511-111 Society and Health

Credit Points

Coordinator

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

This subject covers: preventive dentistry; developmental perspectives and education; health science communication and research methods; applied behavioural science and community studies.

On completion of this subject, the student should:

Comprehend: the basic concepts of community and social structures and the implications for health and oral health; the principles of the aetiology and prevention of common oral diseases; the relevance of psychology and human development to health care and good dental practice; the principles of teaching methodologies and of patient and carer management.

Demonstrate skills in: collating, graphing and interpreting data.

Appreciate: the wisdom of health maintenance rather than the treatment of preventable disease; the responsibilities of dental therapists, dental hygienists, and the dental profession toward the provision of preventive care and treatment of oral disease at individual and community levels; an awareness of the range of differing health care needs of individuals and groups within the community and diversity of the methods needed to provide them.

Assessment

One 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 in preventive dentistry and developmental perspectives and education (20%); one 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 in community studies and health science communication and research methods (20%); and written assignments, class presentations and practical reports throughout the year on developmental perspectives and education, applied behavioural science and community studies (60%).

Prescribed Texts

• Betts K and Seitz A 1994, Writing Essays and Research Reports in the Social Sciences. 2nd ed. Nelson.
• Elderton R J 1987, Positive Dental Prevention: The Prevention in Childhood of Dental Disease in Adult Life. Heinemann.
• Kent C G and Blinkhorn A S 1992, The Psychology of Dental Care. Wright.
• Murray J J (ed) 1996, Prevention of Oral Disease. Oxford University Press.