primary and young permanent teeth, child growth and development, behaviour management.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 2.5 Clinical Service hours

Lecture/discussion/seminar sessions in clinical application of complete and removable partial denture theory. Clinical practice in complete and partial denture therapy.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 3 Clinical Service hours

Lectures throughout the year concentrate on basic fixed prosthodontic clinical procedures and treatment. Practical experience is gained through basic treatment on clinical patients.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 3 Clinical Service hours

Various oral medicine topics, emphasizing temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and other orofacial pain states, are covered. In Term 2, students are responsible for performing diagnosis and treatment planning (and dental emergency procedures) under faculty guidance.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours

Consists of lectures/seminars. Common medical problems affecting dental management are discussed and illustrated using case reports.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours

Students enhance their clinical skills by managing patients with endodontic problems on an increasingly independent basis. Conservative orthograde endodontic therapy is the treatment of choice; however, students are encouraged to observe the surgical management of endodontic lesions. Students should develop an appreciation of the varying degrees of difficulty associated with endodontic procedures, and an understanding of their own limitations in certain cases. The ability to review the literature critically and evaluate objectively new concepts and techniques should enter into their decision making. Lastly, the need for self-evaluation and continuing education is stressed.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 3 Clinical Service hours

Introduces students to the basic principles on which the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery is founded. Proper history taking and patient assessment are stressed, and students are introduced to the core theoretical knowledge and basic surgical skills and sterile techniques needed to practice minor oral surgery. Students are taught basic and advanced techniques for the removal of teeth, and the prevention and management of their intraoperative and postoperative complications. The selection and prescribing of appropriate analgesic and antibiotic medications is discussed. Students are rostered into the oral surgery clinic where opportunity is given initially to observe and assist, and then to participate in minor oral surgical procedures. Students are also introduced to hospital dentistry, including operating room protocol and observing major maxillofacial surgery. Lectures and demonstrations are used to introduce concepts of managing patient apprehension through the use of various techniques of conscious sedation. Although students will gain experience mainly with the use of nitrous-oxide/oxygen inhalation sedation, other modalities will also be covered. The indications, advantages and disadvantages, and complications of the various techniques will be discussed. Introductory implant lectures will be given.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 3 Clinical Service hours

Students are assigned for one week to Royal University Hospital and rotate through various medical services and hospital dentistry. Under the guidance of the medical and house staff, students observe and participate in the patient care and management of diseases that they have studied to appreciate the effects of these and gain further insight into medical problems they may encounter in their practice.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours

Lectures describe the biology of osseointegration; the principles of implant prosthodontics; the surgical placement of fixtures; and the restorative options and procedures. The practical sessions demonstrate the various implant components and provide clinical simulations of the treatment options. Clinical sessions provide exposure to patients, screening and treatment planning for implant prosthetic treatment.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 2.5 Clinical Service hours

Introduces the concepts of practice management to the dental student. The first term deals with the Dental Profession Act and the regulations under the Act, the Dental Code of Ethics, and Dentistry and the law. The second term provides an introduction to the business and legal aspects of dental practice.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours

Provides the students with the knowledge and understanding of diagnosis, pathogenesis, clinical and histologic features, management, and prognosis of oral diseases with emphasis on their oral manifestations and implications. Topics include developmental abnormalities of the oral hard and soft tissues; infections of the oral cavity; physical and chemical injuries of the oral cavity; benign and malignant neoplasms; the oral manifestations of metabolic, dermatologic, hematologic and immunologic disease; fibro-osseous lesions; non-odontogenic and odontogenic tumors and cysts; salivary gland disease; and forensic odontology. Supplementary clinical case exercises are given weekly to enhance, examine and reinforce students' knowledge.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours

Essential Skills in Dentistry is a preparatory review of the academic program and learning objectives of years 1 and 2 Dentistry for students in the IDDP program. A review of all components of the course curriculum of years 1 and 2 of the D.M.D. program will be presented. Additional material will introduce IDDP students to the regulatory, professional, and societal aspects of the profession and practice of dentistry in Canada, as well as Dentistry’s relationship with the broader public/private health care system. The course will focus on identifying any areas of knowledge or skill deficiency to allow remediation of deficiencies. Course content and design will have flexibility to address identified areas of deficiency. The course will consist of lectures, laboratory sessions and clinical simulations.

