Are you considering studying a dentistry degree, such as Bachelor of Oral Health at Melbourne Uni, but still have some questions?Â
We can help — we’ve compiled a handy guide with all you need to know about this degree and more.
Check it out!Â
What is a Bachelor of Oral Health at Melbourne Uni?
Core Units for this Degree
How to Get into a Bachelor of Oral Health at Melbourne Uni
What’s the Teaching Format?
What’s the Faculty and Culture Like?
What is a Bachelor of Oral Health at Melbourne Uni?
The Bachelor of Oral Health at Melbourne Uni is a three-year degree that will train students to become equipped to practice oral health therapy! This degree allows students to gain valuable insights into the clinical environment that oral health therapists and hygienists work in, while also providing them with valuable insights and life skills.
This dentistry degree at Melbourne Uni is excellent for dedicated individuals who want to make a positive difference in many different people’s lives!Â
Honours
The Bachelor of Oral Health at the University of Melbourne has a non-compulsory fourth-year Honours program! Students who have achieved a WAM of 75 or higher can continue onto further studies within Oral Health.
Completing your Honours year means you’ll have the chance to conduct a piece of research on an area of your choosing within Oral Health. It can prepare students for taking on a graduate research degree.
Career Paths
This degree will set you up for a wide range of careers within the field of dentistry. Some of the jobs you can find yourself in include:
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- An oral health therapistÂ
- A dental hygienistÂ
- A dental therapistÂ
Students may also commence further study and become researchers within the field of Oral Health.
Core Units for this Degree
The structure for this degree is quite rigid, so you actually won’t have the opportunity to select a major. In other words, all students who commence this degree will be doing the same subjects.
There isn’t any room to complete electives either, but this means that you’ll become super close with members of your cohort since you’ll be seeing them a lot!
Students study a multitude of different units, they include:
The core unit components that you will encounter within your years of study are:Â
| Subject Areas | Description |
|---|---|
| Dental Science | Subjects with a focus on Dental Science provide students with a theoretical background and understanding of dental procedures and the history of oral health as a practice. This area provides students with information regarding the prevention and treatment of oral diseases. |
| Social Science and Preventive Dentistry | Subjects within this discipline promote research and understanding of why it is so important to provide oral health care. The components of this discipline further delve into psychology, sociology and research methods. |
| Clinical Dentistry | Clinical dentistry relates to the practical aspects of oral health careers. This component has a focus on infection control, dental instruments and implementation. |
| Vocational Clinical Practice | This component is the practical aspect of the degree! Placements will be held at the Royal Melbourne Dental Hospital and at other rural and metropolitan practices. |
Are there any placements?Â
Within this dentistry degree at Melbourne Uni, you’ll undertake placements across all your years of study.
In first and second year, you’ll have short placements. In third year, your primary focus is on your placements and you’ll have one research unit to complete too.
The great thing about placements is that you’ll have access to real patients in a monitored and safe environment! You will be assessed not only on how well you perform prescribed tasks, but also, how you are able to interact with participants.Â
How to Get into a Bachelor of Oral Health at Melbourne Uni
For guaranteed admission into the Bachelor of Oral Health at Melbourne Uni, you will need to have achieved an ATAR of 85.05 or higher.Â
Alternate Pathway
No need to worry if you didn’t get this ATAR though — there’s another way to be admitted into the Bachelor of Oral Health at Melbourne Uni.
Access Melbourne is a pathway into your desired course even if you did not meet the selection rank. It acknowledges students may have circumstances that may not have allowed them to achieve their desired mark.
To apply for Access Melbourne, read this how to guide and find the application form here!
Prerequisite Subjects
You are required to have completed a few subjects in order to enrol into this degree. These include English and either Biology or Chemistry.
Scholarships
The University of Melbourne offers a number of scholarships! Have a look at the Scholarship finder tool here.
What’s the Teaching Format?
The University of Melbourne follows the semester teaching format. This means that there are two main teaching periods, with breaks in between.
