Faculty of Odontology

Faculty of Odontology

Medical Academy

Lithuanian University of Health Sciences

Address: J. Lukšos-Daumanto str. 2, LT-50106 Kaunas

Phone: +370 37 338366

E-mail: odontologijos.fakultetas@lsmuni.lt

About

The Faculty of Odontology is part of the Medical Academy of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU MA) and trains highly qualified odontologists (dentists) and dental hygienists by applying modern and innovative teaching techniques. The Faculty is involved in scientific research, the implementation of the technologies, and the development of patient-oriented clinical practice. The Faculty has gained international recognition in the fields of specialist training, research work, and clinical practice, and its graduates are highly praised by both Lithuanian and foreign employers.

The history of the Faculty of Odontology began with the establishment of the Odontology Section in the Medical Department of Higher Studies in Kaunas in 1921. Later on, the Higher Studies programme developed into the University of Lithuania, which in 1930 was renamed into Vytautas Magnus University. After the University was closed down by the Soviets in 1950, the Faculty of Medicine was reorganised into Kaunas Medical Institute, where future odontologists were trained at the Faculty of Stomatology-Pharmacy (since 1968 called the Faculty of Stomatology, and since 2003 – the Faculty of Odontology). As the faculty was developing and the number of students kept growing, new specialities emerged, and the number of clinical departments at the Faculty increased to five. Since 1990, foreign students have been studying at the Faculty, and in 2004, education and training of dental hygienists was initiated.

The LSMU MA Faculty of Odontology is a member of the Association of Dental Education in Europe (ADEE). Detailed analyses and evaluations performed by the Dented in 2001 and the EU TAIEX commission in 2002 showed that the Faculty of Odontology meets all the EU requirements for specialist training, and the study programmes of the Faculty received accreditation. The study programmes and the research activity of the Faculty undergo regular evaluations and accreditation by international experts.

The mission is to participate in the improvement of public health and the quality of life by ensuring high-quality oral health care and by training odontologists and dental hygienists and improving their qualification through the provision of knowledge and development of professional skills. In addition, the mission includes expansion of the Faculty’s scientific research and clinical activity.

The objectives are:

• To educate and train highly qualified oral healthcare specialists, odontologists, odontologists specialising in specific fields, and dental hygienists, to promote life-long learning and teamwork, and to develop critical thinking, professionalism, and ethical behaviour;

• To conduct scientific research and to improve its quality, to implement innovations, to increase integration into the international research space, and to increase the international competitiveness of the Faculty;

• To train leaders, to foster young talents, to develop cooperation, and to create a scientific novelty-friendly environment;

• To promote social responsibility and involvement in the improvement of dental public health.

In order to ensure high-quality implementation of these aims, the Faculty of Odontology is expanding interdisciplinary cooperation with other divisions of the LSMU as well as with Lithuanian and foreign academic, professional, non-governmental, governmental, and business organisations.

Structure

The Faculty of Odontology is composed of a Dean’s office and five clinical departments: the Department of Preventive and Paediatric Dentistry, the Department of Dental and Oral Pathology, the Department of Prosthodontics, the Department of Orthodontics, and the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery. The Faculty consists of over 100 highly qualified teachers, including 12 professors, 18 associate professors, 20 lecturers, and 59 clinical instructors.

Studies

The Faculty of Odontology offers the following study programmes:

Integrated studies: Odontology (Dentistry, in Lithuanian); Odontology (Dentistry, in English)

Bachelor’s studies: Dental Hygiene

Postgraduate studies (residency): Orthodontics; Paediatric Dentistry, Prosthodontics, Periodontology, Endodontics, Oral Surgery, and Maxillofacial Surgery.

PhD studies.

Highly qualified teachers with clinical experience apply innovative student-oriented teaching methods. Students acquire theoretical knowledge and practical competences by working in modern preclinical training, simulation, and clinical training rooms and using modern dental equipment and materials. Since the first year of their studies, the students are familiarised with scientific activity and are encouraged to perform their first research.

Research

The research at the Faculty of Odontology focuses on Maxillofacial and Oral Pathology.

The main research topics are the following:

• The effectiveness of the diagnostic and treatment modalities of dental and oral pathology;

• Optimisation of the diagnostics and treatment of dental and maxillofacial pathology and studies of the materials as well as oral health and quality of life technologies;

• The effect of genetic and environmental factors on the development of orthodontic anomalies, and the impact of orthodontic anomalies on oral health and quality of life indices;

• Optimisation of the diagnostics and treatment of maxillofacial pathology and studies of biological materials, regenerative medicine, and health technologies;

• Analysis of the etiopathogenesis, epidemiology, and prevention or treatment modalities of dental caries in children and adult populations.

Researchers of the Faculty of Odontology are editorial board members of Lithuanian and international scientific journals, are speakers in Lithuanian and international scientific congresses, and participate in clinical projects. The large and growing number of scientific publications and textbooks is proof of the Faculty’s continuous and productive activity.

The Faculty is expanding its cooperation with Lithuanian and foreign universities, such as Kaunas University of Technology, Vilnius University, Rīga Stradiņš University (Latvia), the University of Tartu (Estonia), the University of Oulu (Finland), Hacettepe University (Turkey), the University of Granada (Spain), the University of Michigan (USA), the University of Porto (Portugal), Aarhus University (Denmark), and Cardiff University (UK).

Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Research (JOMR) is an open access peer-reviewed and evidence-based international scientific electronic journal, founded by Editor-in-Chief Gintaras Juodzbalys DMD, PhD, Professor, Chairman of the Council, Faculty of Odontology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and published in collaboration with Baltic Osseointegration Academy (http://www.boaoffice.lt/EN/).
The journal aims to convey the scientific progress of all research relevant to dental, oral and maxillofacial associated structures in both health and disease.
JOMR was established as a non-commercial journal and is offered completely free of charge, in order to maintain a global forum and dialogue on scientific communication between members of the clinical and academic community.
JOMR began with an initial focus on the scientific organizations within the Baltic States.
Today, JOMR has evolved into a worldwide scientific journal.

For browsing the journal and submitting articles, please go to: https://www.ejomr.org