Overview
On completion of this unit you will gain knowledge and understanding of the aetiology and pathogenesis of oral and systemic diseases as a foundation for clinical practice in Years 2 and 3. You will develop an understanding of the impact of systemic disease on the health of the oral cavity, dental management and treatment planning, the importance of patient medical history and the role of the oral health therapist within the dental team. You will learn the principles of intra-oral and extra-oral examination and screening for hard and soft tissue pathologies, as well as examination procedures in the detection of caries, changes in the tooth surface, pulpal and periapical tissues, and periodontal assessment. This knowledge will provide you with the foundations to recognise and describe oral pathological conditions in the clinical situation. You will learn to communicate information regarding oral health in oral and written forms and gain relevant interpersonal and team communication skills, professional attitudes and ethical behaviours.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Condition: Students must be enrolled in CB29 Oral Health Course to enrol in this unit. Prerequisites: ORAL11001 Introduction to Oral Health Therapy and BMSC11010 Human Anatomy and Physiology 1. Corequisites: ORAL11005 Oral Anatomy 2 and BMSC11011 Human Anatomy and Physiology 2.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Face to face
Students reported that the unit contained a lot of material, making it difficult to identify and prioritize key areas for study.
It is recommended to focus on essential material by enhancing the streamlined lecture slide layout and categorising additional learning resources as essential or optional.
Feedback from Face to face
Students valued the inclusion of short quizzes during lectures, as these helped check understanding and provided useful revision for assessment preparation
It is recommended that short quizzes continue to be incorporated during lectures.