SAQA

All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.

SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Master of Dentistry: Oral Pathology

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
2355	Master of Dentistry: Oral Pathology
ORIGINATOR
Medical University of Southern Africa
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Master's Degree	Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services		Curative Health
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	768	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 09	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 2663/05	2006-07-01	2009-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2010-06-30		2013-06-30

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

PRIMARY PURPOSE
1. To provide qualifiers with specific knowledge, skills and competence in the field of
Oral Pathology that will enable them to register as oral pathologists with the Medical and Dental Professional Board of the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
2. To provide South Africa with an adequate supply of oral pathologists.

SUBSIDIARY PURPOSE
To provide future teaching staff for the dental schools of South Africa.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Applicants who want to register for the M Dent (Oral Pathology) degree must be in possession of a BDS or equivalent degree and must be registered as dentists with the Medical and Dental Professional Board of the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
Applicants must have suitable experience as dentists.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

A newly qualified oral pathologist must:

1. Know and understand the pathological principles underlying oral and systemic disease.
2. Know the aetiology and pathogenesis of oral and para-oral disease.
3. Know and be able to identify the factors that modify the pathogenesis of oral and
para-oral disease.
4. Be able to establish a differential diagnosis on oral and para-oral disease processes
by analysing clinical, biochemical and radiological features.
5. Know and be able to employ appropriate histo-chemical, immunohisto-chemical,
molecular and electron microscopical techniques during the establishment of a final
diagnosis on a biopsy specimen.
6. Be able to diagnose oral and para-oral neo-plastic conditions with the aid of frozen
sections.
7. Be able to write a pathological report and know the legal principles involved therein.
8. Know the principles involved in histo-technology and molecular biology and be able to administer a histo-pathological laboratory.
9. Know and be able to maintain continued competence and to keep abreast of up to
date techniques and procedures.
10. Know the laws and ethical rules and regulations controlling the practice of the oral
health professions and pathological services in South Africa.
11. Know how to engage in lifelong learning through well -developed learning skills.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Integrated assessment.

In order to assess whether the exit-level outcomes have been achieved, a range of formative and summative assessments are done throughout the four years of study. These include seminars, research projects, practical work in a registered oral pathology laboratory, portfolios and written and oral tests and examinations. In the case of knowledge assessment samples the qualifier's knowledge is tested for depth and width of knowledge.
A qualifier must have, through the above assessment procedures, proved that s/he has achieved the NQF level 8A standards.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

Not all countries recognise, train or register dental specialists. In general terms the specialist qualifications offered in those countries where specialists are registered, can be compared to the Medunsa M Dent degrees. It must be remembered that reciprocity as far as registration of specialists between countries is concerned, is rare.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

1. Articulation with qualifications at other institutions:
Presently none

2.The qualification towards which the M Dent (Oral Pathology) graduate may proceed, is the PhD degree.

3. Exit level outcomes articulating with other qualifications:
None

MODERATION OPTIONS

The Faculty maintains a bank of external examiners, as approved by Council, in oral pathology with the necessary knowledge, academic qualifications, clinical/practical expertise and national and international standing, from which the external examiners are appointed for each year.
Inspectors, appointed by the Medical and Dental Professional Board of the Health Professions Council of South Africa, inspect the exit level outcomes of this qualification on a regular basis to ensure that all the criteria necessary for registration as a specialist in oral pathology with the Medical and Dental Professional Board of the Health Professions Council of South Africa, are met.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

Registered specialists in oral pathology on the staff of the Faculty of Dentistry, with the necessary academic qualifications and experience, are used as internal assessors.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006.

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

NONE

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION:

This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.

NONE