Curriculum Fourth Year

This 4th year course will cover the practice management topics a dentist needs to consider upon graduating from dental school, including leadership, career and business decisions, human relations/personnel issues, working in teams, issues of burnout and mentoring, handling medical errors, and an overview of relationships a dentist needs to develop with many different other types of professionals in the dental industry.

The Endodontic Clinic trains predoctoral students to become competent in basic endodontic procedures on vital and non-vital teeth. This includes instruction in diagnosis, treatment planning, treatment/obturation, post-endodontic restoration and related entities (bleaching of non-vital teeth, treatment of traumatic injuries, etc.). This instruction is expanded and reinforced in the fourth-year clinic.

The Endodontic Clinic trains predoctoral students to become competent in basic endodontic procedures on vital and non-vital teeth. This includes instruction in diagnosis, treatment planning, treatment/obturation, post-endodontic restoration and related entities (bleaching of non-vital teeth, treatment of traumatic injuries, etc.). This instruction is expanded and reinforced in the fourth-year clinic.

The Endodontic Clinic trains predoctoral students to become competent in basic endodontic procedures on vital and non-vital teeth. This includes instruction in diagnosis, treatment planning, treatment/obturation, post-endodontic restoration and related entities (bleaching of non-vital teeth, treatment of traumatic injuries, etc.). This instruction is expanded and reinforced in the fourth-year clinic.

Students are assigned several rotations in the Radiology Clinic during which they take full-mouth x-ray series on newly admitted patients who are sent to Radiology from the Admissions Clinic.

Students are assigned several rotations in the Radiology Clinic during which they take full-mouth x-ray series on newly admitted patients who are sent to Radiology from the Admissions Clinic.

Students are assigned several rotations in the Radiology Clinic during which they take full-mouth x-ray series on newly admitted patients who are sent to Radiology from the Admissions Clinic.

Successful dental treatment of special needs and medically complex patients requires a thorough understanding of behavior management, internal medicine and how medical conditions can potentially complicate dental care. The Personalized Care clinic trains you with effective strategies to prevent medical emergencies in a dental clinic, as well as how to behaviorally manage patients with special needs so as to make them comfortable with treatment in a dental clinic. This is achieved by having adequate knowledge of: behavioral management methods, frequent medical conditions; making necessary treatment adjustments and closely monitoring patients during dental treatment. In the case of a medical emergency, students are trained under the supervision of faculty to manage such emergencies.

Successful dental treatment of special needs and medically complex patients requires a thorough understanding of behavior management, internal medicine and how medical conditions can potentially complicate dental care. The Personalized Care clinic trains you with effective strategies to prevent medical emergencies in a dental clinic, as well as how to behaviorally manage patients with special needs so as to make them comfortable with treatment in a dental clinic. This is achieved by having adequate knowledge of: behavioral management methods, frequent medical conditions; making necessary treatment adjustments and closely monitoring patients during dental treatment. In the case of a medical emergency, students are trained under the supervision of faculty to manage such emergencies.

Successful dental treatment of special needs and medically complex patients requires a thorough understanding of behavior management, internal medicine and how medical conditions can potentially complicate dental care. The Personalized Care clinic trains you with effective strategies to prevent medical emergencies in a dental clinic, as well as how to behaviorally manage patients with special needs so as to make them comfortable with treatment in a dental clinic. This is achieved by having adequate knowledge of: behavioral management methods, frequent medical conditions; making necessary treatment adjustments and closely monitoring patients during dental treatment. In the case of a medical emergency, students are trained under the supervision of faculty to manage such emergencies.

Includes evaluation of SDM patients with oral mucosal disorder(s), salivary gland disease(s), temporomandibular disorders, or facial pain. Student doctors obtain and assess the comprehensive medical and oral health status of the patients. Students gain knowledge of general and specialty medical issues including physical examination findings, associated laboratory medicine and other medical studies. The Oral Medicine clinical care rotation also includes experience in performing an intraoral and extraoral exam such that the student is to be able to recognize deviations from normal findings and perform a head and neck cancer examination and issue a risk assessment. Examination of the cranial nerves, temporomandibular joint, and masticatory muscles will be stressed when indicated by the patient’s symptoms. The student will also gain experience in differential diagnosis, the appropriate selection and ordering of indicated laboratory tests, advanced imaging and initiating a medical consult request as a mechanism used to communicate with peers and other healthcare professionals when appropriate. Additionally, the student will select the frequency of clinical monitoring of the patient based upon the patient’s complexity and clinical status.

