About this Course

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This course will focus on the interprofessional realtionship of dentistry and medicine. For each session, the medical specialist will present a broad overview of specific disease entity which will be followed by a dental educator discussing the relevant oral manifestations and implications. The final module of each session will be devoted to the interaction between the dental and  other health care professionals.

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Intermediate Level

Approx. 15 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Intermediate Level

Approx. 15 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.83/5 (211 Ratings)

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(2,215 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

8 minutes to complete

The Interplay Between Medicine and Dentistry

This course will use the expertise of specialists from both medicine and dentistry to provide perspectives on a wide range of topics that significantly impact both fields. By explaining each field and the ways in which dental and medical specialists work together to manage affected patients, these specialists highlight the interdisciplinary nature of health care today using a particular example each week. In our introductory videos, we introduce the importance of these topics and of the interplay between medicine and dentistry through the lens of the specialty of oral medicine.

8 minutes to complete

2 videos (Total 8 min)

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Pain management: approaches and challenges

In Week 2, we will discuss pain, both as a general concept and as it relates to certain conditions. This will include defining pain and its types, discussing multiple treatment modalities, and explaining some pains specific to the head and neck region. From both an oral medicine and pain management perspective, this difficult topic will be examined and expert diagnosis and treatment opinions will be provided.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 47 min)

Week3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Diabetic patients and their care

Week 3 focuses on diabetes, a very prevalent, but often not well understood disease that materially impacts both medicine and dentistry. Our discussion of this topic will include an in depth description of types of diabetes, treatments and how they differ based on type, and lifestyle management of these patients. It will also deal with dental management of the diabetic patient specifically, including recommendations for how to approach treatment of patients with diabetes.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 47 min)

Week4

Week 4

2 hours to complete

Endocrine disorders: understanding thyroid cancer and osteoporosis

In week 4, we will continue our discussion of endocrine diseases by covering two other relatively common conditions, thyroid cancer and osteoporosis. Both of these diseases present significant challenges to dental management of patients as well as presenting interesting and difficult medical challenges. For both diseases, the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment will be covered and related to the impact of the disease on dental care and some important negative effects to be aware of in the oral cavity.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 30 min)

Week5

Week 5

2 hours to complete

Care of cardiovascular diseases and infections

This week will review management of cardiac conditions, both generally and specifically in dental medicine. This will include explanations of some of the most prevalent cardiac conditions as well as discussion on the difficulties of treating select patients. This provides a widely applicable but also specific overview of risks to patients generally and in the dental office, management and treatment, and ways that providers and patients can work together to ensure positive outcomes for all.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 31 min)

Week6

Week 6

2 hours to complete

Dermatologic conditions of the oral cavity

Week 6 presents an explanation of common dermatologic conditions that can frequently affect the oral cavity. The lectures in this module focus on the three most prevalent autoimmune reactions to occur in the mouth; lichen planus, pemphigoid, and pemphigus. The lectures in this week explain these conditions, comment on some possible treatments, and discuss the importance of co-management between the fields of dentistry and medicine, not to mention some specific examples of interdisciplinary division of treatment.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 48 min)

Week7

Week 7

2 hours to complete

Blood and bone marrow cancers

In this section, we will discuss blood and bone marrow cancers. This is a complex topic and our lectures will explain some of the differences between each type of these cancers in both disease characteristics and management. For management, we will review both traditional and cutting edge modalities used in certain cases. We will also discuss the importance of the oral cavity in both diagnosis and treatment of these cancers. Whether as the first sign of disease, an area affected by treatment, or a potential cause of complications, the oral cavity can truly in leukemia be a portal to health and disease.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 44 min)

Week8

Week 8

2 hours to complete

Understanding head and neck cancers

Our last section deals with a very serious and important topic, that of cancers of the head and neck region. Our lectures will explain some types of head and neck cancer, but will focus on oral squamous cell carcinoma, the most common of these. We will discuss diagnosis and management of these patients, paying attention to the important role of all providers in cancer while also providing a video of transoral robotic surgery for cancer. In this way, we will address all aspects of oral cancer treatment, from initial diagnosis to thorough treatment.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 35 min)

Week9

Week 9

1 hour to complete

Final Exam

1 hour to complete

Reviews

4.9

162 reviews

5 stars
88.90%
4 stars
10.07%
3 stars
1.02%

TOP REVIEWS FROM THE ORAL CAVITY: PORTAL TO HEALTH AND DISEASE

by JPApr 21, 2018

As a dental professional, I found this to be an informative and well-organized course! I hope Coursera incorporates more dental-related courses for me to listen to.

by SSJul 31, 2020

Great course, wish we had more stuff like this throughout dental school. Great interaction with the MDs as well.

by PMJun 10, 2021

An excellent overview of how a meticulous assessment of the oral cavity structures can be associated with & be part of systemic issues.

by KSApr 2, 2020

Really great course for dental students who want to review the concepts and clinical linkage of systemic diseases.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

The Oral Cavity: Portal to Health and Disease