Oral Medicine and Radiology | Al-Azhar Dental College

Department of Oral
Medicine and Radiology

Oral Medicine and Radiology is that specialty of dentistry which primarily focuses on the diagnosis and medical management of routine and complex medical disorders affecting the oral cavity and jaws. It also emphasizes on the deep understanding of systemic disorders, medically compromised disease states and their oral manifestations and devises tailor made treatment plans for the same. Students are exposed to the general approaches to treat oral diseases and the pros and cons of different treatment and oral cancer screening. The Oral Radiology component aids in enhanced diagnosis by employing conventional and advanced imaging modalities. Students are trained to examine the oral cavity, take an appropriate history, distinguish between normal and abnormal appearances of oral tissues and to prescribe/conduct investigations when required for the specific disease and to arrive at a proper diagnosis.

Students are trained to consider patients, not just as mere phantom heads with teeth and gums, but as persons with flesh, blood and emotions who need to communicate, to convey their agony. Here, the students strive to attain the art of communication and manage patients with oral mucosal lesions, potentially malignant disorders, salivary gland disorders, facial pain syndromes, TMJ disorders, psychosomatic disorders, bone and connective tissue disorders, and cater to geriatric patients and patients with special care needs. This specialty also trains students in tobacco cessation initiatives and management of diseases using intralesional steroids.

Academic competence is achieved through diverse curricular activities like lectures, seminars, videos and clinical practice. Lectures are supplemented with meticulously planned laboratory sessions and demonstrations.

The department of Oral Medicine and Radiology is well-equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including Radiovisiography (RVG), Dental X-ray units, Digital Panoramic imaging machine, and a clinical laboratory incorporated for various investigations and we are looking forward to install a Cone beam computed tomography machine- the latest in maxillofacial radiology. The department also boasts of an exquisite library with updated list of books and journals and a well equipped seminar hall.

VISION

Focus on holistic approach on diagnosis and management of complex diseases specific to the orofacial tissues and of oral manifestations of systemic diseases.

MISSION

To stimulate the dental graduates with apt knowledge required skills and reasonable attitudes which are necessary for carrying out all activities appropriate to general dental practice including the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all oral and maxillofacial diseases.
To develop an aptitude for research and update the students with latest diagnostic approach.
To encourage the clinical application of evidence based therapeutic measures.

HOD’s Message

The Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology is the gateway of Al Azhar Dental College. We believe in ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’. The department commenced in the year of 2007 as our then Principal/ HOD- Dr K T Sreelatha were among the pioneers for the full fledged systematic functioning of its unit that bore it’s very existence till date.

Our Department is that academic centre that simultaneously incorporates education, research and patient care, wherein each coexist and improve one another. The specialists, here, are trained to deal with oral cancer, pre cancer and also in early detection and management of medically compromised patients involved with ailments in regard to oral mucosa, salivary glands, as well as orofacial pain and temperomandibular disorders.

The Department also conducts various teaching programmes as to educate and groom the students for overall development and priming of the young minds. We train our students to overcome challenges in screening the patients and also prepare them to be independent learners in diagnosis as this helps them to incorporate this skill in their clinical practice after graduation.

The Oral Radiology Section is well established with intraoral and extraoral digital as well as conventional machines with well maintained dark room setup. We train our students to learn about the detailed radiographic techniques and interpretation and diagnosis of the radiographs taken. We also have an entrenched ‘Tobacco Cessation Clinic’ in collaboration with Department of Public Health Dentistry where we provide tobacco cessation counseling to patients who consume any forms of tobacco products and also manage them via pharmacological or non pharmacological methods.

For past few years, the faculty and students have brought laurels to the institution by their active participation as well as bagging prizes for their presentations at various National and State level conferences. We, also, pray and hope to achieve much more in mere future. Here’s wishing the very best and Happy Learning to our dear students.

Dr Rema

Head of Department, Dept of Oral Medicine and Radiology

Objectives

These objectives of the department are as follows:

Objective 1

To ensure that graduating dentists are knowledgeable, observant and equipped to participate and exel in diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases.

Objective 2

To teach the graduate students to learn how to take an appropriate history, determine initial diagnosis and formulate dental treatment for medically compromised patients.

Objective 3

To train the students in some areas of the specialty such as oral cancer screening, tobacco cessation, initiatives, management of diseases using intralesional steroids.

Objective 4

To engage in appropriate radiological investigations as well as understand about the advanced imaging modalities and also interpret the results.

Objective 5

To encourage research in biological, pathological and clinical spheres.

Course Details

The Department of Oral Medicine & Radiology offers undergraduate training program. The undergraduate program starts from 3rd year BDS. It consists of regular theory classes and clinical sessions. The DCI curriculum is followed for the undergraduate training program.

For 3rd years, theory classes are taken one a week whereas for final year part-1 students, theory classes are taken twice a week. Clinical sessions are based on rotatory basis from 10.15 am to 2pm.