FACULTY OF MEDICINE

School of Dental Science BDS Handbook August 2008, Page 1 of 42

FACULTY OF MEDICINE

SCHOOL OF DENTAL SCIENCES

BDS STUDENT HANDBOOK

(A200, A201)

ACADEMIC SESSION 2008-09


This handbook provides School and University information for all BDS students within the School of Dental Sciences. The handbook is updated annually with updates posted on VITAL. This particular version is an update for 2008/09 and covers the following programmes: A200 BDS 5-year programme A201 BDS 4-year Graduate Entry programme This handbook should be used in conjunction with the relevant Programme Specifications and the individual Year and Course Handbooks (all found on VITAL - https://vital.liv.ac.uk/webapps/login/).


Contents

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE SCHOOL 5 1.1 The School of Dental Sciences 8 1.2 Diversity and Equality 14 1.3 The University approach to supporting disabled students 15

2. IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL STUDENTS 15

2.1 Online University Handbook 15 2.2 Penalties for late submission of assessed work 15 2.3 Sickness absence policy 15 2.4 Mitigating Circumstances 16 2.5 Plagiarism and Collusion 17 2.6 Jury Service 17 2.7 The Student SPIDER Web 18 2.8 Student Representation 18 2.9 Health and Safety 19 2.10 Liverpool Guild of Students 19 2.11 University Library 20 2.12 Computing Services 21 2.13 The University Calculator 21

3. UNIVERSITY STRATEGY 22

3.1 School Learning and Teaching Strategy 22 3.2 Provision of Feedback to Students 22

4. KEY SKILLS AND EMPLOYMENT 23

4.1 The Careers and Employability Service – It‟s your career we‟re talking about 23 4.2 Learning and study skills support 23 4.3 The Skills Award 24

5. SUPPORT SERVICES FOR STUDENTS 24

5.1 Personal Tutoring 24 5.2 Support and Advice 25

5.2.1 Student Support Services 25 5.2.2 Student Support Assistant (SSA)/Care Leavers‟ Contact 25 5.2.3 The Disability Support Team 26 5.2.4 Financial Support Team 26 5.2.5 International Support Team (IST) 27

5.3 Student Counselling 27 5.4 Mental Health Adviser (MHA) 28 5.5 Liverpool Guild of Students 28

6. OTHER USEFUL PUBLICATIONS 29

6.1 Student Charter 29 6.2 University Complaints Procedure 29 6.3 Fitness to Practise Procedure 29

7. THE BDS PROGRAMME 30

7.1 Statutory Control of the Degree of BDS 30 7.2 Context and Rationale 30 7.3 Brief Structure of the BDS Programme 30


8. EXAMINATIONS 32 8.1 Attendance, Examinations and Progress in Studies 32 8.2 Assessments Years 1 to 4 32 8.3 5th/Final BDS 33 8.4 Degree Classification 33 8.5 Requirements for Entry to the 5th/Final BDS 35 8.6 Exit Awards 35

9. FURTHER INFORMATION 35

9.1 General Entry Conditions 35 9.2 Infectious Diseases – Obligations of Students 36 9.3 Term and Assessment Dates 36 9.4 Registration 37 9.5 Absence, Withdrawal, Transfer and Suspension 37 9.6 Other Specific Rules to be Observed by Students in the School of 39

Dental Sciences


1. INTRODUCTION TO THE SCHOOL

SCHOOL CONTACT INFORMATION

School of Dental Sciences Pembroke Place

The University of Liverpool LIVERPOOL

L3 5PS

Admissions 0151-706 5298

General Enquiries/ 0151-706 5077/5275 Administration Office

Head of School: 0151-706 5202 Head of Division of Dentistry: 0151-706 5227 Senior Tutor: 0151-706 5225

School of Dental Sciences Fax No: 0151-706 5845 Website: http://www.liv.ac.uk/dental/index.htm University Switchboard: 0151-794 2000 Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University Hospitals Switchboard: 0151-706 2000

Notes:

1. In this publication, words signifying the masculine shall include the feminine except in

relation to matters which are the subject of exemption under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

2. This edition of this Handbook supersedes all previous issues. The matters covered by this edition are subject to change from time to time.

3. Admission to the University is subject to the requirement that the student will comply with the University‟s registration procedure and will duly observe its Charter, Statutes, Ordinances, Regulations and Rules.


INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the University of Liverpool. A University is a complex structure and the object of this Handbook is to help you understand it more fully by giving practical information about the organisation of the School of Dental Sciences and general information about the University. It contains valuable information concerning the courses and examinations in each of the five years of the BDS course. For your information, the Liverpool University Dental Students‟ Society (LUDSS) caters not only for your social and sporting requirements but may also assist with any academic problems you may have. Highlights include the annual Autumn Ball, a formal occasion for staff and students alike, sports day, book sales, guest speakers and other similar events. Membership is on payment of a lifetime subscription fee of £60 and all students are expected to join.


Staff Contacts in the School

School of Dental Science Officers

Name Role Email Extension Prof Callum Youngson Head of the Division of Dentistry [email protected] (0151) 706 5202 Miss Eileen Theil Senior Tutor [email protected] (0151) 706 5225 Mr Peter Farrelly Safety Co-ordinator [email protected] (0151) 706 5223 Dr Luke Dawson Director of BDS programmes [email protected] (0151) 706 5273 Mr David Young Director of DCP programmes [email protected] (0151) 706 5218 Prof Neil Pender Director of PG programmes [email protected] (0151) 706 5210

The full list of the academic staff of the School and their contact details can be found on the School of Dental Sciences website. Specific Staff relevant to the BDS programmes are:

BDS Officers

Name Role Email Extension

Dr Luke Dawson Director of BDS programmes [email protected] (0151) 706 5273

Mr Peter Farrelly Teaching Lead for 1st BDS [email protected] (0151) 706 5223

Dr Janet Risk Teaching Lead for OSM [email protected] (0151) 706 5265

Dr John Smalley Teaching Lead for OSM [email protected] (0151) 706 5272

Dr Liam Boyle Teaching Lead for Restorative Dentistry

[email protected] (0151) 706 5215

Dr Tom Thayer Teaching Lead for Oral Diseases [email protected] (0151) 706 5242

Prof Neil Pender Teaching Lead for Orthodontics [email protected] (0151) 706 5210

Mr George Lee Teaching Lead for Paediatric Dentistry


A full list of the administrative support staff of the School and their contact details can be found on the School of Dental Sciences website. The following table gives the contact details of selected support staff who you might need to contact.

Administrative Support Staff

Name Role Email Extension

Mr David James School Administrator [email protected] (0151) 706 5132

Mrs A Bryant PA to Head of School [email protected] (0151) 706 5202

Mr David Thornton e-Learning Unit [email protected] (0151) 706 5300

Mr Matt Cripps e-Learning Unit [email protected] (0151) 706 5036

Ms Katie Bradley PBL Secretary [email protected] (0151) 706 5275

Ms Debbie Nolan School Secretary [email protected] (0151) 706 5077

Ms Hester Burnige Secretary for Student/Staff Liaison Committees


Mrs Julie Crosbie-Chown

PA to the Head of the Division of Dentistry


Mrs Jan Vicary DCP Curriculum Coordinator [email protected] (0151) 706 5039

Mrs Glenys Wood DCP Secretary [email protected] (0151) 706 5046

The School of Dental Sciences Office and the Postgraduate Office is on the 4

th Floor of the Dental

Hospital. The School Office is open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm.

http://www.liv.ac.uk/info/portal/pls/portal/tulwwwmerge.mergepage?p_template=dc&p_tulipproc=dir&p_params=%3Fp_dept%3DDC%26p_template%3Ddc





1.1 The School of Dental Sciences

The Liverpool Dental Hospital began training dentists in 1861, receiving full recognition from the Royal College of Surgeons in 1876. The Dental School was incorporated into the University of Liverpool in 1899. The University established the Louis Cohen Chair in Dental Surgery in 1920 as the first professorship in dentistry in the UK and Liverpool was one of the first universities in Britain to recognise the importance of science and research in dentistry by founding a Chair in Dental Science in 1963. Dental education and research in Liverpool has, therefore, a long and innovative tradition. The University‟s School of Dental Sciences is closely integrated with the Liverpool University Dental Hospital, which is part of the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust and is housed in a building on the Pembroke Place area of the University Campus. The School offers undergraduate provision in the form of the degree of Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) including a 4-year graduate entry programme and a Combined Diploma programme in Dental Therapy and Dental Hygiene. Undergraduate BDS students with a particular aptitude may interrupt their dental course for one year in order to study for an intercalated BSc. Recent intercalated students have studied cell biology, physiology and psychology. In 2008, the School introduced a new research Postgraduate programme, the DDSc Doctor in Dental Science in Orthodontics. The School also enrols postgraduate research students for the degrees of MPhil and PhD. The Hospital is involved in the education of Dental Nurses and Dental Laboratory Technicians. All these training programmes for the professions complementary to dentistry proceed in parallel with that of the BDS students. The School has close links with the offices of the Regional Postgraduate Dental Dean, who is concerned with the higher training of specialists in dentistry and with the continuing education required of all dentists working within the National Health Service. In particular, the Postgraduate Dean, Dr Brian Grieveson, is responsible for the Vocational Training year which is mandatory for all new dental graduates entering practice in the NHS, and will assist recent graduates in obtaining their first placements in general dental practice. The School‟s Museum of Dentistry was started in 1880 and has continued without interruption until the present day. Because of its long history, it contains many early dental artefacts, not least of these being the collection of early dentures, now thought to be one of the most important in the world. Other items include early documents such as Apprentice indentures, research and teaching material connected with famous figures in the history of dentistry such as Cryer, Gottlieb and Gysi, as well as material of a more modern nature. There is also a collection of early textbooks on dentistry and a large collection of dental instruments and furniture. These are all housed in the School of Dental Sciences, Edwards Building, where part of the collection is on permanent display. Many artefacts are also now displayed in the University‟s newly renovated Victoria Gallery & Museum. The Weaver Reading Room is located within the Museum, providing a pleasant environment in which students can relax and read, and is open between 9 am and 5 pm except when public access to the Museum is granted. The facility has been provided for by a generous bequest from the family of the late Tony Weaver, who was a graduate of Liverpool Dental School. Alumni Association The Liverpool University Dental Alumni Association is an organisation which helps members to keep in contact with the Dental School and also with other Liverpool dental graduates throughout the world, which can be particularly useful to those looking for practice vacancies and those planning to travel abroad. Each year, a Newsletter is circulated to all members giving news of the Dental School, Dental Students‟ Society, news of members and occasional articles of interest.


