Course Regulations

RULES OF THE COURSE
Approved by the Degree Council on 26 April 2021
 
SUMMARY
General rules and premise
Article 1 - Definition of educational objectives
Article 2 - Admission to MDCDP
Article 3 - Didactic organisation
Article 4 - MDCDP Council and its bodies
Article 5 - Competences of the MDCDP
Article 6 - Educational activities
Article 7 - International path of excellence - Double Degree USP-UNIPR
Article 8 - Diploma supplement
Article 9 - Attendance, transfer to subsequent years, obsolescence
Article 10 - Admission to individual course units
Article 11 - Recognition of studies carried out at other places/other courses and transfer
Article 12 - Evaluation of teaching activities
 
General rules and premise
The present regulations of the course of study for the Master’s Degree Course in Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics (MDCDP) are deliberated according to art. 3 of Italian Ministerial Decree no. 270 of 22 October 2004, Law no. 240/2010 and Directive 2005/36 EC, in compliance with the didactic regulations and with respect for the freedom of teaching and the rights and duties of instructors and students. The study course's didactic regulations specify the organisational aspects of the study course, in application of the university's didactic regulations (DRD 1417 of 30/6/2017), to which reference is made, together with the other rules and regulations in force, for everything not explicitly provided for.
Article 1 - Definition of training objectives The MDCDP provides for a total of 360 ECTS credits spread over six years, with a minimum of 5000 hours of full-time theoretical and practical teaching.  The specific educational objectives of the MDCDP, its mission, the qualifying characteristics of dentistry, the didactic project, the teaching methods, and the learning outcomes expressed by the European descriptors are set out in the didactic order and in the Single Annual Statement (SAS) of the course.
Article 2 - Admission to the MDCDP
2.1 Admission Schedule
Candidates who hold an upper secondary school diploma or an equivalent foreign qualification may be admitted to the Master’s Degree Course in Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics. The course has programmed access and admission is regulated at national level by the Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR).  The number of students admitted is determined on the basis of national planning, which takes into account the availability of teaching staff, teaching facilities (classrooms, laboratories) and care facilities that can be used to conduct clinical practice activities, in line with the recommendations of the European Union's Advisory Committee on the Training of Dental Practitioners, applying the parameters and directives drawn up by the university (in particular, Article 3, paragraph 2 of Law 264 of 2 August 1999 - Rules on access to university courses). Admission of foreign students to the MDCDP is regulated by the MUR Prot. 'Norme per l'accesso degli studenti stranieri ai corsi universitari'. No. 7802 of 24 March 2014, as amended. These rules also stipulate how knowledge of the Italian language is to be tested. All foreign students with an upper secondary school diploma obtained abroad will be subject to a specific Italian language proficiency test, the date of which is set by the Ministry and is the same throughout Italy.
2.2 Fulfilment of Additional Educational Obligations within the first year of the course
Pursuant to current legislation, any Additional Educational Obligation (OFA) will be assessed taking into account the marks obtained by candidates in the admission test. The OFA is therefore awarded to all those students who, on the national admission test, have obtained a mark below a threshold set annually in the call.
OFAs must be made up during the first year by attending specific remedial courses, including telematic courses, which will be held during the first semester of the first year of the course and which students in debt must attend. The department will organise these preparatory educational activities. The verification of the results achieved in the preparatory teaching activities will take place as part of the evaluation of the corresponding courses. The fulfilment of OFAs by attending remedial courses and passing the relevant test is indispensable for enrolment in the second year.
Article 3 - Didactic order
The MDCDP Council defines and the department council ratifies the didactic order in compliance with the law in force, which provides for the articulation into basic training activities (TAF A), characterising (TAF B), related or complementary (TAF C), at the student's choice (TAF D), aimed at the final examination (TAF E). Each training activity is divided into subject areas, consisting of the course units, to which the relevant scientific and disciplinary fields are attached.
Article 4 - The MDCDP Council and its Bodies
The MDCDP Council and its bodies operate in accordance with the general University regulations and in Quality Assurance (QA) mode, integrating with the relevant University and departmental bodies and commissions (Evaluation Committee, Joint Commission, Departmental Steering Committee, etc.).
The  MDCDP Council consists of:
The tenured professors and university researchers who are in charge of or entrusted with a course unit;
the holders of a teaching contract for a course unit;
The representatives of the students enrolled in the degree course, as established by the university regulations.
