Faculty of Dentistry Phase II

Community Dentistry (or Community Oral Health or Dental Public Health) is a branch of dentistry that aims to prevent oral disease and maintain oral health by focusing on societal influences and working with communities as opposed to individual patients. This module helps the undergraduate develop an understanding of how the nature of the community, access to material goods and services and broad cultural composition will impact on disease experience, type of services preferred, their likelihood of dental attendance and ability to maintain their own dental health. Thus this module requires an understanding of relevant aspects of sociology, psychology, epidemiology and statistics, health economics, evidence-based practice, health promotion and health service organization.

In Malaysia, Dental Public Health is a recognized specialty of dentistry. At the undergraduate level, the role of the dentist as a professional within society with a responsibility in shaping future dental health services and responding to demographic shifts, broader health needs and societal change is emphasized. The teaching of this module thus occurs throughout the undergraduate course and will help graduates develop and maintain an appreciation of how the environment in which people live impacts directly on the prevalence of oral diseases and conditions, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors and the ability of clinicians to intervene successfully  and holistically to improve oral health. In the Faculty of Dentistry, MMMC the course is designed to emphasize these aspects by organizing it into 6 modules as illustrated below:

Community Dentistry : Social and behavioral science in dentistry

: Preventive Dentistry

: Oral Health Promotion and  Dental Health Education

: Health Service Organization

: Law and Ethics

: Oral Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Head of the Department:

Prof. Dr. Noorliza Mastura Binti Ismail – BDS (Malaya), DDPHRCs (England), MSc (DPH) (London)

Faculty:

Prof. Dr. Abdul Rashid Bin Ismail – BDS (Malaya), DDPHRCs (England), MSc (DPH) (London)

Operative dentistry is branch of dentistry which incorporates the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of defects of teeth with restoration of proper tooth form, function, and aesthetics which will enhance the general health and welfare of the patient.

The department has a contemporary design with modern dental units and a radiographic room, and is provided with the latest dental materials; instruments and equipments. Comprehensive dental treatment for all patients ensures a regular flow of dental cases for clinical training, skills development and research requirements during the clinical phase for the undergraduate program.

The Department have dedicated and experienced faculty, all of whom are committed to excellence in education, patient care, scholarly activity, research, conducting continuing professional development programmes to including hands-on courses.

AIM

The department aims at maintaining the highest of standards in education, patient care as well as research activities in the fields of operative dentistry and endodontics.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMME

The Conservative Dentistry programme is designed to train dental students with clinical skills and ability to make independent clinical decisions which is essential to become competent dental practitioners.

Students finish Phase l (2 years) at MMMC Campus, Manipal for pre-clinical training. During the two-year phase I students are introduced to basics of dental materials, preclinical course including cavity preparations, practising simple restorative procedures in the phantom head where they develop their psychomotor skills and learn to manipulate restorative materials

PHASE II , in Year 3, MMMC Campus,Melaka ,Malaysia students have  practical exercises where they learn to do comprehensive preclinical exercise ,cavity preparations and root canal treatment. Students perform exercises on extracted teeth to develop confidence before they work on patients. Then preclinical students are required to do restorative treatment and root canal treatment in phases in Yrs 3, Yrs 4, Yrs 5 B.D.S to develop clinical competence to become safe and effective dental practitioners.

Key Features

• Pre-clinical wing comprising of 31 phantom heads for undergraduate pre- clinical training in Restorative dentistry and Endodontics, do develop confidence before working on patients in students clinic.

• Fully electronic dental chairs for greater ease & comfort
• Separate clinical areas for undergraduates & specialists.
• Presence of latest equipment like, Rotary instruments, Apex locators.
• A wide range of restorative materials for pre- clinical and clinical training.

Head of the Department:

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vikram Shetty Kaup

Faculty Members:

Prof .Dr. Vivekananda Pai

Prof. Dr. Alok Misra

Asst. Prof. Dr. Kapil Jhajharia

Asst. Prof. Dr. Tony Francis

Department of Oral Medicine & Radiology, Faculty of dentistry at Melaka-Manipal Medical College came into existence in 2011 and since its inception we have been striving for the trio concept –to cater world class education, research and to provide health at its best/optimal health and improve quality of life by integrating the field of medicine and imaging. The subject is included in the basic education of dental students during their third and fourth study years. In year 5, students are trained in Oral Diagnosis and pain management. Majority of training period of students is significantly spent in the outpatient clinic, understanding the patient’s symptoms, management of diseases that impact oral health and review of the same.

We have introduced the high tech CBCT Promax 3D imaging unit in the discipline of Radiology. The images produced are then shared with every department through our electronic patient recording software. The department also conducts regular CBCT Hands-on workshops for local and international students (Web link for CBCT Hands-on workshop)

Vision: We attempt to ‘foresee better clinicians of tomorrow’ in students who have enrolled with us and hence we secure the best training, making sure that the students are regularly exposed to a wide range of common dental issues, to learn to diagnose, treat and interpret the unseen through radiographic images

Mission: The department ensures that every student upon completion receives training in the following clinical portfolios:

• Salivary dysfunction
• Digital Radiography
• Interpretation of lab reports
• Management of dental emergencies
• Diagnosis of oral mucosal diseases and Oral Cancer
• Dental management of medically compromised patients
• Basic intraoral and panoramic imaging and interpretation
• Applications of Advanced imaging – Cone beam Computed Tomography
• Examination & Diagnosis of orofacial pain and temporomandibular disorders
• Non-surgical Management of oral mucosal diseases and tailoring drugs and dose as per needs

Moving towards student centred learning, the department follows blended learning approach and Socrative learning.

Head of the Department:

• Prof. Dr. Sumanth Kumbargere Nagraj

Faculty Members:

• Asst. Prof. Dr. Preethy Mary Donald

Radiographer

• Ms.Anisah Ismail, 

Short Courses:

• CBCT Hands-on training

Oral Pathology is the specialty of dentistry and pathology which deals with the nature, identification and management of diseases affecting the oral and maxillofacial region. It is the study of diseases of oral and maxillofacial soft and hard tissues, their etiology, pathogenesis and histopathology as related to clinical and radiographic features and arrive at diagnosis which will help in planning appropriate treatments for the patients.

The department follows an Outcome Based Education (OBE) Curriculum as per the MQA requirements and the teaching learning activities are performed under following platforms like.

• Regular didactic lectures: which follows the prescribed standard text books of Oral Pathology
• Seminars : Which covers the applied aspects and recent concepts in the field of oral pathology
• Practical: Case reports with clinical, radiographic and histologic features are presented and students need to analyze and discuss the differential diagnosis, investigations required, and should be able to correlate them with the histopathological features to arrive at a the diagnosis and are trained to represent the histopathology schematically in their log books.
• Virtual Microscopy: Students are allowed to have a feel of browsing through the whole digitalized histopathological sections of common oral lesions and will enable the students to analyze the histopathologic features under various magnifications rather than the traditional printed or preselected photomicrographs or histological sections.
• Case Based Learning: Students are encouraged to participate and involve in discussion which will help in improving their analytical thinking.
• Assessments: We have 2 types of Assessments:
  1. Formative assessment: This includes all the Block examination and routine examinations after every chapter.
  2. Summative assessment: This is the Professional examination

Theoretical assessments are in the form of

• Analytical Multiple choice question
• Modified essay questions and
• Short answer questions
• Practical assessment is performed as Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) which effectively tests the candidate’s knowledge and analytical thinking to arrive at a diagnosis for a given pathological lesion.

Head of the Department:

Prof. Dr. Jose Joy Idiculla

Faculty Members:

Asst. Prof. Dr. Renjith George

Formal training in oral and maxillofacial surgery at the Manipal University is the very foundation in dentistry. Over 140 students have successfully completed the requirements for graduation in Dentistry. Faculty of Dentistry graduates are prominent and recognized professionals.

Our graduates are well-trained in the full scope of oral surgery. Additional training is available for those interested in academic pursuits for advanced certification and research methodology. The training program is a part of full-time 60 month program. The program includes didactic courses and clinical exposure to topics related to the specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

The course of study is organized to allow the student to work closely with the full time faculty at the primary and affiliate Melaka General hospital. The resident will acquire the skills necessary to assume positions of increasing responsibility in the surgical care of the patient.