Details of the Annual Meeting and Dinner, and the AGM, are given and ten-year reunions are encouraged. Each year is encouraged to have a Year Representative who keeps in touch with the Honorary Secretary and has access to the latest list of addresses of members of his/her year. This facilitates the organising of reunions of individual years. Payment of a single subscription of £25 on graduation provides life membership. RESEARCH IN THE SCHOOL OF DENTAL SCIENCES

The School of Dental Sciences is committed to high quality research that will enhance both the academic and clinical aspects of Dentistry. Laboratory-based research is conducted in a purpose-built research wing, the Edwards Building, provided from an endowment by Richard Edwards, Dean of the School, 1888 – 1898. This building houses laboratories for biochemistry, oral biology, tissue culture, physiology, molecular biology, microbiology and materials science based laboratories, shared with the Department of Clinical Engineering. In additional research is also carried out in clinical research areas in the adjoining Dental Hospital, and in laboratories in the nearby Faculty of Medicine, which includes the University of Liverpool Centre for Cancer Research, which has state of the art molecular and epidemiological facilities. This serves to maximise our resources and enables staff within different research groups to collaborate. Research in the School is focused in three major research groups: Dental Public Health, Plaque Related Diseases, and Mechanisms of Oral Disease and Development. The School is fortunate in having a dedicated research area, the Edwards Building, with well-equipped research laboratories located on four floors. This facility maximises our resources and enables staff within different groups to collaborate. It includes centralised wash-up, autoclaving, 80ºC freezers, freeze dryers and two cold rooms, radioactive room, dark rooms, centrifuges, postgraduate office suite, medical illustration, microbiology laboratories with anaerobic facilities, physiology laboratories with patch clamping, molecular analysis with large PCR electrophoretic sequencing suite, tissue culture, analytical laboratories with a new atomic absorption spectrometer and capillary electrophoresis equipment, histology, microradiography, image analysis and quantitative light-induced fluorescence suite. The School has an excellent track record in PhD and MPhil attainment with postgraduates funded by the Research Councils, charities, industry and the NHS. Dental Public Health The Dental Public Health Group is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for research and teaching in preventive dentistry. The central theme of this group focuses on developing and evaluating interventions to reduce inequalities in child dental health. This multidisciplinary research team conducts randomised –controlled trials of agents for caries prevention. The data from the clinical trials support research to improve methodology by applying new statistical approaches and evaluating caries detection techniques. The group conducts investigations of how familial beliefs, attitudes and behaviours impact on oral health in children. This work has supported the group in developing behavioural interventions to optimise family oral hygiene practices and modify intake of dietary sugar. This research is complemented by international collaborative programmes and substantial research funding including from NIDCR of NIH and the oral care industry with applications to research councils planned. The work of the group has been recognised by the award of a WHO Collaborating Centre on Research in Oral Health of Deprived Communities. A related area of research effort is in primary dental care evaluating aspects of health service delivery and developing a research interface with general dental practitioners. Due to the common areas of interest, the group has close links with the Cariology Group. Plaque Related Diseases The Plaque related disease group comprises one of our major joint laboratory and clinical research areas. The Cariology and toothwear subgroup has a major interest in in vitro and in situ models to


study coronal caries, root caries and erosion and additionally in developing optical techniques (in particular quantitative light-induced fluorescence), which are capable of monitoring mineral loss and gain from tooth tissues in vivo. The group is also interested in plaque metabolism studies for

further elucidation of the carious process. The relationship of materials, techniques, and processes to the initiation of caries and other causes of restorative failure is being investigated. The Oral Microbiology subgroup is interested in the pathogenesis of oral disease and its prevention. There are four principal areas of work: the rational use of antimicrobials, the pathogenesis of infective endocarditis, the improvement of cross infection control methods, and the effect of oral anaerobes on periodontal disease. Mechanisms of Oral Disease and Development

The Mechanisms of Oral Disease and Development group comprises oral clinical phenotyping, orofacial anomalies, oncology, and Sjögren‟s and salivary research sub groups. The oral cl inical phenotyping subgroup is interested in improving clinical phenotyping by developing new indices and the application of novel image analysis and 3D laser profilometry techniques. The orofacial anomalies group is researching the growth and development of the face and jaws and the treatment of skeletal discrepancies and irregularities of the teeth. In addition clinical trials and reviews of orthodontic treatment and assessments of the outcome of orthodontic interventions are investigated. Within the oncology theme, the group is interested in the study of molecular mechanisms in the development of carcinogenesis, in particular the use of molecular markers in the early detection of aerodigestive tract cancers (cancers of the head and neck, oesophagus, lungs). The familial aspects of carcinogenesis are specifically targeted in the study of Tylosis with Oesophageal Cancer (TOC) gene using positional cloning and human genomics techniques. The group is also investigating the use of molecular markers in the fields of oral cancer progression and recurrence which links to the group‟s research on the pathological assessment of local and regional spread of oral cancer and its prognostic significance. New molecular techniques to assay gene expression are being used to determine the role of specific genes in the progression of oral dysplasia to carcinoma and the monitoring of oral cancer patients for recurrence. The research theme of the Sjögren‟s and Salivary Research subgroup is clinical basic science studies related to secretory mechanisms of salivary gland dysfunction, the patho-physiology of salivary glands, immunopathogenesis of Sjögren‟s syndrome, patient management and quality of life. They are investigating secretory mechanisms of salivary glands, mechanisms underlying salivary dysfunction and structure and the pathophysiology of salivary glands. Their remit also includes investigating effective management strategies for patients with salivary gland hypofunctions as well as validating outcome measures including quality of life. THE LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY DENTAL HOSPITAL

Liverpool University Dental Hospital is an integral part of the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust. Located on the main teaching hospital campus, the Dental Hospital occupies a self-contained building on Pembroke Place, originally constructed in the late 1960s. In recent years it has undergone a series of major refurbishments, which have significantly extended and upgraded its surgeries, teaching clinics and patient waiting areas. A separate annexe houses the Dental Hygiene / Therapy and Dental Nurse Training Schools. A further investment of £6m is planned over the period 2007-10 to further enhance the teaching facilities for undergraduates. The Hospital has approximately 160 dental units, a day case unit, a purpose-built IV sedation unit, a large and well-equipped x-ray department, its own pathology laboratories, six 20-unit teaching clinics, consultation and teaching suites for oral medicine and oral surgery. A ground floor extension houses the Hospital‟s own accident and emergency department, alongside surgeries for dental extraction and minor oral surgery and a purpose-built general anaesthetic extractions suite.


There are 80-85,000 patient attendances per year, 12-15,000 as self-referrals through the A&E department. 32 full-time, part-time and honorary Consultants receive secondary and tertiary referrals from throughout Merseyside, as well as participating in the training of dental undergraduates. Specialist departments include Restorative Dentistry (Conservation, Prosthetics, Periodontology), Paediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics, Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine and a consultant-led Dental Sedation Unit. There are strong links with the Regional Maxillofacial Unit at the Aintree Hospitals Trust, a leading centre nationally for the treatment of oral cancer; many of this Unit‟s consultants hold sessions in the Dental Hospital. The Regional Cleft Palate Unit, which recently transferred to Alder Hey Children‟s Hospital, holds weekly joint sessions at the Dental Hospital. MISSION STATEMENT

The Liverpool University Dental Hospital and School of Dental Sciences can be considered as a single institution which exists in order to: 1. Educate and train dental undergraduates. 2. Provide dental services to the Merseyside Community as follows: (a) primary dental care to an extent necessary to provide dental undergraduate training; (b) a complete range of secondary and tertiary dental care for patients referred for those

purposes; (c) the development of preventive dentistry commensurate with undergraduate training

needs, in collaboration with the Community Dental Services throughout the Merseyside area.

3. Provide postgraduate training and clinical facilities for continuing education of dental

practitioners, hospital dentists and community dentists. 4. Provide training for Dental Care Professionals, including:

Dental Nurses;

Dental Technicians;

Dental Hygiene/Therapists. 5. Actively promote dental research at laboratory, clinical and community levels, and closely

integrate this as far as possible with local research programmes in the Health Service and University.

6. Contribute through its core of expertise to the development and conduct of the work of the

University of Liverpool, the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, and the Primary Care Trusts; and to collaborate with these bodies in the promotion of oral health throughout the Merseyside area.

7. Contribute to the national and international promotion of oral science, oral health and the

dental profession.


SCHOLARSHIPS AND PRIZES

A number of University scholarships, value approximately £70 each, are normally awarded each session to first and second year students. The awards are made on the results of June examinations. The rules governing the awards are given below. 1. A student may hold scholarships for not more than two years of an undergraduate course. 2. The scholarships shall normally be held during the second or third years of undergraduate

study. When an undergraduate course normally extends for a period in excess of three years, however, the scholarships may be held during subsequent years of study.

3. The Senate shall determine annually the number of scholarships for which each Board of

Faculty and the Board of Studies may submit recommendations. 4. If in any year the total income of the Foundation is not applied to the granting of scholarships,

any remaining part thereof shall be added to the invested capital of the Foundation. 5. In recognition of the generous benefactions which have been made to the University and

which have enabled these scholarships to be awarded, the Boards of the Faculties shall, when forwarding to the Senate recommendations for awards, select from the lists set out below, the names of a former foundation by which each award shall be known.

Bromley Christopher Bushell Sir Henry Wade Deacon Gossage John Patterson Gibson Sinclair Margaret Bryce-Smith A number of other awards are available within the University, the John Lennon Memorial Scholarship and the Hillsborough Trust Memorial Bursaries. Details and application forms are available from the School Administration Office. UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS IN THE SCHOOL OF DENTAL SCIENCES

Full Regulations for the following awards may be seen in the Student Administration & Support Division, Foundation Building.

Robert Grieve Memorial Prize Value £30. The Prize for students reading for the degree of BDS shall be awarded on the

basis of the marks in the written paper 2 of the Oral Science and Medicine component of the 2nd BDS Examination.

