Dentistry

1

THESCHOOLOFDENTISTRY

TheUniversity of Liverpool

Pembroke Place

Liverpool L3 5PS

T: +44 (0)151 706 5298

E: [email protected]

www.liverpool.ac.uk/dentistry

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FINDOUTMORE

www.liverpool.ac.uk/study

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UGenquiries and applications: T: +44 (0)151 794 5927

EB/RH JUN 2013

ContentsIntroduction toDentistry01

Research incontext03

Aninvestment inyour future06

Programmedetails08

Applicationsandadmissions 16

01

Liverpool has had a Dental School since1860 and has a proud tradition of providinga first-class education to our students andof providing excellent care for our patients.

The Dental School is highly progressiveand has embraced innovation in educationand assessment, whilst ensuring that worldclass research leaders feed directly into ourcurriculum.We recognise that successfultraining relies on regular contact betweenstaff and students: a range of expert cliniciansis available to provide advice and practicalassistance as required.

At Liverpool we employ a blend of learningtechniques tomake the student experienceenjoyable, constructive and intellectuallychallenging. Dentistry offers an excitingopportunity for satisfying andworthwhilecareers that combine a variety of skills andprovide a direct benefit to the health needsof the community.

WHYCHOOSEDENTISTRYAT LIVERPOOL

Investment. The School has undergoneamajor £6million investment programme,funded by the Department of Health (DoH)and the Higher Education Funding Council forEngland (HEFCE), to enhance our teachingfacilities and to allow us to accommodatemorestudents. The investment programme includedthe construction of special care dentistry suitesand oral surgery suites, state-of-the-art trainingfacilities, new tutorial rooms, enhanced patientfacilities, new research laboratories and a newstudent common room.

Integratedprogramme.Students experiencea highly integrated, preventative-orientatedprogrammewith Dentistry taught holisticallyand in the context of the primary care services.

DentistrDentistryoffersanexcitingopportunity for

satisfyingandworthwhilecareers thatcombine

avarietyof skillsandprovideadirectbenefit

to thehealthneedsof thecommunity.

Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Learning andTeaching >Dentistry


100%

ofourgraduates are employedor in further studywithinsixmonths of graduating.

(DLHE2010/11)

02/03

HOWYOUARE ASSESSED

The assessment strategy for the academiccomponents of the BDS programmes adoptsa varied approach including: EMI (ExtendedMatching Items); SBA (Single Best Answer);Short Answer; Critical Reasoning LongAnswer; OSCE (Observed Structured ClinicalExamination); and 1st, 2nd and 3rd BDSin-programme component essays to assesscritical writing skills. As the BDS programmeprogresses, the assessments are carefullydesigned and appraised so that they assessapplication and understanding of knowledgeas applied to the clinical situation, so as tolink with the essential clinical skills ethos.All summative assessments are precededby formative assessments, after which thestudents receive detailed feedback.

With regards to clinical activity, BDS studentsmust pass an assessment of basic clinicalcompetence before being allowed to use thesenewly acquired skills on a patient. Thereafter,the assessment of clinical activity is undertakenusing case reports, outreach reports andpurpose designed clinical monitoring. Theseclinical monitoring procedures are based onthe work-based assessment tools that havebeen validated for use in postgraduate DentistryandMedicine. An important aspect of theseassessments is their integrated nature, andtheir use inmultiple clinics. This latter pointis crucial to the fairness and robustness ofthe assessments.

Furthermore, the system ensures that allLiverpool graduates are in the advantageousposition of being able to take their activityportfolio into the work place to aid theirfoundation training.

Personal responsibility for learning.

Appropriately supported by the School ofDentistry, students will take a very high levelof responsibility for their personal learningand progress, and for themanagementof their patients’ care.

Central location.Most of the teaching is carriedout at the Liverpool University Dental Hospital(LUDH), which is housed in amodern buildingwithin the University precinct a fewminutes’walk from the Students’ Union, libraries andcity centre. The hospital has over 60,000patient attendances annually and containsthemost up-to-date equipment and facilities.

