Program Description:
Given the rapid pace of scientific progress worldwide and in Iran, and the fact that 30 years have passed since the establishment of dental specialty programs in Iran, revising the curricula of these programs appears essential. One field that has gained considerable importance since the second half of the 20th century and continues to expand within dentistry is oral and maxillofacial pathology. This field seeks to establish a logical relationship between anatomical findings and the signs of various diseases affecting the oral cavity and adjacent tissues. It may also be said that oral and maxillofacial pathology serves as the foundation for basic research in other dental specialties.
Accordingly, to keep pace with developments in other medical fields and raise the knowledge and practical skills of oral and maxillofacial pathology graduates to national and international standards, a committee was formed in accordance with the guidelines of the Secretariat of Dental Specialty Programs. The committee comprised senior professors, academic administrators, and young experts and specialists in the field, and was tasked with revising the curriculum for the oral and maxillofacial pathology specialty program. Its members thoroughly reviewed the previous curriculum, assessed emerging requirements and needs in light of the boundaries of current knowledge, sought the opinions of other professors, senior academics, and experts, and developed a new curriculum for the specialty program.
Definition
Oral and maxillofacial pathology is a dental specialty concerned with the etiology and progression of diseases, as well as the identification and reporting of microscopic tissue changes (histopathology) caused by various disease entities. This specialty seeks to establish a logical relationship between anatomical findings and the signs of various diseases affecting the oral cavity and adjacent tissues and structures. It also encompasses a substantial body of basic research in various dental disciplines.
Graduates who pass the specialty examinations administered by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education will be certified as oral and maxillofacial pathology specialists.
Objectives:
At the end of the program, learners will be competent in the following skills:
- Histopathological diagnosis of diseases, lesions, trauma, congenital defects, acquired infections, traumatic and developmental anomalies, and benign and malignant neoplasms of the oral and maxillofacial region
- Ability to conduct research and teach in the relevant field
- Ability to correlate anatomical and clinicoradiographic findings with the histopathological features of diseases affecting the oral cavity and adjacent tissues and structures
Duration:
2.5 years
Total course credits
- Common basic sciences: 9.5
- Specific basic sciences: 14
- Faculty-taught related sciences: 5
- Hospital-taught related sciences: 25
- Core courses: 66
Program Curriculum
For more information, please download the Curriculum for the Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