The teaching manager as auditor In accordance with the provisions of the university and departmental rules and regulations and in order to comply with the MDCDP Council management specificities, the MDCDP Council appoints:
a vice-president, at the president's proposal, who replaces the president in the event of absence or momentary inability to perform duties
a Quality Assurance Manager (QAM), at the president's proposal
a Review Group (RG), consisting of one student representative from each year, the teaching manager, the president, the QAM, two instructors appointed by the MDCDP Council at the president's proposal; the student representatives for each year of the course are proposed to the MDCDP Council by the students
the coordinator instructors for each year of the course, appointed by the MDCDP Council on the recommendation of the president
the teaching committee, consisting of the president, vice-president, QAM, coordinator instructors for each year and the teaching manager
the delegates for advising and career guidance appointed by the MDCDP Council on the recommendation of the president
a dissertation coordinator, appointed by the MDCDP Council on the recommendation of the president
one or more delegates for internationalisation, appointed by the MDCDP Council on the recommendation of the president
The MDCDP Council may identify additional figures deemed necessary for the performance of its functions, assigning them specific tasks. The appointments expire in any case at the end of the president's term of office and are reviewed annually.
Article 5 - Responsibilities of the MDCDP Council
The MDCDP Council annually proposes to the department the MDCDP course catalogue, both in terms of planned and delivered teaching (educational planning document). In particular, it proposes:
the educational aims of the MDCDP according to the general objectives described by the professional profile of the dental surgeon, applying them to the local situation and needs so as to make the most effective use of its educational, clinical and scientific resources
the programme of study, consistent with its goals, obtained by aggregating in a maximum of 36 integrated courses the specific and essential educational objectives ("core curriculum") deriving from the disciplinary areas proper to the class;
the assignment to the individual instructors, in compliance with their individual competences, of the teaching tasks necessary to achieve the educational objectives (didactics provided), including the ownership of the course units and any need to cover them. It also proposes integrated course coordinators, awarding it as a rule to the instructor with responsibility for the largest number of ECTS credits, unless otherwise proposed to the Degree Course Council by the instructors involved in the integrated course. In the event of an equal number of ECTS credits, the number of ECTS credits of face-to-face activities is taken into account.
Furthermore, the MDCDP Council:
identifies the locations of the professionalising educational activities and of the internship (TAF-F);
appoints the tutors who support the instructors in charge of TAF-F, upon their proposal;
defines the modalities for the provision of the practical-assessment internship for the suitability to practise as a dental practitioner;
defines the ways of recording and tracking the contents of the professionalising activities and of the internship, so that this part of the curriculum studiorum can be included in the diploma supplement;
defines the elective educational activities;
defines the calendar of teaching activities and examination sessions;
defines the degree course programmes, having regard to the proposals of the instructors in charge;
defines the MDCDP's internationalisation pathways, in agreement with the central and departmental bodies, and takes care of the related tasks;
implements the permanent monitoring of all teaching activities, proposing any changes in the programme and ordering updates and changes in the delivery methods;
assesses transfer requests.
Article 6 - Educational activities
The types of educational activities, the list of course units, the ECTS credits assigned to each course and the propaedeuticity, the methods for verifying the knowledge acquired (examinations and their sessions), the methods for verifying knowledge of foreign languages and the related ECTS credits, the methods for verifying the results of internships and study periods abroad and the related ECTS credits are described in the Single Annual Statement (SAS) of the degree course.
6.1 Educational Credit
The unit of measurement of the work required of the student for the completion of each educational activity in order to obtain the degree is the ECTS credits. A total of 360 ECTS credits are envisaged over six years, of which at least 180 ECTS credits are to be acquired in characterising educational activities from the first year of the course. Each ECTS credit corresponds to 25 hours of student commitment. The standard load corresponding to one credit is approved annually by the MDC Council when defining the course catalogue (planned and delivered teaching), in compliance with European requirements.
The ECTS credits corresponding to each course unit are acquired by the student by passing the relevant examination, or other forms of profit verification.
6.2 Elective teaching activities of the student's choice (ADEs)
The course provides 8 ECTS credits as activities of the student's choice. These activities may be chosen from those proposed by other courses of study at the university or from those proposed by CLMOPD; the student exercises his or her option when compiling the programme of study. Student-choice teaching constitutes an official activity of the instructors. The instructors in charge of elective teaching activities organise and publicise them via the course's online platform, with the possibility of also using monographic courses consisting of classes, and/or conducted in interactive and seminar formats, participation in conferences, internships held in research laboratories or clinical departments. The assessment of elective teaching activities and the awarding of the related ECTS credits are carried out taking into consideration participation in them and the achievement of their objectives, by means of approval expressed by the instructor in charge of the course unit on the online platform, after the student has registered for the session. The list of student-choice teaching activities is approved at the time of the definition of the course catalogue (teaching provided).