Hands-on experience.Our problem-basedlearning (PBL) approach to study ensures oursis a practical approach from day one. In thefinal two years, BDS students undertake clinicaltraining in clinics of the Community DentalService and general dental practices aroundMerseyside, thus easing the transition intopost-qualification employment.

HOWYOU LEARN

For BDS students, the early years arepredominantly student centred learning withproblem-based learning (PBL), supported bylectures.Whilst clinical training in subsequentyears continues this method of learning,there is, in addition, small group teachingand lectures throughout the second, third,fourth and fifth years. Much of the clinicalexperience is gainedwith students treatingpatients in the different clinics in the DentalHospital under close supervision of the staff.



ResearchincontextTheUniversityofLiverpool isa research-intensive

university, andmanyofouracademicstaff are leading

researchers in their fields.What thismeans for youas

astudent is that your learningwill be informedby the

very latestdevelopments inDentistry.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC) is the 6thmost commonmalignancyworldwide, with an incidence of 615,000 casesper annum. The latest Cancer Research UKdata showed that the UK incidence of oraland oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer(OSCC andOPSCC) had risen by 24%in the last decade (Figure 1 overleaf).Merseyside and Cheshire has the highestincidence of OSCC in England andWales.

Academicmembers of staff in the Schoolof Dentistry are part of a wider Mersey HeadandNeckOncology Group researchingmanyaspects of the biology and genomics of headand neck cancer.

One area of particular interest is ourinvestigation of the interactions betweenhuman papillomavirus (HPV)-16 and the hostin oropharyngeal cancer.We have shown thatthe prevalence of HPV-16 infection associatedwith oropharyngeal cancer has increaseddramatically in the UK over the past twodecades, so that, in Liverpool, nearly 90%ofthese tumours now demonstrate evidence ofactive HPV-16 infection. This has implicationsnot only for treatment and prognosis, whichis relatively good for HPV-16 positive tumours,but has also driven calls to includemales inthe UKHPV vaccination program.

95%40%ofresearch activity deemedworld-leading or internationallyexcellent, and a further 55%internationally recognised.

(RAE2008)

04/05



-40 -20 0 20 40 60 80

All Cancers

Thyroid

Malignant Melanoma

Liver

Kidney

Oral

Uterus

Prostate

Myeloma

Non-Hodgkin

Lymphoma

Connective Tissue

Lung

Hodgkin Lymphoma

Vulva

Pancreas

Oesophagus

Breast

Mesothelioma

Testis

Bowel

Leukaemia

Cervix

Brain and CNS

Ovary

Larynx

Bladder

Stomach

Women Men

Keratinocyte

layer

Organotypic

culture

Primary

tumour

Squamous cells

invading into

fibroblast layer

Node –ve

Node –ve, ECS +ve

ECS +ve

FIGURE 1:Percentage change in EuropeanAge-Standardised

Cancer IncidenceRates,MajorCancers, UK, 1999-2010

FIGURE 2:Organotypicmodels compared

with histological features in the indexprimary

OSCCshowing:

i) no invasion and

ii) ‘pushing’ invading front at theprimary

site (arrows)

iii) limited invasionwith discrete islands and

iv) infiltrative invasion at theprimary site

advancing

front (arrows)

v) widespread invasionwith significant cellular

dissociation and

vi) infiltrative, non-cohesive front at theprimary

site (arrows show islands of tumour apart

fromprimary tumourmass)

(JDhandaet al, unpublished)

HPV status has been shown to be an importantprognostic biomarker in OPSCCwith a hazardratio for overall survival around 0.4, from reviewsof clinical trials. This has led to calls to clarify thebest test or combination of tests for accuratediagnosis so that treatment programs can bemodified accordingly. We have published twohigh impact papers in this area demonstratingthat biomarkers of active infection, such asRNA expression, aremost closely linked togood clinical outcome. These, more sensitivetests, are set to be applied in clinical trials inorder to stratify patient responses to treatment.

