Dentistry Undergraduate - The British University in Egypt

The Bachelor’s degree of Oral and Dental Medicine and Surgery offered by BUE is a five year full time programme of study as well as summer modules, and clinical summer training modules aimed primarily at educating and training graduates for efficient dental practice in the new century. Students have to finish successfully 600 credits (575 Credits Faculty core requirements, 20 Credits University requirements, and 5 Credits Elective modules) over the 5 years and summer modules before graduation.
The curriculum is an integrated, competency and learning outcomes-based one intended to provide adequate training for the graduate to practice general dentistry and to instil in the graduate a commitment to learning throughout his/her professional life.
Hence, the dental graduate should possess:

A thorough understanding of biological and technological sciences to enable the integration and correlation of these sciences with clinical dental practice.
Competence in diagnosis of oral and dental conditions, disorders, and diseases with proper understanding of the relationship between general and oral disease.
Skills to provide the preventive and treatment services commonly required in dental practice.
An understanding of the necessity of continuing education.
A sense of professional, ethical, and social responsibility.
The curriculum will be one that provides adequate training for the graduate to practice sound general dentistry and to instil a commitment to learning throughout his/her professional life. It is designed for students who aspire to understand, analyse, forecast, and influence the dental profession at the aggregate as well as the individual level. It is also designed to produce a caring, knowledgeable, competent, and skillful graduate who is able to assume professional responsibility for his/her patients.

Programme Structure

Level One

First Academic Year

Level Two

Second Academic Year

Third Academic Year

Level Three

Fourth Academic Year

Fifth Academic Year

Departments

Pedodontics

The Module prepares the student to provide comprehensive dental care to his paediatric patients in order to produce a more ideal oral structure. It also provides the dental student with experience in proper management, behavior modification and the ability to establish a positive attitude towards dental treatment in his young patients. More importantly, it aims at preparing a student who is able to provide proper oral health education and prevention to his paediatric patients and their parents.

Dental Materials

This Module covers the chemical, physical and biological properties of dental materials as related to their applications in different branches of dentistry. Emphasis will be placed upon the types of materials available, their selection and manipulation, and the recognition of the effects of proper and improper manipulation on both the intermediate and the final products. The Module also covers the properties of dental materials relative to clinical restorative and prosthetic dentistry. Emphasis is placed upon proper selection and manipulation of dental materials based on their properties and clinical performance.

Oral Surgery & Anaesthesia

This module provides the student with basic knowledge about oral and maxillofacial surgery as they relate to the general practitioner of dentistry. The module includes an overview of aseptic techniques, an introduction to surgical instruments, as well as principles of tooth extraction and minor oral surgery. The student is introduced to the surgical management of congenital and acquired abnormalities of the oral structures and associated parts.

Removable Prosthodontics

Removable Prosthodontics consists of a preclinical and clinical module. The preclinical and laboratory module provides the concepts of laboratory fabrication of complete and partial dentures.
The clinical module introduces the student to the clinical application of skills acquired in the preclinical year. The module also presents more advanced techniques and treatment planning for advanced and complex removable prosthodontics needs as well as the principles of prosthodontics in implant dentistry.

Descriptive Dental Anatomy

This module is designed to provide the dental student with the necessary knowledge to identify the definitions of introductory dental terminology. The module also allows the student to recognize the functions of the human teeth. The student will be able to utilize the correct names and universal code numbers of each permanent and deciduous tooth. The module also provides the student with the general and specific features of permanent teeth.

Fixed Prosthodontics

Fixed Prosthodontics consists of a preclinical and clinical module. The preclinical module is concerned with the beginning to appreciate and the principles and techniques of tooth preparation for fixed prosthodontics. The clinical module introduces the student to the clinical application of skills acquired in the preclinical module. It also presents more advanced techniques and treatment planning for advanced and complex fixed prosthodontic needs as well as the principles of crown and bridge in implant dentistry.

Operative Dentistry

Operative Dentistry consists of a preclinical and clinical module. The preclinical module provides students with basic principles about cavity preparation and restorative techniques for amalgam and resin composite restorations.The clinical module introduces the student to the clinical application of skills acquired in the preclinical year and presents more advanced techniques with emphasis placed on esthetic dentistry, contemporary procedures in operative dentistry and adhesives.

