Oral Diagnostic and Surgical Sciences (ODSS)

The Department of Oral Diagnostic and Surgical Sciences is organised into the disciplines of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Radiography, Oral Pathology, Special Needs Dentistry, Clinical Pharmacology and Sedation, and General Dental Practice. The Head of the Department is Professor Robert M. Love.

At undergraduate level the department is involved in teaching in all years of the BDS and staff contribute to other Faculty and continuing dental education courses.

At graduate level, the Department offers specialist courses of study and research leading to the degree of Doctor of Clinical Dentistry in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Pathology or Special Needs Dentistry; or a combined intercalated MDS/MBChB degree in Oral Medicine. These courses are recognised for the formal training required to register as a specialist by the Dental Council of New Zealand.

The Department also offers courses leading to the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Dentistry in General Practice, Oral Surgery, Oral Pathology, or Oral Medicine and research leading to the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

The main areas of research in the department are:

• oral diseases and healing involving histological, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural and molecular biological techniques with particular interest in human and experimental epithelial hyperplasia, preneoplasia and neoplasia;
• basic and clinical research into salivary disease with respect to clinical management, pharmacological sialagogues and salivary substitutes in patients with glandular hypofunction;
• endodontic microbiology and the molecular mechanisms involved in bacterial invasion of dentine;
• the development of endodontic medicaments for root canal disinfection and their effects on bacteria and tissues culture;
• clinical research in endodontics, dental implantology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, trauma, and prosthodontics.

Staff

General Practice Dentistry

• Professor Robert Love
• Mr Y. Ponnambalam
• Mr R. Meldrum

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Associate Professor G. Rohana (Kumara) De Silva
• Associate Professor Darryl Tong
• Mr Harsha De Silva

Oral Medicine & Hospital Dentistry

• Associate Professor Anita Nolan
• Mr Norman Firth
• Miss Eithne E. MacFadyen
• Mr Y. Ponnambalam

Oral Pathology

• Professor Tom Kardos
• Associate Professor Alison Rich
• Mr Norman Firth

Further Information

odss@otago.ac.nz

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