Another area of our research is the role of thehost cellular response to tumour invasion, thetumour-stroma interaction. It is now establishedthat the tumour stroma, including cancer-associated fibroblasts, plays an important rolein the development of head and neck cancer.We have established novel models of HNSCCthat aim to reproduce the tumour-stroma

interactions and architecture seen in thesetumours, andmore closely predict clinicalresponse as well as providing an insight intothe biological perspective of tumour-stromalinteractions.We have observed that themodel recapitulates the invasive behaviourof the originating tumour as observed inhistopathological sections (Figure 2). Thisprovides opportunities to investigate bothtumour biology, and to develop novel modelsfor testing therapeutic agents. Thesemodelsalso have the capability to significantly drivethe replacement of mice in cancer biologyand cancer drug development studies.

Knowledge generated by research in theseareas is used to inform and augment lecturesand other teaching of undergraduate studentsin the Dental School. In addition, students areable to join the research group for seminarsand for short, laboratory-based projects laterin the BDS course.

06/07

AninvestmentinyourfutureThere isawide rangeofcareeropportunities

within theprofession. Themajorityofourgraduates

will choosegeneraldentalpracticehowever, some

opt foracareer in teaching,communityservices,

or thearmedservices,whilstothers look tospecialise

andundertake furtherstudiesatpostgraduate level.

QUALIFYING YOU FOR LIFE

Studying dentistry encourages studentsto develop valuable, transferable skillswhich provide a strong foundation for theircareers and their continuing professionaldevelopment. Key skills displayed by allof our graduates include:

Communication skills(both oral andwritten)Critical reasoning skillsClinical skillsProfessionalismTeamworkingLifelong learning

CAREER PROSPECTS

There is a wide range of career opportunitieswithin the profession. Themajority of BDSgraduates will choose general dental practicewithin the NHS and in the private sector,whilst othersmight choose one of the hospitalspecialities, the community dental service,university teaching, or the armed forces.

Around 80%will go into general dentalpractice, becoming partners or associateswithin the practice. Graduates in DentalHygiene/Therapy find equally varied andrewarding careers as dental hygienistsand therapists. Themajority work in dentalpractice where they undertake an increasinglywide range of dental procedures.

POSTGRADUATEOPPORTUNITIES

For students whowish to continue theirstudies at postgraduate level, Dental Sciencesat Liverpool offers the Professional Doctorateprogramme, which is delivered in amodularformat. In addition, we currently offer researchdegrees leading toMPhil, MDS and PhD, whichmay be studied on a full or part-time basis ina selected area of study, drawing on thespecialisms of members of staff. ContinuingProfessional Development (CPD) short coursesare also run which are non-credit bearing.

Graduate

Profile



MytimeasanundergraduateatLiverpoolallowedmetoestablishthefoundationsofarewardingcareer,gavemeagroupof lifelongfriendsandleft fondmemoriesofafunlife inavibrantcity.MICHAEL DODD

DENTAL SURGERYBDSGRADUATED2009

08/09

Degrees at aGlance UCASCode Length (Years) Page

Bachelor of Dental Surgery BDS A200 5 09

Bachelor of Dental Surgery BDS A201 4 10

(Graduate Entry Pathway)

CombinedDiploma inDental Hygiene/Dental Therapy Direct entry only 27months 12

Foundation toHealth Studies (Year 0) Direct entry only 1 13

Year One

This is the Introductory Phase of the newBachelor of Dental Science (BDS) programme.It has four elements:

BasicMedical Sciences: a problem-basedlearning (PBL) courseCommunication for Clinical PracticeSpecial Dental Component (Restorative 1):students begin to develop clinical skillsin the Operative Skills SuiteIntroduction to Oral Health: studentsare introduced to the principals ofhealth psychology and health education,including anOral Health placementin the summer term.

