Department of Preventive and Paediatric Dentistry

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Department of Preventive and Paediatric Dentistry

ABOUT US

The Department of Preventive and Paediatric Dentistry administers the Dentistry and Oral Hygiene study programmes at the Faculty of Odontology of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LUHS), serving both Lithuanian and international students.

The Department delivers comprehensive patient care, engages in rigorous scientific research, and organises advanced training courses for dentists and dental specialists.

In the second year of the Dentistry study programme, students engage in an in-depth exploration of oral ecology. The curriculum progresses in the third year to encompass the prevention of dental diseases alongside a comprehensive module on general and maxillofacial radiology. During the fourth and fifth years, the focus shifts to paediatric dentistry. Concurrently, students enrolled in the Oral Hygiene study programme undertake a range of professional disciplines within the Department during their first to fourth years.

Clinical practice is conducted under the supervision and evaluation by the academic staff holding substantial clinical expertise. The instruction of Paediatric Dentistry incorporates contemporary pedagogical approaches, including lectures, seminars, small-group sessions, critical analysis and presentation of scientific literature, clinical training, and independent study.

The Department’s specialists maintain active membership in numerous Lithuanian and international professional organisations and contribute to the development of national policy strategies aimed at preventing dental diseases in children.

Clinical services

Patients are evaluated for severe early childhood dental caries, numerous complications arising from active carious lesions, complex dental trauma, dental anomalies, as well as periodontal and oral mucosal pathologies.

The diagnosis of dental anomalies is undertaken in collaboration with the Rare Diseases Centre at Kauno Klinikos. Management of active dental caries in paediatric patients encompasses both non-operative and operative modalities, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques. Dental treatment under general anaesthesia is provided for children under three years of age, for those with disabilities, and for patients exhibiting significant dental anxiety or dental phobia that is refractory to conventional management.

Studies
Research

The Department of Preventive and Paediatric Dentistry administers a comprehensive three-year residency programme in paediatric dentistry. Throughout this postgraduate training, residents acquire advanced competencies necessary for providing specialised dental care to patients under the age of eighteen.

Additionally, the Department offers doctoral (PhD) studies aimed at fostering the integration of advanced scientific research with clinical practice. This academic framework significantly contributes to the preparation of highly qualified specialists and the advancement of dental science.

Current research initiatives focus on the epidemiology, etiology, prevention, and treatment of oral diseases among paediatric and adolescent populations, with particular emphasis on minimally invasive approaches to dental caries management. Researchers within the Department actively collaborate with colleagues from other departments and international research teams, thereby fostering interdisciplinary and cross-border scientific engagement.

The primary research focus of the Department encompasses the comprehensive analysis of the etiopathogenesis, epidemiology, and preventive or therapeutic methodologies pertaining to dental caries and associated diseases in both paediatric and adult populations. The principal research directions are as follows:

Investigation of oral diseases in children and adolescents, including studies on prevalence, analysis of risk factors, and optimisation of preventive and therapeutic strategies;
Examination of the relationship between the oral ecosystem and systemic physiological functions, as well as its associations with pathological conditions;
Maintenance of oral health and assessment of oral disease risk, with an emphasis on refining preventive protocols in the context of various systemic diseases or conditions;
Analysis of oral health status, oral hygiene, and nutritional patterns among preschool children and their parents, as well as the exploration of associations with familial socioeconomic determinants.

Department of Preventive and Paediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Odontology / LSMU Medical Academy

  +370 37 792992   vaikstom@lsmu.lt   J. Lukšos-Daumanto St. 6, LT-50106 Kaunas 

Prof. Julija Narbutaitė

Head of the Department of Preventive and Paediatric Dentistry

+370 37 411236 julija.narbutaite@lsmu.lt

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