Scope and Division

The Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery provides consultative, diagnostic, and therapeutic services to patients with problems of the oral cavity, maxillofacial region, and head & neck and training for students in the full scope of Dentistry. Our mission is to train future academic leaders in the profession, to provide excellent patient care, and to contribute to clinical research.  

Conditions

Conditions treated in the division include: odontogenic infections, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems, facial trauma, dentofacial deformities, pathological conditions of and/or injuries to the maxillo-mandibular complex, cleft and craniofacial abnormalities, cosmetic deformities of the head & neck, extraction of teeth and repair of supporting bone, surgical management of the complex airway, and snoring and sleep apnea.

Patients

Patients are referred to us for interdisciplinary care by other dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and physicians. Students are closely involved with patient management under direct supervision of the faculty. Our faculty have specialized knowledge in anesthesia, maxillofacial trauma, cosmetic facial surgery, TMJ surgery, implant surgery, infections, reconstruction dentoalveolar surgery, orthognathic surgery, cleft lip and palate/craniofacial surgery, maxillofacial pathology and medical assessment and patient management.

Head of the Department:

• Assc .Prof Dr S Venkata Chalapathi

Faculty Members:

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cherian Koshy
• Asst. Prof. Dr. Abdul Kalam Azad

The department of Pediatric Dentistry is dedicated in providing comprehensive oral health care and prevention to infants, children, adolescents, and those with special needs. Our program is designed to provide dental students with experience in identifying and meeting the dental health needs of children including those with special needs with focus on preventive care based on scientific evidence to help each child develop a healthy smile that will last a lifetime.

The subject is introduced to the students in Year 3 as part of clinical years. The training in Pediatric Dentistry is done by means of classroom teaching as well as clinical training. Classroom teaching includes didactic lectures and student-centered activities like seminars, role plays, CBL, TBL etc. Clinical training involves dental therapeutic management of children through establishing effective communication with the parent/patient and the dental team, developing good patient-dentist relationship as well as identifying and meeting the concerns of the parent/patient.

Scope & Mission

Department of Pediatric Dentistry will provide comprehensive therapeutic and preventive care to infants, children and adolescents including those with special needs.

Our mission is to train students to seek scientific evidence in day-to-day clinical situations, think critically and become learners with an inquisitiveness to look for answers through research and thereby establish an evidence-based practice and nurture life-long learning. Students will also be trained to be empathetic and skillful in providing comprehensive care for children. To achieve this goal, our curriculum will enable the students towards:

1. Behavioral Management of children for dental treatment.

2. Preventive dentistry and oral health education.

3. Comprehensive restorative including crowns and prosthetic care

4. Oral facial trauma – evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and child abuse considerations.

5. Periodontal diseases – diagnosis, treatment, and referral if needed.

6. Pulp therapy for primary and young permanent teeth.

7. Extractions and Oral surgery for the pediatric dental patient.

8. Management and care of special needs patients.

9. Preventive and interceptive orthodontics and space maintenance.

10. Dental emergencies.

Our Uniqueness:

1. Well qualified and competent faculty to guide students in a variety of procedures.

2. Use of innovative teaching methods.

3. Encourage peer-learning.

4. Procedural training on typodont teeth.

5. Well-equipped dental clinics with provision of contemporary materials that are used for children.

6. Provision of dental treatment to children in a non-threatening, friendly environment.

7. Focus on preventive dental care in children.

Head of the Department:

• Prof. Dr. Eswara Uma

Faculty Members:

• Asst. Prof. Dr. Eby Varghese
• Asst. Prof. Dr Ankita Arora
• Dr. Saptarshi Bhowal (Tutor)

Periodontology is an acronym wherein ‘Peri’ means around, ‘odont’ means tooth and ‘ology’ means study of. It is the art and science of examination, diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the supporting structures of the teeth. The Department of Periodontics aims at facilitating learning among the undergraduate dental students in attaining an in-depth knowledge of the periodontium in health and disease. Commencing in the third year of the undergraduate dental program, the training involves guiding the students to recognize the roles of microbiological, immunological, environmental, systemic and genetic influences in the etiopathogenesis of periodontal disease and the various patterns of periodontal destruction. The clinical guidance begins with detailed examination and charting of the gingival and periodontal status and demonstration sessions in periodontal instrumentation and scaling procedures. The students develop clinical skills in performing non-surgical periodontal management of patients.

