This course enables students to understand the American legal system and its role and application to the practice of dentistry as one of the licensed health professions. Students develop an appreciation of the legal and ethical responsibilities in fulfilling their obligations to patients, the profession, and the community. Microbiology A comprehensive course is presented in basic fundamentals of Microbiology and Immunology, including structure, growth and metabolism, and genetics. Material is also included on the effect of chemical and physical agents on microorganisms. The second part of the course deals primarily with the nature and function of the immune system and organisms of medical and dental significance.
Emphasis is on principles which deal with the nature of virulence and mechanisms of host defense.
Specific pathogenic organisms are used to demonstrate principles of infectious diseases. Organisms of specific and oral significance are stressed as they relate to dental decay, periodontal and periapical disease, as well as principles of asepsis in dental practice. This course in Occlusion addresses the functional relationship between the maxilla and mandible and the influence of occlusion on many phases of dental practice, such as operative dentistry, denture construction, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and periodontal disease. This subject covers cavity design and preparation, and insertion of restorative materials, such as dental amalgam, gold, and tooth-colored material. Included in the coursework, preclinical laboratories, and clinical treatment are principles of prevention of oral disease through patient education and restoration of normal contour and function.