6.3 Professionalising educational activities (internships- TAF F)
The student is required to acquire specific professionalism in the field of clinical disciplines of dental relevance. To this end, the student must carry out professional training activities at the care facilities identified by the MDCDP Council and during the periods defined by it when formulating the "teaching provided", for a total number of at least 90 ECTS credits TAF-F. Each instructor in charge of TAF-F may avail him/herself of an adequate number of instructors-tutors, if necessary due to the characteristics of the activity carried out.
The internship is a form of tutorial teaching activity that serves to create two sets of knowledge and skills both of which are necessary for the future dental professional:
acquisition of practical skills of an increasing level useful for carrying out professional activities;
knowledge of a methodological nature for the critical interpretation of data in preventive and rehabilitative diagnostic therapeutic activities; skills for researching and evaluating scientific information indispensable for solving clinical problems; consideration of ethical components in clinical processes.
The content of the internship activities is defined by the instructors responsible for the courses in TAF-F in harmony with the coordinators of the integrated courses in which they are included and must comply with the relevant recommendations of the Standing Conference of MDCDP Presidents (minimum number of contents). The achievement of the learning objectives is verified in the integrated course examination.
The structure in which the internship will be carried out is submitted by the instructor in charge for approval by the MDC Council, together with the list of instructors-tutors who will assist him/her in carrying out the teaching task.
The contents of the internship activities must be verifiable and form part of the diploma supplement.
At each stage of the internship courses, the student is required to work under the supervision of an instructor-tutor and under the supervision of the instructor in charge of the course.
6.4 Practical-assessment internship for suitability to practise as a dentist
The practical-assessment internship for suitability to practise as a dentist is carried out in the same way as the other professional training activities (internship - TAF F) referred to in the previous point, in the amount of the total of 30 ECTS credits envisaged by the regulations. They are distributed in the 6th and/or 5th year, with clinical disciplinary content defined in proportion to the ECTS credits of the TAF-F modules as provided in the 6th year. The distribution within the 5th and/or 6th year is formulated individually for each student by the LSC and included in the PDS, so as to allow for possible international pathways.
6.5 Final dissertation
The student has 10 ECTS credits at his or her disposal for the preparation of the dissertation under the supervision of the supervising instructor at MDCDP Council-accredited facilities, including foreign ones. This activity must be carried out outside the hours devoted to official teaching activities and must not overlap with elective teaching activities (ADE - TAF D).
The final examination (graduation examination) consists of the presentation and discussion, before the graduation examination committee, of a thesis written in Italian or English, elaborated and written in an original manner by the student under the guidance of a MDCDP instructor or researcher supervisor. The thesis, the contents of which are set out in a public dissertation, in which the student can demonstrate mastery of method and the ability to tackle problems independently and critically.
The rapporteur is the guarantor of the scientific, ethical and also linguistic quality and adequacy of the paper, as well as compliance with the authorisation procedures of ethics committees, whether human or animal, which must be explicitly referred to in the manuscript so as to be easily verifiable.
The rapporteur may propose a second rapporteur for the thesis to the president. The second supervisor may appear in the thesis and participate in the graduation session; he may not contribute to the awarding of marks.
The examination committee is appointed by the rector on the recommendation of the study course president; the committee president appoints the secretary responsible for recording the proceedings of the examination.
Admission to the final examination requires the acquisition of all the ECTS credits envisaged by the didactic regulations, with the exclusion of the 10 credits that can be acquired in the examination itself.
The graduation examination normally takes place in July, October and March/April. The following parameters shall contribute to determining the graduation mark, expressed in hundredths of a second, to determine the grade:
a) the weighted average of the ECTS credits of the marks obtained in the curricular examinations, expressed in hundredths of a second and rounded to a whole number;
b) the points, up to a maximum of 9 overall, awarded by the graduation committee during the discussion of the thesis, according to the following criteria:
type and quality of the thesis (experimental study; systematic review with meta-analysis; restrospective study; case report; compilative review) maximum 2 points;
dissertation in English: maximum 1 point;
mastery of the topic, quality of the presentation and ability in the discussion: maximum 1 point;
current student, for the July and October graduation sessions: maximum 1 point;
study periods abroad of at least one semester: maximum 1 point;
representative in University bodies and organs: maximum 1 point;
performance of the international excellence course: maximum 2 points.