In the fourth and fifth years, the course provides valuable insights into the range of non-surgical and surgical therapeutic procedures performed in the field of Periodontics including periodontal considerations and management in relation to Implant Dentistry. The course also throws light on the bidirectional dynamic relationship between periodontal and systemic health of patients. The students acquire clinical skills in the practice of various periodontal procedures including scaling, root planing and minor periodontal surgeries based on precise clinical examination, diagnosis and sequential phase-wise treatment planning. They also learn the art of designing maintenance regimen tailor-made to suit the needs of every patient.

The concept of life-long learning is instilled in the students by facilitating learning through seminar presentations, case based learning and various other methods.

Head of the Department:

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nettemu Sunil Kumar

Faculty Members:

Asst. Prof. Dr. Nettem Sowmya

Asst. Prof. Dr. Vijendra Pal Singh

The branch of prosthodontics deals with the restoration of natural teeth, the replacement of missing teeth and contiguous maxillofacial tissues with artificial substitutes. Optimal oral health and esthetics are obtained for patients through the use of various treatment options available. These include fabrication of complete and removable partial dentures, crowns, fixed dental prosthesis, laminate/veneers, inlays, post endodontic restoration, maxillofacial prosthesis and implants. Through diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance, a prosthodontist can improve the oral function, comfort, appearance and health of a patient.

Key Features Of Our Department:

• Qualified and competent faculty members with specialized training in prosthodontics and implantology
• Equipped with the latest state of art laboratory equipment
• Well trained Dental technologists capable of fabricating all types of prostheses
• Preclinical and phantom head laboratory to assist in preclinical training
• Well-equipped Ceramic lab with the latest ceramic machine for preparation of metal ceramic and all ceramic restorations
• Latest instruments and latest available impression materials and cements are used for patient treatment procedures
• Trained faculty in CBCT reading to assist in diagnosis and treatment planning in Pre-prosthetis planning of implantology.

Core Competencies:

We excel in the fabrication of a wide variety of prosthesis. They are as follows:

Removable Prosthodontics:

• Removable Partial Dentures
• Interim Acrylic Dentures
• Cast Partial Dentures
• Conventional Complete Dentures
• Single Complete Dentures
• Overdentures
  • Tooth Supported Overdentures
  • Implant Supported Overdentures
  • Immediate Dentures

  Fixed Prosthodontics:

  • Fixed Partial Denture
  • Crown
  • Post and Core/ Crown
  • Implant Supported Fixed Prosthesis

  Maxillofacial Prosthetics:

  • Ocular Prosthesis
  • Orbital Prosthesis
  • Auricular Prosthesis

  Head of the Department:

  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Prashanti Eachempati

  Faculty Members:

  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kiran Kumar
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abhishek Apratim
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anand Farias

  Facility: 

  MMMC Dental Lab

The Department of Orthodontics undertakes the training of young undergraduate students in the art and science of Orthodontics. The department offers courses of study in the theoretical, clinical and research aspect of Orthodontics, enabling the students to successfully acquire their Bachelor of Dental Surgery (B.D.S) degree.

The Orthodontics department has as its objective the training and transforming of young students into excellent, ethical, compassionate, effective and versatile practitioners in the field of orthodontics, through the rigorous pursuit of a comprehensive, in-depth and highly competitive training schedule. It is also the objective of this department to provide the highest quality of Orthodontic treatment and care to all their patients while upholding the high treatment standards, integrity and values of the Orthodontic profession.

The specialists in this discipline provide fixed orthodontic appliance treatment to all types of patients ranging from the most simple to complex cases, using the latest technology and advances in treatment including the use of mini-implants. Orthodontic specialist services are provided in student clinics as well as in specialist clinic for patients referred from all over Malaysia. Simpler and more varied treatment modalities offered by the students through the use of removable appliances provide more cost-effective and shorter treatment options for the patients to choose from.

Head of the Department:

Prof. Dr. Pritiviraj Jeyaraman

Faculty Members:

Asst. Prof. Dr. Priti Mulimani

Asst. Prof. Dr. Renu Sara Samson