Radiographic Interpretation. 1 Credit Hour

Catalog description

This course includes two required components: a didactic portion and a clinical rotation. The didactic portion focuses on the radiographic interpretation of developmental and acquired diseases affecting the teeth, jaws, and associated structures. Students will build on foundational knowledge from prior radiology and oral pathology courses to develop accurate radiographic differential diagnoses. Because disease processes were covered in detail in the oral pathology course, this course emphasizes their radiographic appearance rather than their biological mechanisms. Students are expected to begin the course with a basic understanding of common oral, head, and neck pathologies and should review relevant disease topics prior to each session. Instruction is designed to promote active learning. Class sessions may include case-based, interactive discussions led by faculty. During these activities, student groups will describe radiographic findings and propose differential diagnoses. The clinical portion consists of a five half-day rotation in the predoctoral radiology clinic and includes one competency examination assessing radiographic technique. A separate competency examination in radiographic interpretation is completed during the spring term. During the rotation, students will take intraoral radiographs on patients referred to the radiology clinic, under the supervision of radiology technicians.