57087 - Paedodontics

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will have basic knowledge on the techniques of clinical child patient management. The main objective of the course is obtaining both theoretical knowledge and practical skills for prevention and treatment of oral diseases in children. The student is expected to: communicate effectively with the child and his family; aquire knowledge about growth and development of the head and neck region;   recognize the most common diseases in children (dental caries, dental anomalies, malocclusion, periodontal disease, soft tissue pathology, dental injuries of traumatic origin); know the correlation between systemic and oral diseases; practice proper behavioral/psychologic approach of children;  practice caries prevention with use of motivation and education of patients; be able to make a correct diagnosis and treatment plan of caries/periapical  disease in deciduous and permanent teeth;  intercept  and treat orthopedic-orthodontic problems; implement the control of pain and anxiety in pediatric dentistry with specific knowledge in the field of local anesthesia, conscious sedation and anesthesia; prescribe appropriate pharmacologic therapy of oral pathologies in children; manage and prevent dentoalveolar injuries of traumatic origin; possess sufficient knowledge concerning oral surgical procedures in the pediatric patient in order to formulate a correct surgical treatment plan.
 

Course contents

Doctor-Patient communication with the pediatric patient, patient and family management.

Clinical examination in Pediatric Dentistry.

Craniofacial development: embryology and growth.

Morfology and histology of primary and permanent teeth.

Development and characteristics of the primary, mixed and permanent dentition.

Dental anomalies.

Radiographic diagnosis in pediatric dentistry.

Guidelines for the promotion of oral health in children: oral hygiene, use of topical and systemic fluoride (metabolism, mechanisms of action, side effects), power supply, sealing of pits and fissures.

Pain control in the child patient.

Caries in deciduous teeth (etiology, diagnosis and therapy).

Pulpal disease in deciduous teeth (etiology, diagnosis and therapy)

Periapical pathology of endodontic origin in deciduous teeth (etiology, diagnosis and therapy).

Dental injuries of traumatic origin of deciduous and permanent teeth (classification, diagnosis and therapy).

Conservative therapy and endodontic treatment of permanent teeth with incompletely formed apex.

Soft tissue lesions in children.

Surgical procedures in the pediatric patient.

Pharmacologic therapy of oral pathologies in pediatric patients.

Bad habits.

The orthodontic-orthopedic anomalies in the mixed dentition: diagnosis, interception and therapy .

Space maintenance in the mixed dentition.

The promotion of oral health in children suffering from systemic diseases and debilitating conditions.

Readings/Bibliography

Didactic material provided by the Professor

Teaching methods

The teaching consists of lectures and practical classes.

Lectures, based on the principles of medical teaching, require a close interaction between teacher and students and are organized in order to simulate a situation that represents the daily challenges faced by the dentist in pediatric patient management.

The practical lessons, carried out by dividing the students into groups, are addressed to the student acquire vocational skills, communication and teamwork.

Assessment methods

The final exam will be carried out through a written with a clinical case and an oral test to assess the students' knowledge of the course program.

Teaching tools

Audiovisual material

Slide show lectures

Scientific articles (available at the School of Dentistry)

Office hours

See the website of Gabriela Piana