Introduction

The Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya conducts the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree programme primarily for Sri Lankan students. Currently, the BDS degree programme consists of 10 semesters running for a period of five years. Clinical training for these dental undergraduates takes place in the Dental (Teaching) Hospital in Peradeniya.

There are six clinical Departments of study involved in the clinical teaching of the BDS curriculum:

• Oral Medicine & Periodontology
• Oral and maxillofacial surgery
• Prosthetic dentistry
• Restorative dentistry
• Community dental health
• Oral pathology

In addition, these clinical departments provide services for a large patient community covering clinical disciplines such as Oral medicine, Radiology, Oral surgery, Prosthetics, Restorative dentistry, Periodontology, Orthodontics, Paedodontics, Community dentistry, and Oral pathology. Many dental health care workers such as dental undergraduates, post graduates and dental auxiliaries undergo their clinical training at the Dental (Teaching) Hospital in Peradeniya.

There are requests from overseas dental students to undergo a short term clinical training under supervision at the Dental (Teaching) Hospital in Peradeniya. Being the major tertiary care facility for oral health in Sri Lanka, the Faculty and Hospital have the capacity to offer this training. This facilitates international collaborations and boosts the international recognition of the Faculty of Dental Sciences.

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Program Outline

Aim: To provide additional exposure in clinical dentistry under supervision for foreign undergraduates who have successfully followed BDS training and/or awaiting graduation.

Participants are expected to gain knowledge in the following aspects:

1. Diagnose all common dental, oral and maxillofacial diseases / disorders, including oro-facial manifestations of systemic diseases / conditions.
2. Effectively treat and manage all common oral and dental diseases/conditions, including those in medically-compromised patients, in clinical and community setting.
3. Identify the conditions that are beyond the scope of a General Dental Practitioner, and refer patients for necessary management of the conditions.
4. Deal effectively with medical emergencies that may arise in the dental clinic.
5. Demonstrate appropriate levels of attitudes that would motivate the graduates to develop empathy, to be compassionate and caring towards the patients under their care, and adhere to acceptable standards of professional conduct, ethics and practice of radiation safety.
6. Work effectively and harmoniously as a member or leader of a health care team.

Introduction and Background

OMFS Unit at Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

The Dental Hospital (Teaching) in Peradeniya is the sole premier Dental teaching institution in Sri Lanka. The OMF Surgery Unit of this hospital maintained by the Department of OMF Surgery, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya is being recognized as a centre of excellence by the International Association of OMF Surgeons. From its inception in 1998, this unit was visited by eminent surgeons from the U.K and Japan for conducting training programmes.

The unit serves patients in need of cleft surgery, oral cancer surgery, facial trauma, orthognathic surgery and microvasular surgery. The Consultant staff of the unit consists of six senior OMF surgeons with a strong training experience and research background. Out of these four (one professor and three senior lecturers) have special interest in surgical treatment of Oral Cancer.