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Study information

Wilderness Expedition Dentistry

Module titleWilderness Expedition Dentistry
Module codeHPDM137
Academic year2023/4
Credits15
Module staff

Burjor Langdana (Convenor)

Duration: Term123
Duration: Weeks

8

Number students taking module (anticipated)

12

Module description

Wilderness Expedition Dentistry is a branch of medicine that addresses prevention, assessment and management of accidents and emergencies associated with the orofacial region in remote settings where definitive care is often days or weeks away. This is a rapidly evolving field of increasing importance as more people engage in potentially hazardous and longer expeditions. 

This module builds on knowledge and skills introduced in the Extreme Medicine Masters programme ‘Core Concepts’ module in year 1. The course can be completed in an online environment but there may be supplementary opportunity to review the practical skills in workshop format as a formative learning experience.

Module aims - intentions of the module

In this module you will critically examine the challenges of providing safe and effective dental care in an austere environment. You will focus not only on the prevention of dental issues to be expected in the field, but also the evaluation and treatment phase.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. Evalute and assess the key factors that underpin a safe and accurate assessment of dental pain
  • 2. Determine the scope of dental emergency management available in remote environments and evaluate the skills that are within the scope of other members of the medical team,

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 3. Demonstrate competence and understanding in the planning and provision of safe, effective dental cover for an expedition
  • 4. Apply critical appraisal skills to managing dental emergencies in extreme environments

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 5. Collaborate with peers to experience the value of shared and supported learning in a high fidelity context
  • 6. Evalute the organisational, management and professional skills necessary for the provision of the extended range of advanced treatment procedures

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:

 

  • Diagnoses and management of common dental emergencies in an austere setting.
  • Understanding the process and rationale for different techniques of giving dental local anaesthesia.
  • Temporary dental filling.
  • An understanding of simple dental trauma & basic management approach
  • Principles involved in simple dental extraction.
  • Understand the necessity and technique of incising & draining a dental abscess.
  • Emergency management of primary facial trauma
  • Emergency management of atraumatic jaw joint dislocation

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
301200

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities3023 Online Lectures covering 8 specialist topic areas
Guided Independent Study80Reading and preparation for scheduled sessions and coursework. Web-based learning; resource gathering and in-depth reading during the period of module delivery.
Guided Independent Study40Preparation and writing of assignments

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Group reflection and discussion* *the workshop environment is optional for students and may not be available for every course iterationSeparate workshop where available*1-6Verbal

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Written assignment 1501000 words 1-6Written
Written assignment 2501000 words 1-6Written
0
0
0
0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Written assignment 1, 1000 words (50%)Written assignment 1 1-6Typically within six weeks of the result
Written assignment 2, 1000 words (50%)Written assignment 21-6Typically within six weeks of the result

Re-assessment notes

Please refer to the TQA section on Referral/Deferral: http://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/aph/consequenceoffailure/

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

 

  1. Oxford Handbook of Expedition and Wilderness Medicine. 2nd Edition Chris Johnson, Sarah R Anderson, Jon Dallimore, Chris Imray, Shane Winser, James Moore and David A. Warrell—Oxford University Press, May 2015. ISBN: 9780199688418. £34.99

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Web based and electronic resources:

 

  1. Dental Problems and Emergencies of Trekkers—Epidemiology and Prevention. Results of the ADEMED Expedition 2008 https://wildernessdentistry.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Dental-problems-and-emergencies-of-trekkers-epidemiology-and-prevention.-Results-of-the-ADEMED-Expedition-2008.-Kupper-High-altitude-medicine-biology-2014.pdf
  2. Dental problems in the offshore oil and gas industry: a review https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/eeb9/ae909cb21dddd95cc313fc94d6256c2bbc2e.pdf
  3. Updated Guidance for Medical Provision for Wilderness Medicine https://fphc.rcsed.ac.uk/media/2770/updated-guidance-on-medical-provision-for-wilderness-medicine.pdf
  4. Toothpaste suggestions, tailored to type of expedition & Individual. https://www.theadventuremedic.com/features/expedition-dentistry-toothpastes/
  5. Microbiology and Treatment of Acute Apical Abscesses. https://cmr.asm.org/content/26/2/255
  6. Management of maxillofacial trauma in emergency: An update of challenges and controversies. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4843570/
  7. Floating in the Face of Danger: MaxFax injuries in the ED. https://www.rcemlearning.co.uk/foamed/floating-in-the-face-of-danger-maxfax-injuries-in-the-ed/
  8. Use of Masseteric and Deep Temporal Nerve Blocks for Reduction of Mandibular Dislocation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2662506/
  9. AM guide to managing jaw joint dislocation on expedition. (Soon to be published) https://www.theadventuremedic.com/category/dental/

Key words search

dental, maxilla-facial, dental trauma, teeth, jaw

Credit value15
Module ECTS

7.5

Module pre-requisites

None

Module co-requisites

None

NQF level (module)

7

Available as distance learning?

Yes

Origin date

27/07/2020

Last revision date

27/07/2020