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UW School of Dentistry

course-program: didactic

DENTCP 647

Dental Curriculum Threads

Restorative Dentistry Topics – Autumn

Course Director(s): Sami Dogan & Pollene Speed
Credits: 1
Quarters/Yr of Program: Autumn / 3

Course Overview

This didactic course provides third-year dental students with advanced instruction in restorative dentistry as applied to comprehensive patient care. Students develop clinical reasoning in caries diagnosis, prevention, direct and indirect restorative treatment planning, tooth preparation, provisionalization, impressions, cementation, and interdisciplinary communication with specialists and dental laboratories. As the course progresses, students will be introduced to increasingly complex restorative topics and variations in treatment planning, materials, and techniques. Through lecture-based instruction and case-centered discussion, the course strengthens the integration of evidence-based decision-making with clinical execution in restorative dentistry.

Learning Objectives

The student who successfully completes this course will be able to:

  1. Use Axium, CDT coding, and appropriate patient, staff, and laboratory communication to accurately document and coordinate restorative care.
  2. Perform risk-based caries diagnosis using clinical and radiographic findings and apply selective caries removal strategies that preserve tooth structure and pulpal health.
  3. Develop individualized preventive and recall plans using caries risk assessment, fluoride, silver diamine fluoride, salivary diagnostics, and informed consent principles.
  4. Plan and justify minimally invasive direct composite restorations using evidence-based criteria and tooth-preserving restorative approaches.
  5. Determine restorability and select appropriate buildups, post-and-core procedures, and provisional restorations that support long-term function, biologic health, and prognosis.
  6. Design tooth preparations for fixed restorations, including gold, PFM, zirconia, and ceramic restorations, using biomechanical, periodontal, and material-specific principles.
  7. Select and perform appropriate impression and cementation protocols, including soft tissue management, analog or digital workflows, and management of common complications.
  8. Identify cases requiring referral and produce clear laboratory prescriptions and referral communications that support coordinated, ethical, and patient-centered care.
  9. Integrate preventive, restorative, and prosthodontic knowledge to analyze clinical cases and make sound restorative treatment-planning decisions in comprehensive care settings.

UWSOD Competencies: C-01, C-10, C-02, C-09, C-06, C-03, C-08, C-15, C-07, C-14, C-12, C-31, C-16, C-29, C-17, C-05, C-11, C-30, C-18, C-24, C-26, C-19, C-20, C-23, C-2

Date last updated: 2026-10-06

DENTCP 646

Dental Curriculum Threads

Practice Management Topics – Autumn

Course Director(s): Rachel Greene
Credits: 1
Quarters/Yr of Program: Autumn / 3

Course Overview

This course introduces foundational concepts in dental practice management and the business of dentistry, including practice models, career and ownership pathways, financial management, scheduling, staffing, leadership, patient communication, risk management, and professional ethics. Through applied learning and real-world examples, the course prepares students to evaluate practice opportunities, understand the business and legal considerations that intersect with clinical practice, manage professional relationships, and develop the leadership skills necessary for a successful transition from dental school to practice.

Learning Objectives

The student who successfully completes this course will be able to:

  1. Compare major dental practice models and describe how current trends in the dental industry influence career pathways, practice ownership, employment opportunities, and patient care delivery.
  2. Explain foundational dental business concepts, including key performance indicators, production, collections, overhead, case acceptance, patient flow, and clinical productivity.
  3. Apply scheduling principles to support practice goals, improve patient access, enhance clinical efficiency, and balance provider productivity with quality patient care.
  4. Demonstrate effective communication strategies that build rapport, increase patient trust, support case presentation, and improve interactions with patients, colleagues, and dental team members.
  5. Apply emotional intelligence and stress management strategies to support professional resilience, self-awareness, patient care, and effective participation in a dental practice environment.
  6. Use leadership and conflict management principles to navigate team dynamics, address workplace challenges, give and receive feedback, and contribute to a positive clinical culture.
  7. Analyze sustainability in dental practice, including financial sustainability, workforce sustainability, provider well-being, environmental stewardship, and long-term practice viability.

UWSOD Competencies: C-08, C-07, CE-04, C-14, C-28

Date last updated: 2026-10-06

DENTCP 645

Dental Curriculum Threads

Periodontics Topics – Autumn

Course Director(s): Diane Daubert
Credits: 1
Quarters/Yr of Program: Autumn / 3

Course Overview

Students expand their understanding of periodontal principles within the scope of general dentistry. Focus placed on foundational knowledge and treatment planning in preparation for clinical periodontal care.

Learning Objectives

The student who successfully completes this course will be able to:

  1. Explain the concepts of periodontal surgery.
  2. Explain the biology in periodontal regeneration.
  3. Manage advanced periodontal lesions.
  4. Clinically assess patients with periodontal diseases.
  5. Explain risk factors for peri-implant diseases and conditions
  6. Describe diagnosis and treatment of endo perio lesions.
  7. Explain the names, drug classifications, mechanism of action and side effects of commonly used diabetes and blood pressure medications.
  8. Provide a framework to guide clinical decisions regarding when to refer a patient to a specialist.
  9. Explain the steps in treatment of peri-implant diseases and conditions.