Medical Sciences

General Anatomy:

This module is divided into four parts:
Osteology of the skull and the human body.
Detailed anatomy of the head and neck and organs of the thorax and abdomen.
Angiology, the heart and the main arterial, venous and lymphatic vessels, and the circulatory pattern of the body are presented. Emphasis will be on the vasculature of the head and neck with clinical correlation. The major blood supply of the thorax and abdomen will be discussed.
Neurology, anatomy of the central, peripheral and autonomic nervous systems will be discussed. Emphasis will be on cranial nerves and the autonomic enervation of the head and neck structures. Clinical correlation will be stressed.
Human Physiology:

This module focuses on introducing the student to the basics of how the human body functions. Emphasis will be placed on understanding physiological principles. Each body system is reviewed with reference to function and its role in the balanced mechanisms that control homeostasis.
Biochemistry:

This module is designed to give a general background in Medical Biochemistry with special emphasis on special topics relevant to dentistry and oral health care by:
Enabling students to understand the essential topics of biochemistry including micro- & macromolecules of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleotides & nucleic acids and to be oriented with the biochemical importance of micronutrients as well as the structure and function of enzymes.
Enabling students to describe the biological membrane, the role of free nucleotides and macromolecules involved in transmission of information from gene expression to the formation of the functioning proteins.
Enabling students to point-out hereditary and acquired metabolic disturbances and their biochemical laboratory and clinical outcomes.
Enabling students to be oriented with physico-chemical basis of biological systems and related clinical problems.
Enabling students to point out the bioenergetics of metabolic pathways and their integrated regulations with other working metabolic pathways.
Enabling students to describe major body fluids composition and to interpret medical laboratory reports.
General Histology:

This module introduces the dental student to normal human cell and tissue structures. Lectures on general histology include the basic tissues of the body and special systemic tissues. The histology of various organ systems and the functional importance of these organs to the maintenance of general and oral health will be discussed.
v Medical Microbiology:The module enables the student to understand how micro-organiGMS live and infect humans, and how humans respond to these infections in order to preserve health. The first part of the module presents basic microbial structure, function and genetics and principles of chemotherapy and drug resistance. The second part presents mammalian host defences and the molecular basis of immunity. The third part presents the biologic and clinical bases of infectious diseases of all major organs including the oral cavity.
Pharmacology:

Pharmacology module is divided into two phases. The first phase includes a thorough study of basic concepts and principles in pharmacology using mainly prototype drugs. Emphasis is placed on the mechanism of action of drugs, their medicinal uses and side effects. The second phase deals with clinical aspects of therapeutics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics for drugs acting on different organ systems considering drug interactions, indications and contra-indications
General Pathology:

The module introduces students to the concepts of cell injury, the principles of inflammation and repair, fluid derangements, developmental disorders, genetic, environmental and nutritional diseases, common infectious diseases, neoplasia, and cardiac, pulmonary and renal disorders. Emphasis is placed on understanding how changes in the general health of patients may affect the oral and head and neck regions, and how this may relate to the clinical practice of dentistry.
General Medicine:

The module is aimed at teaching the student the principles of internal medicine as they pertain to provision of dental care. It focuses on the etiology, incidence and treatment of diseases including cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary diseases, gastro-intestinal diseases, haematology, diseases of the endocrine system, neurological diseases and oncology. There is also a module on skin and venereal diseases and their oral manifestations.
ix General Surgery:The module is designed to provide basic understanding of general surgery. It prepares the dental student to know how to deal with general problems such as shock, haemorrhage, infections (specific and non-specific), management of trauma, sepsis and asepsis, emergency care, in order to comprehend the oral surgery module later on in his study. Emphasis is being placed on wound healing, haemostasis, and wound infection. The module also includes Lectures on ophthalmology and ear, nose and throat surgery and the relationship between ear, nose and throat as well as ophthalmology to diseases of the oral cavity.

Teaching & Learning

The method of teaching varies according to programme and individual modules, but is a mixture of lectures, practical, chair side teaching, seminars and directed self-learning, including IT-mediated learning environments.