Weekly hours: 12 Lecture hours and 14 Practicum/Lab hours
Restriction(s): Restricted to students admitted to the International Dental Degree Program (IDDP) Pathway for the Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) Degree Program.
Note: Costs in addition to tuition will apply to this course.

Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.

Clinical course involving the selection of intra-oral radiographic series in the Diagnosis clinic, taking intra-oral radiographs in the Radiology roster and occasionally the Diagnosis clinic, and the interpretation of intra-oral and panoramic and other selected radiographs in interpretation sessions.

Weekly hours: 4 Clinical Service hours

Orthodontic lectures in this year will continue to emphasize the diagnostic and treatment planning aspects of simple and complex orthodontic cases, as well as provide insight into their treatment techniques and patient management. Content is mainly directed to various areas not previously covered or where a need for further in-depth study is indicated. The objective is to refine the final-year dental student's diagnostic abilities, and emphasis is directed at orthodontic case selection and treatment modalities as well as the multidisciplinary and ethical aspects of orthodontic dental treatment.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 2.5 Clinical Service hours

Continues the objectives and philosophy of Year 3. In addition, issues that are related to adolescence, patients with handicapping conditions, medical issues, developmental issues such as speech, special interest topics as applicable, and the use of sedation and other modalities are explored. The objective is to provide a format for review and discussion of certain advanced topics in pediatric dentistry, to discuss what is considered to be new in pediatric dentistry, to review interesting journal articles, and to present interesting cases which have been treated by students.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 2.5 Clinical Service hours

This course is a continuation of DENT 463 and covers more advanced topics in oral surgery. Topics discussed include orofacial infections, major maxillofacial surgery (i.e., cleft palate surgery, preprosthetic surgery, orthognathic surgery, maxillofacial traumatology, etc.), and the surgical management of head and neck cancers. Students are given more opportunity to develop expertise in minor oral surgery in a clinical setting. A portion of this course focuses on the prevention, recognition and management of medical emergencies in the dental office. Common medical emergencies that could be encountered and the agent(s) used to treat them are discussed. Clinical experience continues with more advanced patient management in order to develop competence in routine minor oral surgery.

Weekly hours: 1 Lecture hours and 3 Clinical Service hours

Introduces the concepts of practice management to the dental student. The first term deals with the Dental Profession Act and the regulations under the Act, the Dental Code of Ethics, and Dentistry and the law.

The Clinical Comprehensive Care course requires students to provide patient care in a comprehensive manner. Procedures from multiple disciplines will be performed in any comprehensive care clinic, if deemed appropriate.

Restriction(s): Must be enrolled as an undergraduate student in the College of Dentistry.

Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.

CEREC has enabled dentists to fabricate a crown in a single day. This technique would not only save time and money to the dentist, it will also make it more convenient to the patient as he or she is going to have the crown in the same day.

Prerequisite(s): Must have successfully completed Years 1 and 2 of the D.M.D. program.
Restriction(s): Open to students enrolled in the D.M.D. program.

Connective tissue is essential for maintaining structural integrity and health of the oral cavity. Connective tissue is a barrier to inflammatory responses which, if uncontrolled, can results in disorders including: bone loss, drug-induced gingival hyperplasia and oral cancers. Conversely, oral connective tissue fibroblasts cells have stem cell-like properties. This course will use primary research literature to critically evaluate recent developments in oral connective tissue biology.

Prerequisite(s): Must have successfully completed Years 1 and 2 of the D.M.D. program.
Restriction(s): Open to students enrolled in the D.M.D. program.

This course introduces students to the procedures involved in the fabrication of fixed and removable dental prosthetics to provide a more in depth understanding of the fabrication process of dental prothesis than what is delivered in the current DMD curriculum. Topics addressed include: Time requirements for the fabrication of numerous prosthesis types, workflow details for common prostheses, material and fabrication process options for various fixed prostheses, conventional and digital demonstrations of fabrication processes for complete dentures and partial denture frameworks.