UWSOD Competencies: C-01, C-10, CE-02, CE-03, C-03, C-15, C-14, C-28, C-12, C-13, C-31, C-17, C-18, C-24, C-25, C-26, C-20, C-22, C-23

Date last updated: 2026-10-06

DENTCP 642

Dental Curriculum Threads

Oral Surgery Topics – Autumn

Course Director(s): John Evans
Credits: 1
Quarters/Yr of Program: Autumn / 3

Course Overview

Students study fundamental concepts in the surgical management of patients in general dental practice, ranging from dentoalveolar procedures to treatment of complex head and neck pathology. Emphasis placed on developing the knowledge needed for effective collaboration with oral and maxillofacial surgery specialists.

Learning Objectives

The student who successfully completes this course will be able to:

  1. Describe a surgical treatment plan that is integrated with a comprehensive treatment plan based on clinical history, physical examination, appropriate clinical sciences, imaging, and laboratory studies.
  2. Describe the surgical and medical procedures needed by patients who present with oral and maxillofacial infections commonly seen in general dental practice.
  3. Describe the basic principles of surgical care in the treatment of patients in general dental practice including risk assessment, informed consent, and the need for specialty care.
  4. Describe the diagnosis and treatment of common complications of surgical procedures performed by general dentists.
  5. Describe the clinical use of pharmacologic agents in the clinical care of patients including nitrous oxide, local anesthetics and antibiotics.
  6. Describe the pathophysiology, anatomy, and treatment of acute orofacial pain.
  7. Identify the clinical features of common oral lesions in the development of differential diagnoses and treatment modalities.
  8. Develop a professional relationship with a specialist based on trust and clear, open communication.
  9. Demonstrate a didactic knowledge of the physical examination of patients in need of surgical care including an assessment of a patient ‘s capacity to undergo prescribed surgical care.
  10. Demonstrate the basic didactic knowledge of the surgical and medical procedures employed by Oral and Maxillofacal Surgeons.

UWSOD Competencies: C-18, C-24, C-25, C-26

Date last updated: 2026-10-06

DENTCP 641

Dental Curriculum Threads

Oral Medicine Topics – Autumn

Course Director(s): Rolf Christensen
Credits: 1
Quarters/Yr of Program: Autumn / 3

Course Overview

This course helps prepare dental students to plan and oversee dental care for patients with urgent and emergent oral health issues; developmental or acquired disabilities; chronic or acute orofacial pain; neurosensory, chemosensory, or movement disorders; and/or oro-facial problems caused by treatment of cancer.

Learning Objectives

The student who successfully completes this course will be able to:

  1. Communicate effectively with patients of all ages and stages of life and in a culturally sensitive manner with diverse populations, including patients with special healthcare needs.
  2. Using the patient interview, make an appropriate treatment or management plan applicable to the dental care setting that includes non-dental considerations for patients with special healthcare needs.
  3. Assess the structural and functional status of the head, neck, craniofacial, oral, oropharyngeal structures of patients, including disorders affecting orofacial pain, temporomandibular dysfunction, and mucosal lesions.
  4. From a problem list, develop a differential diagnosis and a working diagnosis for each problem that does not have a definitive diagnosis.
  5. Compose a comprehensive, staged, and sequenced treatment plan, customized to the patient’s needs, desires, and financial restrictions, that considers both dental and non-dental factors.
  6. Demonstrate diagnostic tests that can differentiate between the items on the differential diagnosis list and can verify the correct diagnosis when a definitive diagnosis is possible.
  7. Facilitate the effective diagnosis and management of the patient’s oral and maxillofacial diseases and conditions by prescribing and evaluating diagnostic radiographic imaging (including CBCT)
  8. Identify problems and issues from the problem list that require referral to or collaboration with another health care professional.

UWSOD Competencies: C-01, C-10, C-02, C-09, C-06, CE-02, CE-03, C-03, CE-06, C-04, C-08, C-15, C-14, C-28, C-12, C-13, C-31, C-16, C-29, C-17, C-05, C-11, C-30, C-18, C-24, C-25, C-26, C-19, C-21, C-22, C-23, C-2

Date last updated: 2026-10-06

DENTCP 640

Dental Curriculum Threads

Endodontics Topics – Autumn

Course Director(s): Natasha Flake & Lindsey Yap
Credits: 1
Quarters/Yr of Program: Autumn / 3

Course Overview

Endodontics Topics prepares dental students to deepen their understanding of endodontic principles within the scope of general dentistry. Emphasis is placed on expanding knowledge and skills in preparation for clinical endodontic patient care.

Learning Objectives

The student who successfully completes this course will be able to:

  1. Interpret endodontic examination and diagnostic test findings.
  2. Diagnose pathoses of endodontic origin using correct pulpal and periapical diagnostic terminology.
  3. Formulate treatment plans for the endodontic care of patients, including emergency and definitive treatment plans.
  4. Provide emergency endodontic treatment: pulpectomy, pulpotomy, pulpal debridement, incision and drainage, caries control, and/or other palliative treatments.
  5. Provide vital pulp therapy, when indicated.
  6. Prescribe appropriate antibiotics and analgesics, when indicated.
  7. Cite guidelines for treatment of traumatic dental injuries.
  8. Determine when to treat and when to refer a case employing the “AAE Endodontic Case Difficulty Assessment Form and Guidelines.
  9. Recognize treatment options for conditions that may require referral to an endodontist: resorption, endo/perio lesions, apexification/regeneration cases, retreatment and endodontic surgery cases, and internal bleaching cases.
  10. Evaluate endodontic case prognosis and outcomes.
  11. Practice within a general dentist’s scope of practice in an ethical and professional manner.

UWSOD Competencies: C-09, C-14, C-28, C-12, C-16, C-17, C-11, C-18, C-26, C-19, C-23

Date last updated: 2026-09-23