Choose any of the listed opportunities to discuss the system of dental education in our country and abroad.

1. Discuss in pairs:

Case a. You are a high-school graduate, intending to enter a dentistry course. Ask a student of a dentistry college/school for some information.

Case b. You are former class-mates. Now you study at different dental schools. Compare the pros and cons of your choice.

2. Discuss in groups of three:

Three of you are the family, discussing the opportunities of getting dental education. Someone insists on staying home and getting education in Russia. Another one speaks for the application to one of the colleges abroad. The third member of the family tries to summarize the ideas and make some conclusions.

3. An individual task:

You are a dean of a dental college, making a speech at the annual conference for the perspective applicants. Describe your college and the opportunities provided for the future graduates.

4. Over to you:

Choose any other way to share your opinion on the system of dental education in our country and abroad.

 

 

Unit II. Dentistry specialties

 

Lead-in

It often happens that an average person doesn’t know much about different dental specialties until he faces some specific problems. Not all the oral abnormalities and diseases can be treated by a dental therapist. Besides, there are some members of a dental team that stay in the background, almost unknown.

What specialists in the sphere of dentistry do you know? How often do you deal with dental hygienists, dental assistants or technicians? Have you chosen a sphere of your future specialization in dentistry?

 

Reading

 

Pay attention to the following words and word combinations – the meaning of some of them in the language of medicine differs from that in every-day English.

 

Field (of some science), arrangement (of teeth), prosthesis, denture, bridge, implant, team (dental team).

 

2. The text contains several sections. Point out these logical sections and make a plan of the text.

Members of a dental team

 

Dentistry is the practical application of knowledge of dental science (the science of placement, arrangement, function of teeth) to human beings. A dentist is a professional practitioner of dentistry. A dental therapist is a specialty obtained through a dental school/ college course and certified by local licensing bodies.

Specialties in dentistry such as orthodontics (straightening of teeth), oral and maxillofacial surgery, pedodontics (treatment for children), periodontics (treatment of gum disease), prosthodontics (replacement of missing teeth by prostheses such as dentures, bridges and dental implants), operative dentistry (restoration of existing teeth), endodontics (root canal therapy), dental public health (study of dental epidemiology and social health policies), oral radiology and oral pathology (study of oral and dentally related diseases) require usually 2-3 years of university training after dental school. Specialists in these fields are registrable (U.S. "Board Eligible") and can sometimes obtain exclusive titles such as orthodontist, oral surgeon, pedodontist, periodontist, prosthodontist if satisfy certain local (U.S. "Board Certified") registry requirements.

Other dental "specialties" exist where no post-graduate formal university training is required: cosmetic dentistry, dental implant, temporal-mandibular joint therapy. These usually require the attendance of one or more "hotel courses" which typically last for one to several days.

Let’s consider the role of some members of a dental team in providing oral health care.

A dental hygienist is a licensed preventive oral health professional who provides educational, clinical, and therapeutic services to the public. In order to become prepared to perform these services, a dental hygienist requires an extensive educational background. Admission requirements and prerequisites vary from institution to institution, but generally include many of the following:

† high school diploma or GED (General Education Diploma),

† 18 year age minimum,

† high school courses in mathematics, chemistry, biology, English,

† minimum “C” average in high school,

† college entrance test scores,

† depending on the institution, prerequisite courses in chemistry, English, speech, psychology and sociology.

Dental hygiene education is a minimum of 2 years, but can be as long as 4 years. The 2-year programs offer a diploma, certificate, or associate degree. The 4-year programs offer a baccalaureate degree. Master’s level programs are offered for those interested in education, research, or administration. An accredited dental hygiene program requires an average of 1,948 clock hours of curriculum. This includes:

† 585 clock hours of supervised clinical dental hygiene instruction,

† general education courses including English, speech, psychology and sociology,

† basic science courses including general chemistry, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, nutrition, and pharmacology,

† dental science courses including dental anatomy, head and neck anatomy, oral embryology and histology, oral pathology, radiography, periodontology, pain control and dental materials,

† dental hygiene courses including oral health education and preventive counselling, patient management, clinical dental hygiene, community dental health, medical and dental emergencies including basic life support, and legal and ethical aspects of dental hygiene practice,

† supervised instruction in pre-clinical and clinical practice.

There are many employment opportunities in the field of dental hygiene, since many dentists employ one or more dental hygienists. Dental hygienists are responsible for some of the most important patient care services provided in a dental office, including removing calculus, stains and plaque from teeth, applying fluoride, providing oral hygiene instructions (e.g. brushing, flossing and nutritional counselling).

Hygienists may also be employed to provide dental hygiene services for patients in hospitals, nursing homes and public health clinics. Depending upon the level of education and the experience achieved, dental hygienists can also apply their skills and knowledge to other career activities such as teaching hygiene in dental schools and dental hygiene education programs. Research, office management and business administration are other career options.

Grammar

 

1. Find in the text the words with suffixes and/or prefixes and explain the pattern of the word formation.

Eg. Placement – verb to place plus suffix – ment;

To replace - prefix re - plus verb to place