The Institute of Dentistry
MSc in Dental Public Health

Assignment
This assignment is made up of TWO PARTS.

I. Essay (80%)
Define “Dental Public Health” and document its emergence through history.
Give an example of a Dental Public Health problem using a criteria approach in a country of your choice.

Instructions:
• The essay should not exceed 2500 words.
• You should include a front sheet that includes the following information:
o The title of the module (Principles of Dental Public Health)
o The module code (DIN 7097)
o The title of the essay
o Your student number
o The month and year of the assignment deadline (January 3, 2016)
o A word count that does not include the references.
o Please do not include your name anywhere on the document
• Two hard copies should be handed. These should each be stapled.
• Essays submitted after the deadline will receive no more than a bare pass mark (50%).
• It should be properly referenced using Vancouver style.
• You should include a plagiarism declaration (see below).

II. Oral presentation (20%)
Propose a prevention strategy to a dental audience appropriate to address the Dental Public Health problem example you presented in your written assessment.

Instructions:
• The presentation should last for 15 minutes.
• You are expected to use presentation software but you are not bound to a particular one.
• There will be 10 minutes for questions at the end.
• You will be assessed both on your presentation and your ability to answer the questions.
Generic Assessment Criteria for written assessments
Distinctions – 70% and above
At a minimum: an excellent answer presenting a coherent and compelling argument, showing an original and excellent grasp of the subject. Student shows a comprehensive knowledge and familiarity with the relevant literature and his/her work exhibits the following qualities:
Critical ability
Analytic ability
Evidence of selective use of appropriate sources, to demonstrate a significant awareness of other research and the context of their own work.
Work is excellently organized, clearly written and presented, and appropriately referenced throughout.
Merit – 60-69%
A coherent answer that demonstrates critical evaluation. The argument presented should be well developed, relevant, concise and explicit. Student shows knowledge of key texts and presents complex work and concepts. Some evidence of originality and excellence.
Work is well organized. Well written and presented, and appropriately referenced throughout.
Pass – 50-59%
An answer that demonstrates a satisfactory, appropriate and accurate understanding of the basic principles and the literature. There is evidence of a reasonable ability to synthesise ideas, using primary and secondary sources, but without offering insights and conclusions.
Student shows a reasonable awareness of other research and the scientific context of their own work.
Organisation and presentation of work is adequate and referencing is adequate but haphazard.
Fail – less than 50%
A superficial answer showing limited (‘patchy’) knowledge. The student may not have answered the question fully, presented an unstructured argument, using limited or irrelevant sources and lacking in understanding and focus.
Student shows an inability to fruitfully synthesise ideas and/or presents nothing more than summaries of secondary material and/or shows meagre reading with notable omissions and inaccuracies.
Major methodological and/or analytical shortcomings evident – work may be written incoherently, be unclear and/or badly presented, too brief. Referencing is insufficient, and where present it is incomplete.

Marking guide for presentation
Max 20%
Presentation
4%
Marks will be given for clarity of the presentation and pace and timekeeping.
Prevention strategy
8%
A named prevention strategy should be defined and described giving details of how this is appropriate.
Evidence
4%
The strategy should be evidence based and referenced appropriately throughout.
Answering questions
4%
Students should be knowledgeable enough in their plan to answer questions comprehensively and coherently.

MSc in Dental Public Health 2015-2016
Declaration regarding plagiarism

I declare that the coursework material attached herewith is entirely my own work and that I have attributed any brief quotations both at the appropriate point in the text and in the bibliography at the end of this piece of work.

I also declare that I have not used extensive quotations or close paraphrasing and that I have neither copied from the work of another person, nor used the ideas of another person, without proper acknowledgement.

Name (please print clearly):