Technical Standards
for Admissions and Matriculation
The Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine has adopted, with appropriate modifications, the published “model” document for technical standards developed by the American Association of Dental Schools Section on Dental School Admissions Officers, in conjunction with the AADS General Counsel (J. of Dental Education 1998: 62:387-390). This policy statement given below has been modified by the SDM to include technical standards necessary to meet essential functions in the SDM program with or without accommodation.
Minimum Technical Standards Policy for Admissions and Matriculation at SIU/SDM
The Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine is committed to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, admission to the school is open to all qualified individuals and complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine recognizes the award of a Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree carries with it the full authority of the institution and communicates to those who might seek the services of the bearer that he or she is competent to practice dentistry. The D.M.D. degree is a broad degree unique in that the graduate is prepared and upon licensure is allowed to practice all disciplines of the dental profession. This requires that the student in the curriculum acquire didactic knowledge as well as learning skills and attitudes essential to the profession and agreed upon by the faculty as requisite for the practice of dentistry. The student requires both cognitive and technical skills to negotiate this curriculum.
The School is mindful of the unique nature of the dental curriculum. Applicants must possess the skills and abilities that will allow them to successfully complete the course of study and receive the full benefit of the education. In the process the student is required to direct or perform treatment on the patients of the SDM. The SDM has the responsibility of ensuring the safety of the patients. This includes the completion of treatment safely and within an acceptable amount of time. With this in mind the student must be able to meet the following technical standards with or without accommodation.
Standards:
- Motor Skills
General: Candidates and students ordinarily should have sufficient motor function such that they are able to execute movements reasonably required to provide general care and treatment to patients.
Specific: It is required that a candidate possess the motor skills necessary to directly perform basic life support (including CPR), transfer and position disabled patients, physically restrain adults who lack motor control, and position and reposition self around patient and chair in a sitting or standing position. The candidate must be able to operate foot controls utilizing fine movements, operate high or low speed handpieces requiring controlled dental movements of less than one millimeter, and utilize hand instrumentation, including scalpels for surgical procedures. Such actions require the ability to use both hands, coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional uses of the senses of touch and vision. - Sensory/Observation
General: A candidate must be able to acquire a defined level of required information as presented through lectures, readings, demonstrations and experiences in the biomedical and dental sciences.
Specific: This includes but is not limited to information conveyed through laboratory demonstrations and exercises, and though microbiological cultures and microscopic images of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states. A candidate must be able to acquire information from written documents and to visualize information presented in images from paper, films, slides, or video. A candidate must interpret x-ray and other graphic images, with or without the use of assistive devices. A candidate must have functional use of visual, auditory, and somatic sensation.
General: A candidate must be able to observe a patient accurately, at a distance and close at hand, and observe and appreciate nonverbal communications when performing dental operations or administering medications.
Specific: A candidate must be able to perform visual and tactile dental examinations and treatment. This requires visual acuity, accommodation, and color vision necessary to discern differences and variation in color, shape, and general appearance between normal and abnormal, soft and hard tissues. Use of tactile senses may be either direct manual palpation or indirectly through manual instrumentation. A candidate must also possess the visual acuity to read charts, records, small print and handwritten notation, and distinguish colors intra and extra orally. - Communication
General: A candidate must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients; convey or exchange information at a level allowing development of a health history; identify problems presented; explain alternative solutions; answer questions and give directions during treatment and post-treatment. Communication includes speech and writing. The candidate must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in oral and written form with the patient and all members of the health care team.
Specific: A candidate must be able to speak and write, and have sufficient facility with English: to retrieve information from texts and lectures and to communicate concepts on written exams, in patient charts and on prescriptions; elicit patient backgrounds; describe patient changes in moods, activity, and posture; and coordinate patient care with all members of the health care team.
Specific: In any case where a candidate's ability to communicate through these sensory modalities is compromised, the candidate must demonstrate alternative means and/or ability to acquire and demonstrate the essential information conveyed in this fashion. - Cognitive
General: A candidate must be able to measure, calculate, memorize, reason, analyze, integrate, and synthesize.
Specific: In addition, a candidate must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structure. Problem solving, a critical skill demanded of dentists, requires all of these intellectual abilities. A candidate must be able to perform these problem-solving skills in a timely fashion. - Behavioral
General: A candidate must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his or her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients.
Specific: A candidate must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. He or she must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interests, and motivation are all personal qualities that will be assessed during the admissions and educational processes. Further, a candidate must be able to manage apprehensive patients with a range of moods and behaviors in a tactful, congenial, personal manner so as not to alienate or antagonize them. A candidate must reasonably be expected to accept criticism and respond by appropriate modification of behavior.
POLICY
The School of Dental Medicine will consider for admission any applicant capable of acquiring the necessary knowledge and having the ability to perform or learn to perform the skills specified in these standards. The SDM has determined that these skills are essential to the program of instruction.
Although the SDM may not inquire whether an applicant has a disability prior to making a decision on admission, an applicant may disclose a disability for which he or she wishes accommodation during the admissions process. If this occurs, the SDM may request that the applicant provide documentation of the disability to the Office of Admissions and Student Services. The Admissions Committee will consider the applicant based on the published criteria for admission of all applicants. The Admissions Committee will make a determination as to whether the applicant can perform the essential functions of the educational program, taking into account the accommodations that the applicant has requested or alternative reasonable accommodations that the institution would offer.
A student who discloses a disability upon admission, and requests accommodation, may be asked to provide documentation of his or her disability for the propose of determining whether the student can perform the essential functions of the educational program, taking into account the accommodations that have been requested. The SDM will provide reasonable accommodations, but is not required to make modifications that would fundamentally alter the nature of the program or provide auxiliary aids that present an undue burden to the SDM. The student must be able to perform all of the technical standards with or without accommodation in order to matriculate in the curriculum. Cost of reasonable accommodations will be borne by the SDM unless otherwise funded.
Requests for accommodation should be initiated with the Office of Admissions and Student Services: [email protected].
