Case-Based Learning will help students to assess, diagnose, and design better treatment plans for their patients.
THE Covid-19 pandemic has brought much attention to the field of dentistry as oral ill-health or dental problems are still common among the community and when there is limited access to government facilities, patients in pain go to the private sector.
Manipal University College Malaysia (MUCM), which runs a five-year Bachelor of Dentistry (BDS), has observed this first-hand with its three polyclinics providing a capacity of over 150 dental chairs. Professor Dr Abdul Rashid Ismail, dean of the Faculty of Dentistry notes that when other services were forced to shutter their doors, dental clinics continued to run with strict protocols and standard operating procedures.
“We were receiving calls daily despite the lockdown from patients requesting emergency treatment to relieve pain and attend to their needs! Such is the demand for dental-related services,” he said.
Future of dentistry
Dentistry is often thought of as the profession to go into when one wishes for a career that is of service to the people but with a work-life balance. It is also a profession that requires an innovative spirit, in addition to a noble heart and an aesthetic eye.
The current generation of future dental surgeons, Gen Z, is brought up in the era of cyber technologies of emerging media. This has also influenced the healthcare system and dental services. Young people of this generation are needed to innovate and guide the future dental services towards the Internet of Things (IoT) or the Internet of Robotic Things.
MUCM BDS
MUCM, who is one of the oldest providers of private healthcare education in Malaysia, is cognisant of what the future needs and holds for its students. An extension of Manipal Group from India, established in 1953, its presence in Malaysia will enter its 25th year in 2022.
The BDS programme is anchored around nurturing a well-rounded dental surgeon who is clinically strong as they are trained by experienced specialists from each field of dental specialty. The classrooms and clinic floors are always abuzz with Case-based learning (CBL) activities.
“In CBL modules, professors and lecturers share their many years of clinical experience and cases seen to train critical and analytical skills in diagnosing and planning for the treatment,” said Prof Dr Abdul Rashid.
“MUCM is also sensitive to changing trends in dental technology and plan forward to expose students to the technology advancement in dentistry. We are also exploring collaborations with international partners to inculcate our students as global citizens,” he added.
Dental students spend most of their time working with patients at the on-campus dental clinic during clinical years.
Is dentistry for you?
Healthcare is not for business, but it is a profession to care for the health of people. Health is the basic safety need of the people; it is a tenet that leads to emotions of love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation. Being a professional in healthcare services, particularly in the field of dentistry, the prospects of giving quality life to the community and having a good quality of life will always be part of the lifecycle of dental surgeons and oral practitioners.
The world continues to revolve; what we see today, we have seen 100 years ago in a different form. What is in store for the future healthcare professional will be different from today. For that reason, the concept of lifelong learning at MUCM is inculcated among dental surgeons for the survival of the profession and the creation of more varied career paths.
For more information on our programme, call 1700-811-662 or visit www.manipal.edu.my.