Program Overview

Doctor of Dental Medicine

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the program, students will demonstrate the following outcomes, mapped to seven vertical themes and the University of Sydney’s graduate qualities:

• Leadership, communication, and professionalisation
• Prevention and health promotion
• Clinical sciences and skills
• Evidence-based practice
• Cultural and social oral health
• Oral and systemic biosciences
• Interprofessional teamwork

The program learning outcomes are as follows:

1. Advocate for the importance of oral health as a multifaceted and fundamental component of health and physical and mental well-being, reflecting the physiological, social, and psychological attributes that are essential to the quality of life as defined by the FDI World Dental Federation.

• DMD Themes: Leadership, communication, and professionalisation, Prevention and health promotion, Clinical sciences and skills, Evidence-based practice, Social and cultural oral health, Oral and systemic biosciences
• Graduate Quality: Communication (oral and written), An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity, Influence

2. Act holistically in the provision of healthcare by recognizing the social, cultural, historical, and political context of health and dentistry, and recognize and act on the presence of health inequities and disparities in society, including the impact of the social determinants of health.

• DMD Themes: Leadership, communication, and professionalisation, Prevention and health promotion, Evidence-based practice, Social and cultural oral health
• Graduate Quality: Depth of disciplinary expertise, Communication (oral and written)

3. Integrate knowledge and understanding of social and cultural oral health, oral and systemic biosciences, and clinical sciences to form a holistic view of health and apply a thorough knowledge of the complex interactions between oral health, nutrition, general health, drugs, and systemic diseases that may have an impact on oral healthcare and oral diseases in the management of dental patients.

• DMD Themes: Clinical sciences and skills, Evidence-based practice, Social and cultural oral health, Oral and systemic biosciences
• Graduate Quality: Depth of disciplinary expertise, Critical thinking and problem-solving

4. Assess, interpret, and manage the complex acute and chronic needs of dental patients through sound clinical reasoning, evidence-based clinical care, and effective clinical skills within the scope of practice as defined by the national professional accrediting body.

• DMD Themes: Leadership, communication, and professionalisation, Prevention and health promotion, Clinical sciences and skills, Evidence-based practice, Social and cultural oral health, Oral and systemic biosciences
• Graduate Quality: Depth of disciplinary expertise, Critical thinking and problem-solving, Information/digital literacy

5. Demonstrate respect for and ability to work with all members of the community, including vulnerable and disadvantaged populations, for example, children, elderly, and people with cognitive or other disability, with a recognition of human diversity.

• DMD Themes: Leadership, communication, and professionalisation, Social and cultural oral health, Interprofessional teamwork
• Graduate Quality: Communication (oral and written), Cultural competence, An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity

6. Comply with the ethical principles and legal responsibilities required for the provision of dental care to individual patients, to communities, and populations, practicing with personal and professional integrity.

• DMD Themes: Leadership, communication, and professionalisation, Evidence-based practice, Social and cultural oral health
• Graduate Quality: Depth of disciplinary expertise, An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity, Influence

7. Educate patients and their carers at all life stages, peers, other healthcare professionals, communities, and populations about the aetiology and prevention of oral disease using effective, culturally safe, and evidence-based education and communication strategies to improve oral health and quality of life.

• DMD Themes: Leadership, communication, and professionalisation, Prevention and health promotion, Evidence-based practice, Social and cultural oral health, Oral and systemic biosciences, Interprofessional teamwork
• Graduate Quality: Communication (oral and written), Information/digital literacy, Cultural competence, Influence

8. Demonstrate the ability to think and act critically in an indigenous health context.

• DMD Themes: Leadership, communication, and professionalisation, Prevention and health promotion, Social and cultural oral health, Interprofessional teamwork
• Graduate Quality: Communication (oral and written), Cultural competence, Interdisciplinary effectiveness

9. Deliver safe and effective collaborative healthcare through inter-professional teamwork within the Australian healthcare system.

• DMD Themes: Leadership, communication, and professionalisation, Prevention and health promotion, Clinical sciences and skills, Evidence-based practice, Social and cultural oral health, Interprofessional teamwork
• Graduate Quality: Communication (oral and written), Information/digital literacy, Interdisciplinary effectiveness, An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity

10. Manage effective work practices as both a team leader and a team participant, to practice reflexively within personal limitations and scope of practice that maximizes safety.

• DMD Themes: Leadership, communication, and professionalisation, Prevention and health promotion, Clinical sciences and skills, Evidence-based practice, Social and cultural oral health, Interprofessional teamwork
• Graduate Quality: Critical thinking and problem-solving, Information/digital literacy, Inventiveness, Influence

11. Demonstrate effective research and inquiry skills to plan and implement substantial research or professional projects, including the critical evaluation of research evidence.

• DMD Themes: Leadership, communication, and professionalisation, Prevention and health promotion, Evidence-based practice
• Graduate Quality: Critical thinking and problem-solving, Communication (oral and written), Inventiveness, Interdisciplinary effectiveness

12. Acquire skills to continue professional learning across the career, with the ability to proactively search for and critically read research and evaluate information from diverse information systems to apply new evidence-based knowledge and skills to practice.

• DMD Themes: Leadership, communication, and professionalisation, Clinical sciences and skills, Evidence-based practice
• Graduate Quality: Depth of disciplinary expertise, Information/digital literacy, An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity

These learning outcomes are designed to equip graduates with the knowledge, skills, and attributes necessary to practice as competent and compassionate dental professionals, capable of providing high-quality patient care and contributing to the advancement of the dental profession.