Undergraduate Course Information

Bachelor of Dental Science (BDSc)

The Bachelor of Dental Science is a five year full time professional degree course. Following successful completion of this course, the graduate is able to register with the Dental Board of Western Australia as a dentist and enter the profession immediately.

Course Outline

In the first year of the Bachelor of Dental Science, emphasis is placed on the acquisition of relevant knowledge in the basic sciences, with some exposure to dentistry. As the student progresses through the course, emphasis on the basic clinical sciences decreases, while that on clinical dental subjects’ increases until the final clinical outplacement year is reached. Basic concepts introduced in the early years are revisited and placed in their clinical context in the later years.

The Bachelor of Dental Science programme at the University of Western Australia is delivered in the context of four interlinked, over-arching streams. They are:

1. Integrated Science of Medicine and Dentistry (ISMD)

In this stream students initially focus on the normal structure and function of the human body and how these relate to general and oral health. By the end of second year students should be able to demonstrate an in depth knowledge of normal human structure, function, and behaviour. Following this, the emphasis changes to structural and functional abnormalities, and their effects on general and oral health. Students develop the skills to think critically, evaluate information, and apply that evaluation to the clinical setting. They will learn to evaluate disorders of human structure, function, and behaviour, and to determine how such disorders might impact on the oral health of an individual. They will also learn how to identify the oral manifestations of systemic disease and how to effectively manage them. Another fundamental learning component is to apply the knowledge of the pathological and clinical features of disease to the practise of dentistry.

2. Fundamentals of Clinical Dentistry (FCD)

This stream enables students to learn, practise, and reflect upon skills and concepts that are fundamental to most, or all, areas of dentistry. From year one onwards, students work towards identifying the oral health care needs of patients and how to apply and evaluate strategies for the management of these needs at an individual and community level. Students also learn the fundamentals of the diagnostic process, and how to apply the process in increasingly complex clinical situations. In this stream students also learn how to effectively manage patients. Integral to this is the knowledge of the social and cultural nature of individual patients, and how this can affect their management.

3. Clinical Dental Practice (CDP)

Here the focus is on the development of appropriate knowledge and skills that a general dental practitioner needs in the specialised areas of dentistry. From year three onwards, students are exposed to clinical situations requiring input from the various dental specialties. They develop the skills to recognise and appropriately manage complex clinical situations. An important component of this is appropriate liaison with dental and medical specialists, and other health care providers. Evaluation of the current trends in the management of oral diseases is developed throughout the five years of the course. This ties in with the development of the ability to interpret the Health Care System in Australia, as well as international systems, and how to apply their components to dental practice.

4.  Personal and Professional Development (PPD)

This last stream concentrates on the development of the personal and professional aspects of dental practice. Central to this stream is the development of the ability to communicate effectively, verbally, non-verbally and in writing in a whole series of contexts. The development of a strong commitment to continuing education is also regarded as an important outcome of this stream. By the end of the course students should have developed an ability to appraise and apply the legal, ethical and professional responsibilities require of a dentist. Oral health care delivery is considered in the context of the effects of ethnicity and multiculturalism on the patterns of oral health in the community. By the end of year five students should also have a working knowledge of the socio-cultural context of the oral health care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

First Year Units

Units undertaken in first year are:

Second Year

Units undertaken in second year are:

Third Year

Units undertaken in third year are:

Fourth Year

Units undertaken in fourth year are:

Fifth year

Fifth year aims to provide students with a broadening and consolidating year in which they will function as both a student and as a practicing oral health care provider. Training takes place in various clinical settings, revisiting concepts learned previously and placing them in their holistic clinic context. Students undertake clinical placements at the Oral Health Centre of WA and Community Dental Services. They also undertake options in areas of particular interest. 

In addition to clinical placements,  students will be required to attend weekly Personal and Professional Development sessions that address important areas of dental professional development as well as personal reflection on personal experiences and findings.

Admission Process

Prerequisites

English or English Literature (or ESL for eligible students) is a prerequisite. Physics, Chemistry, Applicable Mathematics and/or Calculus Mathematics are strongly recommended, however entrance is not prohibited if these subjects are not taken. It should be noted though that Chemistry will be taught on the assumption that all students have an understanding of the subject to at least the TEE level.

For further information about the admission process for the Bachelor of Dental Science, please go to either School Leaver or Mature age Entry/Non School Leaver or visit www.meddent.uwa.edu.au/prospect.

Bachelor of Science in Dentistry  (BScDent)

The Bachelor of Science in Dentistry is a one-year full-time course comprising a structured program of advanced study and research. Prospective applicants who have completed at least two years of the Bachelor of Dental Science course, or have successfully completed a Bachelor’s degree at UWA  in an area acceptable to the Faculty (or have been granted equivalent status) and shown special aptitude in their previous studies and are recommended by the head of the school concerned as being suitable for advanced study in the area in which they propose to work, may apply for enrolment in this course. Graduates in the Bachelor of Science in Dentistry are not eligible to register as dentists.