Includes evaluation of SDM patients with oral mucosal disorder(s), salivary gland disease(s), temporomandibular disorders, or facial pain. Student doctors obtain and assess the comprehensive medical and oral health status of the patients. Students gain knowledge of general and specialty medical issues including physical examination findings, associated laboratory medicine and other medical studies. The Oral Medicine clinical care rotation also includes experience in performing an intraoral and extraoral exam such that the student is to be able to recognize deviations from normal findings and perform a head and neck cancer examination and issue a risk assessment. Examination of the cranial nerves, temporomandibular joint, and masticatory muscles will be stressed when indicated by the patient’s symptoms. The student will also gain experience in differential diagnosis, the appropriate selection and ordering of indicated laboratory tests, advanced imaging and initiating a medical consult request as a mechanism used to communicate with peers and other healthcare professionals when appropriate. Additionally, the student will select the frequency of clinical monitoring of the patient based upon the patient’s complexity and clinical status.

Includes evaluation of SDM patients with oral mucosal disorder(s), salivary gland disease(s), temporomandibular disorders, or facial pain. Student doctors obtain and assess the comprehensive medical and oral health status of the patients. Students gain knowledge of general and specialty medical issues including physical examination findings, associated laboratory medicine and other medical studies. The Oral Medicine clinical care rotation also includes experience in performing an intraoral and extraoral exam such that the student is to be able to recognize deviations from normal findings and perform a head and neck cancer examination and issue a risk assessment. Examination of the cranial nerves, temporomandibular joint, and masticatory muscles will be stressed when indicated by the patient’s symptoms. The student will also gain experience in differential diagnosis, the appropriate selection and ordering of indicated laboratory tests, advanced imaging and initiating a medical consult request as a mechanism used to communicate with peers and other healthcare professionals when appropriate.

Additionally, the student will select the frequency of clinical monitoring of the patient based upon the patient’s complexity and clinical status.

Students spend one week of their senior year in an extramural program at an affiliated hospital within Philadelphia approved by Penn Dental Medicine. During the hospital rotation, students evaluate hospitalized patients to reinforce principles of physical and laboratory diagnosis, participate in dental treatment for patients with severe medical problems, and learn to request and answer consultations from other clinical departments such as radiology and otolaryngology. The first week of this program is entirely virtual and includes lectures from hospital practices associated with Oral Medicine, Oral Surgery and Pediatric Dentistry.

Students perform uncomplicated exodontia and minor pre-prosthetic surgical procedures that are approved by the clinical instructors, assist the instructors in complicated surgical procedures, and observe the administration of intravenous sedation and general anesthesia.

Students perform uncomplicated exodontia and minor pre-prosthetic surgical procedures that are approved by the clinical instructors, assist the instructors in complicated surgical procedures, and observe the administration of intravenous sedation and general anesthesia.

Students perform uncomplicated exodontia and minor pre-prosthetic surgical procedures that are approved by the clinical instructors, assist the instructors in complicated surgical procedures, and observe the administration of intravenous sedation and general anesthesia.

Adjunctive orthodontic intervention involves the management of orthodontic problems prior to restorative treatment. Each student is required to complete the treatment of a clinical case which may involve the following: repositioning teeth that have drifted after extraction or bone loss caused by periodontal disease, forced eruption of broken teeth to expose sound root structure on which to place permanent restorations, correction of crossbites which do not involve a skeletal discrepancy, and/or alignment of anterior teeth for more esthetic restorations.

Adjunctive orthodontic intervention involves the management of orthodontic problems prior to restorative treatment. Each student is required to complete the treatment of a clinical case which may involve the following: repositioning teeth that have drifted after extraction or bone loss caused by periodontal disease, forced eruption of broken teeth to expose sound root structure on which to place permanent restorations, correction of crossbites which do not involve a skeletal discrepancy, and/or alignment of anterior teeth for more esthetic restorations.