Year Two

Introduction to Clinical Practice(Restorative 2)Oral Sciences andMedicine 1Restorative 2Basic Life Support 1Radiology Core of KnowledgePaediatric Dentistry 1

Year Three

Oral Sciences andMedicine 2Radiology 2Restorative 3Paediatric Dentistry 2Oral Surgery 1Basic Life Support 2Orthodontics 1



Dental Surgery BDS

UCASCode: A200

Programme Length: 5 years

Becoming a dentist is hard work, however,the rewards include job satisfaction throughdelivering a highly professional and personal,community-based job. On successfulcompletion of the programme you’ll be granteda Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree that isaccredited by the General Dental Council.

PROGRAMMECONTENT

The programme consists of three phases.Phase I includes the study of BasicMedicalSciences, which youwill study via a ‘problem-based learning’ (PBL) approach in conjunctionwith lectures. Clinical Dental Skills are introducedduring the Special Dental Component in thesecond semester. Lectures in Oral Health andinteractive tutorials in Communication Skillsenhance this phase.

Phase II occupies the second, third andfourth years of this integrated programmein which PBL, lectures, seminars and clinicalskills acquisition go hand-in-hand. Awiderange of topics is studied including OralSciences andMedicine, Oral Diseases,Medical Emergencies, LawandEthics alongsidethe theoretical aspects of the various dentaldisciplines. Training in the practical skills ofdentistry is through the supervised treatmentof patients in the Dental Hospital.

Phase III is the final year of study, consolidatingtheoretical knowledge and clinical experience inpreparation for the final examination. In additionto treating patients in the Dental Hospital,students also provide treatment in local dentalpractices and community clinics thus facilitatinga seamless transition into Foundation Training.

Entrance Requirements

Seewww.liverpool.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses for current entrance requirements.

Foundation to Health Studies

Foundation programmes have flexible entry requirements. For further information on howto apply to this programme and details of entry requirements please contact Karen Madden,The University of Liverpool, School of Health Sciences, Thompson Yates Building, TheQuadrangle, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3GB T: +44 (0)151 794 5712 E: [email protected] visitwww.liverpool.ac.uk/healthsciences

For current entrance requirements andfull module details, seewww.liverpool.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses

Prog ammedetails

10/11



Dentistryoffersveryexcitingopportunities inaveryengagingcareer.Wetrainonsimulatorswhichareofaveryhighqualityandcandevelopexcellentclinicalskillsbeforemovingontothereal thing.Theemphasisofstudyshiftsoverthefiveyears, soyoumovefromthetheoretical totheclinical,andinthefinalyearyouareprettymuchconstantlyintheclinics.KRISTIAN BLACKHALL

DENTAL SURGERY BDS

See what Kristian had to say about

studying Dental Surgery at Liverpool

www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/video

Dental Surgery BDS

(Graduate Entry Pathway)

UCASCode: A201

Programme Length: 4 years

Building on the graduate’s prior knowledgein an extended Year One, the School fast-tracksgraduates through themedical core of YearsOne and Two of the five-year programme. Theprogramme develops such that the underlyingbiomedical sciences are integratedwith anincreasing proportion of clinical practice.

PROGRAMMECONTENT

Theoretical learning is carried out in small,problem-based groups and is supportedby lectures, together with Communicationand Clinical Skills components, the HumanAnatomy Resource Centre and laboratorysessions. Students will be integratedwith thesecond year students on the five-year A200course andwill be cutting their first cavitiesat an early stage of the first term. At the endof Year One, students will undertake thesame assessment as those completing YearTwo of the five-year programme. Successfulcandidates will then follow the final three yearsof the five-year BDS programme (A200).

