Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric dentistry comprises the part of dentistry aimed at the prevention and treatment of developmental disorders, trauma and diseases of the teeth and surrounding tissues in children and adolescents 0-18 years, including disabled and sick children. The students are also taught how to communicate with children and their parents or guardians, with emphasis on preventing anyone from developing anxiety for further dental care. Pediatric dentistry deals with children, and therefore the students are also given lectures about child abuse/neglect.

Knowledge

The candidate shall be able to explain

• Behavioural aspects among children
• Abnormal tooth development and tooth eruption
• Cariology (caries, tooth decay)
• Erosion and tooth wear
• Gingivitis (inflammation of gingiva) and periodontitis (gingival inflammation with progressive loss of alveolar bone around the teeth), Endodontics (endodontic therapy)
• Traumatology (traumatic dental injuries, TDI)
• Interceptive orthodontics (prevention and treatment of minor tooth position deviations)
• Juvenile prosthetics (single dentures)
• Dental care for disabled and sick children

Skills

Students will be able to

• Communicate with all age groups and children's parents or guardians in a timely manner
• Conduct adequate examination and diagnosis of the group's most common diseases
• Detect deviations from the norm and see when there is a need to refer to a specialist
• Plan treatment, and carry out prophylaxis and therapy
• Use adequate pain control, and prevent and treat resistance to treatment and fear of dental treatment by the use of psychological and pharmacological techniques

General competence

Students will be able to

• Respect each patient as an individual during growth and development and recognize that patients have different needs and requirements
• Demonstrate the understanding that caries is a disease that in the initial phase can be stopped or reversed
• Communicate, especially to the parents or guardians of small children, the importance of that they also take the responsibility for their children¿s dental care and learn how to do it
• Master the various fields that child dental care represents
• Demonstrate an understanding of social aspects of paedodontics (e.g. today's multicultural society)
• Interdisciplinary collaboration with other health professionals who work with children and young people

9th semester