Amoud Dental School & Oral Health was established in the academic year 2008-2009 with the aim to produce dental surgeons optimally prepared to take part in the rapidly changing health care environment of our country. Health care systems depend not only upon infrastructure and resources, but also on the availability of skilled human resources. The changing pattern of oral diseases, their frequency and severity, and the disparity of distribution between developing and developed countries require changes in the strategies of dental education and oral health care delivery systems. Amoud College of Health Sciences was established to effectively address one of the Somaliland/Somali most neglected and pressing health problems which is dental and oral health care.

The current situation features huge unmet treatment needs, striking inequality in delivery systems and absence of an adequate community-oriented prevention system. People in developing countries are burdened by a significant number of oral diseases, which are further aggravated by poverty, poor living conditions, lack of dental awareness, and the absence of appropriate policies and funding to provide basic oral health care. In the wake of changing culture and lifestyle, new dental diseases are emerging. While future patterns of disease and the efficacy of future treatments are difficult to predict, the demand for dentistry is likely to increase. Amoud Dental was started to produce competent dental surgeons who are able to deal with the dental and oral health problems.

The curriculum is reflecting modern trends of dental education and is designed to equip the graduates with the, knowledge, skills, attitudes and abilities to adapt rapidly to changing professional circumstance. It is student-centered approach with emphasis on self-learning to develop in the students the ability and willingness to pursue their own learning after graduation.

Objectives of the School

To produce highly trained doctors and dental assistants  who will play a great role in the delivery of dental and oral health care. In order to achieve this objective the School will:

¨ Provide these trainees with the knowledge, skill and attitudes to become competent dentists.

¨ Promote Dental knowledge through research in all areas related to dental and oral health care including Basic science, clinical science studies, cultural and behavioral aspects of Dental  methods for delivering dental health care and dental education.

¨ Aim at promoting exemplary, primary, secondary and tertiary dental and oral health care and related community services.

¨ Undertake continuing dental education to maintain and improve the competence of the practicing professional and serve as a dental  recourse center (DRC) for dental  professionals and Organizations involved in dental health care.

¨ Participate in the Development and improvement of the quality of dental  services in the country

 Goals

The goal of School of dentistry is to produce competent Doctors who can deal with the prevailing health problems of the country, competent to practice preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative oral health in respect to the commonly encountered dental health problems and Possess the right attitude for continued self learning and to seek further expertise or to pursue research in any chosen area of dentistry.

Vision 

To be an excellent school of dental surgeons and dental technicians

 Mission

The mission of School of dentistry is to contribute to knowledge and to produce dental graduates fully armed with practical and intellectual skills appropriate to the needs of our community. The school will work and make sure that the students acquire such skills using modalities that encourage active learning in the context in which they will later function as dental professionals.

Strategy

¨ Most subjects are taught with a variety of methods including lectures, projected materials with lecturer notes presented to the students, practical work and seminars.

¨ Lab and clinical practice

¨ Self directed learning

¨ Group dynamics

¨ Team work

¨ Staff training and development

 Criteria for admission

Applicant to this School must have:

¨ Completed secondary education

¨ Passed the general requirement courses of the freshman year with at least a GPA of 3.00

Evaluation

* Student assessment characteristics

1. Theory, practical and oral evaluation
2. credit hour evaluation
3. Assignment and presentations

* Curriculum evaluation

1. End of course student feedback
2. Courses coordinators report
3. Yearly review

Graduation Requirements

The credit hour per semester forms the basis of awarding a Bachelors degree at the faculty. In order to be eligible for the  degree, the student must successfully earn a minimum of 280 hours. The duration for completing theses hours is four years, which are divided into the following manner.

¨ Basic science study: two years

¨ Pre-clinical study: one year

¨ Clinical study: one year