Year Four

Oral DiseasesClinical Governance DayRestorative 4 OS2Special Care DentistryPaediatric Dentistry 3IV SedationMedical EmergenciesNHS training dayOral Surgery 2

Year Five

Dental Public Health and PrimaryDental CareOrthodontics 2Law and EthicsClinical Governance DayBasic Life Support 3Clinicopath seminars


12/13



Modules for The Dentistry pathway:

Biology for Health Studies 1 & 2 (45 credits)Chemistry for Medicine/Dentistry 1 & 2(45 credits)Foundations of Professional Studies(15 credits)Health and Social Care for Medicineand Dentistry (15 credits)

The Biologymodules provide the basicknowledge of the structure and functionof the human body relating to cell structureand function: genetics; respiration; transport;regulation and control; action of drugs;immunity; the eye and the nervous system.

The Foundation of Professional Studiesmodule (15 credits) provides students withthe opportunity to develop their knowledgeand understanding of the Health and SocialCare context of practice for health careprofessionals.

The twoChemistry modules (45 credits) willprovide basic knowledge of those aspectsof Chemistry which are particularly relevanttoMedicine.

Health and Social Care for Medicine andDentistry (15 credits) introduces the studentsto health and social policy.

*For further information on how to apply tothis programme visitwww.liverpool.ac.uk/health-sciences/undergraduate

The Academic programme continuesthroughout the course with second yearteaching concentrating on clinically – specificsubjects such as restorative and paediatricdentistry. Clinical experience begins in thesecond half of the first academic year, wherestudents will spend time on clinical placements,either in the Liverpool Dental Hospital or atpractice placement sites. For students basedat Accrington, one day aweekwill be spent inLiverpool to enable students tomix with otherDiploma students.

Year One

Foundation courseECDLPlaque Related Disease 1Dental Hygiene Operative TechniqueBehavioural SciencesPreventive DentistryDental Therapy Operative TechniqueClinical Placement 1

Year Two

Restorative DentistryOral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral PathologyRadiologyDental Public HealthPlaque Related Disease 2Clinical Placement 2Critical Thinking and EvidenceBased DentistryPaediatric Dentistry andOrthodonticsClinical Placement 3

Year Three

ElectiveClinical Placement 4

*For further information on how to apply tothis programme visitwww.liverpool.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/combined-

diploma-in-dental-hygiene-therapy


Combined Diploma in Dental

Hygiene/Dental Therapy

UCASCode: Apply directly

through the School of Dentistry

Programme Length: 27months

The Combined Diploma in Dental Hygieneand Therapy is a full-timemodular coursewhich is studied over 27 calendarmonths,with students based at sites in Accringtonand Liverpool (subject to SHA commissions).

All students travel to Liverpool for someof their lectures and clinical training. Thisprovides opportunities for interacting withBDS students. However, themajority oftime is spent at the local site. Each site hasa clinical skills laboratory where studentsgain experience on ‘phantom heads’ beforeprogressing to treat patients, either in dentalpractices close to their particular site or in theLiverpool University Dental Hospital. The clinicaltraining is integrated into and complementsthe taught modules of the programme.

The Diploma programme is particularlyattractive to applicants with a backgroundin Dental Nursing whowish to becomemore involved in treating patients. Successfulcompletion of the programme leads toregistration with the General Dental Council asboth a Dental Hygienist and a Dental Therapist.Liverpool is continually redeveloping the coursetomeet the demands of an ever-changing andexciting dental profession.

PROGRAMMECONTENT

The programme adopts amodular approachto the delivery of the content. The first yearprovides students with essential knowledgeand clinical skills required for them to progressto treating patients.

ProgrammewithaFoundationYear

Foundation to Health

Studies (Year Zero)

UCASCode: Apply directly through

School of Health Sciences

Programme Length: 1 year

The University of Liverpool, in collaboration withlocal FE partners, has developed a Year Zerofoundation programme for Home/EU studentsthat leads to access onto a variety of vocationalHealth Studies programmes. Studentsseeking entry to Dentistry follow a pathwaythat is offered at Carmel College, St Helens.

Successful completion, to the specifiedstandard, ensures automatic progressiononto the degree programmes at the Universityof Liverpool in Dentistry.

Please note students who have appliedthrough UCAS for entry onto undergraduateprogrammes in the School of Dentistrywould not normally be considered for thisroute, which is specifically targeted at Home/EUmature and non-traditional students whotypically have taken a break from studies.

