The course is designed to introduce dental students to the core principles of Dental Public Health, and it application to population based oral health nationally and internationally. 

Students will learn the importance of public health functions, fundamental concepts of health promotion and diseases prevention at the population or community and at the individual levels with emphasis on assessment, health promotion and risk prevention related to oral health in the community.

Epidemiology and trends of dental caries, periodontal disease and oral cancer on international and national level(s) will be discussed, common dental indices to measure these will be addressed including the impact of oral health on the individual and population. 

Students will explore strategies for preventing common oral diseases at the individual and community level including use of fluorides, pit-and-fissure sealants and fluoride varnish application.

Disparities in oral health status and access to dental health care will be highlighted and the ways of reducing inequalities will be addressed. Brief overview of different healthcare systems and the importance of dental and non-dental workforce models in improving access to dental care will be discussed. 

The course will also provide students with the necessary foundation of knowledge required to practice effective "Evidence-based Dentistry" and select appropriate prevention interventions and strategies to promote health and control oral diseases at the individual and population level. 

Ethical reasoning related to the practice of population-based dental public health as well as individual patients will be highlighted with the emphasis on raising awareness of the professional in recognizing ethical issues, including informed consent, confidentiality and patient autonomy. 

Course aims at developing a capacity for lifelong learning and professional growth in order to provide leadership in order to provide leadership that utilizes principles of dental public health as well as the ability to participate in provision of inter-professional care directed towards health promotion, better patient care and quality improvement.