Course coordinator
Dr Unni Kunjukrishna Pillai
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- Herston
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 4
- Administrative campus
- Herston
- Coordinating unit
- Dentistry School
Introduces those areas of science & related disciplines intrinsic in the development of a platform of knowledge to support clinical specialty programs. Common core & cross-discipline requirement for all specialty programs.
DENT7911 provides access to areas of science and related disciplines common to most specialties which are seen as intrinsic in the development of specialist knowledge. The course is cross-disciplinary and topics are selected to fulfill these criteria. The course also introduces research methodologyﾠto help students initiate their DClinDent research projects.ﾠ
An important component of DENT7911 is the lectureﾠseries on core concepts in different specialities,ﾠadvanced radiographic interpretation, blended learning workshops on foundational topics, and fundamentals of research. The common core structure of this course provides one of the opportunities for postgraduate students in all disciplines to study as a group during the three-year program. It will support the necessity for cross-disciplinary patient management. An immediate and important benefit is collegiality and forms the building block for multidisciplinary discussion during the grand rounds. This is seen as an essentialﾠcomponent of specialist training and it is hoped that this will translate to life-long professional relationships.ﾠ
Course requirements
Assumed background
The course assumes the candidate possesses the level of knowledge in basic medical sciences required to support General Dental Practice. Where necessary, students will be provided with the opportunity to review undergraduate course material. It is, however, the responsibility of the student to ensure that information provided in this course is understood and that may mean considerable revision of undergraduate information and investigation in areas not covered in undergraduate programs.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Unni Kunjukrishna Pillai
Emeritus Professor Laurence Walsh
Dr Bilal El Masoud
Dr Yinghong Zhou
Guest lecturer
Dr Kevan Jones
Mr Lars Eriksson
Program director
Associate Professor Ryan Lee
Timetable
Additional timetable information
ﾠThe Seminar Schedule is available on BlackBoard.
Aims and outcomes
The aim of DENT7911 is to develop an understanding of scientific methodology and processes, achieve specialist-level knowledge in dentomaxillofacial radiology relevant to the discipline and grasp core concepts of major disciplines in dentistry.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Professionalism - Identify and explain ethical considerations underpinning research in dentistry.
LO2.
Communication and Critical thinking - Critically evaluate literature, transform and present information in written and verbal formats.
LO3.
Scientific and clinical knowledge - Demonstrate competence in database searching and reference management.
LO4.
Scientific and clinical knowledge- Demonstrate competence in the understanding of core concepts in major disciplines in dentistry.
LO5.
Patient care - Demonstrate an understanding of dentomaxillofacial radiology as appropriate to specialist clinical practice.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation |
Discipline-specific DMFR Case Presentation
|
Must Pass |
20/01/2025 - 23/05/2025
To be advised on the Blackboard website |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Discipline-specific Literature Review
|
Must Pass |
23/05/2025 |
| Presentation, Quiz, Reflection |
In Class Quiz/ Reflection
|
Must pass |
19/05/2025 - 30/05/2025 |
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
Discipline-specific DMFR Case Presentation
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- Must Pass
- Due date
20/01/2025 - 23/05/2025
To be advised on the Blackboard website
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L05
Task description
A presentation topic will be assigned to each student at the first DMFR session and the candidate is required to present the allocated case in class throughout the semester.
Students will be provided with OPG, CEPH, CBCT, CT and MRI scans to review in preparation for each session. Scans will be provided in DICOM format and students will be guided to suitable DICOM viewing software for PC and Mac.
Written reports are to be submitted no later than midnight the night before the seminar session, in PDF format.
A reporting template will be provided for the students to use.
Radiology Reports will be graded as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory.
This is a MUST PASS assessment item. A re-sit is available for this assessment item.
Hurdle requirements
Must PassSubmission guidelines
Further information and rubric provided through blackboard
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Discipline-specific Literature Review
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- Must Pass
- Due date
23/05/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
A literature review relevant to your proposed area of research will be submitted.
