In 2000, the Secretary of the Council for Dental Education and Postgraduate in Iran recognized Community Oral Health as a postgraduate discipline in dentistry. Tehran University of Medical Sciences started Community Oral Health training in 2001 for undergraduate students. The Department of Community Oral Health currently offers training at undergraduate and post-graduate levels for local students. The program has six full-time academic members who have graduated in Community Oral Health (Ph.D. level) from high-quality international dental schools and two Pediatric Dentistry Specialist. At the international level, two advanced training programs are offered as the post-graduate programs.
Degree awarded: Ph.D. in Community Oral Health
Duration: 4 years, full-time
Curricular Design: Training will be provided at the dental school with collaboration of the faculty of Public Health. This program consists of three stages.
Coursework in the first two years consists of 11 complementary (for completion of DDS course and as pre-requisite for compulsory credits) and 29 compulsory credit units. The following two years is devoted to research with 24 study credits including the preparation of an article-based thesis on original research.
The graduates of the program have the opportunity to work as researchers in research centers, provincial community health and oral health centers, or to work as academics at the university level.
Program of Study:
The complementary courses leading to 374 hours of education are:
• Introduction to Preventive Dentistry (2)
• Principles of Biostatistics (2)
• Principles of Epidemiology (2)
• Demography (1)
• Medical Ethics and Professionalisms (1)
• Nutrition (2)
• Information Technology in Medicine (1)
The following 29 compulsory credits are taught as theoretical, workshops and practical courses leading to almost 1357 hours of education.
• Advanced Epidemiology (4)
• Oral Epidemiology (2)
• Advanced Biostatistics (4)
• Advanced Preventive Dentistry (3)
• Research ethics (1)
• Health Sociology (2)
• Psychology and Behavioral Science (2)
• Health Economics (2)
• Public Health (2)
• Health Management (5)
• Health Care Systems in the World (2)
The final 24 credits are related to thesis and results into 816 hours of education.
• Applied Biostatistics (1)
• Scientific Writing (2)
• Journal Club (3)
• Thesis (18)
Main Areas of Research
Epidemiological studies of oral health problems (dental caries, periodontal disease, oral cancer, trauma, malocclusion) in different age groups
Planning and evaluation of oral health promotion programs for populations
Designing and evaluating dental care delivery systems
Communicating and collaborating with other health related sectors
Preparing evidence based oral health promotion guidelines
Taking advantage of the modern technology to optimize the quality of preventive care
Evaluating and designing oral health surveillance systems
Evaluating the need for human resources in oral health care systems
Evaluating and revising dental curriculums
Planning and evaluating new educational methods in dental education
Evidence-based dentistry
Incorporation of ethical standards and professionalism in oral health activities and education
Preventive and non-invasive management of caries
Contact: For further information on post-graduate program in Community Oral Health, please contact:
Dr. Simin Z. Mohebbi
Coordinator of the International Affairs
Department of Community Oral Health
The School of Dentistry
Tehran University of Medical Sciences
Iran
E-mail: smohebbi@tums.ac.ir
Tel.: (+ 98 21) 880 15 960
Fax: (+ 98 21) 880 15 961