Purpose

This three year Denturist Sciences Diploma Program prepares graduates to provide care as independent denturists. Denturists provide a variety of services: assessment by oral examination; treatment planning, fabrication of removable prosthetics and post client care. The curriculum includes theory, and the development of clinical and laboratory skills. Students will apply knowledge and skills in their care of clients in the VCC Denturist Clinic and in Community Practice experiences. Students will have the opportunity to be part of a collaborative oral health-care team through interprofessional education activities.

Graduates of the program are eligible to write the College of Denturists of British Columbia (CDBC) regulatory exams and to apply for licensure as a Denturist. Licensure through the CDBC is required before employment in BC.

Duration

Program duration is 3 years.  All courses must be completed in 5 years in the event of an absence from the program.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

1. Apply the current National Competency Profile for Denturists to provide safe, competent, culturally competent and ethical care.

2. Practice within the Health Professions Act and the related College of Denturists of British Columbia documents: Scope of Practice, Standards of Practice, and Code of Ethics.

3. Clinical Practice: Demonstrate knowledge and skills to meet patients' needs related to denturist services.

4. Laboratory Procedures: Design, fabricate, and maintain a wide variety of dental prostheses and/or oral devices.

5. Professional Collaboration: Collaborate with other healthcare professionals to optimize patient treatment and improve health outcomes.

6. Practice Management: Apply knowledge, principles, and the skills of management with the goal of providing effective and efficient denturist services.

7. Jurisprudence, Ethics and Professional Responsibilities: Demonstrate professional behaviour that is ethical, supersedes self-interest, strives for excellence, is committed to continued professional development.

8. Communication: Communicate with patients, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals, to promote and support optimal patient care and well-being.

Admission Requirements

1. Grade 12 graduation, or equivalent
2. English 12 with a minimum grade of B, or equivalent
3. English language proficiency at an English 12 level
4. Biology 12 or equivalent with a minimum grade of C
5. Physics 11 or equivalent with a minimum grade of C+
6. Mandatory attendance at a Denturist Program Information Session
7. BIOL 1602 or equivalent within the last 5 years with a minimum grade of C

Selection Process

• All qualified candidates who meet the above admission requirements by the deadline date will take the Manual Dexterity test and will be required to submit two Career Investigations with summaries. The deadline date will be identified on the program website and will be approximately four months before the program start. Information about the career investigations and manual dexterity test will be provided by the department.
• The qualified applicants with the highest scores in the Manual Dexterity Test and the Career Investigations and Summaries will be offered seats.

Upon acceptance to the program:

• Completion of Standard First Aid and CPR- A with AED training

• Proof of a negative TB skin test. If the skin test is positive proof of a negative TB chest x-ray is required
• Immunizations in the following are strongly recommended and may be required for a community practice placement.
  • Pertussis/Diphtheria/Tetanus
  • Polio
  • Measles, Mumps, and Rubella
  • Hepatitis B
  • Influenza (required on an annual basis)
  • Chicken Pox

*NB Clinical Facilities may decline individual students for their placement if a student is unable to provide proof of immunizations or satisfactory serum titers and TB screening.

• Criminal Record Check (CRC):  Students in this program are required to complete a CRC. The CRC must be completed according to VCC's Criminal Record Check instructions. Students whose CRC results indicate they pose a risk to vulnerable populations will not be able to complete the requirements of the program (e.g. practicums) or graduate. 
• Respiratory Protection: Regulations stipulate that a properly fitted respiratory mask must be used when providing care to patients with suspected, known, or probable cases of acute respiratory infections. The respiratory mask must be a N95 respirator that is individually fitted by a trained and certified person. This individual mask fitting should be done just prior to the beginning of your program and is good for one year and must be performed annually. The original certificate must be presented to the Department during the first week of classes. Applicants to the program will be responsible for any costs incurred for mask fitting.