Honours may be awarded by unanimous decision of the committee to candidates who achieve a final mark of at least 110 and are on course. The 'honourable mention' may be awarded to a student who has obtained at least 10 honours in the proficiency examinations, or at least 5 honours and achieved international excellence.
If the service is offered to support the functioning of the University bodies, the activity will receive an ad hoc mention by the president at graduation.
Article 7 - International Excellence Pathway - Double Degree USP-UNIPR
The MDCDP Council implements the agreement with the Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Odontologia de Riberão Preto (Brazil). Students in the 4th year of their studies can participate in the ad hoc selection and the MDCDP Council, possibly with the help of a special committee, evaluates the candidates' curricula and appoints the winning students by the beginning of the following academic year, drawing up the specific programme of study in connection with the "Committees to Implement and Follow the Double Degree" of the two universities.
It also evaluates proposals from USP and prepares the corresponding individual programme of study, in connection with the 'Committees to Implement and Follow the Double Degree' of the two universities.
The MDCDP Council will, in both cases, also carry out the conversion of the grades obtained by the students.
Unipr students who have completed the course favourably will receive their USP degree concurrently with the discussion of the thesis at Unipr in their study plan.
Article 8 - Diploma Supplement
In order to facilitate student and professional mobility, also at international level, the university provides each graduate with an information supplement (Diploma Supplement) together with the diploma, which contains, also in English, a detailed description of his or her educational pathway, including the contents of the professional internships and other training activities in TAF-F.
Article 9 - Attendance, transfer to subsequent years, obsolescence
9.1 Obligation to attend
The student is obliged to attend all the educational activities envisaged in the programme of study. The verification of compliance with the attendance obligation is entrusted to the instructors in charge of individual modules or course units.
A certificate of attendance at the teaching activities of a course unit is required to sit the relevant examination. Any shortcomings are promptly reported to the student registry office by the instructor responsible for the course.
9.2 'Requirements'
In order to be able to take the examinations of the current year (starting with the second year), it is mandatory to have passed all the examinations of the previous year.
9.3 Enrolment in subsequent years
Only students who are in possession of all the certificates of attendance for the previous year's course units are permitted to transfer from one year to the next. Otherwise, the student is enrolled as a 'repeater' and cannot attend or take examinations scheduled for the following year.
Only students who have successfully passed all the examinations included in the study plan for the year prior to the year they are currently attending (with the exception of TAF-Ds) are allowed to move from one year to the next. For example, to enrol in the 3rd year, you must have taken all the exams of the 1st year, and so on. Otherwise, the student is enrolled as a 'repeater'.
9.4 Course Year Repeats and Loss of Student Status
The student is enrolled as a repeat student in the eventualities described in the previous point. Repetition of the same course year is permitted up to a maximum of two times, and in any case no more than four repetitions are permitted in the entire course of study. Otherwise, the career will be terminated for forfeiture.
Exceptions may be decided by the Council for special reasons, at the documented request of the student concerned.
9.5 Obsolescence and forfeiture of ECTS credits
Suspension of attendance for more than six years requires the MDCDP Council, at the time of resumption of studies, to review the contents of the student's curriculum, assessing the possible obsolescence of ECTS credits acquired and therefore the courses that need to be re-subscribed in full or in part and, consequently, the year of enrolment.
Article 10 - Admission to individual course units
Attendance at individual course units is not permitted (Article 34 of the university didactic regulations and Article 6 of Royal Decree 1269) in view of the reasons and parameters underlying the determination of the ministerial programmed number, so as not to alter the number of attending students programmed by the MUR.
Article 11 - Recognition of studies undertaken at other places/other degree courses and transfer
Studies undertaken at degree courses in Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics at other university locations as well as ECTS credits obtained there may be recognised as part of a transfer procedure by resolution of the MDCDP Council, upon proposal of the Teaching Committee and after consulting the Professors of the Course units concerned, after examining the course programmes and the curriculum presented by the student in order to determine their congruity with what is envisaged at Unipr.
11.1 Transfer to years subsequent to the first year
Transfers are possible for years subsequent to the first year, with the exception of the 6th year, and are regulated by an annual notice issued by Rector's Decree by the Student registry office by 31 May of each year on the basis of the reconnaissance of any places that may become available (due to transfers, renunciations, etc.) carried out by the Student registry office.
The admission requirements and evaluation criteria are included in the notice.
