Course coordinator
Dr Selwin Samuel
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2026 (27/07/2026 - 20/11/2026)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- Herston
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- Herston
- Coordinating unit
- Dentistry School
This course provides Dentistry students with an introduction to important concepts in genetics, biological chemistry, and dental tissue engineering that are of particular relevance to future Dentists. It builds on the concepts learned in first year chemistry and applies new concepts to health problems encountered in dental practice.
The 2026 version of DENT2222 has been designed with feedback incorporated from the course coordinator and student feedback from the previous year to ensure an improved student learning experience.
Specific changes that have been incorporated include
- Improved opportunities for active learning through provision of learning materials and academic challenge assets, applied to real-world case scenarios in class.
- A weekly 3 hr face-to-face lecture that now includes presentations from experts, followed by 2 hour tutorial sessions on alternate weeks focusing on exploring and applying core concepts into clinical practice.
- Collaborative team-teaching sessions with other dentistry course coordinators to encourage better engagement with the profession.
Course requirements
Assumed background
This course builds on foundational knowledge from first-year courses (DENT1020, CHEM1222, BIOM1051, and BIOM1052), integrating multiple concepts for improved comprehension and practical application.
ﾠ
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
CHEM1222, BIOM1051, BIOM1052
Restrictions
Restricted to BDSc(Hons) students only
Course contact
Lecturer
Dr Selwin Samuel
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Sowmya Shetty
Dr Jessica Zachar
Dr Martin Leung
Professor Carlos Salomon Gallo
Dr Sepanta Hosseinpour
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
DENT2222 aims to familiarise Dentistry students with the basics of genetics, biological chemistry, and dental tissue engineering and apply this to oral and systemic diseases and clinical situations. Students will also get an introduction to the tissue engineering used to treat oral disease.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Explain the impact of nutritional status and endocrine disorders on oral health and disease relevant to dentistry.
LO2.
Explain the effects and interactions of key medications on oral health and their relevance to dental care.
LO3.
Understand the role played by genetic, cellular, and molecular abnormalities on oral cancer and orofacial clefts.
LO4.
Appreciate specific molecular mechanisms that regulate wound healing, tissue repair and tissue regeneration in dental therapies.
LO5.
Describe dental tissue engineering and advances in materials and scaffolds.
LO6.
Develop skills and attributes of collaborative teamwork.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination |
In-Semester Exam
|
30% |
In-semester Saturday 5/09/2026 - 20/09/2026 |
| Participation/ Student contribution, Performance, Presentation, Poster, Product/ Design |
Group Infographic Presentation
|
30% |
15/10/2026 5:00 pm |
| Examination |
End of Semester Exam
|
40% MUST PASS |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/11/2026 - 21/11/2026 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
In-Semester Exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
In-semester Saturday
5/09/2026 - 20/09/2026
- Other conditions
- Time limited, Secure.
Task description
The in-semester exam will be held in-person and invigilated via Inspera and centrally administered by the university during the in-semester period. This is a 60-minute exam consisting of different question types, including but not limited to multiple choice, short answer questions, short essays and problem-solving.
Students will ideally bring their own laptops with the Inspera safe browser installed to complete and submit this exam. If a student does not have a laptop with access to the internet (connected to Eduroam), the student may be able to borrow a laptop from UQ Library (https://web.library.uq.edu.au/library-and-student-it-help/using-library-devices/laptop-loans).
This assessment will enable the student to demonstrate the scope and depth of the learning in areas relevant to the theoretical and applied knowledge in this course from week 1 to week 5 only.
Assessment security
Secure assessment: This assessment is designed to protect academic integrity and assess your understanding of course concepts. You must only use the approved materials and tools for this assessment task. Use of prohibited materials in this task may be investigated and treated as academic misconduct. See assessment instructions for more details.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Materials | None |
| Exam platform | Inspera |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Group Infographic Presentation
- Team or group-based
- Online
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral, Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution, Performance, Presentation, Poster, Product/ Design
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
15/10/2026 5:00 pm
Task description
A major focus of this course is to develop students’ understanding of how systemic medications and drug interactions influence oral health and dental treatment. This includes recognising interactions relevant to dental conditions and systemic diseases with oral manifestations.
As part of this assessment, students will work in teams of four to investigate a selected drug or drug interaction relevant to dental practice. Students are expected to collaboratively research, analyse, and critically evaluate the literature to understand the underlying biological mechanisms and clinical relevance.
The project will be presented as a 4‑minute video presentation on an infographic poster developed by the team. The video presentation on the infographic poster must be submitted on or before the due date.
Students should focus on the mechanism of drug action and interaction, oral and systemic relevance, risk mitigation and patient safety, and clinical implications for dental care. Students are expected to contribute effectively as a team and demonstrate clear communication of scientific concepts in a clinically relevant manner. The assessment will be marked according to published criteria available on Blackboard, and all submissions must be completed and submitted by the due date.
Assessment security
Open assessment: In this assessment you can use resources such as your notes, course materials, and other tools, including AI, while completing the task. The focus is not on memorising information, but on understanding, applying judgement, and demonstrating your own thinking.
Submission guidelines
Submission instructions will be available on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
End of Semester Exam
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 40% MUST PASS
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/11/2026 - 21/11/2026
- Other conditions
- Secure.
Task description
- A 90-minute exam consisting of different question types including but not limited to multiple choice, short answer questions, short essays and problem-solving covering all learning materials within this course.
- This is a MUST PASS assessment item (achieve a minimum of 60%).
- Feedback to exams may be requested through the processes as defined by School of Dentistry student services.
Assessment security
Secure assessment: This assessment is designed to protect academic integrity and assess your understanding of course concepts. You must only use the approved materials and tools for this assessment task. Use of prohibited materials in this task may be investigated and treated as academic misconduct. See assessment instructions for more details.
Hurdle requirements
Must achieve overall 60% to pass this assessment.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - specified written materials permitted |
| Materials | One A4 sheet of handwritten notes , single sided, is permitted |
| Exam platform | Inspera |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of less than 20% |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of at least 20% but less than 45% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of at least 45% but less than 50% OR Attains the overall pass mark of 50% or over, but has failed a hurdle requirement |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of at least 50% but less than 65% AND has passed the hurdle requirements |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of at least 65% but less than 75% AND has passed the hurdle requirements |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of 75% but less than 85% AND has passed the hurdle requirements |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of at least 85% AND has passed the hurdle requirements |
Additional course grading information
The end of semester examination is a hurdle requirement which must be passed in order to pass the course overall.
Percentage marks will be rounded to the nearest whole number - e.g., 84.4% rounds down to 84%, and 84.5% rounds up to 85%. This applies to all grade cutoffs except for a grade of 4. The minimum pass mark is 50%, and a pass cannot be achieved by rounding up from 49.5%.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Lecture |
Lectures A 3-hour lecture every Tuesday from 12 pm. |
Not Timetabled |
Self-paced Ultra resources Self-paced (Self Directed Learning) 30- 60 mins a week to further explore workshop content |
|
Multiple weeks From Week 2 To Week 12 |
Workshop |
Workshops A 2-hour workshop every Tuesday from 3 pm on alternate weeks only. |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
- AI for Assessment Guide
- Recording of Teaching Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
You'll also need to be aware of the following policies and procedures while completing this course:
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: