Dental Medicine Program

The NVU DMD Educational program is formed with the strong commitment to develop caring, competent, confident specialist for dental medicine through outcome- based teaching approach; ensuring high quality of healthcare and biomedical research in academic and clinical settings; to provide medical training, predominantly in a practical environment (where acquisition and organization of knowledge match with practical application of gained competencies), based on ethical values, respect for individual autonomy and on the premise of rational and efficient interference; to support students’ development of understanding of the essence of Dental Medicine, equip them with skills necessary for working in diverse health care settings, be competent and competitive in a multicultural environment; to raise professionals with high employment chances to be able to make a career in diverse health care settings and multicultural environment. The education process is formed for the raising students’ interest and strength, to open new opportunities and to encourage students for the continuing learning approach. Through the NVU’s different training programs, NVU DMD students can provide required oral health services to the community, while expansion their knowledge about public health problems. These academically based training programs offer students and faculty members to take part in community-based activities as an important component of academic work.  

Employed teaching and assessment methodologies enable the acquisition and organization of knowledge match with practical application of gained competencies. It is based on the mixture of interactive teaching (including class discussions) and promotion of independent personal and group learning. The combination of theoretical components, problem solving and practical experience, aims at the development of knowledge, skills and autonomy and responsibility needed for successful participation in prevention of dental diseases, dental care process and dental rehabilitation in line with the requirements of complex and constantly changing labor market.

The primacy of student opportunities for one’s own profile formation is achieved by the wide range of General Competence courses and the methodology applied therein. 

For each subject selected assessment methods provide the most useful and relevant information for the objectives and learning outcomes that the program identified. Principles of outcome-based education imply that teaching, learning and assessment are conducted on the basis of pre-defined competencies of graduates in accordance to the “top-bottom” principle.

The DMD curriculum is comprised of five-year program referring to knowledge, skills, and autonomy and responsibility

• The Curriculum First Year (60 ECTS) is comprised of the widely integrated core modules of human Sciences (Anatomy, Histology, Imaging, Biomechanics, Physiology) and Biomedical Sciences (Medical Microbiology and Immunology for Dentistry) as well as course with early clinical engagement (Dental Assisting Course), which are accompanied by teaching core values of dentistry, clinical skills and research methods.  
• The Curriculum Second Year (60 ECTS) is comprised of General and Oral Pathology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics for Dentistry (Dental Anesthesia Sedation), Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology/ Dental Public Health with bridging courses as Human Diseases, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.
• The Curriculum Third Year (60 ECTS) is comprised as a preparing mode for the clinical rotations actively engaging students to the simulation lab and applying role play model. The courses like Oral Surgery I, Periodontology I, Endodontics I, Prosthodontics I, Medical law and Ethics, Pediatric Dentistry I, Orthodontics I, Clinical Skills/Comprehensive Care encompass all the necessary requirements for the more advanced knowledge and skills that are essential for next courses.
• The Curriculum Fourth Year (60 ECTS) builds on previously acquired competences and enhanced with clinical rotation courses presenting students to clinical work and active communication with patients. Thus, the final and highest level of learning outcomes are met through hands-on practice applying gained knowledge, skills and autonomy and responsibility independent of discipline specific understanding. Didactic courses in the clinical sciences continue throughout the fourth year along with clinical activities as a dental assistant in the management of different dental issues. Students also have an opportunity to choose elective courses of interest to them.
• The Curriculum Fifth Year (60 ECTS) courses highlight the importance of patient care. Students have opportunities to work as members of a health care team through clinical rotations in different outpatient and inpatient facilities. Fifth-year students also have an opportunity to participate in Community Based Dental Assistance Projects in order to serve to society on national and international level. The year ends with a capstone presentation, which allows students to demonstrate ability to provide comprehensive care to a patient as they present their case to faculty members.