Richard Edwards Scholarship Value £30. The Scholarship shall be open to students reading for the degree of BDS and

shall be awarded to the best student on the basis of the marks in the written paper 2 of the Oral Science and Medicine component of the 2nd BDS Examination.

Thomas H. Bickerton Prize


Value £30. The Award shall be made annually on the basis of the marks of the written paper 2 of the Oral Science and Medicine component of the 2nd BDS Examination.

Mark Ball Memorial Prize

Value £35. At the time of going to press the conditions of this Prize were under review. Philip G. Capon Prize Value £30. Awarded to the student who obtains the highest mark in a special clinical

examination in Children's Dentistry. Restricted to students of sufficiently high standard in the Introductory course.

Gilmour Prize Value £30. Awarded for proficiency in Dental Technology. Lawton Medal Awarded to the final year student who shows the highest standard of operative skill in the field

of advanced conservative dentistry during the provision of total oral care. Scholarship in Dental Prosthetics Value £30. Awarded on the results of a special practical and oral examination in Dental

Prosthetics. University Prize in Dental Surgery Value £30. Awarded to the student who obtains the highest aggregate marks in the BDS Final

Examination, provided that a sufficiently high standard is achieved. University of Liverpool Dental Alumni Association Prize Value £50. Awarded to the Final Year student who submits the best project following

completion of the course in Community Dentistry. Walter Thomas Prize in Oral Medicine and Oral Surgery Value £50. Awarded to the best student judged by the aggregate marks in Oral Diseases in

the BDS Final Examination and by the quality and extent of clinical work in Oral Medicine and Oral Surgery performed during the course.

Walter Thomas Prize in Periodontology Value approximately £50. Awarded to a final year student who has demonstrated the most

outstanding performance during the course in Periodontology as adjudged by marks in the terminal examinations and by the quality of clinical work completed in fulfilment of the requirements for admission to the BDS Final Examination.

HR Williams Prize in Oral Surgery Value £40. Awarded for the best performance in Oral Surgery taking into account the BDS

Final Examination results.

Malcolm Foster Medal Awarded to the final year student(s) who present the best Report of an Elective Project, taking

account of the students' performance in the verbal presentation of the Report. The medal may be awarded to each of two students in the case of joint elective projects.

OTHER AWARDS

BDA Elective Awards


These local awards aim to support students‟ elective projects, to increase awareness of the BDA, to foster links between students and the BDA, and to promote the benefits of BDA membership to students. Under graduates who are members of the BDA are eligible to enter, and three awards are available: £750, £500 and £250 annually. Awards will be made for a written report of a project undertaken during the elective, and a verbal presentation on the elective conference day.

3M Unitek Prize in Orthodontics Value £100. Awarded once a year at the Final Examinations to the student who has

demonstrated the best overall performance during the course in Orthodontics W&H Prize in Operative Dentistry Value £75. Awarded once a year to the student who performs best in the Intermediate

Operative (crown) Course in the third year. British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (Merseyside Branch) Prize in Paediatric Dentistry Value £100. Awarded once a year to the student who obtains the highest marks in the

Paediatric Dentistry terminal examination, provided a sufficiently high standard is achieved. The award will be made only to students taking the examination for the first time.

Dental Alumni Student Elective Award Value £300. Awarded for the best protocol submitted for an elective project. Raj Srivastava Elective Scholarship Value £500 approximately. Awarded for the best protocol submitted for an overseas elective

project. There are a number of other prizes awarded for written protocols on elective research, for example: British Medical and Dental Student Trust Dental Protection Award In addition, a number of national competitions are open to all undergraduates, for example: Medical Defence Union Award Dentsply Student Clinical Programme (run jointly with the British Dental Association) Society of the Advancement of Anaesthesia in Dentistry

1.2 Diversity and Equality

The University of Liverpool is committed to providing a positive learning and working environment where all members of the University community are treated with dignity and respect. We will address discrimination, harassment and victimisation on the grounds of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion and belief, spent criminal convictions (where there is no exemption from the legal provisions in place), socioeconomic background or any other irrelevant factor. The University‟s Diversity and Equality of Opportunity Policy provides the framework for translating this commitment into actions and has three supporting equality schemes and a number of action plans including the Disability Equality Scheme, Gender Equality Scheme and Race Equality Scheme and action plans in these and other equality strands. These documents and further information can be found at: http://www.liv.ac.uk/hr/diversity_equality

http://www.liv.ac.uk/hr/diversity_equality


1.3 The University approach to supporting disabled students

The University encourages a supportive and accessible environment for disabled students. Disabled students are advised to discuss their individual needs with their academic department and the Disability Support Team in the Student Services Centre in order that appropriate arrangements can be made. The School‟s contact for disabled students is Miss Eileen Theil, who can be contacted on 0151 706 5225, or be e-mail [email protected]. On request, information in this Handbook can be made available in your preferred format.

2. IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL STUDENTS

2.1 Online University Handbook

The Online University Handbook provides definitive information for students in a number of important areas. These include: plagiarism; the implications of non-attendance or non-payment of fees; suspension of studies; student progress; special cases for exam classification; the appeals procedure; the University‟s Academic Strategy; the Code of Practice on Assessment; Student Representation; and student support services. The Online University Handbook can be found at: http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/student_handbook/

2.2 Penalties for late submission of assessed work

The University‟s standard penalties for the late submission of assessed work are:

5% of the total marks available for the assessment shall be deducted from the

assessment mark for each working day after the submission date, up to a maximum of five working days (e.g. for work marked out of 100, five marks per day will be deducted; for work marked out of 20, one mark per day will be deducted); however, the mark will not be reduced below the pass mark for the assessment. Work assessed below the pass mark will not be penalised for late submission of up to five days.

Work received more than five working days after the submission deadline will receive a mark of zero. In such circumstances, where a student is required to re-take the assessment, the re-assessment task must be different from the original assessment. Re-submission of the original piece of work is not permissible, except in the case of project work or dissertations. (A working day is defined as a day when the University was open and staff would normally be available for work and thus also be available for contact by students).

Full information about the penalties for late submission of assessed work, including information about special circumstances and departmental responsibilities, are available in section 6 of the University‟s Code of Practice on Assessment: http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/cop_assess/cop_assess.doc

2.3 Sickness Absence Policy

Students registered for undergraduate or taught postgraduate courses may certify their absence through illness from lectures or other classes during a semester by the submission of a self-certified Certificate of Illness. Such a certificate will be valid for absences of up to five consecutive days. The Certificate of Illness does not need to be signed by a medical practitioner.

http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/student_handbook/

http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/cop_assess/cop_assess.doc


The Certificate of Illness will not be valid for:

Absence through illness for more than five consecutive days

Absence from examinations Absence from class tests or other forms of assessment which count for 10% or more of the mark for the module Certificate of Illness forms can be obtained from the Department or School Office and should be submitted through the Department or School Office or to the Faculty Office. The Certificate cannot be accepted if submitted more than two weeks following the date of illness. A maximum of two Certificates is permitted in any semester. Absence through illness for periods longer than five consecutive days must be supported by a medical certificate authorised by a medical practitioner and should be submitted to the Department or School Office. Absence for reasons other than illness can only be allowed after a request has been approved by the appropriate Head of Department. Any mitigating circumstances, such as ill health, which may have affected your studies or performance in assessments and examinations, would need to be submitted formally with supporting evidence, e.g. a medical certificate, to your department following the procedures laid down in the University‟s Mitigating Circumstances policy. 2.4 Mitigating Circumstances

Students sometimes perform more poorly in assessments (whether examinations or other types of assessments) than their previous performance or achievements would have predicted. Sometimes this poor performance can be attributed, or partially attributed, to particular circumstances beyond the control of the student. These circumstances are described as „mitigating circumstances‟ if they are accepted in mitigation of the poorer than expected performance. When a Board of Examiners accepts that there have been mitigating circumstances, it will usually not regard the student‟s poorer than expected performance at its face value in making decisions about the student‟s progress in studies or final degree classification. Mitigating circumstances may, for example, include:

Illness affecting the student. Bereavement. Serious illness affecting a close family member. Unforeseeable or unpreventable events.

Independent documentary evidence, such as medical certificates, must be provided in all cases to verify mitigating circumstances.

It is the responsibility of the student concerned to report all circumstances which s/he wishes to be taken into consideration to the nominated person in his/her department. Students should report such mitigating circumstances as soon as possible and, in any event, no later than one week before the meeting of the Board of Examiners at which the assessment will be considered.


Mitigating circumstances should be reported using the form available at:

http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/appl_for_cons_of_mitcirc.doc

Full information on the mitigating circumstances procedure is available at

http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/mit_circ_pol_final_Nov04.doc

2.5 Plagiarism and collusion

The University‟s Code of Practice on Assessment provides the following definitions of plagiarism and collusion: “Plagiarism occurs when a student misrepresents, as his/her own work, the work, written or otherwise, of any other person (including another student) or of any institution. Examples of forms of plagiarism include:

the verbatim (word for word) copying of another‟s work without appropriate and correctly presented acknowledgement;

the close paraphrasing of another‟s work by simply changing a few words or altering the order of presentation, without appropriate and correctly presented acknowledgement;

unacknowledged quotation of phrases from another‟s work;

the deliberate and detailed presentation of another‟s concept as one‟s own.” All types of work submitted by students are covered by this definition, including, for example, written work, diagrams, designs, charts, musical compositions and pictures. “Collusion occurs when, unless with official approval (e.g. in the case of group projects), two or more students consciously collaborate in the preparation and production of work which is ultimately submitted by each in an identical, or substantially similar, form and/or is represented by each to be the product of his or her individual efforts. Collusion also occurs where there is unauthorised co-operation between a student and another person in the preparation and production of work which is presented as the student‟s own.” Students found to have committed plagiarism or to have colluded in preparing assessments are liable to be severely penalised, e.g. they may be given a mark of zero for the module concerned or, in the most serious cases, may even be required to terminate their studies. Guidelines for dealing with Plagiarism and Collusion can be found at: http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/plag_pol_final_17Feb05.doc

2.6 Jury Service

From time to time students are called for jury service. Jurors are selected at random by Her Majesty‟s Courts Service from the electoral register and everyone on the electoral register between the ages of 18 to 70 may be selected.

Where jury service is likely to interfere with a student‟s study or assessment, the student may seek deferral of their service. To do this they should complete the jury summons including Section 3 and take the completed form to the Student Administration Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building. The Student Administration Centre is open between 09:00 and 17:00. When a jury summons is received by the Student Administration Centre, the Director of Student Administration and Support will write on the student‟s behalf to Her Majesty‟s

http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/appl_for_cons_of_mitcirc.doc

http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/mit_circ_pol_final_Nov04.doc

http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/plag_pol_final_17Feb05.doc


Courts Service enclosing the summons and explaining that it would be detrimental to the student‟s studies to experience disruption due to undertaking jury service. Her Majesty‟s Courts Service will reply directly to the student. Where no reply is received in a reasonable time the student should contact Her Majesty‟s Courts Service to enquire about the progress of their application for deferral.

2.7 The Spider Student Web

This is a most important facility for students. It provides PIN protected access to essential personal and academic information. Using the Spider Student Web, students can undertake the following processes:

i. Entry and updating of emergency contact details (the emergency contact is the person that the University should contact in the unlikely event of the student suffering a serious illness or accident).

ii. Entry and updating of term time and permanent addresses and telephone numbers. iii. Display of current registration details including module registrations. iv. Online registration for modules for the next academic year. v. Access the online module catalogue. vi. Display of module mark details for the current and previous academic years including

the printing of an informal transcript. vii. Request Council Tax Student Certificates and Student Status Letters. viii. Display and print their examination timetable. (Note that this is the only method through

which students can obtain access to the timetable – timetables are not posted to students.)

ix. Entry of graduation intentions including the booking of guest tickets for graduation

ceremonies. x. Booking of accommodation in University Halls of Residence. xi. The viewing of basic information on their fee account.

In view of the importance of the Spider Student Web, students should familiarise themselves with the use of the system as early as possible in the academic year.

2.8 Student Representation

The University recognises the importance of appropriate student representation at all levels in the institution. Student representation on departmental and faculty committees and the University Senate is governed by a Code of Practice on Student Representation. This is supplemented by an Annual Annex which offers guidance on the principles and implementation of the Code. These documents can be found at:

www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/cop_on_student_representation.doc

www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/annualannex.doc

http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/cop_on_student_representation.doc

http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/annualannex.doc


The Code of Practice provides an institutional framework for student representation and sets out the minimum requirements for student representation at departmental level. All students are encouraged to stand for election to the departmental staff-student liaison committees and information on the election process and dates will be made available

through your department.

All Student Representatives on Staff-Student Liaison Committees are offered training by the Guild of Students and may have an opportunity to represent the department on faculty committees, or at the University Senate.

The School has 3 Student-Staff Liaison Committees: one for the BDS programmes, one for the Combined Diploma in Dental Therapy and Hygiene and one for Postgraduate students, including the PGCert, DDSc and PhD students. In this way, students have specific committees tailored to their needs.

The School contact for student representation is: Hester Burnige, School Office, tel: (0151) 706 5231 email: [email protected]

2.9 Health and Safety Your safety is important to us. Ensuring the health and safety of students, staff and visitors

is one of the University‟s highest priorities. The University is responsible for providing a safe environment and safe systems of work, but safety cannot be achieved without the full co-operation of everyone.

University Ordinances require every student whilst on University premises

to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others;

to act in accordance with University safety rules.

In all departments, students are required:

to read the fire procedure notices and familiarise themselves with the alternative fire exits;

to report accidents, near misses or dangerous conditions to a responsible member of the department;

to co-operate with health and safety instructions.

On the University telephone system, the emergency number for fire, police or ambulance is 2222. In practical/laboratory departments there is a safety code/handbook which sets out departmental safety arrangements in detail. If you have any problems or questions about safety, raise them with a member of teaching staff or with your Departmental Safety Coordinator, who is: Mr Peter Farrelly (0151 706 5223 or [email protected]

2.10 Liverpool Guild of Students

Liverpool Guild of Students is your students‟ union, a membership charity that exists to ensure that the voices of students of the University of Liverpool are heard by its management, to promote their welfare, and to facilitate non-academic activity. This includes offering academic advice, supporting societies and campaigns, and representing

mailto:[email protected]



students at University committees. All students are automatically members and we encourage you to either make use of our essential services or take an active role in our work.

Representation lgos.org/governance LGoS is student led and student focused, and there are many opportunities for you to take an active role in our leadership and development. Four students are elected each year to take on the full time role of Student Representative Officer, gaining experience of working with University staff at all levels, planning and implementing lobbying activity, attending and chairing meetings, developing policy, encouraging engagement in a variety of forms, and helping to develop a membership organisation. They sit on the Trustee Board of LGoS alongside four Student Trustees, who are also elected and gain experience of leading a large charity, dealing with finances, overseeing a staff team, working with a Chief Executive, and organisational development.

Other roles include 30 Student Councillors, plus various working groups focusing on specific groups of students and activities, so there is something for everyone, whatever your interest.

Advice lgos.org/advice We hope that your time at the University of Liverpool will be completely positive and trouble free, but when things do go wrong we‟re here to help. We offer free, confidential, non- judgemental academic advice to help you continue in your studies and achieve the result you are aiming for. For more information or to book an appointment, email [email protected]. Student reps lgos.org/coursereps We support the system of student reps, students elected by their peers to attend staff student liaison meetings and put the student point of view across. So if there aren‟t enough books in the library, deadlines are too close to exams, rooms are overcrowded, or anything else is adversely affecting your academic experience, talk to your course rep. 2.11 The University Library

The University Library contains approximately 1.9 million books and journals. It also provides access to over 19,000 electronic journals and databases as well as over 50,000 E-books. There are two main sites: The Harold Cohen Library contains the main collections in Dentistry, Engineering,

Sciences, Medicine, Veterinary Science and Mathematics. There is also a branch library at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Leahurst on the Wirral. The Sydney Jones Library contains the main collections in the Arts and Social Sciences,

except for Archaeology, Civic Design, Law and Music which are housed in departmental



libraries in the respective buildings. These libraries will be moved into the Sydney Jones as part of the library extension and refurbishment project which is scheduled for completion in summer 2008. The Sydney Jones also houses the Special Collections and Archives and the library of the Science Fiction Foundation. The two main libraries are open 24 hours a day on weekdays throughout the academic year and provide about 1,000 study spaces. They are equipped with PC workstations, scanners and wireless/plug-in connections for laptops; photocopying and self-issue facilities are also provided. The online catalogue (OPAC) can be accessed in the Library, from any PC connected to the University network or via the web. The Library homepage provides comprehensive information about the Library and the services it provides. Printed guides are also available. Library Homepage: http://www.liv.ac.uk/Library/ Catalogue (OPAC): http://library.liv.ac.uk/

2.12 Computing Services

Computing Services provides central computing and information technology services to assist the University in carrying out its learning, teaching, research and administration. There are a number of PC Teaching Centres, which are primarily used for teaching but, when not booked for classes, are available for individual student use. These are located in centres across the Precinct and at the Leahurst Veterinary Centre. There are also a number of Learning Centres, not bookable for classes, on the Precinct and in some of the Halls of Residence. The Teaching and Learning Centres each contain PCs linked together by a network. To use the PCs, you first need to self-register by following the information on the screen of a PC Teaching or Learning Centre, or at http://www.liv.ac.uk/register on any computer connected to the Internet. The PC Teaching Service is based on Microsoft Windows and provides access to a wide range of services, including electronic mail, the Internet, VITAL (the Virtual Learning Environment), word processing, spreadsheets and databases. There are a number of locations within the Precinct where you may use either WiFi (wireless) or a wired connection to connect your own laptop computer (or other mobile device) to the University's network. The main CSD Helpdesk is located in the Brownlow Hill Building (with satellites in the two main libraries) and provides a full range of support services including problem solving, software sales and registration queries. Full details of the services provided by CSD are at http://www.liverpool.ac.uk/csd/

2.13 The University Calculator

Except when otherwise stated, the only calculators allowed for use in an examination room will be the models adopted and specified by the University. These calculators are stamped with the University crest and are only available from the shop in the Guild of Students. Students should not purchase the same models of calculators without the University crest from other retailers as these will not be allowed into the examination room. Further information on the use of calculators in examinations can be accessed via the following link:

http://www.liv.ac.uk/Library/

http://library.liv.ac.uk/

http://www.liv.ac.uk/register

http://www.liverpool.ac.uk/csd/


www.liv.ac.uk/sas/administration/regs_conduct_exams.htm#calculators

3. ACADEMIC STRATEGY

The University has developed an overarching Academic Strategy that sets out the priorities for the institution over the next few years. The strategy takes as its basis that the University of Liverpool is research-led, and aspires to be acknowledged as a world-class institution that contributes strongly to the regional and national economy, whilst continuing to be recognised as a leader in widening participation. The strategy is structured around the chronology of the potential interactions between an individual and the University at the various stages of their life, beginning with the encouragement of students to attend as undergraduates, through the undergraduate and postgraduate experience, to the strategy for staff, research and external collaborations and partnerships.

The Academic Strategy can be accessed via the following link: https://www.liv.ac.uk/intranet/strategy/academic/

The University of Liverpool aims to provide a high quality learning experience, fully meeting students‟ needs and underpinned by a framework of policies covering all aspects of the student experience. The Academic Strategy sits alongside and is underpinned by a suite of University policies, strategies and codes of practice.

3.1 School Learning and Teaching Strategy

Within the Faculty of Medicine the Dental School has a strong learning and teaching culture, supported by research and other scholarly activities. It provides undergraduates, and students of the professions complementary to dentistry, with the first stage of their life-long learning working closely with postgraduate institutions that will provide their continuing professional development. It recognises the need to provide not only core knowledge and skills, but also the skills of self directed education that the students will need throughout their professional lives. In addition to the knowledge and communications skills, required by all students at the university, the dental school recognises its responsibility to develop the high degree of manual dexterity that is essential in dentistry. This manual skill must be coupled with both clinical and academic knowledge to ensure the development of competent professionals.

The full School Learning and Teaching Strategy can be found on VITAL within the Dentistry School Module. The Programme Specifications can be found on VITAL within the Dentistry School Module

(https://vital.liv.ac.uk/webapps/login/). 3.2 Provision of Feedback to Students

The School Policy on Feedback to students complies with section 10 of the University Code of Practice on Assessment. We recognise that feedback on performance has much educational value, and that it should be as specific and timely as practicable, relating to the assessment criteria.

http://www.liv.ac.uk/sas/administration/regs_conduct_exams.htm#calculators

https://www.liv.ac.uk/intranet/strategy/academic/

https://vital.liv.ac.uk/webapps/login/


The School Policy on Feedback to Students and Student Evaluation can be found in the School Assessment Handbook. The Handbook can be found on VITAL within the Dentistry

School Module (https://vital.liv.ac.uk/webapps/login/). 4. KEY SKILLS AND EMPLOYMENT 4.1 The Careers and Employability Service – It’s your career we’re talking about

Although most students entering the dental course will follow their vocational career, the Careers and Employability Service provides information and advice on all you need to know about planning your career – be it working for a big firm, supporting a community organisation, studying for a higher degree, or taking time out to travel the world. And because our services are all about you, we believe we can be relied on to give you a head start in whatever career you decide to follow. We can put you in touch with dozens of top employers, introduce you to lots of stunning new career ideas, and even help you write world class CVs and applications. All that and much more. All you have to do is take the first step – after all, it is your career we‟re talking about. We offer:

Hundreds of part time, term-time job vacancies

Graduate job vacancies

Opportunities to meet organisations that want to recruit Liverpool graduates

Personal consultations with careers advisers

Volunteering opportunities in Liverpool, across the UK and overseas

Specialist help with CVs, applications and interviews

Information on further study options

Advice and information on taking a year out

Skills development opportunities

Holiday jobs and work experience opportunities across the world (and in Liverpool)

Impartial advice about your options with your degree. The Careers and Employability Service is located on the first floor of the Student Services Centre, next door to the Guild of Students on Mount Pleasant, opposite the Metropolitan Cathedral. Details of all our services are on the University website at: http://www.liv.ac.uk/careers, or you can contact the Careers and Employability Service by email: [email protected], or telephone: 0151 794 4647.

4.2 Learning and Study Skills Support

Throughout your university career you will have the opportunity to build and develop your skills for learning, such as study skills, time management and information literacy, as well as your employability skills. The university Personal Development Planning (PDP) system enables you to analyse your skills, identify those that you need to develop, and then look at ways of developing them. In addition, your chosen programme includes study, information literacy and employability skills and your tutors may identify areas where you need to develop and also highlight a range of resources.


http://www.liv.ac.uk/careers



The university is working hard to develop a streamlined system of graduated and appropriate support for all students. As part of Learn Higher, which is a Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) in Higher Education, we are developing a wide range of resources to support the development of skills for learning. This includes the newly developed skills website, iLearn, which also provides access to a large range of other useful websites. We are also planning to develop additional classes to help students who need to boost their writing skills, statistics and other skills. Confidential one-to-one support is also available for some specific learning and study skills needs.

4.3 The Skills Award

What is it? The aim of the Skills Award is to help you become more marketable to employers. It also helps you to become a more effective learner. Both these things are essential in today‟s highly competitive job market. Successful completion of the Skills Award will also be recorded on your student transcript. How does it work? Forming part of an exciting new initiative by the Careers and Employability Service to be launched in 2008, the Skills Award offers a useful way to learn more about your existing skill-set, while at the same time exploring ways to develop new skills. To obtain the Skills Award, you will be invited to participate in a range of exciting opportunities. These will involve working with graduate recruiters in specially organised workshops and mixing with previous graduates from the University. The aim of the programme is to increase your understanding of you as a learner, and you as a career graduate. We will then ask you to present your findings just as you would to an employer. To find out more about the new Skills Award, please contact Dr Trish Lunt at the Careers and Employability Service, 150 Mount Pleasant. Email: [email protected]

5. SUPPORT SERVICES FOR STUDENTS

5.1 Personal Tutoring

All students on programmes at the University of Liverpool are allocated a Personal Tutor. The personal tutor is your first port of call if you are having problems with any aspect of your life as a student at Liverpool. She or he may not be able to solve your problem immediately but will be able to direct you towards the most appropriate sources of help and advice.

In addition, the University of Liverpool has recently revised its personal tutorial system to include students‟ entitlement to Personal Development Planning (PDP) opportunities. PDP

is defined as “a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development” (QAA 2000). The entitlement of all students to PDP opportunities is built into the new Academic Strategy. In most departments and programmes your personal tutor will also be the person to meet for your personal development tutorials.



The personal development tutorial system has been introduced by the University in response to a move throughout Higher Education to encourage you to engage more actively in the learning process. The system comprises one-to-one meetings at which the tutor is principally there to facilitate your own reflection on progress. You are asked to prepare for PD tutorials (one tutorial per semester in Years 1 & 2 of your programme) using the University‟s online PDP support tool, LUSID. Here you are guided to reflect on your progress by responding to a series of questions. This may then be sent to your tutor prior to a meeting. The onus is upon you to attend the meetings with your PD Tutor and to complete your Personal Development Record.

Further information is available at: http://www.liv.ac.uk/pdtutorials/

5.2 Support and Advice

The University has a well established network of advice, guidance and support services for all students. Specialist teams and experienced advisers are available to support students on a whole range of issues. Information is available on the web at www.liv.ac.uk/studentservices and in the publication „Your University‟. A number of services are located in the Student Services Centre including the Student Support Services as follows:

5.2.1 Student Support Services

The Student Support Services are based in the Student Services Centre. Our role is to provide students with advice, support and information. We have very experienced advisors who are available for you to come and talk through any issues you may have. We provide a confidential and quiet space for you to come and talk us about any issues affecting your well being. We can also offer a range of practical advice or will be able to direct you to the appropriate source of the information you need.

Specialist services within the Student Support Services are as follows:

5.2.2 Student Support Assistant (SSA)/Care Leavers’ Contact

The SSA is the first point of contact for students who seek advice from Student Support

Services regarding any non-academic issues which may be affecting their general welfare.

If you need to talk to someone, but are not sure who to ask for help, the SSA is here to l listen and can provide support and initial guidance. The SSA can also signpost you to other more specialist sources of help within Student Support Services and the wider University community and, where appropriate, external agencies.

The SSA also offers on-going advice and support particularly for students who have been looked after by their local authority. If you are a care leaver, please contact the SSA to find

out about the support available to you.

Contact Student Support Assistant 0151 794 6674

Email: [email protected] Web: www.liv.ac.uk/studentsupport/ssa/index.htm

http://www.liv.ac.uk/pdtutorials/

http://www.liv.ac.uk/studentservices


http://www.liv.ac.uk/studentsupport/ssa/index.htm


5.2.3 The Disability Support Team

The Disability Support Team is responsible for the co-ordination of support for disabled students, those with disability related issues, and those who have a specific learning difficulty, e.g. dyslexia.

The University actively encourages students to contact the Disability Support Team as soon as possible, to discuss their support requirements. The Team can, on your request create an individual plan of support action, to inform University academic departments, services and contacts of any support requirements. With your consent this plan is based around you and can include different areas of support including:

Liaising with your Academic Department to plan support.

Liaising with the University Student Administration and Support Division in relation to examination support.

Liaising with University contacts e.g. the Libraries and Facilities Management department.

Guidance in applying for the Disabled Student Allowance

Support in arranging specialist equipment or assessments e.g. Educational Psychological Assessments.

Referral to a wide range of University and external contacts for specialist advice.

The University booklet entitled „Disguide: a Guide to Support and Services for Disabled Students‟ gives further information on the Team and the support available to students. Copies of this guide can be obtained from the Student Support Services, Student Services Centre. Further information and a copy of the Guide are also available on the University website. Contact

Disability Support Team 0151 794 4714/6676/5117 Email [email protected] Minicom 0151 794 4713 Web www.liv.ac.uk/studentsupport/disability/index.htm

5.2.4 Financial Support Team

The Financial Support Team assesses applications for financial assistance from the access to learning fund. The fund provides discretionary funding to help students access and remain in higher education. Both full and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate UK and eligible EU students can apply. Part-time students must be studying at least 50% of an equivalent full-time course. Regular drop-in sessions are offered where students can attend and get advice on a wide range of financial matters including statutory funding from the Student Loans Company, previous study and welfare benefits. The Team has recently become involved with The Money Doctors initiative which is part of a national project aiming to improve students‟ financial capability led by the Financial Services Authority. During the academic year we will be running various workshops and talks around campus which will hopefully be both informative and fun.


http://www.liv.ac.uk/studentsupport/disability/index.htm


Further information including a timetable of drop-in sessions is available on the team‟s website. Contact

Financial Support Team 0151 794 6673 Email [email protected] Web www.liv.ac.uk/studentsupport/finance/index.htm

5.2.5 International Support Team (IST)

The International Support Team offers specialist advice and support to all international students and their families on a range of topics including immigration, personal, and family issues. International students may want to know about how to extend their visa, or whether they can work, or want to find out about British culture, or information on driving in the UK. Whatever assistance they may need, the IST is there to help. If they cannot help directly, they can refer students to another service that can. In addition to one-to-one advice work, the IST works with internal and external departments to ensure that the needs of international students are met and that international students have a positive university experience.

Two publications are produced by the team to assist students: Coming to Liverpool and the International Student Handbook. Coming to Liverpool is a guide to help prospective

students prepare for their journey to the UK and their stay in Liverpool. It includes information on immigration controls, what to pack, living costs and safety. The International Student Handbook is designed as a source of practical advice and information for the first few days and the duration of their studies and includes topics such as health care, student visa extensions, places of worship and British culture.

The IST also provides advice through workshops, presentations and a range of guidance notes. Guidance notes and other useful information are available on the team‟s website. A monthly IST email newsletter is sent to all international students informing them of any important changes to immigration rules and procedures, interesting events in the University and City, up-to-date information on important international student issues and information about UK life. Contact

International Support Team 0151 794 5863 Email [email protected] Web www.liv.ac.uk/studentsupport/ist

5.3 Student Counselling The University Counselling Service helps students with personal and emotional problems. The counsellors are professionally qualified and experienced and enable students to talk over their difficulties in confidence.

Students are able to contact the counselling Service with a wide range of worries, including personal, home and family relationships, depression, anxiety and loneliness.

A Drop-In Service runs each weekday, Monday to Friday, in term time, between 1.00pm and 2.00pm (no pre-booking necessary). This walk-in service gives you the opportunity to meet for twenty minutes with a counsellor to talk over any difficulties you are having. Full details are posted on our website at: http://www.liv.ac.uk/counserv.


http://www.liv.ac.uk/studentsupport/finance/index.htm


http://www.liv.ac.uk/studentsupport/ist

http://www.liv.ac.uk/counserv


The permanent counselling staff offer a telephone consultation service Monday to Friday between 1.00pm and 2.00pm (times may vary in the vacation – see our website for details) which offers members of the University an opportunity to discuss concerns, receive information and advice about managing difficult situations e.g. when supporting a colleague or student in distress. Advisory Service The Division of Clinical Psychology provides the Advisory Service for students in the Dental, Health and Medical Schools. The service aims to be accessible and comprehensive in meeting the psychological health needs of students, and aims to provide a quick response to referral and starting psychological support. Attendance at the Advisory Service is voluntary and each student receives individual and confidential support. Students wishing to access this service should contact the Senior Tutor in the Dental School in the first instance.

5.4 Mental Health Adviser (MHA)

The main function of the University MHA is to provide support to students with any mental health difficulties by facilitating their access to study successfully in the University. The MHA works with individual students who have declared mental health needs during their application process to the University, or who develop mental health problems whilst at University. The role of the MHA is to offer support, advice and liaison between the student and the appropriate university departments to ensure that the students‟ mental health needs are adequately and appropriately responded to. Additionally, the MHA is able to offer consultation to students and staff regarding concerns about themselves or their concerns for others. The MHA works closely alongside other Student Services, including the Student Health Service, Counselling Service, University Residences and also Academic Departments. Contact

University Mental Health Adviser 0151 794 2320 Fax 0151 794 3300 Email [email protected] Web www.liv.ac.uk/mhealth

5.5 Liverpool Guild of Students

We offer advice to students seeking information or representation regarding academic issues. This service is free, confidential and non-judgemental. Our aim is to provide you

with the information you will need to make an informed decision about the options available.

Our Academic Adviser is Alan Roberts, available at [email protected] and on

0151 794 4351.

Alan is able to advise and support you in the event that you:

wish to submit an academic appeal to challenge a grade or mark; have been accused of plagiarism or collusion; have been discontinued from your course and wish to know your options;


http://www.liv.ac.uk/mhealth



wish to complain about some aspect of university life, such as halls of residence, teaching, or the level of support offered by your department; or

have been affected by illness, unexpected circumstances in your personal life or other

mitigation which you feel has affected your studies.

6. OTHER USEFUL PUBLICATIONS

6.1 Student Charter

The University of Liverpool Student Charter is issued jointly by the Senate and Council of the University and by the Liverpool Guild of Students. It makes explicit some of the reciprocal responsibilities which members of the University, both staff and students, have to each other and which policies and procedures in individual areas of the University should reflect. The Charter is included as an appendix to the „Your University‟ publication given to new students. The Annexe to the Student Charter is updated each year. It contains the names of all Heads of Departments, Heads of Research Centres, Institutes and Units, Heads of Academic Services provided by the University, Wardens of the Halls of Residence, and Heads of Non-Academic Departments and other units. In a number of areas the detailed working out of the commitments in the Charter are contained in University-wide Codes of Practice or similar documents and the Annexe contains a list of those currently in force together with information about how to obtain a copy of the relevant document. An electronic version of both the Student Charter and Annual Annexe can be accessed at: http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/studchart_bkgrd.htm

6.2 University Complaints Procedure

The University operates a Student Complaints Procedure to be used when students have a complaint against the University. This procedure provides for complaints to be dealt with, as far as possible, on an informal basis. It also sets out the formal route for the consideration of complaints should informal procedures fail to resolve a complaint satisfactorily. The Student Complaints Procedure can be accessed at: http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/stud_complnt_proc.doc Where the complaint is about an academic decision regarding assessment, the Academic Appeals Procedure should be followed. This can be accessed at: www.liv.ac.uk/sas/administration/assessment_appeals_ug&pgt.pdf Complaints relating to the conduct of students are dealt with through the University‟s Disciplinary Procedure which is administered by the Student Administration and Support Division.

6.3 Fitness to Practise Procedure

Students on Professional programmes including the BDS are subject to the Faculty of Medicine‟s Fitness to Practise Procedure.

http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/studchart_bkgrd.htm

http://www.liv.ac.uk/tqsd/pol_strat_cop/stud_complnt_proc.doc

http://www.liv.ac.uk/sas/administration/assessment_appeals_ug&pgt.pdf


The procedure can be can be found on VITAL within the Dentistry School Module: https://vital.liv.ac.uk/webapps/login/ The University Ordinance 18 “Suitability of Students for Professional Practice” describes the University procedure for assessing Fitness to Practise cases and can be found at: http://www.liv.ac.uk/commsec/calendar_07_08/ordinances1_34.htm

7 THE BDS PROGRAMME

7.1 Statutory Control of the Degree of BDS

Dental studies in the University are under the control and direction of the Board of Studies. The programme of study and examinations for the BDS are governed by Ordinance 60 (http://www.liv.ac.uk/commsec/calendar_07_08/programme_ordinances.htm). The strategic management of the BDS programme is under the power of the Board of Studies, and guided by recommendations concerning the dental curriculum in “The First Five Years” published by the General Dental Council in 2002.

7.2 Context and Rationale

(i) Professional Environment

The degree of BDS is registerable with the General Dental Council as a first qualification conferring the right to practise dentistry in the UK and EU. Continued registration is becoming dependent on re-certification, which demands participation in continuing education. A Vocational Training year is now compulsory for dentists entering the general dental service of the NHS.

(ii) Changes in the patterns of dental disease and scope of modern dental practice

The dentist of today needs ever-increasing clinical skills to deal with the attendant problems of advanced tooth restorations, the provision of complex fixed and removable prostheses and the delivery of more advanced periodontal treatment, as well as embracing the treatment of oro-facial disorders. The dentist now has a wider role as a leader of a team of health care professionals. He/she must take cognisance of the general health problems of dental patients, particularly the elderly and those with special needs. In addition, there is an increasing public expectation that the profession should vigorously promote programmes for the prevention of oral and dental disease, including oral cancer. Each dental graduate, therefore, needs to be equipped with a core of clinical knowledge and skill based on a sound understanding of biological sciences, incorporating a keen awareness of the importance of preventive measures in combating dental disease and providing a basis for a career lifetime's participation in continuing education.

7.3 Brief Structure of the BDS Programme

Administratively, the programme is divided into 32 components. Some of these are delivered by a single course in the timetable whereas others are divided between courses, to ensure integration and progression of knowledge across subjects. The below table shows when the


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components are delivered in both the five-year BDS programme and the four-year Graduate Entry programmes:

Structure of the Five Year BDS programme

Structure of the Graduate entry 4 year BDS Programme

2nd

BDS 3rd

BDS

PBL course Basic Medical Science/ Oral Science and Medicine Includes: Behavioural Science, Communication skills

PBL course Oral Science and Medicine 2

Special Dental Module/ Introduction to Clinical Practice (Clinical skills)

Introduction to Orthodontics

Removable Prosthodontics (Dental Prosthetics)

Oral Radiology

Introduction to Paediatric Dentistry Introduction to Oral Surgery (extractions)

Health Education and Community Clinical Allocations

Introduction to Oral Health Restorative Dentistry and Materials Science

Oral Radiology Child Dental Health

Oral Surgery 4

th BDS

Clinical Allocations 5th

BDS

Oral Medicine Clinical Allocations

Oral Surgery Oral Surgery

1st

BDS 2nd

BDS

PBL course Basic Medical Science Includes: Communication Skills, Behavioural Science

PBL Course Oral Science and Medicine 1

Removable Prosthodontics (Dental Prosthetics)

Special Dental Module (Clinical skills) Health Education and Community

Introduction to Oral Health Introduction to Clinical Practice

Introduction to Paediatric Dentistry 3

rd BDS Oral Radiology

Child Dental Health

Introduction to Orthodontics 4th

BDS

Oral Radiology Clinical Allocations

Introduction to Oral Surgery (extractions)

Oral Medicine

Clinical Allocations Oral Surgery

Oral Science and Medicine 2 IV Sedation

Restorative Dentistry and Materials Science

General Anaesthesia and Sedation in Dentistry

Elective project 5

th BDS Restorative Dentistry

Clinical Allocations Prosthodontics

Oral Surgery Periodontology

Outreach Programme Paediatric Dentistry

Dental Public Health and Primary Dental Care

Orthodontics

VT training and Career Development Oral Radiology

Law and ethics Medical Emergencies

Orthodontics Special Care Dentistry

Royal Accident and Emergency

Implantology - (Restorative dentistry)

Oral Pathology

Oral Medicine


IV Sedation Outreach Programme

General Anaesthesia and Sedation in Dentistry

Dental Public Health and Primary Dental Care

Elective project VT training and Career Development

Restorative Dentistry Law and ethics

Prosthodontics Orthodontics

Periodontology Royal Accident and Emergency

Paediatric Dentistry Implantology - (Restorative dentistry)

Orthodontics Oral Pathology

Oral Radiology Oral Medicine

Medical Emergencies

Special Care Dentistry

Details about the content of the A200 and A201 BDS programmes can be found in the relevant programme specifications on VITAL (https://vital.liv.ac.uk/webapps/login/).

8 EXAMINATIONS

8.1 Attendance, Examinations and Progress in Studies

It is University policy that students are normally expected to remain engaged in formal programmes of activity until the end of each term. No student may be absent from lectures, classes or other form of prescribed work without the express written permission of the Head of Division. Absolute minimum attendance in Lectures is 90% and any attendance lower than this level may result in a referral to Progress Committee.

A student is permitted to proceed with an approved programme of study only if he/she maintains acceptable progress as evidenced by regular attendance, satisfactory results in relevant degree, professional, terminal and test examinations, and the proper completion of such other work as may be allotted. At the end of each session or at such time as may be considered appropriate, the Board of Studies shall review the progress of its students. It may require any student whose progress is in question to appear for interview before the Dental Progress Committee, which has the power in any case where it deems necessary, to recommend to the Senate that a student shall be recorded as not having made satisfactory progress in his/her studies. In the event of the Senate deciding that a student has not made satisfactory progress in his/her studies, each student shall be required to terminate his/her studies from the date on which this decision is recorded, and shall not thereafter be admitted to any lectures, classes or examinations, unless the Senate, on the recommendation of the Board of Studies, shall so permit. After two attempts at any degree or professional examination, an unsuccessful candidate, if permitted to remain in the University, shall be required to repeat his attendance upon the available course of study for the examination, unless the Senate, on the recommendation of the Board of Studies, shall permit otherwise. On the recommendation of the Board of Studies and with the approval of the Senate, any student may be required to modify or prolong a course of study.

8.2 Assessments Years 1 to 4



Details of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th assessments can be found in the Programme Specifications on VITAL (https://vital.liv.ac.uk/webapps/login/).

8.3 5TH/Final BDS

The three subjects of the Final BDS examination are: Oral Health, Oral Diseases and Restorative Dentistry. For each subject there shall be a Senior Examiner appointed by the Head of Department, and an External Examiner nominated by the Board of Studies. The Board of Examiners shall comprise the Head of School (who shall be its Chair), the Head of the Department of Clinical Dental Sciences, and the Senior Examiner and External Examiner for each subject. For each subject there shall be a moderator who shall be responsible for ensuring that: (a) the level and consistency of marks allocated by the internal examiners is appropriate; (b) that there are no arithmetical or mechanical errors of mark allocation; (c) that any unusual pattern of distribution of marks is identified and reported to the Board of Examiners before final decisions about individual candidates are taken. The Internal Examiners for each subject shall decide on the questions for the examination, which shall then be sent to the External Examiner for approval or amendment if necessary. The Clinical Assessment Panel shall meet not less than one month in advance of the Final Examination to consider the Assessment records and completed clinical work requirements of individual candidates, and thereby determine the list of candidates to be admitted to the Final Examination. The distribution of marks shall be as follows: (a) Oral Diseases (100 marks) Paper 50, Clinical 50 (b) Oral Health (100 marks) Paper 40, Clinical 40, In-Course Work I 10, In-Course Work II 10 (c) Restorative Dentistry (100 marks) Paper 50, Clinical 50

8.4 Degree Classification

The BDS degree classification is calculated entirely on performance in the 5th/Final BDS Examinations. Criteria for the award of an overall pass Candidates must obtain a combined mark of 150 or more. They must score 50% or more in at least 2 subjects and pass the clinical exam in two subjects, with 45% or more in the remaining subject. Candidates for whom a veto mark is retained cannot pass any part of the examination. Criteria for the award of an independent (“part”) pass



To achieve an independent pass in either one or two disciplines, candidates must score 55% or more in the discipline(s) with no other mark less than 40%. Candidates for whom a veto mark is retained cannot achieve an independent pass. Veto marks

Candidates, whose performance in either the written papers or clinical examinations is deemed to indicate a danger to dental practice, shall be awarded a veto mark. The award of the veto mark will be discussed at the subject examiner‟s meeting, as a result of which it is either retained or lifted. If it is retained, a mark of zero is awarded for the subject and the student cannot pass any other part of the examination. If it is lifted, the candidate‟s performance and grades / marks will be managed as for any other candidate. In the case of missed or part-answered questions, examiners may award a mark of 35% or below without a veto. Requirements to pass for the Award of the Degree with Honours

Candidates must normally be attempting the Final Examination for the first time and should normally have passed each subject of the Preliminary and Final Examinations at the first attempt. Candidates must obtain a combined mark of 195 or more (65% overall) in the Final Examination and 55% or more in each of the three parts of the examination. Requirements for the Award of Distinction in any subject Candidates shall be awarded a distinction in any subject (Oral Health, Oral Diseases, Restorative Dentistry) in which they obtain 70% or more, provided that they are attempting the examination for the first time and normally have not failed in any other subject of the Final Examination. Following completion of the Written and Clinical Examinations, the Examiners and the Moderator(s) for that subject shall meet to agree the confirmed mark for the subject. The examiners in each subject shall forward the confirmed subject mark to the Board of Examiners who shall: (a) determine any candidate who has failed the examination; (b) identify any candidate who has failed the examination but achieved a part pass in one or

two subjects; (c) identify those candidates who have achieved a distinction in one or more individual

subjects; (d) identify those candidates who satisfy the requirements for the award of the degree with

honours; (e) determine the award of Prizes. The re-sit examination shall normally be held the following November (subject to approval by the Board of Studies).


Those candidates who, in sitting the examination on the first occasion, fail in two or more subjects of the Final BDS Examination, shall be referred to the Dental School Progress Committee for a decision on when they are allowed to re-take the examination. PUBLICATION OF EXAMINATION RESULTS Results of summative examinations are made available to students via Spider. A list of the successful candidates in the Final BDS examination will be posted on the Final year notice-board on the fourth floor of the School. In the case of summative assessments, members of staff will be on hand to offer advice when the results are posted. Candidate‟s marks in summative assessments are not published and will not be disclosed to other students.

8.5 Requirements for Entry to the 5th/Final BDS

Requirements for entry to the 5th/Final BDS examination can be found in the programme specification on VITAL (https://vital.liv.ac.uk/webapps/login/).

8.6 Exit Awards

BSc in Biomedical Sciences (Dental)

For BDS students who started their course in 1994 and thereafter, the award of BSc in Biomedical Sciences (Dental) is available. This may be conferred on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners, on students who have successfully completed three or more years of study but are unable or decide not to complete their BDS studies. These students must have been successful in all formal assessments and academic components. They will not be required to have been successful in all clinical assessments. Students who are awarded the degree of BSc in Biomedical Sciences (Dental) will not normally be allowed to return to the BDS course.

The award is governed by Ordinance 61 Degree of Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences (Dental) which can be found at: https://www.liv.ac.uk/commsec/calendar_07_08/programme_ordinances.htm.

Diploma in Higher Education

The Diploma in Higher Education may be awarded to students who have pursued an approved programme of study offered by the appropriate Faculty, to the satisfaction of the Examiners. Students who obtain a pass at a level equivalent to the Second Year of the BDS programme shall be eligible for the award of the Diploma. The normal length of the programme will be two academic years of full-time study or equivalent. The award is governed by Ordinance 37 Diploma in Higher Education which can be found at: https://www.liv.ac.uk/commsec/calendar_07_08/programme_ordinances.htm.

9 FURTHER INFORMATION

9.1 General Entry Conditions


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Entry to the University to study for either an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree or diploma is conditional on the applicant‟s ability to satisfy the Ordinances and Regulations of the University. It is essential that, before arrival at the University, applicants ensure they have sufficient funds available to cover their tuition fees and maintenance costs. You will not be able to register if you do not satisfy the University that you can pay your sessional fees.

9.2 Infectious Diseases – Obligations of Students

It is the policy of the Dental School that all dental, dental therapist and clinical postgraduate students should be immunised against Hepatitis B, primarily for their own protection. All students will be required to show that they are not an infectious carrier of the virus (hepatitis B surface antigen negative). In addition, it is necessary for students to be tested to show that you are hepatitis C antibody negative and HIV negative. Students must also either have reacted to a Heaf / Mantoux test or have been BCG vaccinated against TB, MMR and HZV. You will not be able to register as a dental student in Liverpool if you cannot provide evidence of the required immunisations and tests. Students will be assessed as being „fit to train‟ by the University‟s Occupational Health Service as a condition of entry to the BDS programmes. Students who believe that they may be infected with HIV, Hepatitis B or C or other blood borne viruses must obtain medical advice, including any necessary testing, and if found to be infected must submit to regular medical supervision including counselling. Students must act upon any medical advice they receive. Any student who knows that they are a carrier of such a virus has the responsibility to declare that fact to the Head of the Dental School.

9.3 Term and Assessment Dates YEAR TERM DATES NO OF WEEKS

Academic Terms First Autumn 29.09.08 19.12.08 12 weeks

Lent 12.01.09 03.04.09 12 weeks Summer 27.04.09 12.06.09 7 weeks

Total 31 weeks

Second Autumn 29.09.08 19.12.08 12 weeks

Lent 12.01.09 03.04.09 12 weeks Clinical Terms

Summer 20.04.09 31.07.09 15 weeks

Total 39 weeks

Third/ Autumn 08.09.08 19.12.08 15 weeks Fourth Lent 05.01.09 03.04.09 13 weeks

Summer 20.04.09 31.07.09 15 weeks


Total 43 weeks 5th for those qualifying in July 2008

Autumn 08.09.08 19.12.08 15 weeks Lent 05.01.09 03.04.09 13 weeks Summer 20.04.09 10.07.09 12 weeks

Total 40 weeks ASSESSMENT DATES

Please refer to School notice boards for the specific dates of BDS assessments.

Final BDS:

Written Papers Oral Diseases Paper I: 18th May 2009 Restorative: 19th May 2009 Oral Health: 20th May 2009 Oral Diseases Paper II: 21st May 2009 Clinical Exams: Monday 1st June 2009 Tuesday 2nd June 2009 Wednesday 3rd June 2009 Thursday 4th June 2009 Timetables for All Years

Handbooks for all years of study are available from the School Reception on the Ground floor. Individual timetables for students in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th BDS are available to download via Vital.

9.4 Registration First Year students register on 24th September 2008. Students entering years two to five, provided they have passed all examinations and are not in debt to the University, will be automatically re-registered centrally by the Student Administration & Support Division. Self-supporting or sponsored students will be contacted individually by the Student Administration & Support Division to seek confirmation of their arrangements. This exercise will also be carried out in September as necessary following re-sit examinations. It is essential that students record any change in their contact details, for example change of address, mobile phone number, on Spider. That these contact details are up-to-date is particularly important when patients are in your care.

