AUT - Oral Health major: Bachelor of Health Science
- ArionWhere applying and enrolled students can access AUT course information, check your enrolment status, make fee payments, update your personal details and view your academic results.
- AUTOnlineOnline access to course resources and learning activities through AUT's central learning management system.
- UnicentralUniCentral is the AUT University Student Portal. Here you will find useful information about you as a student and quicklinks to all the important online systems you will need to use while studying at AUT University.
Oral Health major: Bachelor of Health Science
Bachelor of Health Science: degree outline
Want to enrol in a programme: Apply online
BACHELOR OF HEALTH SCIENCE IN ORAL HEALTH
| Code Level of study Points Duration Venue |
AK3113 7 360 3 years full-time Venue North Shore Campus |
| Start date |
3 March 2014 |
| NCEA University Entrance (or equivalent) for school leavers. Must be capable of meeting Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 requirements Police clearance Applicants over 20 without previous tertiary qualifications must supply a CV and references |
|
| Selection criteria |
NCEA: Level 3 English, Biology, Physical Education Interview may be required |
| Preferred school subjects |
A good standard of oral and written English is important |
Overview
Oral health is a vital part of general health for all New Zealanders. As more is understood about the links between oral and systemic health in people, it has become vital that oral health and disease prevention messages are promoted widely to our communities. By successfully completing our degree you will become a dual-trained oral health practitioner (you can register as a dental hygienist and a dental therapist with the Dental Council of New Zealand). You will be at the forefront of the changing oral health landscape.
This degree provides you both pre-clinical experience in our oral health simulation laboratory, as well as extensive clinical experience at AUT’s on-campus oral health clinic and Auckland Regional Dental Service (ARDS) clinics. You get to explore and understand the diverse field of preventative and rehabilitative oral health care, with a lot of real world application such as completing oral health promotion projects within communities around Auckland and undertaking a national or international community placement in your 3rd year of study – at least half of your 3 years’ learning is focused on clinical practice.
Structure
A comprehensive overview is available from the Academic Calendar for this qualification. There is a summary below:
Year 1 Papers
You are introduced to basic human sciences and learn about health in Aotearoa New Zealand with an emphasis on communication skills, health promotion in general and specific oral health promotion and disease prevention messages. You will be given the opportunity to learn and practise early pre-clinical skills in a simulation laboratory. Visits to our on-campus Oral Health Clinic and to the ARDS clinics will introduce you to the clinical environment. You will undertake the formulation and implementation of an oral health promotion project in a community of need.
Core papers:
Semester 1:
555101 Lifespan Development and Communication
555201 Human Anatomy and Physiology I
555301 Knowledge, Enquiry and Communication
555401 Health and Environment OR
555339 Maori Health, Development and Environment
Semester 2:
556202 Human Anatomy and Physiology II
555604 Introduction to Oral Health Practice
556606 Oral Health Promotion
Year 2 papers
You continue to study human sciences with particular emphasis on the oral cavity. Generic and discipline-specific pharmacology is introduced in Semester 1. Knowledge and skills around restorative and hygiene practice procedures are further extended in the pre-clinical laboratory. Assessment and treatment of patients in the AIH (Akoranga Integrated Health) Oral Health clinic starts from week 7 of Semester 1 and in Auckland Regional Dental Service (ARDS) clinics in Semester 2. Health research methods are introduced and you will undertake research and health promotion projects.
556202 Human Anatomy and Physiology II
556301 Methods of Research and Enquiry
556607 Oral Health I
556608 Oral Biology and Pathology
556609 Oral Health Assessment
Year 3 papers
Your pre-clinical training will be completed to allow you to undertake clinical activities both on and off site. Your clinical environments have been designed to closely mimic the oral health environments that you are likely to encounter once you graduate. To ensure 'work readiness', you will undertake your oral health papers as well as papers focused on health law and professional practice and ethics.
557221 Health Law and Policy
557224 Professional Practice and Ethics
557609 Oral Health II
557610 Oral Health III
You will also be required to undertake a 15-point elective paper that allows you to pursue an area of particular interest. Options currently available include Māori health promotion, education papers or any other approved 15-point paper at Level 6 or above .
Te Ara Hauora Māori papers
There are Māori health papers available if you wish to seek a career with a Māori development perspective.
555339 Maori Health, Development and Environment (instead of 555401 Health and Environment)
527872 Maori Health Promotion
567431 Applied Primary Maori Mental Health
567417 Utilising Supervision in Practice
We will support Te Ara Hauora Māori students to form relationships with Māori health providers, industry stakeholders and communities, and AUT Māori staff and students.
Career Opportunities
Graduates will be highly skilled as dual qualified oral health practitioners with the ability to practise in private and public health settings. Once registered with the Dental Council of New Zealand, graduates provide oral health services, within the dental hygiene and dental therapy scopes of practice, to people of all ages. There are opportunities to work for DHBs throughout New Zealand, in private general or specialist practice, specifically in the area of oral health promotion or in the education sector. Your qualification is recognised in Australia and dual-qualified graduates are in high demand.
Graduates and students of health science
Your other Bachelor of Health Science study options, you can choose to study the degree without a health major:
Bachelor of Health Science (BHSc) standard pathway
Or you can choose to major in one of the following specialised areas:
Applied Mental Health
Health Promotion
Paramedicine
Podiatry
Psychology
Or you can choose one of our clinical degree areas:
Midwifery
Nursing
Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Other courses you may be interested in
Bachelor of Business & Bachelor of Health Science (psychology) conjoint degree
Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma in Health Science
Graduate Certificate in Emergency Management