Dentistry

All symposia, small group teaching and end of year examinations were transferred to remote access via Zoom and our online learning platform, Blackboard, in March 2020.

This has proved to be so successful that certain elements of teaching have continued to take place online.

We emphasise the acquisition of academic knowledge at the beginning of the course. It is more heavily weighted towards developing clinical skills in later years.

This means that we are currently prioritising clinical experience for Year 4 and 5 students. We also ensure social distancing, PPE and deliver remote seminars in advance of clinical sessions. Students are also grouped into bubbles of six. They enter and leave the classroom on a staggered basis.

Year 5 clinical students have all been fit mask tested and, in addition to classroom skills sessions, have been seeing aerosol-generated procedure (AGP) and non-AGP patients under the close supervision of a member of staff. Both Years 4 and 5 attend oral surgery, oral medicine and other clinics.

Year 5 students have been undergoing preparation for entry to practice in 2021 sessions, with an emphasis on communications skills and problem solving. Practice sessions have involved the assistance of Year 4 students as patient actors.

From January, we will be able to increase the number of clinical sessions, and the younger clinical years will be introduced to refresher clinical skills teaching.

The course is delivered through lectures, symposia and small group teaching, all of which have continued virtually during the pandemic. 

Year 3 clinical students have all been fit mask tested, and are seeing aerosol-generated procedure (AGP) and non-GP patients, continuing to learn and practice their clinical skills.

Year 2 students have continued with their clinical skills training and are currently being fit mask tested in anticipation of going onto clinics in the second semester.

Both Year 2 and 3 students attend the radiography department individually. Year 3 are attending Oral Medicine on a rota basis, but are observing only. Year 2 and 3 students will return to the clinics in bubbles from January.

Whenever students are on site, they work in bubbles of six to eight students, entering and leaving the classrooms on a staggered basis. All sessions adhere to strict social distancing rules and the use of PPE. 

By conscientiously adhering to these conditions, Year 1 students will be able to start their basic clinical skills training in the second semester.