The teaching committee proposes to the Course Council its evaluation of the applications and the relative ranking on the basis of the criteria defined in the call for applications and these regulations.
Students coming from the MDCDP and from those envisaged by the regulations in force (point 13 annex 2 of Ministerial Decree 218 of 16/6/2020) may apply for authorisation to transfer to years subsequent to the first, with the exclusion of the 6th; transfers are not accepted from degree courses of the V.O. prior to the Ministerial Decree. 270/2004 in order to ensure adequate training standards.
Transfer applications may only be submitted within the peremptory deadline set out in the notice. This deadline cannot in any case be set later than 30 June, in order to allow for the subsequent smooth running of the courses and the regular attendance of transfer students.
Students with a previous curriculum carried out at foreign universities must enclose with their transfer application the original certificates issued by their university of origin and the detailed syllabuses of the courses attended and examinations taken, accompanied by a legalised translation in Italian, issued by the competent authorities.
Non-native Italian-speaking candidates must produce certification of their knowledge of the Italian language at a minimum level of C2.
In the case of students with a history of multiple transfers, certifications from the university actually attended will be assessed directly; any certificates issued by other universities following previous transfers cannot be taken into account by the Degree Course Council.
Enrolment is conditioned by the curriculum of studies followed in the home course, which must be congruent both in terms of attendance and examinations taken, as well as obsolescence and repetition of the year as set out in these regulations (point 9) for students enrolled in the course. Each applicant must enclose with the application an assumption of correspondence of ECTS credits and related content between the previous curriculum and the programme of study of the cohort to which they are applying for transfer.
Attendance: in order to be admitted to a year subsequent to the first, it is necessary to have attended courses covering all the subjects and topics of the previous year(s) at the University of Parma, as judged by the Degree Council (DC); the lack of a certificate of attendance for a course unit or the lower number of ECTS credits or the lack of the programme covered in the course unit itself are grounds for preventing recognition and therefore transfer. It is possible that the DC may accept applications with missing prior learning for a total amount of no more than 20 ECTS credits (partial derogation from point 9), at the same time setting out the modalities for making up the missing curricular parts.
Examinations: similarly to point 9 of these regulations, in order to be admitted by transfer to a year subsequent to the first, it is necessary to have successfully taken examinations corresponding to all the examinations envisaged by the University of Parma for the year preceding that to which the transfer is requested. For example, if you are applying for a transfer to the 3rd year, you must have taken all the 1st year examinations at the University of Parma at the time of submitting your application.
Repetition and obsolescence: transfer is not possible as repeaters or in the case of suspension of attendance for more than three years.
In the event of a potentially acceptable number of applications exceeding the availability of places, a ranking will be drawn up that will take into consideration the number and grade of examinations passed that correspond to the University of Parma's system, weighted by ECTS credits. In the event of completely overlapping CVs, preference will be given to the youngest candidate.
Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadlines set out in the notice cannot be considered.
Within a week of the publication of the results of the above procedure, the student concerned must proceed with the enrolment. Failure to enrol within one week is tantamount to renouncing enrolment.
11.2 - Recognition of dentistry degrees obtained at foreign universities
A dentistry degree obtained at a foreign university can only be recognised by the DC if there are bilateral agreements or conventions with the university that explicitly provide for equivalence and after verification of the actual curricular congruity. The bilateral agreement/convention to which the applicant refers must be made explicit in the application. Certification of C2 language proficiency in Italian is required and the documentation produced must be translated and validated by the competent embassy.
Article 12 - Evaluation of teaching activity
The teaching activity carried out within the MDCDP is subject to an annual evaluation by the evaluation committee and the university governing bodies, concerning
Overall organisation of the degree course: overall study load; organisation of course units.
Organisation of individual course unit: timetable of teaching activities; availability of the instructor for clarifications and explanations; definition of examination procedures.
Teaching and study activities: ability of the instructor to stimulate/motivate interest in the discipline; clarity of the instructor in the exposition of topics; proportion between study load and ECTS credits assigned to the course unit; adequacy of teaching materials; usefulness for learning purposes of supplementary teaching activities (tutorials, seminars, workshops, etc.).
Infrastructure: adequacy of classrooms and teaching equipment.
Interest and satisfaction.
The evaluation of the commitment and teaching activities carried out by the instructors is brought to the attention of the individual instructors. The results of the evaluation of teaching efficiency and effectiveness are made public annually to all instructors and students, as per Ministerial Decree 47/13 and Law 240/10.