Lesson 1Detailed dental history and symptom inquiry (last dental visit, past treatments, pain, sensitivity)This section explains how to gather a focused dental history, including chief complaint, past treatments, and previous complications, to identify risk factors, guide examination priorities, and build rapport with the patient in a culturally sensitive manner.
Chief complaint and history of present illnessPrevious dental care and treatment outcomesPain, sensitivity, and functional limitationsDental anxiety, expectations, and past traumaSelf-care habits and use of dental productsLesson 2Hard tissue and occlusion overview (restorations, wear, malocclusion, signs of bruxism)This section reviews assessment of teeth and occlusion, including restorations, caries, wear facets, mobility, and malocclusion, as well as clinical signs of bruxism that may influence periodontal status and preventive planning in local contexts.
Charting restorations and existing defectsScreening for caries and demineralisationTooth wear, erosion, and abrasion patternsOcclusal relationships and malocclusion signsIndicators of bruxism and parafunctional habitsLesson 3Structured medical history questions (systemic conditions, medications, allergies, pregnancy)This section focuses on structured medical history taking, including systemic diseases, medications, allergies, and pregnancy, emphasising relevance to oral findings, bleeding risk, and the need for medical consultation in Botswana healthcare settings.
Cardiovascular, endocrine, and bleeding disordersRespiratory, renal, and hepatic conditionsMedication review and oral side effectsAllergies, adverse reactions, and alertsPregnancy, lactation, and ASA classificationLesson 4Caries risk screening and xerostomia assessment (diet review, salivary factors, medication effects)This section presents caries risk and xerostomia screening, integrating diet analysis, salivary flow and quality, and medication review to classify risk levels and support individualised preventive and remineralisation plans for diverse populations.
Dietary recall and fermentable carbohydrate intakeSalivary flow observation and simple testsMedications associated with dry mouthRisk categorisation and documentationPreventive strategies for high-risk patientsLesson 5Periodontal screening methods (PSR/Williams probe basics, probing technique, interpreting pocket depths and bleeding on probing)This section introduces periodontal screening tools and techniques, including PSR and Williams probes, correct probing angulation and force, and interpretation of pocket depths, bleeding, and furcations to identify periodontal risk in community settings.
Probe design, markings, and calibrationProbing technique and controlled pressureRecording pocket depths and recessionBleeding on probing and inflammation signsPSR coding and referral thresholdsLesson 6Intraoral soft tissue exam (mucosa, tongue, floor of mouth, salivary glands, oral lesions)This section covers a stepwise intraoral soft tissue exam, emphasising systematic visualisation and palpation of mucosa, tongue, floor of mouth, and salivary glands to detect lesions, infections, and early signs of oral cancer in everyday practice.
Systematic inspection sequence and lightingLabial and buccal mucosa assessmentTongue, floor of mouth, and ventral surfacesSalivary gland function and duct patencyRecognition and description of oral lesionsLesson 7Extraoral examination checklist (facial symmetry, lymph nodes, TMJ screening, lips and skin)This section details a systematic extraoral exam, including visual inspection and palpation of the head and neck, to detect abnormalities in symmetry, lymph nodes, TMJ, lips, and skin that may indicate local or systemic disease relevant to local health issues.
Observation of posture and facial symmetryPalpation of cervical and submandibular nodesTMJ screening for pain, sounds, and rangeInspection of lips, perioral skin, and vermilionDocumentation and referral of abnormal findingsLesson 8Behavioural and lifestyle questionnaire (tobacco, alcohol, diet, oral hygiene routines, anxiety and cost concerns)This section explains how to conduct a respectful lifestyle interview, exploring tobacco, alcohol, diet, oral hygiene routines, and financial or anxiety barriers, to tailor preventive advice and support behaviour change in Botswana contexts.
Tobacco and nicotine product assessmentAlcohol intake and binge patternsDietary habits and sugar exposure timingHome oral hygiene tools and techniquesAnxiety, cost concerns, and access barriersLesson 9Basic chairside assessment of plaque, calculus, and gingival inflammation (visual grading, disclosing use, plaque index concepts)This section outlines chairside evaluation of plaque, calculus, and gingival inflammation using visual inspection, disclosing agents, and basic plaque index concepts to quantify biofilm levels and motivate patient education in routine visits.
Visual detection of plaque and calculusUse of disclosing agents for biofilm mappingSimplified plaque index recordingGingival colour, contour, and bleeding signsPatient communication using plaque scores