Adjunctive orthodontic intervention involves the management of orthodontic problems prior to restorative treatment. Each student is required to complete the treatment of a clinical case which may involve the following: repositioning teeth that have drifted after extraction or bone loss caused by periodontal disease, forced eruption of broken teeth to expose sound root structure on which to place permanent restorations, correction of crossbites which do not involve a skeletal discrepancy, and/or alignment of anterior teeth for more esthetic restorations.

This clinical course attempts to expose the student to many components of pediatric dentistry, including but not limited to diagnosis, prevention, restorative dentistry, pulp therapy, management of the developing occlusion, behavior guidance, and care of special children. Penn Dental Medicine competency statements, as they apply to children, adolescents, and special needs patients are the focus. Competency examinations for this course relate to restorative dental care for the child patient.

This clinical course attempts to expose the student to many components of pediatric dentistry, including but not limited to diagnosis, prevention, restorative dentistry, pulp therapy, management of the developing occlusion, behavior guidance, and care of special children. Penn Dental Medicine competency statements, as they apply to children, adolescents, and special needs patients are the focus. Competency examinations for this course relate to restorative dental care for the child patient.

This clinical course attempts to expose the student to many components of pediatric dentistry, including but not limited to diagnosis, prevention, restorative dentistry, pulp therapy, management of the developing occlusion, behavior guidance, and care of special children. Penn Dental Medicine competency statements, as they apply to children, adolescents, and special needs patients are the focus. Competency examinations for this course relate to restorative dental care for the child patient.

The Periodontics Clinic provides fourth-year students the opportunity to treat patients with differences of severity in existing periodontal disease. Students will obtain clinical experiences and comprehensive understanding of the tissues of the periodontium and the fundamental principles underlying the prevention and treatment of diseases that afflict the periodontal tissues.

The Periodontics Clinic provides fourth-year students the opportunity to treat patients with differences of severity in existing periodontal disease. Students will obtain clinical experiences and comprehensive understanding of the tissues of the periodontium and the fundamental principles underlying the prevention and treatment of diseases that afflict the periodontal tissues.

The Periodontics Clinic provides fourth-year students the opportunity to treat patients with differences of severity in existing periodontal disease. Students will obtain clinical experiences and comprehensive understanding of the tissues of the periodontium and the fundamental principles underlying the prevention and treatment of diseases that afflict the periodontal tissues.

Fourth-year students, within their PCU groups, continue to perform examination and diagnostic procedures, comprehensive treatment planning, all restorative dental procedures, fixed and removable prosthodontic procedures, including implant supported restorations, non-surgical periodontal procedures, and maintenance therapy. The PCU program goal is to produce a practitioner who can integrate basic science knowledge with clinical proficiency in all phases of general dentistry, based on the concept of recognition and treatment of oral disease.

Fourth-year students, within their PCU groups, continue to perform examination and diagnostic procedures, comprehensive treatment planning, all restorative dental procedures, fixed and removable prosthodontic procedures, including implant supported restorations, non-surgical periodontal procedures, and maintenance therapy. The PCU program goal is to produce a practitioner who can integrate basic science knowledge with clinical proficiency in all phases of general dentistry, based on the concept of recognition and treatment of oral disease.

Fourth-year students, within their PCU groups, continue to perform examination and diagnostic procedures, comprehensive treatment planning, all restorative dental procedures, fixed and removable prosthodontic procedures, including implant supported restorations, non-surgical periodontal procedures, and maintenance therapy. The PCU program goal is to produce a practitioner who can integrate basic science knowledge with clinical proficiency in all phases of general dentistry, based on the concept of recognition and treatment of oral disease.

The seminar is an open forum discussion in which students make case presentations, after which the diagnosis, treatment plan, and therapy are analyzed and evaluated. Initially, the PCU leader may present cases in order to establish the proper method of case presentation; thereafter, it is the student’s responsibility to present thoroughly documented cases which include photographic slides of pretreatment, a complete dental and medical evaluation, study models, radiographs, and other pertinent data.

The Selectives Program expands the dimensions of the predoctoral curriculum by allowing students to individualize their education to reflect some of their professional and personal interests and study areas that fall outside the core curriculum. The Selectives Program includes didactic, clinical, community dental health service, and research opportunities, many of which occur in small group seminars or individualized settings that promote close student-faculty interactions. Students will be required to take and submit 16 hours (1.0 credit) of continuing education (CE) by the end of the fall semester of their D4 year. Taking Selectives courses will not supplement this requirement.