Competency Statements
Creighton University School of Dentistry

The following 29 competency statements represent areas of performance in which students must demonstrate an attainment of the requisite knowledge, skills and values to enter into an unsupervised private practice situation. The primary purpose of the School of Dentistry, as stated in its Mission Statement, is to educate students toward becoming proficient in providing for the oral health needs of society. Professional development is a continuous process that begins in the freshman year and concludes upon the termination of practice. It has been described as an educational continuum occurring in following five stages: beginner, novice, competent, proficient, and expert. The achievement of competence is but a step in the journey toward becoming expert and represents only a minimal level of expected performance in an unsupervised environment. Proficiency requires higher levels of mastery that can only be realized as a result of additional study and experience. To assist the student in this regard and to satisfy its primary Mission Statement objective, the School, through its academic departments, has established expectations of student performance which, if successfully accomplished, will provide an opportunity for professional development that exceeds the mere attainment of competence.

Measurement of the attainment of competence is accomplished through two principal methods. One involves the use of faculty ratings designed to capture judgments about students’ clinical abilities apart from the results they produce. The other is through the use of specific competency examinations. The true measure of competence occurs when the student works independently of any instructor assistance during a specific competency evaluation or examination. Accordingly, these examinations administered during the course of study at Creighton University School of Dentistry will be the primary method by which the achievement of competence is determined. The other methods, including faculty ratings, will be used to provide supplemental or corroborating information.

A1. understanding the biomedical sciences and their relationship to oral health, oral diseases, and oral-related disorders.

 

 

 

B1. understanding and applying the principles of behavioral science as they pertain to patient-centered approaches for promoting, improving, and maintaining oral health.

 

B2. managing a diverse patient population and having the interpersonal and communication skills to function successfully in a multicultural work environment.

 

 

C1. evaluating different models of oral health care management and delivery.

 

C2. understanding the basic principles and philosophies of practice management and having the skills to function as the leader of the oral health care team.

 

 

 

D1. understanding and applying ethical, legal, and regulatory concepts as they pertain to patient care and practice management.

 

D2. understanding the importance of life-long learning and self-assessment relative to professional development and the maintenance of competence.

 

 

E1. using critical thinking and problem solving skills to guide clinical decision making during the comprehensive care of patients.

 

E2. understanding critical assessment and scientific principles as they relate to the selection of appropriate biomaterials used in dental therapy.

 

E3. using information technology resources in contemporary dental practice.

 

 

 

 

F1. performing patient examination, assessment, and diagnosis procedures.

 

F2. developing a comprehensive plan of treatment.

 

F3. understanding the principles of health promotion and disease prevention.

 

F4. understanding and obtaining informed consent.

 

F5. managing pain and anxiety through appropriate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic methods.

 

F6. selecting, administrating, and prescribing appropriate pharmacologic agents to manage conditions that influence dental treatment.

 

F7. restoring single defective teeth with appropriate materials and techniques to establish proper form, function, and esthetics.

 

F8. restoring partial or complete edentulism with fixed or removable prosthodontics in the uncomplicated patient and in managing the care of the complicated edentulous patient.

 

F9. managing the restoration of partial or complete edentulism using contemporary implant procedures.

 

F10. performing uncomplicated periodontal therapies and in managing the care of patients with complicated or advanced periodontal problems.

 

F11. performing uncomplicated endodontic procedures and in managing the care of patients with complicated pulpal and periradicular disorders.

 

F12. recognizing and managing orofacial lesions.

 

F13. performing uncomplicated oral surgical procedures and in managing the care of patients with complicated oral surgical problems.

 

F14. preventing, recognizing, and managing dental emergencies including pain, hemorrhage, trauma, and infection of the orofacial complex.

 

F15. managing patients with acute and chronic occlusal and temporomandibular disorders.

 

F16. performing minor tooth movement and space maintenance and in managing the care of patients with complicated or advanced orthodontic problems.

 

F17. appraising completed and existing treatments and in using these outcomes of patient care to guide professional development.

 

F18. preventing, recognizing, managing, and treating, for the short-term, acute medical emergencies in the dental environment including the provision of life support measures.

 

F19. performing and managing requisite technical and laboratory procedures attendant to the provision of dental restorations.