In the 1200s, dentists in France were known as barbers, which may seem odd because today’s barbers are associated with hair, not teeth.
Dentists are familiar characters in every person’s life. At one point or another, everyone, regardless of background, should have seen a dentist. It’s no wonder that today it’s still a career of choice for young Malaysians coming out of high school.
With the changing face of today’s world and community, a dentist has evolved from the traditional role of “pain rescuer” to a personality-partner, with whom one must work closely in order to live a healthy life. Such is the evolution that the profession has known, from the “forceps era” to the “restorative era” and today, the “preventive era”.
With advances in science and technology, dentists are increasingly taking on the role of an oral physician as part of a multidisciplinary team in treating a patient, who may apparently have a non-dental health problem. .
This redefinition of the role of a dentist towards that of an oral doctor makes a lot of sense. After all, their proficiency over our anatomy covers our oral cavity. This extends from the lips, the mucous membrane inside the cheeks and lips, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the upper and lower gums, the floor of the mouth under the tongue, the bony roof of the mouth and of the small area behind the wisdom teeth.
“Oral medicine and oral pathology, the cornerstones of medicine, are vigorously taught to our students because we must ensure that our students are not only excellent dental surgeons, but also excellent oral doctors. “said Professor Abdul Rashid Hj Ismail, Manipal University College Malaysia (MUCM) Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry.
MUCM, which is one of the oldest private education providers in Malaysia, is aware of what the future needs and holds for its students. Extension of the Manipal group in India created in 1953, its presence in Malaysia is entering its 25th year in 2022.
Students at Manipal University College Malaysia (MUCM) practice surgical procedures on phantom heads before performing them in real time on patients.
The Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) program is anchored on the education of a clinically sound and comprehensive dental surgeon, as it is trained by experienced specialists in each area of dental specialty. Classrooms and clinic floors are always buzzing with case-based learning activities (CBAs).
“In CBL modules, professors and lecturers share their many years of clinical and case experiences to train critical and analytical skills in diagnosis and treatment planning,” said Professor Dr. Abdul Rashid.
“With such a comprehensive base, we ensure that our graduates are not only ready to work, but also extremely competent in many areas vis-à-vis the mouth. This makes it much easier when deciding on the region, as well as the field of dentistry in which they would choose to practice.
Health care is not for business, but a profession to take care of people’s health – the basic need for people’s safety. As a health care professional, the prospects of giving quality life to the community and having a good quality of life will always be part of the life cycle of dental surgeons and oral practitioners.
The world keeps turning. What we see today we saw 100 years ago in a different form. What awaits the future healthcare professional will be different from today. For this reason, the concept of lifelong learning at MUCM is instilled in dental surgeons for the survival of the profession and the creation of more varied career paths.
For more information about the program, call 1700 811 662 or visit www.manipal.edu.my
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