Program Requirements

Plan of Study Grid

Term One		Credits
DEND 1101	Professionalism 1	1.5
DEND 1102	Applied Head & Neck Anatomy 1	4
DEND 1103	Complete Dentures 1	6
DEND 1104	Partial Dentures 1	6
DEND 1105	Safe Practice in Denturism	3
	Credits	20.5
Term Two
DEND 1201	Professionalism 2	4
DEND 1202	Applied Head & Neck Anatomy 2	4
DEND 1203	Complete Dentures 2	6
DEND 1204	Partial Dentures 2	6
	Credits	20
Term Three
DEND 2101	Professionalism 3	1.5
DEND 2102	Oral Pathology	3
DEND 2103	Clinical Prosthetics 1	6
DEND 2104	Clinical Prosthetics 2	6
DEND 2105	Case Management 1	3
DEND 2106	Pharmacology	2
	Credits	21.5
Term Four
DEND 2201	Business Management	3
DEND 2202	Gerontology	1
DEND 2203	Clinical Prosthetics 3	5
DEND 2205	Case Management 2	3
DEND 2206	Community Practicum 1	6
	Credits	18
Term Five
DEND 3101	Professionalism 4	1
DEND 3102	Dentures Over Implants	4
DEND 3103	Advanced Denturist Practice	3
DEND 3105	Case Management 3	3
DEND 3106	Community Practicum 2	6
	Credits	17
Term Six
DEND 3204	Managing a Denturist Practice	3
DEND 3205	Case Management 4	6
DEND 3206	Preceptorship	12
	Credits	21
	Total Credits	118

Evaluation of Student Learning

Theoretical knowledge is evaluated through quizzes/tests, exams, assignments, group projects and presentations. The passing grade for all theory courses is 64% = C+. Lab and clinical courses are evaluated by assessment of practical skills, Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), and practicum performance.

Courses that include theory, lab and/or clinical skills require a passing grade of “Satisfactory” (S) and all components of the course evaluation plan must be successfully completed.

Each semester must be successfully completed before the next one can be started.

All courses within a term where there is a community practicum experience must be successfully completed prior to the start of the practicum experience. Students who are unsuccessful in the term course work cannot progress to the practicum experience.

A student may only repeat two courses throughout the entire program. A student may apply to repeat the course (insert) the next time it is offered provided there is space available. Upon the failure of a third course the student must exit the program. If there are extenuating circumstances justifying the third failure a student may then submit an application for appeal.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

Applicants requesting PLAR must meet with the Denturist Department Leader

Transcript of Achievement

The evaluation of learning outcomes for each student is prepared by the instructor and reported to the Student Records Department at the completion of semesters.

The transcript typically shows a letter grade for each course. The grade point equivalent for a course is obtained from letter grades as follows:

Grading Standard

Transcript of Achievement

Grade	Percentage	Description	Grade Point Equivalency
A+	90-100		4.33
A	85-89		4.00
A-	80-84		3.67
B+	76-79		3.33
B	72-75		3.00
B-	68-71		2.67
C+	64-67	Minimum Pass 64%=C+	2.33
C	60-63	Failing Grade	2.00
C-	55-59		1.67
D	50-54		1.00
F	0-49		0.00
S	70 or greater	Satisfactory – student has met and mastered a clearly defined body of skills and performances to required standards	N/A
U		Unsatisfactory – student has not met and mastered a clearly defined body of skills and performances to required standards	N/A
I		Incomplete	N/A
IP		Course in Progress	N/A
W		Withdrawal	N/A
Course Standings
R		Audit. No Credit	N/A
EX		Exempt. Credit Granted	N/A
TC		Transfer Credit

Grade Point Average (GPA)

1. The course grade points shall be calculated as the product of the course credit value and the grade value.
2. The GPA shall be calculated by dividing the total number of achieved course grade points by the total number of assigned course credit values. This cumulative GPA shall be determined and stated on the Transcript at the end of each Program level or semester.
3. Grades shall be assigned to repeated courses in the same manner as courses taken only once. For the purpose of GPA calculation of grades for repeated courses, they will be included in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.