Pharmacology

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/T_PHARMAG2

Course Objective

Competences covered according to the General Educational Framework Dentistry 2020, see Canvas Course The student
• Selects and prescribes medication to provide oral healthcare
• Uses – if appropriate – local anesthesia and takes into account the intended effect and possible side-effects This means the student has
• an understanding of the indications, side-effects, interactions and contra-indications of analgesics, in particular with respect to complex oral care.
• an understanding of the indications, side-effects, interactions and contra-indications of antibiotics in particular with respect to complex oral care.
• an understanding of the indications, side-effects, interactions and contra-indications of drugs acting in the nervous system, in particular with respect to complex oral care.
• an understanding of the indications, side effects, interactions and contra/indications of drugs commonly used in medical emergencies in the dental practice.
• an understanding of interference of drugs with wound healing and bone development, e.g. drugs used in osteoporosis, immunosuppressants and anticancer drugs.
• an understanding of interference of drugs influencing blood coagulation with invasive dental procedures, in particular with respect to complex oral care.
• an understanding of drug safety issues, including the occurrence and the mechanism of oral side effects of drugs, effects of multiple drug use and pharmacovigilance. The student will be able to select the appropriate drugs for their dental patients in an evidence-based manner and will be able to write prescriptions and communicate about these prescriptions with their patients, general physicians, pharmacists and medical specialists.

Course Content

Pharmacotherapy is a science focusing on evidence-based prescribing of drugs. Dentists have full authority to prescribe drugs, although they will only prescribe certain groups of medication on a daily basis. Certain groups of medication used by dental patients, will not be prescribed by dental practitioners, but might well have an impact on the oral health of the patients or on the dental procedures. This course covers the important topics of analgesics, antibiotics, drugs influencing blood coagulation, drugs affecting bone metabolism, drugs used in medical emergencies in the dental practice and drugs acting in the nervous system with a specific emphasis on their interactions in Complex Oral Care. The course will be given via case studies.

Teaching Methods

Self-study; seminars; assignment

Method of Assessment

Learning assessment
• Overall assessment of seminar assignments (grade: good / pass / fail)
• Written exam (grade: 1-10) Grading A prerequisite for grade registration (grade 0-10) is successful completion of the seminar assignments. In case of a fail for the seminar assignment(s), and a pass for the final exam, a 5.0 will be registered and students will need to redo the relevant seminar assignment(s).

Literature

• M.J. Neal, Medical Pharmacology at a Glance. 7th Edition. 2012. Capita selecta.
• Reader with selected research papers and case studies.