Dentistry

Individual Courses and Comprehensive Study

Dentistry Courses I-VII 2024

From 2024 on the course system in Dentistry comprises of 7 courses on canine and feline dentistry plus 1 course on small mammal dentistry as major subjects in Dentistry. On top of this there is a course on feline dentistry which is designed as part of the curriculum of the feline practitioner stream and is regarded as a minor subject course for Dentistry.
To make the sequence of courses more consistent and logic the numbering of some courses has been changed compared to the previous years.

Dentistry I : Introduction to Dentistry, Diagnostics & Extractions

This course covers the introduction to veterinary dentistry starting with diagnostics in small animal dentistry, clinical and radiographic assessment of oral and dental structures and using and filling-in dental charts for dogs and cats. It also focuses on the importance of radiography and trains participants how to expose and interpret intraoral dental radiographs. Canine and feline dental extractions are another clinically very important subject and represent the most common surgical procedure in these species. They are covered in the second part of the course.

Main topics

– oral and dental anatomy and physiology
– oral examination technique and charting
– dental equipment and instrumentation
– oral radiography and interpretation
– comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment (COHAT)
– local anaesthesia techniques for the oral cavity
– extraction techniques and extraction complications

Dentistry II : Periodontics & Feline Dentistry

Periodontal diseases are the number one clinical problem in dogs and cats. This course gives an overview of small animal periodontology, including basic knowledge about these diseases, diagnostics, conservative treatment options, preventive and regenerative techniques and advanced surgical procedures. The participant will learn about how to deal with gingivitis, periodontitis, alveolar bone loss, periodontal pockets, gingival recession and many other diseases. Further subjects covered in this course are major feline oral problems including inflammatory diseases and teeth resorption. Basic knowledge about veterinary dentistry and intraoral dental radiography is required to enable participants to take the most out of this course.

Main topics

– anatomy of the periodontium, oral microbiology and immunology
– aetiology, pathogenesis and diagnostic approach to periodontal diseases
– conservative periodontal therapy and prophylaxis
– dental home care, plaque control and prevention
– canine and feline tooth resorption
– feline chronic gingivostomatitis and other feline inflammatory oral diseases
– traumatic injuries to teeth and periodontium
– periodontal surgery – basic and advanced techniques

Dentistry III : Restorative Dentistry & Endodontics – basic techniques

The dentistry course III is dedicated to manual standard endodontic treatment and restorative techniques. There will be an introduction to materials, equipment and instruments as well as theoretical background of hard dental tissue and pulp functioning. The program covers all procedures required to salvage traumatized and broken teeth in dogs and cats. To be able to efficiently work in this course and take the most out of it it´s mandatory for participants to be able to produce proper intraoral dental radiographs.

Main topics

– restorative dentistry
– vital pulp therapy
– manual standard root canal therapy in dogs and cats
– complications in endodontics

Dentistry IV : Restorative Dentistry & Endodontics – advanced techniques

The dentistry course IV is focusing on endodontic treatment using rotary endodontic equipment. Additionally there will be provided an update of restorative techniques and materials. For participants it is mandatory to have attended the dentistry course III (or an equivalent external course on manual standard root canal therapy) before and to be able to produce proper intraoral dental radiographs. Another topic covered in this course is surgical endodontic treatment.

Main topics

– advanced and cosmetic restorative techniques
– standard endodontic treatment using rotary endodontic files
– surgical endodontic treatment (apicectomy, hemisection, root resection)

Dentistry V : Prosthodontics, Orthodontics & Paediatric Dentistry

Prosthodontics, orthodontics and juvenile dentistry are the major subjects of the fifth dentistry course. It will cover the diagnosis and treatment of common problems in juvenile patients, common treatment options for malocclusion in dogs and cats and techniques required for crowning of teeth and prosthetic approaches for management of damaged dental structures.

Main topics

– preparation of teeth for crowning
– impression techniques
– cementation of the crown
– orthodontic treatment
– oral embryology, developmental defects and juvenile dentistry

Dentistry VI : Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery – tumor surgery, salivary glands, lymph nodes, tongue and lip disorders

The veterinary dentistry course VI focuses on oral and maxillofacial oncologic surgery. It covers the diagnostic approach, decision making and surgical treatment of oral tumors as well as surgery of the lymph nodes. Additional topics comprise surgery of the salivary glands and surgical treatment of tongue and lip disorders. The introduction into the use of piezo-surgery and diode laser devices in oral and maxillofacial surgery is also part of this course.

Topics

– surgery of salivary glands and lymph nodes
– oral tumor treatment
– tongue and lip disorders and surgery
– use of piezo-surgery
– use of diode-lasers

Dentistry VII : Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery – jaw fractures, jaw motion disorders, palatal surgery

The veterinary dentistry course VII comprises the surgical treatment oral trauma cases. Jaw fracture repair techniques will covered under this topic. Additionally disorders of jaw motion and palatal surgery will be covered in this course. The use of piezo-surgery devices for these applications will be trained.

Topics

– jaw fracture repair
– disorders affecting jaw motion
– palatal surgery techniques
– use of piezo-surgery

Small Mammal Dentistry

The number of exotic companion mammals is growing, especially rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and ferrets and so is the demand of pet owners to get the best quality of care for their pets . The Small Mammal Dentistry course is responding to the growing need of general practitioners as well as profiled exotic animal clinics and animal dentists to learn more about dental and maxillofacial problems in rabbits, rodents and ferrets. Participant will receive theoretical and practical knowledge about clinical anatomy, pathophysiology of dental disease, clinical and radiographic assessment of oral and dental/skull structures, computed tomography examination, and surgical approaches to particular dental disorders (extraction techniques, extraoral approach to odontogenic abscesses, apicoectomy, etc.).

Topics

– oral and dental anatomy and physiology of small mammals
– basic dental equipment and instrumentation
– local and general anaesthesia in small mammals
– diagnostic imaging for oral/dental problems in small mammals
– disorders and treatment of incisor teeth
– disorders and treatment of cheek teeth
– dental extraction techniques
– treatment of facial abscesses

Feline Dentistry

Despite there are three major problems affecting most of patients in feline dentistry: periodontal diseases, caudal stomatitis and teeth resorption, cats also suffer from other maladies linked to oral cavity. It is very common that several problems exist concurrently in the oral cavity. Due to the fact that it is difficult to provide home care in cats suffering with oral pain, many diseases are diagnosed in advanced stage. The Feline Dentistry course is responding to the growing need of general practitioners as well as profiled feline clinics to learn more about dental and maxillofacial problems in cats. Participant will receive theoretical and practical knowledge about clinical anatomy, diagnostics oral inflammatory diseases management, oral surgery, traumatology and systemic aspects of dental problems.

Topics

– oral and dental anatomy and physiology, examination technique and charting
– oral radiography and interpretation
– comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment (COHAT)
– feline tooth resorption
– feline chronic gingivostomatitis and other feline inflammatory oral diseases
– local anaesthesia techniques for the oral cavity
– extraction techniques and extraction complications
– orofacial trauma repair
– temporomandibular joint (TMJ) diagnosis, pathology and treatment
– palatal defect treatment