Graduates of the DMD Program must be competent in providing oral health care within
the scope of general dentistry in order to:
- Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills in the comprehensive care of patients,
scientific inquiry and research methodology.
- Apply advances in biomedical science to clinical practice and to integrate new medical
knowledge and therapies relevant to oral health care.
- Apply the principles of behavioral science that pertain to patient-centered oral health
care.
- Communicate effectively with and provide care to a diverse patient population.
- Correctly apply legal and regulatory concepts related to the provision and/or support
of oral health care services.
- Apply the basic principles and philosophies of practice management to oral health
care delivery, and function successfully as the leader of the oral health care team.
- Communicate and collaborate with patients, staff and other members of the health care
team to facilitate health care delivery.
- Correctly apply the ADA’s Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct, the
laws of the State of Georgia, and the Rules of the Georgia Board of Dentistry.
- Access, critically appraise, apply, and communicate scientific and lay literature
as it relates to providing evidence-based patient care.
- Provide oral health care within the scope of general dentistry to patients in all
stages of life.
- Assess the patient’s health status, establish oral diagnoses and prognoses, formulate
a comprehensive treatment plan, and obtain informed consent.
- Perform screening and risk assessment for head and neck cancer.
- Recognize the complexity of a patient’s treatment needs and identify when referral
is indicated.
- Educate, motivate and treat patients to improve and maintain their oral health.
- Prescribe and administer pharmacological agents for anesthesia, and pain and anxiety
control.
- Restore teeth.
- Communicate and manage dental laboratory procedures in support of patient care.
- Replace teeth using fixed, removable and dental implant prosthodontic therapies.
- Manage periodontal diseases.
- Manage pulpal and periradicular disease.
- Diagnose and manage oral mucosal and osseous disorders.
- Perform hard and soft tissue surgery.
- Diagnose and manage dental emergencies.
- Diagnose and manage malocclusion and space discrepancies.
- Develop a patient recall plan that is based on treatment outcomes and prognosis.
- Assess the treatment needs of patients with special needs.