Audio Video lectures

Due to the Pandemic situation of Covid 19 all over the world and campus closure Mid March the Faculty of Dentistry had to shift to virtual learning starting week six through audio video lectures. All teaching assisting materials were uploaded on the e learning for all modules at the beginning of each week starting week six.

Lectures

These are mainly designed as presentations, providing core knowledge and guidance in subjects being studied. Lectures should develop students’ abilities in understanding and reflection. Audiovisual presentation techniques will be used to supplement their value.

Practical Sessions

Laboratory sessions will be used to reinforce a deeper understanding of topics presented in lectures as well as develop students’ manual skills and dexterity, and their skills in scientific methodology.

Tutorials

These will be related to both preclinical and clinical issues or problems and will rely on discussion and interaction, as well as integration between all clinical disciplines and between basic preclinical sciences and clinical aspects. They will be mainly directed towards developing students’ skills in communication, teamwork, reasoning, and critical thinking.

Seminars

Weekly seminars in specialised clinics are included in the students’ timetable. These are interactive ways of teaching including a variety of presentations, discussion groups, and simulations. They will emphasise and demonstrate the ideas gained and concepts comprehended, and develop communication and problem solving skills.

Personal Development Portfolios

Each student has to prepare a personal portfolio in every module including all theoretical, practical and clinical work performed, as well as any assignments. This will be evaluated and will contribute to the final mark in the module.

Clinical Session

In clinical disciplines to give students adequate experience in handling clinical cases to prepare them for future clinical practice. This will be done in polyclinics under strict supervision by senior members of the staff of relevant departments. Emphasis will be focused on the transfer and continued development of practical clinical skills as well as on the acquisition of professional and ethical attributes appropriate to dental practice.

Guided Independent Study using Communications and Information Technology

These include researches and assignments associated with lectures, laboratory classes, and seminars, and depend on library references given by the lecturers, and on the internet. This represents an effective way of independent learning and will develop students’ study skills, self-reliance, and independence of thought, preparing students for future continued education.

Academic Counselling

This informs students about the rationale, content aims, and objectives of the programme as a whole through open discussions about timetables and activities, especially in the early stages of the module.

The module will actually be a combination of staff providing information through lectures as well as students researching and finding information through assignments and discussing them in seminars and tutorials.

This is actually to meet the needs of our students who are not adequately prepared in their pre-university education to find information for themselves. They will be gradually tutored towards self dependence and self learning as they proceed in the module. Problem solving-based education will be increasingly used as students progress in their clinical training.

+ Operative Laboratory

BUE Pre-Clinical Operative Laboratory is now equipped with the latest multimedia equipment thereby promoting excellence in the learning and teaching environment.

A state of the art Audio Visual system, allowing students’ access to a screen monitor which can display everything from PC presentations to live step by step demonstrations through intra oral camera and/or magnifying Operative microscope.
A flexible layout allowing interactive teaching of one large group, or any combination of up to 4 smaller groups.
45 Patient Simulators (Kavo Dummy Heads) to give students realistic clinical experience to prepare them for treating patients and getting oriented with different chair positions.
All methods of moisture isolation and rubber dam application.
Use of Nissin jaw model teeth that simulate the hardness of the natural teeth.
Latest contra-angled hand pieces (low and high speeds) available in dental market and Variety of hand and rotary cutting instruments.

+ Endodontic Laboratory

The endodontic laboratory is state of the art in modern equipment’s and tools, the specially designed custom made student cabinet provide each student a simulation to clinical conditions with the equipped high-end dummy head.

In addition to electric motors present in each student unit, high speed hand pieces as well as triple-way air syringe and a drainage system are equipped to improve students’ skills under high Light Emission Diode (LED) illumination.

Shielded x-ray room is servicing the students during steps of root canal treatment. This room contains a digital x-ray unit with low exposure doses to provide both function and safety of our students.

Modern rotary nickel titanium motor is present together with a thermo-plastized obturation unit to teach students the most recent and modern root canal techniques.

Endodontic microscopes (Seiler IQ), are the master piece of the lab, allow high magnification and resolutions (8x-12x) than the human eye facilitating demonstration of procedural steps projecting the magnified images instantly and/or recorded videos on the screen present in the lab. This piece of modern technology is uniquely available in our facility for undergraduate students.

+ Crown & Bridge Laboratory and Simulator

The British University in Egypt provides the highest quality crown labs and simulators for its dental students. Second year students will begin their pre – clinical studies in the crown labs where they will be start working on artificial teeth in jaw models. By the end of the school year the students will have practical and theoretical knowledge of the different crown techniques and designs, assisted by live demonstrations as well as live videos on the projector screens to provide the students with all the necessary learning tools to achieve the highest learning curve possible.

Starting from the third year, the students will begin work on state of the art dental simulators that mimic the clinical working environment that they will be exposed to in the following years. Starting from this year, the students will gain the clinical knowledge that will prepare them to enter the dental hospital in the following year by exposing them to all the steps and procedures that they will conduct on their patients.

+ Anatomy Laboratory

Anatomy is the study of the structure of the body and the relationship of organs and tissues at a gross (whole organ) and microscopic level (histology).

It forms the basis of studies in physiology, biochemistry and related biomedical sciences. Sub-disciplines of anatomy include: developmental biology (embryology), neuroanatomy, osteology (bones) and cell biology.

We use a variety of teaching methods, with lectures and practical classes forming the core. In the practical classes the students learn on natural skulls, artificial plastic skulls, plastic models of the head and neck and human bodies. In addition, we use tutorials, computer-aided learning, and field excursions, as appropriate to each module.

+ Radiology Laboratory

Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology is that specialty of Dentistry concerned with performance and interpretation of diagnostic imaging used for examining the craniofacial, dental and adjacent structures.

Students are expected to develop the clinical and academic skills needed to function effectively in private practice, a hospital, or an educational institution, and to use complex imaging systems in the diagnosis, study, and management of oral and maxillofacial diseases and conditions.

These complex imaging systems comprise conventional X-ray machines, panoramic X-ray machines, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and digital radiographic machines.

Online Teaching & Learning

Audio Video lectures

+ Zoom timetable

+ Guidelines for research

As per Egyptian Supreme council for Universities regulations, alternative assessments has to be held to students of degree year one to year four. The Board of The British University in Egypt has decided upon submitting research projects for all faculties in all modules for Spring 2020. Submissions should comply with the minimum requirements and criteria adopted from ministry’s decisions and follow the specifications outlined below to fulfill (pass/fail)

Guidelines for Research Preparation and Submission

The cover page should include the following:
Research title
Student’s name
Student’s ID
Module name
Module Code
Module year
Year of study
Research Specifications:
Research should range from 5 to 10 pages for degree year one and two and 10 to 15 pages for degree year three and four including the content, the reference page and the cover page.
Research should be presented in Microsoft Office word document, font 12 “Times New Roman” with line spacing of “2”.
All headlines should be written in bold.
The research should cover the topic in details with clear headlines and organized scheme.
All figures have to be relevant and illustrative.
Each student should follow Department guidelines for specific instructions.
Research should include:
Introduction

The introduction of the research should include an overview of the topic.

Body of the Research

Body of the research should include detailed information and explanation of the scientific material with relevant and illustrative figures.

Conclusion or summary of the research

It should summarize the main points of the research

Keywords

3-5 keywords

Research Engines:
Google scholar (https://scholar.google.com/)
BUE library
Web of Science (https://login.webofknowledge.com)
Etc
References:
The research should include minimum 8-10 references.
References should be written in scientific style (published papers and systematic reviews, websites, links, published books, abstracts and online webinars).
The research topic will be presented to each student on BUE e learning site where the topics will be automatically randomized and distributed on students to ensure complete secrecy and equality of distribution.
The research will be submitted on e-learning site following the schedule of submission dates sent by Quality and validation office to all students for all modules on BUE student record System (SRS).

Research form

+ Guidelines for research evaluation

Each research will be reviewed by the department and will not be accepted in case of plagiarism from other research, scientific articles or theses.
Plagiarism should not exceed 20 %.
The following table shows guidelines for research evaluation

Points of Evaluation	Marks
Adherence to guidelines of research including cover page, font, spacing, number of pages and references	10
Scie