Restriction(s): Open to students enrolled in the D.M.D. program.
Prerequisite(s): DENT 321.2, DENT 340.4 and DENT 330.5

This course is an introduction to leadership theory and practice and how leadership influence dentistry. Students will understand leaders' behaviors and attributes by exploring different leadership models. During this course, leadership theory and practices including issues and dilemmas will focus on real-world situations related to dentistry.

Restriction(s): Open to students enrolled in the D.M.D. program.

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT), with low power laser or LED, is no longer a promising therapy, but it has become one important advance in the medical and dental care. The benefits associated to PBMT include its analgesic, inflammation-modulating, and repairing effects. In addition, when a specific light wavelength is associated with a photosensitizer and oxygen, the so-called antimicrobial photodynamic therapy; it may present antimicrobial effect, being indicated to treat infected oral facial lesions.

Prerequisite(s): Must have successfully completed Year 1 of the D.M.D. Program.

Dentists are constantly challenged on the selection of various options of placing a foundation for an endodontically treated tooth. This course will review different types of foundation and focus on esthetic foundation for ceramic extra-coronal restoration. This course is designed for participants to be able to execute the technique sensitive steps to provide an esthetic foundation.

Prerequisite(s): DENT 440

This course will focus on patient care to be provided in a socially responsible, Inclusive, and comprehensive manner in the College of Dentistry Outreach Clinics. Students will learn about the foundational principles and key considerations in social responsibility in dealing with the patients from priority populations. Students will also participate as clinical providers in community dental clinic settings for a variety of target populations, including homeless, inner-city, working-poor, new immigrant, living with HIV/AIDS, elderly, developmentally disabled, and Indigenous populations. The procedures from multiple disciplines will be able to be done at the same appointment, if deemed appropriate at the time.

Prerequisite(s): Must have successfully completed Year 3 of the D.M.D. Program.

Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.

This course is composed from 4 modules. First, the course will consist of two general lectures on signaling to provide background and one basic lecture on mathematical modeling of development (module 1). Then, there will be 6 lectures on stem cell and regeneration topics (module 2). Third, an organ module, with 9 lectures (module 3). Following this module will be a final module on preparation of an CIHR- or NSERC-style mini-grant (module 4). Classes will be held three times a week (1 hour per lecture). On the first six weeks there will be an introduction to the correlated topics and on the remaining classes students will participate in presentations and group discussions on topics related to the course. On the second six weeks students will work including on their proposals.

The course will begin with an introductory lecture defining the goals of proteomics and discussing two typical workflows and essential theories in acquiring proteomics data for scientific research. The following two lectures will be practical training, in which the student will acquire hands-on experience working with the analytical instrumentation most commonly used in proteomics. In the remaining lectures, each student in consultation with the course director will select recent publications related to the field of applied proteomics, present them to the group and lead a discussion with classmates.

The course will work as a foundation course for oral biology science. This course will comprehensively discuss about the methodology, oral biology techniques and their day-to-day use in the lab and clinic environment. In consultation with the course director, each student will select 2 specific techniques and methodologies relevant to oral biology science. Each student will be assigned a session to present his/her selected topic, followed by questions and general discussion. The course may also include presentations by guest lecturers (e.g. Scientist from oral health companies on specific methodology).

Students will learn about leadership theories and signature pedagogies, including the use of case studies, inductive teaching methods, and problem-based learning. All teaching activities will be supervised by the course director and other instructors from the College of Dentistry.

Students will learn and discuss all phases related to oral translational research, including the translational aspects of clinical science. Classes will be held once a week. On the first two weeks there will be an introduction to the correlated topics and on the remaining classes students will participate in presentations and group discussions on topics related to the course, including methodologies, research grant applications focusing on the process of translating basic scientific discoveries to pre-clinical, clinical applications and entrepreneurship.

This course will discuss medical issues (e.g., vaccination, water fluoridation, diseases outbreak, etc.) related to the contemporary society and deliberate possible solutions on how to advance the communication of scientific discoveries to the lay population. In addition, students will learn ways to organize a point-of-view or position manuscript. All lectures will be delivered in an interactive discussion forum where students are strongly encouraged to participate and share their perspectives on the respective themes as much as possible.

Graduate students are required to attend these seminars for the duration of their program.

Students writing a Ph.D. thesis must register for this course.