PROGRAMMECONTENT

This is amodular programme and successfulcandidates have to complete 120 credits.

In all modules the study skills neededfor independent study at undergraduatedegree level are developed. Students arealso introduced to a variety of learningmethods, for example, formal taught sessions,workshops, practical laboratory sessions anda variety of assessment tasks, for example,written assignments, in class data handling,written and practical examinations to providea good grounding for vocational programmes.

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16/17

DUTYOFCARE

The University has an obligation to undertakehealth screening of all prospective dentalstudents. Any offer of a place is conditionalon completion of a health questionnaire and asatisfactory assessment of fitness to train fromthe University’s Occupational Health Service.This includes some obligatory immunisationsand blood tests, in line with recommendationsfrom the Department of Health. All studentsalso need to undergo an enhancedCRBcheck before admittance to the programme.

ENTRANCEREQUIREMENTS

For full details on the programmeswe offerand detailed entrance requirements, visitwww.liverpool.ac.uk/study/undergraduate

We accept a wide range of otherqualifications, eg EU and internationalqualifications. For more detailed informationon entrance requirements see our onlineprospectuswww.liverpool.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses

For information on English language entryrequirements visitwww.liverpool.ac.uk/study/international/countries/english-language orcontact Student Recruitment and AdmissionsT: +44 (0)151 794 6730 E: [email protected]

ask.liv.ac.uk/help/undergraduate

MATURESTUDENTS

Wewelcome applications from candidateswho are not applying directly from schoolor college, or who have non-standardqualifications, or whowish work or lifeexperience to be taken into account as partof their application. For further informationseewww.liverpool.ac.uk/maturestudents

STUDENTSWITHDISABILITIES

Wegive equal consideration to all applicantsandwelcome applications from studentswith disabilities. Please contact the DisabilitySupport Team on T: +44 (0)151 794 5117to discuss your support needs before yousubmit your UCAS application.

DIVERSITY ANDEQUALITY

The University of Liverpool attaches thegreatest importance to its policies and activitiesto promote diversity and equality of opportunity.Full details on these policies can be found onlineatwww.liverpool.ac.uk/diversity-and-equality

DISCLAIMER

Every effort has beenmade to ensure thatinformation containedwithin this brochureis accurate at the time of going to press.However, thematters covered are subjectto change from time to time, both beforeand after a candidate’s admission.



ApplicationsandadmissionsWewelcome applications from all over theworld, and it’s our aim tomake the processof applying as smooth as possible.

The information that follows is a brief guideto applying for programmes of study at theUniversity of Liverpool. For full details of ourapplications and admissions policy, pleasevisit our website atwww.liverpool.ac.uk/ug-admissions

MAKINGANAPPLICATION

THROUGHUCAS

Applications for full-time undergraduatestudy aremade via UCAS, the Universities andColleges Admissions Service, using UCAS’sonline application system atwww.ucas.comThe University of Liverpool institution codeis LVRPL L41.

WHEN TOMAKE YOURAPPLICATION

For up-to-date information please visitwww.ucas.com

APPLICATIONS FOR THECOMBINED

DIPLOMA IN DENTALHYGIENE/

DENTAL THERAPY PROGRAMME

For further information on how to apply to thisprogramme and details of entry requirementsplease visitwww.liverpool.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/combined-

diploma-in-dental-hygiene-therapy

APPLICATIONS FOR THE FOUNDATION

TOHEALTHSTUDIES PROGRAMME

Foundation programmes have flexible entryrequirements. For further information on howto apply to this programme and details of entryrequirements please contact KarenMadden,The University of Liverpool, School of HealthSciences, Thompson Yates Building, TheQuadrangle, BrownlowHill, Liverpool, L69 3GBT:+44 (0)151 794 5712 E: [email protected]

or visitwww.liverpool.ac.uk/healthsciences

1,674applications in 2012.

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Dentistry