The topic should be selected in consultation with your Research Advisory Team and Discipline Lead within the first three weeks of semester. The aim is to provide a resource that will give direct assistance in your specialty discipline and to provide the required background for development of your research project.
The literature review is a vital part of a research project. It should be comprehensive and demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the literature in the area of your proposed research. A literature review synthesises the literature related to your project and leads to justifying the reasons for further research in this area. As such, the number of references required cannot be stipulated. References should be relevant.
Five main assessment categories are the following:
1. Background: Identification of a research topic based on critical reading of the key literature
2. Search Strategy: Appropriate and replicable literature search strategy
3. Structure and Flow of the Literature Review
4. Academic Writing Skills
5. Referencing
Refer to the Research Guideline DClinDent and DENT7911 Literature Review Task Description for more details.
This is a MUST PASS assessment item. If unsatisfactory, it must be reviewed and re-submitted.
Hurdle requirements
Detailed rubric provided through blackboardSubmission guidelines
Submission is via Turnitin.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
In Class Quiz/ Reflection
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral, Written
- Category
- Presentation, Quiz, Reflection
- Weight
- Must pass
- Due date
19/05/2025 - 30/05/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L04
Task description
The specific task will be set by the workshop/ seminar lead. This may take the form of a quiz, reflection or presentation and may be conducted as an in-class activity after individual seminar/ workshop or as an end of semester examination.
Hurdle requirements
Must PassSubmission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Pass/Fails | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| P | 60 - |
Course grade description: PASSﾠDemonstrates substantial understanding of fundamental concepts of theﾠtopics covered during the course. Present well thought out and structured presentations if required. Demonstrate an ability to applyﾠlearnt concepts in a variety of contexts; develops or adapts convincing arguments and provides coherent justification; communicates information and ideas clearly and fluently in terms of the conventions of the discipline. Present a well researched and structured review of the literature as it relates to the candidates research topic. |
| F | - |
Course grade description: FAILﾠ Candidate fails toﾠattend a minimum of 80 per cent of the seminars, does not contribute to discussions relating to the topics covered. ﾠFailure to meet the minimum requirements for a comprehensive review of the literatureﾠwill also result in a failing grade. Demonstrates a lack of basic scientific knowledge in the discipline and an inability to relate this basic knowledge to clinical applications. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
The School of Dentistry permits the resubmission or resitting of failed assessment items in specific and defined circumstances. In this course, all asignment components are eligible for consideration for the re-submission/ re-sit option under the following conditions:ﾠAchieve a minimum of 30%. After resubmission or resitting, the maximum result is a pass mark for that assessment component. Students who are granted a resit/resubmission for an assessment item and do not attend on/submit by the scheduled date will not be permitted to reschedule the assessment/granted an extension to the due date.ﾠ
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
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Resource materialﾠis provided as preliminary reading by some seminar coordinators. The opportunity to contribute materials relevant to the course and specific disciplines is intrinsic to this course and all members are expected to be active contributors.
All materials preparedﾠshould be provided to the course coordinator (the week prior to the seminar if possible) for posting on the Blackboard course site and hence be accessible to all group members.
Relevant learning resources will be updated and uploaded to the Blackboard course site.
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 |
Seminar |
Specialty Topics Seminars will be presented by discipline/topic experts. Students are expected to actively participate in class discussions. Depending on the topics, reading materials will be provided by lecturers prior to the seminars. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Not Timetabled |
Research Proposal Preparation & Literature Review Students are expected to prepare for seminars either as a presenter or an active participant. Students need to allocate sufficient time to prepare for the literature review and research proposal presentation on their research topics at the end of the Semester 1. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
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 - Students 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:
- Working with Children Policy
- Occupational Health and Safety in the Laboratory Guideline
- Fitness to Practise Policy
- Vaccinations and Immunisation Procedure
- Work Integrated Learning and Work Experience Policy
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: