(An interview of an American Professor)

Corr.: I’d like to know what is the general pattern of dental educa

­ tion in the USA?

Prof.: Well, dental education is provided by the dental schools

enrolling some 4500 students.

Corr.: What’s the duration of training at the dental schools?

Prof.: The length of training at the dental schools is five years.

Corr.: Are curricula uniform?

Prof.: Curricula and teaching plans are not uniform, but in practice

they are almost similar since they are guided by the

common recommendations of American Dental

Association.

Corr.: What are the departments at the Dental schools?

Prof.: As a rule there are the following departments: conservative

treatment of the teeth, endodontic (treatment of pulpitis),

periodontal (diseases of oral mucosa, periodontal disease),

prosthetic (all kinds of removable prostheses) and

orthodontic.

Corr.: Child welfare has become prominent concern in your

country. What piece does children’s dentistry occupy in

your system of training?

Prof.: Children’s dentistry is becoming a leading discipline in the

training of the dental students and a great number of hours

are devoted to it.

Corr.: Is medical education, dental education in particular, free of

charge?

Prof.: I’m afraid, it isn’t. Fees for teaching are paid by the students

in all universities and fees for teaching in dental faculties

are rather high.

Corr.: Can you give an example?

Prof.: Certainly. Fee for teaching at University of Medicine and

Dentistry of New Jersey (public) is 13 920 dollars annually

and at University of Rochester School of Medicine and

Den­tistry (private) amounts to 22 850 dollars respectively.

Corr.: Well, thank you for your very detailed information.

Prof.: Thank you, that was a most stimulating talk.

Dental education in the usa. Part II

Task 1 Read the text:

PROGRAM OF STUDY AT DENTAL COLLEGE

a) The doctor of dental surgery.

The four-year dental curriculum is designed to provide learning expe­riences which enable the student to acquire the essential knowledge and skills necessary for competent practice in the science and art of dentistry. The Academic year program demands much time. Direct participation in classes, laboratories, and clinics amounts to 35 or more hours per week. In addition to conventional two semesters of each academic year, students par­ticipate in four additional weeks of instruction during the first and second year and also provide patient care in a 10-week summer session following the third year. The total instructional period is 146 weeks.

Instruction is provided in the basic biological sciences, behavioral sci­ences, and clinical dental sciences. Most of the biological science instruc­ tion is included in the first two years of the curriculum. Clinical sciences are taught throughout the entire curriculum.

The first year of the curriculum is concerned largerly with the basic structure and function of the human body. Courses in human gross anato­my, microscopic anatomy with emphasis on the oralfacial structures, bio­chemistry, and phisiology provide the student with the understanding of the biological sciences important to the dentist. Instruction in the clini­cal sciences gives the student the knowledge of form, structure, growth, and function of the dentition, the importance of and the mechanisms to prevent dental disease, and some of the procedures used to restore dis­eased oral tissues to a healthy condition. Students begin patient care in the first year, by performing preventive dentistry and examination and diagnostic procedures.

The second year concentrates on the processes of disease, and infec­tion through courses in pathology, oral pathology, microbiology, and im­munology.

In the third year more than half of the students’ time is spent in the provision of dental care to patients and at the same time they have phar­macology, behavioral and social sciences.

The final year concentrates on patient care and effective and efficient management of dental services. Each student spends 5 weeks in special preceptorships or in private offices and institutions providing dental ser­vices.

The Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D. S.) degree will be awarded to stu­dents who complete the program at an acceptable level and demonstrate a high degree of professional ethics and behavior.

b) Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene.

The Dental Hygienist is a member of the oral health care team trained to provide intraoral services for patients.

The Dental hygiene curriculum consists of two years (60 semester hours credit) of required courses and two years of dental hygiene sub­jects. The required courses may be taken at any accredited college or uni­versity.

The objectives of the Dental Hygiene Program are to produce gradu­ates who will:

1) be competent in recognition, evaluation and treatment of oral dis­eases;

2) practice preventive dental hygiene;

3) assume responsibility for improving oral health;

4) function as a valuable member of interdisciplinary teams of health personnel;

5) demonstrate the skill and desire to continue professional education.

Upon successful completion of the program, the graduates receive the degree of Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene and have licensure to practice as a registered dental hygienist (R.D.H.).

Task 2 Read the text once again and be ready to answer the following questions:

1 What is dental curriculum designed to?

2 How many semesters does academic year comprise?

3 What is the first year of the curriculum concerned with?

4 What does the final year concentrate on?

5 When are degrees of D. D.S. and R.D.H. awarded?

6 What are the objectives of Dental Hygiene Program?

Task 3 Complete the following sentences:

1 The first year is concerned with ....

2 The second year concentrates on ... .

3 During the third year students spend time in ... .

4 Each student in the final year spends ... .

5 Dental hygienist should provide ... .

6 Degree of Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene gives ... .

Task 4 Give negative form of the Present Perfect:

1 The applicants have acquired the essential knowledge to be admit­ted to Dental College.

2 Course of human gross anatomy has provided the students with the basic knowledge of the oralfacial structures.

3 Special preceptorships and private offices have enacted the students to carry out effective and efficient management of dental services.

Task 5 Choose the proper Ukrainian equivalents to the English words and word combinations:

1 instructional a) period превентивна стоматологія

2 oral tissue b) прийнятний рівень

3 objective c) брати на себе

4 preventive dentistry d) тканина ротової порожнини

5 assume e) мета

6 licensure f) період навчання

7 acceptable level g) ліцензія

Task 6 Put in the suitable words in the following sentences. Use the key below:

1 In the course of treatment it is very important ... diseased oral tis­sues to a healthy condition.

2 Completion of program at an ... level results in the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.

3 One of the objectives of the Dental ... Program is to practice pre­ventive dental hygiene.

4 The Degree of Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene and ... give the right to practice as a registered dental hygienist.

Key: acceptable, hygiene, Licensure, to restore.

Task 7 Translate into English:

1 Програма другого року навчання спрямована на вивчення мікро­біології, імунології і патологічної фізіології, зокрема патоло­гічної фізіології ротової порожнини.

2 Студенти останнього року навчання більшість часу проводять в клініці, надаючи необхідну стоматологічну допомогу хворим.

3 Студенти-стоматологи, як правило, вивчають клінічні предмети протягом всього періоду навчання.

Task 8 Dramatize the dialogue, try to give your own ideas: