Graduate Program in Periodontics

Periodontics

The Periodontics Graduate Program at the University of Detroit Mercy is a 35-month full-time comprehensive program that offers a Certificate in Periodontics and a Master of Science. The curriculum has been developed so that on completion, the student will have attained the competencies in:

  • the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases.
  • non-surgical and surgical treatment modalities.
  • the placement and maintenance of dental implants.
  • the management of medically compromised patients.
  • advanced oral plastic surgical procedures.
  • the use of advanced information technological systems.
  • the administration of light parental conscious sedation and advanced cardiac life support.
  • the scientific and evidence-based management of patient care.

The didactic knowledge, as well as the diagnostic, treatment, and maintenance skills necessary for successful completion of the American Board of Periodontology examination.

The knowledge and skills necessary to prepare the student for a successful clinical practice, or a position in academics or research..

The program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association.

Commitment

The University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, as a part of the continuing tradition of Catholic education, is committed to provide quality dental care to our patients and to serve as a source of information and education to the community.

Through our dedication to excellence in teaching and research, the School of Dentistry strives to develop technically and diagnostically skilled, scientifically based, socially and ethically sensitive dental professionals who are committed to continued professional growth and development.

Goals

The goal of the postdoctoral certificate program in Periodontology is to guide residents as they achieve their goal of becoming highly skilled specialists who will take their place in and make their contribution to our diverse society. The program will provide residents a wide range of experiences and depth of study that will prepare them for clinical practice, research and teaching. The program will provide a context in which residents may develop ethical and cultural competence (a set of behaviors, attitudes and policies that enables the professional to work effectively in multi-cultural situations, thereby enhancing outcomes). The program is designed to meet the eligibility requirements of the American Dental Association for specialization in periodontics and will prepare residents for the certification examinations given by the American Board of Periodontology.

Objectives and Course Descriptions

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    Objectives by Year

    During the first year, residents begin the summer semester with didactic courses as part of the core curriculum. These include courses for advanced head and neck anatomy and embryology, microbiology, epidemiology and pharmacology, and online educational courses. Residents receive a major part of the didactic training, and learn to employ all of the diagnostic and therapeutic techniques employed in clinical periodontics on the patients assigned to them during the course of their first year in the program. The residents' clinical experiences are enhanced by in-depth reviews of both current and classic periodontal literature throughout their training, beginning in the first year.

    At the end of the first year of training, the residents will attend a didactic course in Light Parental Conscious Sedation.

    The second year is devoted to comprehensive treatment of complex cases, further acquisition of an in-depth knowledge of the periodontal literature, and refinement of skills in the more sophisticated treatment techniques.

    During the third year, residents conduct in-depth reviews of current technologies and topics of current interest in periodontics. Clinical skills in periodontics and IV sedation are refined and results of therapy are carefully analyzed.

    In addition to clinical experience in the dental school, each Periodontics Graduate Resident assists in hospital oral surgical procedures and is also given the opportunity to perform certain procedures.

    Certification

    All of our residents are encouraged to actively pursue certification with the American Board of Periodontology. To help prepare them for Part I of the ABP examination, we participate in the annual American Academy of Periodontology In-service Examinations.

    In addition, each resident gives a formal case presentation at the end of each year of the three-year program. These case presentations are modeled after the format set by the ABP for their examinations.

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    Course Descriptions

    GRADUATE PERIODONTICS COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

    DEN 5010 Head and Neck Anatomy

     This course consists of head and neck dissection with emphasis on structures and functions relating to dentistry in general and periodontics specifically. 

    DOD 5200 Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation

     This course teaches the graduate students the basic training in life support as recommended by the American Heart Association.

    DPE 5000 Advanced Cardiac Life Support

     This course teaches techniques beyond the basic life support and is conducted at St. John Riverview Hospital. All students are required to be certified in ACLS, prior to any patient care.

    DPE 5010 Clinical Digital Photography

    The purpose of this course is to establish an acceptable level of competency in the operation of digital technologies for the purposes of the residency and/or future practice. The didactic portion will attempt to demystify digital technology in turn encouraging the continued use of digital cameras and imaging software. Also, the resident will attain the skills needed to create power point presentations.

    DPE 5020 Clinical Periodontics

     This course is the students’ clinical experience in the treatment of patients with periodontal diseases and related dental problems.  These clinic sessions are spent examining and diagnosing patients, treatment planning and initial, non-surgical and surgical therapies.  The graduate clinic is open seven half days a week for all treatments except implant surgery.  Generally, first year students do not place implants until they have taken the Implant Dentistry courses at the end of the first year.

     DPE 5030 Periodontic Case Review

     This seminar will review and evaluate the success/failure of all patients treated. Treatment records will be analyzed during a detailed discussion of diagnosis and treatment providing a critical evaluation of the clinical result.

    DPE 5050 Current Literature Seminar

     Current Periodontic journals and/or published reports of special conferences related to periodontics are reviewed and discussed.

    DEN 5140, Microbiology and Immunology I

     Current concepts of clinical microbiology, immunology, virology and antimicrobial chemotherapy are considered in their application to maxillofacial infections.

    DEN 5170 Oral Pathology I & II

     this course uses a lecture format and is an in-depth coverage of bone pathology, odontogenic and soft tissue tumors, dermatologic diseases facial pain and neuromuscular diseases, periodontal diseases and oral manifestations of systemic disease.

    DEN 5900 Biostatistics/Basic Research Methods

     Basic principles and techniques of research design and analysis are presented. Introduction to probability theory, sampling theory, criteria of reliability and validity and fundamentals of descriptive and inferential statistics are discussed. Scales of measurements and applications of parametric and nonparametric tests are introduced. Interpretation and evaluation of current research findings to professional practice is emphasized.

    DPE 5040 Periodontic Literature Review I

     This course focuses on the clinical periodontics literature related to the periodontal examination, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment, including surgical and non-surgical therapy.  Students’ abstract assigned articles for each class session, which are then discussed and moderated by the course director.

    DPE 5060 Introduction to Periodontics I

     This course is designed to familiarize the post graduate student with the complete range of topics in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases. Students will be presented with information using an up-to-date periodontal textbook which will change yearly during the three year program. Completion of this course will better allow the post graduate student to critically evaluate both classic and current literature as well as textbooks.

    DPE 5230 Introduction to Teaching Periodontics

    This course is designed to introduce the student to the foundation knowledge and skills essential to the teaching of Pre-doctoral Clinical Periodontology at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry. 

    DEN 5111 Ethics and Professional Responsibility

     The purpose of this course is to introduce ethical concepts as a foundation for an ethical decision making model that applies ethical principles to frequently encountered dilemmas. In addition, legal principles including tort, contract and regulatory concepts will be introduced to enhance the student’s understanding of their application to resolving or responding to issues encountered in private practice, education, and research. Dilemmas analyzed and discussed will include those related to the academic environment, research, patient care and practice management.

    DEN 5750 Microbiology and Immunology II

     This course is an intensive, in-depth review of microorganisms significant to the oral cavity, including those implicated in periodontal diseases.

    DPE 5140 Introduction to Periodontics II

    This course is designed to familiarize the post graduate student with the complete range of topics in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases. Students will be presented with information using an up-to-date periodontal textbook which will change yearly during the three year program. Completion of this course will better allow the post graduate student to critically evaluate both classic and current literature as well as textbooks.

    DPE 5180 Periodontic Literature Review II

    The goal of this course is to focus on the clinical periodontics literature related to the periodontal surgical therapy.  Students’ abstract assigned articles for each class session, which are then discussed and moderated by the course director.

    DPE 5250 Tobacco Intervention for Dentistry

     The graduate student learns to assist the patient stop using tobacco.  An evidence-based model will be used, adapted from the US Public Health Service clinical practice guideline and other creditable sources.  Understanding of the general and oral consequences of tobacco addiction will be developed.  Special situations will be addressed.  Clinical application of the techniques will be required.  Emphasis will be placed whenever possible on conditions of interest to the specialty resident.

     

    DPE 5070 Current Literature Seminar

     Current periodontic journals and/or published reports of special conferences related to periodontics are reviewed and discussed.

    DPE 5080 Clinical Periodontics

     This is a continuation of the students’ clinical experience.   The winter semester is devoted to perfecting the students’ surgical techniques prior to placing implants following the implant courses at the end of the first year.

    DPE 5090 Periodontic Case Review

     This seminar will review and evaluate the success/failure of all patients treated. Treatment records will be analyzed during a detailed discussion of diagnosis and treatment providing a critical evaluation of the clinical result.

    DPE 5110 Implant Dentistry

     The goal of this course is to introduce the residents to the art and science of implant therapy, using a combination of lecture and laboratory sessions. While the sessions will predominantly use clinical slides in somewhat of a lecture format, residents are encouraged to actively participate in the discussions. Handouts will be used with many literature references and the residents will be encouraged to read these articles.

    Guest lecturers from other departments at University of Detroit Mercy will participate in this course.

     DPE 5320 Clinical Oral Pathology Conference

     A study of pathologic conditions affecting the oral and para-oral regions. Clinical features are correlated to the histologic alterations characteristic of each disease.

    DPE 5140 Introduction to Periodontics III

    This course is designed to familiarize the post graduate student with the complete range of topics in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases. Students will be presented with information using an up-to-date periodontal textbook which will change yearly during the three year program. Completion of this course will better allow the post graduate student to critically evaluate both classic and current literature as well as textbooks.

    DPE 5100 Periodontal Surgery seminar I

     To augment the first year courses in periodontics, which provided a basic literature background for periodontal therapy. This course will present lectures on various techniques/topics with clinical cases. Emphasis will be placed on evidence-based therapy with discussion aimed at getting a clear understanding of some of the basic techniques and principles of clinical periodontics.

     DPE 5120 Conscious Sedation

     This first year course will provide residents with information regarding pain and anxiety control, including oral and IV sedation techniques and related pharmacology and may lead to certification in IV sedation.  Emphasis will be placed on proper assessment and management of patients.  ACLS training and certification will be provided if not already certified. This course will help residents become prepared for certification in conscious sedation techniques.

    DPE 5130 Advanced Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology

     Diagnostic imaging for dental implants, direct digital radiography, advanced tomographic imaging systems, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are presented.  Interpretation of intra-oral and extra-oral radiographs for the diagnosis of common and important lesions in the maxillofacial complex is also emphasized.  The course content is weighted toward application of radiology to the practice of periodontics. 

    DPE 5170 Advanced Oral Medicine

    The course is designed to develop the competency in making diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of oral diseases (with or without clinical manifestations) and oral manifestations of systemic diseases, and to provide comprehensive and/or palliative dental management of medically compromised patients based on the current best available evidence and patients value.  The course is structured in a student-centered, problem-based small group discussion format. The course is also structured in evidence based decision-making exercise in which the students are provided with evidence searching and appraisal techniques and exercises in the content areas. 

     DPE 5270 Introduction to Periodontics IV

    This course is designed to familiarize the post graduate student with the complete range of topics in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases. Students will be presented with information using an up-to-date periodontal textbook which will change yearly during the three year program. Completion of this course will better allow the post graduate student to critically evaluate both classic and current literature as well as textbooks.

    DPE 5150 Periodontal Surgery seminar II

    This seminar covers many areas of clinical periodontics, such as advanced surgical principles, furcation management, occlusion, and esthetic surgery.  Occasionally, videotapes of surgical procedures are shown.

    DPE 5160 Current Literature Seminar

    Current Periodontic journals and/or published reports of special conferences related to periodontics are reviewed and discussed.

    DPE 5210 Clinical Periodontics

    This is a continuation of the students’ clinical experience.   The winter semester is devoted to perfecting the students’ surgical techniques prior to placing implants following the implant courses at the end of the first year.

    DPE 5220 Periodontic Case Review

    This seminar will review and evaluate the success/failure of all patients treated. Treatment records will be analyzed during a detailed discussion of diagnosis and treatment providing a critical evaluation of the clinical result.

    DOD 5070/5080 Ortho/Perio Seminar

    This seminar is attended by graduate orthodontic and periodontic students.  Using literature reviews and case presentations by faculty and students, all aspects of therapy incorporating orthodontics and periodontics are covered such as the orthodontic need for mucogingival surgery, uncovering impacted canines and forced eruption for crown lengthening, etc.

    DOD 5270 TMD/Facial Pain

    This course provides the foundation knowledge necessary to differentiate orofacial pain of Odontogenic origin from non-odontogenic pain. It also teaches the students, in lecture/seminar format, about the diagnosis and management of facial pain with emphasis on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular dysfunction.

    DPE 5290 Conscious Sedation

    This is a continuation of the DPE 5120 to prepare the residents for clinical experience in pain and anxiety control, including oral and IV sedation techniques and related pharmacology. It will lead to certification in IV sedation after completion of a minimum of 20 clinical cases in IV sedation. ACLS training and certification is mandatory.