Upon the completion of this course, the dental professional should be able to:
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Define dental caries.
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Discuss the medical history of caries along with its natural history.
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Identify the combination of factors required for caries to develop, and how sub-factors influence this process.
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Define dental plaque as a microbial biofilm.
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Describe the development and maturation of dental plaque.
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Understand the microbial diversity of plaque and recognize it as an ecosystem.
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Discuss the ecological plaque hypothesis.
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Name the bacteria associated with caries.
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Discuss how the acidity in the oral environment is the major determinant of plaque ecology.
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Identify how bacteria convert dietary carbohydrates to acids.
