Oral Medicine and Radiology is that specialty of dentistry which primarily focuses on the diagnosis and medical management of routine and complex medical disorders affecting the oral cavity and jaws. It also emphasizes on the deep understanding of systemic disorders, medically compromised disease states and their oral manifestations and devises tailor made treatment plans for the same. Students are exposed to the general approaches to treat oral diseases and the pros and cons of different treatment and oral cancer screening. The Oral Radiology component aids in enhanced diagnosis by employing conventional and advanced imaging modalities. Students are trained to examine the oral cavity, take an appropriate history, distinguish between normal and abnormal appearances of oral tissues and to prescribe/conduct investigations when required for the specific disease and to arrive at a proper diagnosis.

Vision

  • Holistic approach on diagnosis and management of complex diseases specific to the orofacial tissues and of oral manifestations of systemic diseases

Mission

  • To provide dental graduates with apt knowledge, comprehensive skills and attitudes necessary for carrying out activities appropriate to general dental practice including the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all oral and maxillofacial diseases.
  • To develop an aptitude for research and update the students with latest diagnostic approach.
  • To encourage the clinical application of evidence based therapeutic measures.

Objectives

  1. To educate students on the significance and technique of taking appropriate history, arriving at an accurate diagnosis and formulating dental treatment for routine patients as well as those with special care needs.
  2. To ensure that graduating dentists are confident, knowledgeable and well equipped to diagnose and treat diseases affecting the dentomaxillofacial region.
  3. To impart adequate training in the management of orofacial pain, potentially malignant disorders, salivary gland disorders, temporomandibular joint disorders, psychosomatic diseases, tobacco cessation, oral cancer screening etc.
  4. To engage in appropriate radiological investigations and its interpretation, while keeping abreast with the latest and advanced imaging modalities.
  5. To encourage and promote research in biological, pathological and clinical spheres.
  6. To inculcate competencies required to adapt to real world challenges while embracing humanitarian values like compassion, empathy and social commitment.

 

Message from the Head of Department

The Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology is the gateway of Al Azhar Dental College. We believe in ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’. The department commenced in the year of 2007 as our then Principal/ HOD- Dr K T Sreelatha were among the pioneers for the full fledged systematic functioning of its unit that bore it’s very existence till date.

Our Department is that academic centre that simultaneously incorporates education, research and patient care, wherein each coexist and improve one another. The specialists, here, are trained to deal with oral cancer, pre cancer and also in early detection and management of medically compromised patients involved with ailments in regard to oral mucosa, salivary glands, as well as orofacial pain and temperomandibular disorders.  

The Department also conducts various teaching programmes as to educate and groom the students for overall development and priming of the young minds. We train our students to overcome challenges in screening the patients and also prepare them to be independent learners in diagnosis as this helps them to incorporate this skill in their clinical practice after graduation. 

The Oral Radiology Section is well established with intraoral and extraoral digital as well as conventional machines with well maintained dark room setup. We train our students to learn about the detailed radiographic techniques and interpretation and diagnosis of the radiographs taken. We also have an entrenched ‘Tobacco Cessation Clinic’ in collaboration with Department of Public Health Dentistry where we provide tobacco cessation counseling to patients who consume any forms of tobacco products and also manage them via pharmacological or non pharmacological methods.

For past few years, the faculty and students have brought laurels to the institution by their active participation as well as bagging prizes for their presentations at various National and State level conferences. We, also, pray and hope to achieve much more in mere future. Here’s wishing the very best and Happy Learning to our dear students.

Members of the Faculty

Members of Faculty - Oral Medicine and Radiology
Dr Rema Jayalekshmy, Head Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology
Dr. Rema Jayalekshmy
BDS, MDS
Head of the Department and Professor
DR. NAMITHA J
Dr. Namitha J
BDS, MDS
Professor
Dr Jayesh Unnithan, Professor
Dr. Jayesh Unnithan
BDS, MDS
Professor
Dr Anjana Mohankumar, Reader
Dr. Anjana Mohankumar
BDS, MDS
Reader
Dr APARNA
Dr. Aparna M
BDS, MDS
Reader
Dr. Afsal S M
Dr. Afsal S M
BDS, MDS
Senior Lecturer
Dr Cyril Pulliyan Varghese, Junior Lecturer
Dr. Cyril Pulliyan Varghese
BDS
Junior Lecturer
Dr. Athira Benny
Dr. Athira Benny
BDS
Junior Lecturer

Our Approach

Students are trained to consider patients, not just as mere phantom heads with teeth and gums, but as persons with flesh, blood and emotions who need to communicate, to convey their agony. Here, the students strive to attain the art of communication and manage patients with oral mucosal lesions, potentially malignant disorders, salivary gland disorders, facial pain syndromes, TMJ disorders, psychosomatic disorders, bone and connective tissue disorders, and cater to geriatric patients and patients with special care needs. This specialty also trains students in tobacco cessation initiatives and management of diseases using intralesional steroids.

Academic competence is achieved through diverse curricular activities like lectures, seminars, videos and clinical practice. Lectures are supplemented with meticulously planned laboratory sessions and demonstrations.

The department of Oral Medicine and Radiology is well-equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including Radiovisiography (RVG), Dental X-ray units, Digital Panoramic imaging machine, and a clinical laboratory incorporated for various investigations and we are looking forward to install a Cone beam computed tomography machine- the latest in maxillofacial radiology. The department also boasts of an exquisite library with updated list of books and journals and a well equipped seminar hall.

Specializations

The Department of Oral medicine & Radiology specializes in:

  1. Meticulously tailored treatment plan, based on individual patient's diagnosis, for their better prognosis and well being.
  2. Medical/ conservative/non surgical treatment of orofacial disorders.
  3. Therapeutic procedures like intralesional injections for potentially malignant diseases, TENS therapy for patients with TMD with myalgia, neuralgia or any orofacial pain conditions.
  4. Minor surgical interventions such as biopsies, excisions and cytological smear preparations.

Facilities

The Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology provides facilities in accordance with DCI requirements for BDS course that includes:

  1. Proficient teaching faculty to teach and guide students.
  2. Seminar Room equipped with white boards, LCD projector and screen for ideal small group discussions/ seminars/ brainstorming.
  3. Library section with exhaustive and updated list of books for chairside reference.
  4. A well resourced ‘Investigation Room’ for conducting minor surgical interventions such as incisional and excisional biopsies and cytological smear preparations. This setup also provides room for therapeutic procedures such as intralesional injections for treating potentially malignant diseases, advanced caries detection aids (transillumination probes, intraoral camera) and TENS therapy aided for patients with TMDs' with myalgia, neuralgia or any orofacial pain conditions.
  5. The Oral Radiology Department comprises conventional and digital sections. Apart from the analogue dental X-ray units, oral panoramic imaging machine and ventilated ‘Dark room setup’ , the department also owns a Radiovisiography (RVG) unit, a Digital Panoramic imaging machine and digital printer. Furthermore, the Department also possesses sialography  kits to detect salivary gland pathologies.

 

Events Organized