ORAL MEDICINE & RADIOLOGY

Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology is a unique amalgamation of Oral Medicine and Radiology. It acts as a bridge between dentistry and medicine. It provides specialized training in clinical care for managing head and neck medical diseases. As the old medical acronym goes; “Oral cavity is the mirror of all systemic diseases”, thus reflecting the earliest evidences of systemic pathologies and Oral Physicians play a major role in identifying these symptoms, managing these conditions to give a better prognosis.

Conditions managed in Oral Medicine Department are often long standing and have a significant psychological, as well as physical impact on the patient’s quality of life. Some of these conditions are directly linked to the systemic state, and in such scenarios the oral medicine specialist works as part of a multi-disciplinary patient care team. Masters in Oral Medicine also enables a clinician to be well versed to manage medically compromised patients.

Specialization in the department of Oral Medicine and Radiology enables one to deal with patients and provide care as well as management to the patients• Post graduates in the department learn to diagnose and manage conditions such as: Orofacial pain which is a multifactorial pathology and needs expertise to reach to the root cause and manage it efficiently. Another critical area that demands proficiency is diagnosis and treatment of Temporomandibular joint disorders. Owing to its complex anatomy, a thorough understanding of the basic concepts become mandatory for efficiently managing patients having chronic pain and specialists from OMDR excels in this arena. Similarly, the cases of vesiculobullous lesions, autoimmune disorders as well as pre-malignant lesions and conditions demands early diagnosis, in-depth investigations and pharmacological management which is dealt in the department.

Oral cancer is the third most common cancers in India and role of oral physician in diagnosis such cases is critical. From initial stages to final stage of oral cancer is dealt in the OMDR department with excellence. Managing complications of radiotherapy treatment is also done as well as post graduates are trained to skillfully deal with geriatric and medically compromised patients.

In our department, we learn to cure patient’s symptoms via medical and non-invasive means. A thorough knowledge of pharmacology enables the specialists in prescribing the best available medical means to manage conditions such as pre-malignant lesions. We also provide physiotherapy mode of treatment via Ultrasound Massage and Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation (TENS) as an aid in managing chronic TMDs. The department constantly thrives to be innovative and thus, keep on doing researches using updated medical means such as Ozone therapy.

The Department of Oral Radiology deals in rendering knowledge regarding conventional as well as advanced radiographic techniques. Conventional techniques include intra-oral radiographic methods, TMJ views etc. Method of exposure, processing and interpretation of intra-oral radiographs which are the gold standard for diagnosis of bony and odontological pathology.

In our department, digitalized radiographs such as Orthopantamogram, Lateral cephalogram, Paranasal sinus views etc are exposed and interpreted for evaluation of carcinoma as well as trauma cases.

Knowledge of Computed Tomography(CT) and Cone Beam Computed Tomography(CBCT) is also provided to the trainees. Upto date knowledge regarding these advanced techniques becomes mandatory for clinical excellence, and thus, routine CDE programmes are conducted on such topics for adding on to the students’ knowledge.

These radiographic techniques also aid in forensic evaluation. Training in forensic field is also provided to the post graduates where they learn to apply use of radiographic techniques in forensic investigations.

The role of the department of Oral Medicine and radiology is to train the students to be efficient in patient dealing, diagnosis and management of the chronic disease. Knowledge in the subject of oral medicine and radiology opens immense scope for the students for excelling in clinical practice.