9.5 Absence, Withdrawal, Transfer and Suspension

Absence through Sickness


Absences from any part of the course of study and any examination must be notified to the School Reception at once. Absence through illness for periods longer than five consecutive days must be supported by a medical certificate authorised by a medical practitioner and should, again, be submitted to the Head of Division. Self-Certification of Illness (ie without a medical certificate) is not valid for: Absence through illness for more than five consecutive days. Absence from examinations. Self-Certification cannot be accepted if submitted more than two weeks following the date of illness. It is important to consult a doctor at the time of sickness, as retrospective certification is not generally acceptable to Boards of Examiners. You must also notify the School Office upon your return from sickness absence. Leave of Absence

Students are required to attend all courses, PBL sessions, tutorials and seminars that constitute the BDS programme. Clinical students must attend all designated Clinical dresserships and be available to treat their patients throughout the clinical term. The Head of Division cannot exempt students from this obligation except in exceptional unplanned circumstances such as the death of a parent or guardian. Unauthorised leave is a disciplinary matter that may lead to a referral to the Progress or Fitness to Practise Committee. Withdrawals

Students who are considering leaving the University should consult with their tutor and/or Head of Division/Director of Studies and, where necessary, the student counsellor. If, after consultation and consideration of all alternatives, the student still wishes to leave, then the reasons must be put in writing as soon as possible to the Head of Division. The date at which withdrawal becomes effective is the date of receipt of the letter, and the Student Administration & Support Division will be notified and will in turn inform the Local Education Authority or other funding body concerned. It is important that any student definitely intending to withdraw from a course should consult with his/her personal and/or academic tutor, who will inform the Senior Tutor. If withdrawal is not made by letter, it is possible that confusion may arise at a later date when formal consideration is given to examination performance. Transfers to Programmes in Other Departments and Faculties

If such a transfer is being considered and informal discussions with the new department have taken place, the School of Dental Sciences is asked to supply a copy of the student‟s UCAS form by the Faculty or Department to which the student is hoping to transfer. If and when the transfer is accepted, a Transfer Form must be completed (obtainable from the General Office) and signed by the Head of Department in both the School of Dental Sciences and the new Department. The Transfer Form should then be taken to the new Faculty, which will return a copy to the School of Dental Sciences. No transfer will be effective unless the appropriate Transfer Form has been signed by both departments concerned. Students intending to withdraw or to transfer to another department may be asked to complete a questionnaire, in confidence, detailing the reasons for the change.


Suspension of Studies If a student is unable to attend continuously for classes in his/her programme for personal or medical reasons, he/she should consult both the personal tutor and the Head of Division. If they are satisfied with the reasons and if the request is supported by a written request from the student or on behalf of the student, the Head of School will recommend to the Board of Studies that the student should be permitted to leave his/her course of study for an agreed period (usually for the remainder of the academic year) and to recommence the course of study at the start of, or during, the following academic year. If the student is granted permission to suspend studies, he/she will also be required to prove that the reasons that formed the basis of the original request must have been resolved before resuming studies. Students who have their registration suspended during any Session must inform their LEA and make their own provision concerning finance for the following academic year. Students will not be allowed to re-register unless they have a suitable financial guarantee.

9.6 Other Specific Rules to be Observed by Students in the School of Dental Sciences

N.B. These rules should be read in conjunction with the guidelines stipulated in the Annual Student Agreement, and are complementary to these.

1. No person shall be enrolled as a dental student except on the understanding that it is

his/her intention to obtain a dental qualification leading to the practice of dentistry. 2. In conformity with Faculty of Medicine policy, all clinical students should be immunised

in line with current Department of Health guidelines, as outlined in the section titled „Infectious Diseases‟ in chapter 5.

3. Students who believe that they may be infected with HIV, HBV or other blood borne

viruses must obtain medical advice, including any necessary testing and, if found to be infected, must submit to regular medical supervision, including counselling. Students must act upon any medical evidence they receive, which may include the necessity to cease carrying out invasive dental procedures; this would necessitate withdrawal from the dental course. This rule is in conformity with the advice on Professional Conduct and Fitness to Practise, issued to all registered dentists by the General Dental Council. Any student who knows that they are a carrier of such a virus has the responsibility to declare that fact to the Head of School.

4. Absence from any part of the course and any examination must be notified to the

School Office at once (tel no: 0151-706 5077) and a form must be completed by the student on return. Please refer to the section on absence through illness in this Handbook.

When clinics have been booked, students must notify the School Office of this so that alternative arrangements can be made for patients.

5. Before going up for examination by any licensing body, a candidate may be required to

attend a test examination by the University authorities to decide upon his/her fitness and those referred by such examining boards are required to take revision classes in the subjects of examination.


6. Students are strictly forbidden to receive any fee or remuneration for work performed at the Liverpool University Dental Hospital.

7. Students must book appointments at least six working days in advance, so that clerks

can order case notes from the Medical Records Library. It is the students‟ responsibility to request case notes from the Medical Records Library between the hours of 12 noon to 2 pm and 4.30 to 5 pm.

8. Case notes are the property of the Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University

Hospitals NHS Trust, and must not be removed from the Dental Hospital. All case notes must be returned to the records system at the end of each working day. Students are not permitted to keep case notes in their lockers but may post them in the box provided if the Records Library is closed.

Should it be essential for a student to retain a case note from file, for example whilst

writing up a presentation, the case note must be presented to a member of the Medical Records Library staff at the end of each day, who will record the details and store the file in a “holding bay”, for collection when required by the student. Case notes will be held in the holding bay for one week unless otherwise advised. The case note must be handed back to the Records Library staff for return to the main filing system immediately it is no longer required.

Students should remember that the contents of case notes and details of patient

treatment are strictly confidential and patient records must not be left unattended anywhere in the building. Any information on patients held by students in Diaries etc cannot be removed from the building. A secure locker for the storage of such materials can be found in the Medical Record Manager’s office on the ground floor.

9. Final year students who qualify and leave during a patient‟s course of treatment must

ensure that the patient is reallocated to another student for continuation of treatment, where appropriate. It is most important that students inform the Medical Records Manager what action is intended for the patient so that the appropriate arrangements can be made and recorded.

10. All materials used in the Hospital must be obtained through authorised channels. Only

materials approved for the purpose may be used in the Hospital. Materials and equipment belonging to the School of Dental Sciences or the Liverpool University Dental Hospital may not be removed from the Hospital premises.

11. Students must comply with all Health and Safety procedures and regulations, and

follow the guidelines for the use and handling of equipment and materials etc; treat all resources provided for your use, eg instruments and white coats, with care.

12. Technical work for patients must only be removed from the laboratories when the

patient arrives for treatment and with the authorisation of the Laboratory Manager or Supervisor. If the patient fails to attend or is unable to keep the appointment, the work must be returned to the laboratory for safe keeping. On no account should patients‟ technical work be taken to the locker room.

When the patient’s technical work has been fitted, all articulators and base plates for articulators must be returned to the laboratory.

Denar articulators are issued to students as required. Students must sign for them on

receipt and will be responsible for this equipment until it is returned and signed back


into the laboratory. If this equipment is not returned, the Hospital may charge the student for its replacement (current cost £800).

13. The conditions under which students may access the computerised Patient

Administration System of the Dental Hospital will be laid down by the Information Technology Department of the Trust. Students must adhere strictly to the regulations concerning the computerised Patient Administration System of the Dental Hospital, as issued by the Head of School and amended from time to time. Students granted access to the PAS are at all times subject to the requirements of the Data Protection Act. All appointments for patients must be recorded using the computerised Patient Administration System. Students must ensure that their patient attendance status has been correctly recorded on the clinic day list.

14. All students are issued with an identity card containing their photograph and coded

information concerning their course and registration details. This is the sole means of identification for obtaining grants, library books, access to certain buildings and you may be refused entrance without it. The card must be kept secure and any loss reported at once to University Security (Oxford Street).

Whilst attending the Liverpool University Dental Hospital for any purpose,

students must wear their identity badges at all times. Badges must be worn in a prominent position at front upper body level where it is clearly visible and capable of being examined by any person seeking to verify their identity.

15. Students must develop and maintain the highest standards of patient management and

must conform to the arrangements established in the Hospital clinics. Consultants have the right to exclude from their clinics students who do not, in their opinion, meet acceptable standards in these respects.

16. Students must consider themselves to be under the control of members of staff during

working hours. Standards of behaviour, dress and appearance must at all times conform to those expected of a caring profession, especially in the presence of patients. All students should be clean, neat and tidy in their presentation, for example it is not acceptable for students to wear jeans and tee-shirts, shorts, trainers etc in the Hospital. Consultants have the right to exclude from their clinics students who do not, in their opinion, meet acceptable standards in these respects.

For reasons of infection control, it is not permissible for students to leave

clinical areas and enter other areas of the Hospital (including laboratories) whilst wearing gloves, masks and gowns which they have been wearing whilst treating patients. All such items should be removed before leaving the clinic.

17. Patients must not be telephoned by students at work or at home outside of normal

working hours (10 am to 6 pm) unless under urgent circumstances or with the permission of the patient.

Should the patient be unavailable and another individual answer the telephone,

students must not discuss any specific aspect of the patient‟s treatment with them. A brief message or a request to return the call will suffice.

Similarly, when using the telephone in a public waiting area to discuss details with a

patient, students should be aware that such details are confidential.


All communications with patients must be made through official Hospital channels. On no account should students divulge their own personal details, eg home address or telephone number etc, to a patient.

18. Reasonable notice must be given to patients of appointment dates and times. Last-

minute cancellation of appointments, unless in an emergency, and short notice appointments, unless with the patient‟s permission, are not acceptable.

19. When waiting for patients to arrive for an appointment, students should not crowd

around the reception desk or doorways, restricting patients‟ access to the appointments clerk or waiting area. There must be no eating or drinking at the reception desks.

20. Lockers are provided for the protection of students‟ personal effects. The University,

however, cannot accept responsibility for loss or theft of property. Lockers must be cleared out at the end of each year and left open for reallocation, if appropriate. Students are strictly forbidden to keep in their lockers any Hospital or University property, apart from white coats in use. We reserve the right to search lockers without notice for University and Hospital property.

21. Students will not retain in their lockers any substances which might cause danger or

damage to persons or property. 22. Alcohol may not be brought onto the Hospital premises; students must adhere to the

Trust‟s Alcohol Policy which is available on request to the Hospital Manager. 23. Smoking restrictions imposed by the Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University Hospital

NHS Trust must be observed at all times. Students may smoke only in those areas specifically designated as “smoking areas.”

24. Students are responsible for keeping their Common Rooms in a reasonable state of

tidiness. Particular attention must be paid to the safe disposal of potentially infective items such as clinical gowns, and to the removal of foodstuffs to the appropriate receptacles.

Documents

FACULTY OF MEDICINE