Dental Biochemistry 106:

COURSE INFORMATION

On successfully completing this course, students will understand how the tissues and fluids of the oral cavity function at the molecular level, the biochemical changes underlying representative disease conditions, and the relationship of nutrition to oral health.

Students should be able to explain:

1. How the structures of extracellular matrix macromolecules are related to their function within oral tissues, and how changes in extracellular matrix structure that occur in genetic and acquired disorders of connective tissues are related to manifestations of these diseases.
2. The composition of saliva, its role in mineralization and demineralization of enamel and the types and functions of salivary proteins.
3. The nature and properties of the mineral phase of dental tissues, current theories of enamel, dentine and bone mineralization, and the composition and formation of dental calculus.
4. The metabolism of oral bacteria, with particular reference to caries and therapeutic agents.
5. Molecular biological methods used to identify pathogens.
6. Biomimetics and tissue regeneration, including a basic understanding of cell signaling events, stem cell research, and approaches for regeneration of dental tissues.
7. Basic principles of human nutrition: diet, nutrients and metabolism..
8. Identification of major and minor nutrients, their metabolism and function.
9. Practical aspects of nutrition assessment, counseling, relevance to health including dental health.

LECTURES

Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. in Dental Sciences D2016;
Wednesdays, 11:00a.m. in Medical Sciences Building, M341;
Thursdays, 1:00 p.m. in DentalSciences D2016.

ANTIREQUISITES

PREREQUISITES

INSTRUCTORS

Course Manager
Dr. Harvey A. Goldberg	0019A Dental Sciences Building	510-661-2182

Instructors
Dr. Graeme K. Hunter	0021A Dental Sciences Building	519-661-2185
Dr. Andrew C. Leask	0067 Dental Sciences Building	519-661-2111; extn 81102
Dr. Peter R. Flanagan	219 Siebens-Drake Research Institute	519-850-2956

EVALUATION

The assessment of the course material will be divided into 3 sections. The material presented by Dr. Goldberg will be examined begining of November, and will be worth 28% of the final mark. The exam will require short answer, short paragraph responses. The material presented by Dr. Hunter, including the tutorials will be examined begining of November. The exam will be worth 22% of the final mark and will be composed of multiple choice questions.
The second half of the course consisting of Drs. Leask and Flanagan’s sections, will be worth 50% of the final grade. The final will be scheduled during the normal Dentistry examination period in December. Both multiple choice and short answer questions will be used.

INSTRUCTIONAL INFORMATION

There is no required textbook for this course. Most general biochemistry books, including “Biochemistry” by Stryer, and “Molecular and Cellular Biology" by Stephen L. Wolfe (Wadsworth Publishing) are good reference texts. Supplemental reading material may be assigned by individual instructors.

SCHOLASTIC DISCIPLINE

Students are advised to carefully read the section on scholastic discipline in the 2009/10 academic calendar.

Statement on Academic Offences
Scholastic offences are taken seriously and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/scholoff.pdf

UNIVERSITY POLICY FOR PLAGIARISM

Students must write their essays and assignments in their own words. Whenever students take an idea, or a passage from another author, they must acknowledge their debt both by using quotation marks where appropriate and by proper referencing such as footnotes or citations. Plagiarism is a major academic offence (see Scholastic Offence Policy in the Western Academic Calendar).

PLAGIARISM: Students must write their essays and assignments in their own words. Whenever students take an idea, or a passage from another author, they must acknowledge their debt both by using quotation marks where appropriate and by proper referencing such as footnotes or citations. Plagiarism is a major academic offence (see Scholastic Offence Policy in the Western Academic Calendar or link below).

 

Absence from course commitments

A. Absence for medical illness:

Students must familiarize themselves with the Policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness: https://studentservices.uwo.ca/secure/medical_accommodations_link_for_OOR.pdf

Statement from the Dean’s Office
If you are unable to meet a course requirement due to illness or other serious circumstances, you must provide valid medical or other supporting documentation to the Dean's office as soon as possible and contact your instructor immediately. It is the student's responsibility to make alternative arrangements with their instructor once the accommodation has been approved and the instructor has been informed. In the event of a missed final exam, a "Recommendation of Special Examination" form must be obtained from the Dean's Office immediately. For further information please see: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/medical.pdf A student requiring academic accommodation due to illness, should use the Student Medical Certificate when visiting an off-campus medical facility or request a Record's Release Form (located in the Dean's Office) for visits to Student Health Services. The form can be found at: https://studentservices.uwo.ca/secure/medical_document.pdf

B. Absence for non-medical reasons:
Absences from midterms, final exams, or late essays or assignments, must be documented in the Dean's office. Documentation must be submitted by the student directly to the Dean`s Office and not to the instructor. It will subsequently be the Dean`s Office that will determine if accommodation is warranted.

C. Special Examinations
A Special Examination is any examination other than the regular examination, and it may be offered only with the permission of the Dean of the Faculty in which the student is registered, in consultation with the instructor and Department Chair. Permission to write a Special Examination may be given on the basis of compassionate or medical grounds with appropriate supporting documents.
A Special Examination must be written at the University or an Affiliated University College no later than 30 days after the end of the examination period involved. To accommodate unusual circumstances, a date later than this may be arranged at the time permission is first given by the Dean of the Faculty. The Dean will consult with the instructor and Department Chair and, if a later date is arranged, will communicate this to Registrarial Services. If a student fails to write a scheduled Special Examination, permission to write another Special Examination will be granted only with the permission of the Dean in exceptional circumstances and with appropriate supporting documents. In such a case, the date of this Special Examination normally will be the scheduled date for the final exam the next time the course is offered.

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Support Services:
Registrarial Services: http://www3.registrar.uwo.ca/index.cfm
Academic Counselling (Science and Basic Medical Sciences): http://www.uwo.ca/sci/counselling/index.html
Student Development Services: http://www.sds.uwo.ca
Student Health Services: http://www.shs.uwo.ca/

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