It should be noted that Oral Health students may need to commence placements during STUVACs or towards the beginning or end of breaks between semesters.
Class Structure
Studying Oral Health at Melbourne Uni means you’ll have classes such as lectures, tutorials and practicals. You’ll have the chance to use state of the art technology and appliances so you can thrive and achieve in the real world!Â
Lectures
Students will commence lectures, with a class of no more than 60 (this is as big as the cohort will usually get!). These classes don’t have as much student engagement, so it’ll mainly be the lecturer discussing the content and students taking notes for around 1-2 hours.
Tutorials
Following the lecture, students will have a tutorial. The tutorial is for students to consolidate their knowledge and learn collaboratively!
With around 30 students maximum, students will cover topics such as empathy, clinical practice and support methods for 1-2 hours.Â
Practicals
Practical lessons can be woven into tutorial classes or be a class dedicated only to practical aspects. With 15 to 30 other people for 1-3 hours, students will commence the application of the theoretical knowledge they have soaked up!
Students will perform mock examinations on each other, and mock procedures on dummies with teeth.
Placements
These aren’t really classes, but as part of the degree you’ll get practical experience in the field. You’ll be placed by the university into different clinical settings.
Within the placements, students will be expected to perform a procedure they have covered at uni. For example, on placement, a student may be asked to put in a filling on a patient.Â
How long will you be on campus?Â
Students can be on campus or on placements for a total of anywhere from 20 to 38 hours per week! Remember to take time out to relax for yourself too — balance is imperative for success!
AssessmentsÂ
The Bachelor of Oral Health presents a multitude of different ways to be assessed! When first starting, you will predominantly be assessed through quizzes, assignments and reports.
As time goes on, you will further delve into the nitty-gritty, being assessed for your practical skills on placements and in the mock clinical environments too!Â
Skills That You Refine and Learn
Within this dentistry degree at Melbourne Uni, students will be able to grow and develop various skills and values!
A skill that is taught to students is empathy. To be a dental practitioner, students will need to show empathy, as they will see clients from all different walks of life and backgrounds. It is important they are able to treat all patients with respect and dignity.
Students will also gain a wealth of knowledge from practical skills. They will be able to assess and evaluate a patient’s condition and commence treatments.
Students will also have knowledge of dental practices such as deep cleaning a patient’s mouth as well as filling in holes in a patient’s teeth!Â
What’s the Faculty and Culture Like?
The subjects within a Bachelor of Oral Health at Melbourne Uni are delivered by industry accredited and knowledgeable staff. They are extremely willing to share their knowledge and want to see their students achieve the best possible outcomes!
The vibe and culture of students studying this degree echo that of their tutors. Students are super friendly, compassionate and always are willing to help out a fellow friend!
Melbourne Dental Student Society
Studying dentistry at Melbourne Uni means you can participate in the Melbourne Dental Student Society. This group brings together students in the oral health discipline to make their uni lives inside and outside of the classroom more enriching!
The society hosts a range of events from social gatherings, to networking evenings.
Melbourne University SocietiesÂ
If there are other interests you’d like to explore, you don’t have to just limit yourself to the Dental Student Society. You can get involved in groups such as the Cheese Club and the Eurovision Fan Club Society.Â
Check them all out here!
Mentorship Programs
Melbourne Uni hosts the Melbourne Peer Mentoring Program (MPMP). This program matches new first year students, with students in second year and beyond in the same degree!
This initiative helps students to feel more comfortable in their transition into uni and have a friend who understands what they are going through.
Want to know more about the Bachelor of Oral Health at Melbourne Uni? Check out our article here!
Matilda Elliott is a Content Writer at Art of Smart and a Communication graduate with a major in Journalism at Western Sydney University. You can find some of her published work in a range of platforms including SBS World News, The Music Network and within her own creative exploits with her twin sister. Matilda is a lover of listening, helping people to tell their stories, making genuine connections, clowning around in her circus troupe and dancing like no one is watching at live music shows!
