Dental Competencies

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Diagnosis and Treatment Planning

  • Gather, evaluate and integrate the best available research and biomedical science knowledge to facilitate an evidence-based approach to achieving and maintaining oral health.
  • Gather all pertinent patient information from history, interview, clinical and radiographic examination, and appropriate diagnostic tests to accurately diagnose oral diseases, recognize implications of systemic disease, identify risk factors, and determine prognosis, while collaborating with other members of the healthcare professional team and making referrals as necessary.
  • Recognize hard and soft tissue abnormalities of the orofacial region, including temporomandibular disorders, and determine appropriate management and follow-up.
  • Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to develop comprehensive treatment plans and obtain informed consent for the accepted treatment option. 

Oral Health Management

  • Monitor and evaluate therapeutic outcomes and utilize the results to reassess and modify initial diagnosis and treatment as necessary.
  • Recognize and manage medical and dental emergencies and provide basic life support interventions when needed.
  • Manage pain and anxiety utilizing pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods, recognizing the impact of prescribing practices on substance abuse disorders.
  • Perform a caries risk assessment and restore teeth to proper form, function, and esthetics using appropriate treatment strategies.
  • Restore partial or complete edentulism to proper form, function, and esthetics with fixed or removable prostheses including implant procedures by using appropriate materials and techniques, managing the associated laboratory procedures, communicating with laboratory technicians and evaluating the resultant prostheses.
  • Complete a periodontal evaluation, assessment and treatment of early and moderate forms of periodontal disease and manage advanced periodontal disease with a clear recognition of the end points of therapy.

  • Complete an endodontic evaluation, assessment and treatment of uncomplicated endodontic cases.

  • Complete a surgical evaluation, assessment and treatment of uncomplicated cases and manage complicated oral surgical cases.
  • Complete an orthodontic evaluation, assessment and space management analysis of patients, differentiating between minor and major malocclusions.

Practice and Profession

  • Apply legal and ethical principles to the provision of oral health care services, with an understanding of the professional obligation to the patient.
  • Using a patient-centered, humanistic approach, apply appropriate communication and behavioral principles to effectively interact with diverse populations, including patients from various cultural backgrounds, with special needs, and in varying stages of the lifespan.
  • Provide care for all patient populations including patients from various cultural backgrounds, special needs and in varying stages of the lifespan, emphasizing prevention of oral diseases and promoting the maintenance of existing systemic and oral health of individuals, families and groups in the community.
  • Apply the basic principles and philosophies of practice management, evaluate models of oral health care delivery, assess emerging resources and trends in healthcare, and provide leadership to the dental health care team.
  • Complete a self-assessment of skills, performance, and knowledge for the construction of a personal development plan to improve professional competencies.

 

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