Department of Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry
The vision of the clinic is to focus on oral health of growing and developing children and on the impact of oral health on overall health of an individual.
Pediatric dentistry is defined as the practice and teaching of and research in comprehensive preventive and therapeutic oral care of children from birth through adolescence. Child and adolescent oral health includes a somatic, a social as well as a mental component.
The present research of the Clinic includes epidemiology of dental diseases in children and adolescents, aetiology and treatment of various types of developmental dental defects, painless dentistry and the influence of general health problems on dental and oral health. The research is undertaken in collaboration with national as well as international colleagues.
Part of the teaching is done in collaboration with the teaching of dental hygiene students.
The Clinic has competence in dental care of children and adolescents under general anaesthesia and treatment of dental developmental defects.
Pediatric dentistry focuses on patients from birth through 18 years of age. We want children to have the most positive dental experience we can provide. Our staff are trained in working with children and their families and our dental students are taught to provide dental services to children. Together, we strive to provide an atmosphere that is friendly and supportive to our child patients and their families.
The Clinic strives to teach students the fundamentals of pediatric oral health care through both didactic and clinical courses, provide the highest degree of service to infants, children, adolescents and persons with special health care needs and promote oral health within the community.
Our philosophy of care encompasses early identification and prevention of oral and craniofacial diseases in all children, but especially in high-risk groups.
The Clinic also provides postgraduate education in pediatric dentistry.
Seminars are an important part of the pediatric dentistry programme. Residents are expected to prepare seminars and present lectures as part of the teaching experience.
The aim of the study programme Pediatric Dentistry is to provide students with basics of dental care in children and adolescents.
The Clinic has published several textbooks and methodical books for students, oral hygienists and dentists.
Compulsory subjects for dental students:
Prevention of Oral Diseases
Paediatric Dentistry and Clinical Practice
Compulsory subjects for dental hygiene students:
Oral Health and Personal Dental Hygiene
Primary Pevention of Oral Diseases
Profesional Dental Hygiene and Clinical Practice
Paeditric Dentistry and Dental Anomalies
Oral Epidemiology and Prevention of Oral Diseases
Compulsory subjects for dental students:
Treatment of Non-carious Diseases and Dental Trauma in Children
Professional Dental Hygiene
The research interests are analysis of aetiology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, prevention and methods of treatment of dental caries, periodontal diseases among different age groups of children and adolescents. Seven doctoral thesis have been successfully defended during the last few years. Three PhD students are currently preparing their thesis.
Evaluation of oral health status among 4-6, 12-year-olds and schoolchildren in the late teenager period (15 and 18 year-olds).
Impact of treatment under general anaesthesia on quality of life in children with early childhood caries;
Comparison of three different approaches to the management of dental caries in primary molars.
The research focuses on life quality issues related to oral health.
Department of Orthodontics
The mission of the Clinic of Orthodontics is to provide education in the field of orthodontics and to be a leading centre of educational, research and patient care. Our undergraduate and postgraduate students are trained to the highest standards to deliver the best in patient care.
The facilities include a modern orthodontic clinic and orthodontic equipment laboratory for appliance construction and plaster work, a reception and waiting area, a computer and data-processing room, premises for clinical photography, a seminar room and an auditorium.
The undergraduate curriculum in Orthodontics focuses on facial growth and development, diagnostics and treatment of malocclusion, understanding of contemporary treatment techniques and preventive procedures, as well as personal and professional development. Teaching is delivered through lectures, small-group tutorials, supervised clinical skills training, patient treatment and e-learning resources. Research and travel opportunities are provided within elective projects and the Erasmus programme.
The postgraduate programme in Orthodontics includes instruction and extensive experience in diagnosis and treatment planning, facial growth and development, biomechanics and interdisciplinary procedures. Residents have an opportunity of treating the full range of different malocclusions in children and adults in a state-of-the-art orthodontic facility. An original research project intended to produce results suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal is required for obtaining the Certificate of specialist in Orthodontics. Postgraduate students are also encouraged to present their scientific results in regional and national meetings.
The research profile of the Clinic is centred on pathogenesis of malocclusion with the emphasis on oro-functional disturbances and early orthodontic treatment.
The Clinic provides orthodontic patient care as the division of the University hospital. The average admission is about 800 new patients per year.
Department of Maxillofacial Surgery
Studies, clinical practice and scientific work are the main directions in the Clinic of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. One of the main objectives of the Clinic is to provide students with theoretical knowledge and practical skills in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is taught to third, fourth and fifth year sudents of the Faculty of Dentistry and to the sixth year students of the Faculty of Medicine. Lectures are delivered by experienced lecturers: prof. habil. Ričardas Kubilius, prof. Gintaras Juodžbalys, assist. prof. Pranas Tercijonas, assist. prof. Stasys Bojarskas, assist. prof. Dalius Sakavičius, lect. Vesta Guzevičienė, lect. Gintaras Janužis and lect. Algirdas Lukošiūnas.
During clinical practical work in the out-patient or in-patient department of the Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery, under the control of teachers, students carry out surgical operations and improve manual surgical skills. In the in-patient department of the Clinic, students investigate patients, monitor and assist in various maxillofacial surgeries. During these studies, students are involved in scientific work, thus, forming the basics of research work.
The clinic offers doctoral and residency postgraduate studies. Graduates of the Faculty of Odontology may choose the residency programme in Oral Surgery, while those who have graduated from the Faculty of Medicine may continue the residency programme in Maxillofacial Surgery. During the doctoral studies, students deepen their theoretical and practical knowledge of maxillofacial surgery.
In the Clinic of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, there is an oral and maxillofacial research group supervised by lecturer Gintaras Janužis. All the students of medicine and odontology programmes can attend this group.
Lecturers, together with students, consult patients and give them proper treatment. Professors and associate professors consult patients from various regions of Lithuania. Every year, there are more than 1000 out-patient operations and more than 10000 consultations in the Clinic.
The in-patient department of the Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery is one of three independent in-patient departments in our country where specialised medical aid is provided to patients with maxillofacial problems. Here face and jaw traumas, inflammations, tumours, neurostomatologic diseases, inborn and acquired defects and deformities, pathology of the salivary glands and other diseases are treated. Some operations, such as treatment of neurostomatologic diseases and temporomandibular joint operations, are performed only in this facility.
The Clinic is involved in scientific work "Facial injuries and pain aetiology, pathogenesis and clinical research, diagnostic and therapeutic improvement". The researchers of the Clinic are involved in improvement of dental implants and dental implantation techniques.
The Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery maintains close relations with Kaunas University of Technology, Riga Stradins University (Latvia), Tartu (Estonia), Oulu (Finland), Hacettepe (Turkey), Granada (Spain), Michigan (USA) and Porto (Portugal) university colleges.
Department of Prosthodontics
In 1958, the Department of Stomatology and Dentistry of Kaunas Institute of Medicine was reorganised into the Department of Therapeutic and Prosthetic Dentistry and the Department of Surgical Stomatology. During the period of 1958-1971, the head of the Department of Therapeutic and Prosthetic Dentistry was associated professor J. Stanionienė; in 1971, professor J. Žekonis took the office.
In 1991, two Clinics were established instead of this Department: Therapeutic Stomatology and Prosthetic Dentistry. In 1996, following the order of the Rector of Kaunas Medical Academy, the Clinic of Prosthetic Dentistry was reorganised into 2 independent clinics: the Clinic of Prosthetic Dentistry and the Clinic of Orthodontics. The Clinic of Prosthetic Dentistry was renamed the Clinic of Dental and Maxillofacial Orthopedics. Since 2010, the head of the Clinic of Dental and Maxillofacial Orthopedics is associate professor A. Gleiznys.
Patients coming from all over Lithuania get specialised second- and third-level medical service here. Approximately 3000-3500 patients visit the Clinic annually. Currently, 16 qualified teachers and doctors work in the department, including 2 professors, 3 associate professors, 2 lecturers and 6 assistants.
Students of the Faculty of Odontology, starting from the second year, study dental materials, prosthetic production technologies and orthopaedic odontology in the Clinic. Postgraduate studies and training of doctors odontologists and odontologists-specialists take place here.
Doctors odontologists are offered to choose the following topics of seminars: “Prosthetic treatment of edentulous patients”, “Removable partial dentures”, “Diagnostics and conservative treatment methods of temporomandibular joint disorders”, “Treatment of periodontal diseases with repositioning and stabilisation splints”, “Production peculiarities of cast prosthesis”, “Prosthetic treatment of defects of hard dental tissues”, “Restoration of dental arch defects with structures on implants”, etc.
The staff of the Clinic participate in the preparation of principal laws and regulations concerning health care and in carrying out the prophylaxis programme of the most common odontological diseases among the inhabitants of Lithuania.
There are 2 main trends of scientific work in the Clinic of Dental and Maxillofacial Orthopedics. Professor J. Sakalauskienė supervises research on physiology and pathology of the periodontium: the immunomodulating effects of natural products for the development of a new therapeutic approach to prevention and treatment of inflammatory periodontal diseases.
Professor A. Šurna supervises 2 PhD students who perform research into masticatory physiology and pathology arches and mathematical modelling of biomechanical characteristics of teeth and dental arches in physiological and pathological states of the stomatognathic system. The aims are the following: 1. To investigate the influence of occlusal elements on the biological function of individual TMJ, using numerical finite element methods and to simulate possible structural reciprocal alterations. While doing no damage to biological individuals, there will be a possibility to simulate different functional situations, to investigate correlation between the structure and the function and to select adequate restorative methods using 3D models of numerical finite elements. 2. To investigate the changes in the occlusion of patients after traumatic injuries of the stomatognathic system and the influence of its correction on the treatment of trauma and rehabilitation using digital diagnostic facilities. The complex general treatment of traumas of the stomatognathic system with functional stabilisation of occlusion will allow shortening the rehabilitation period and seeking better treatment.
Training laboratory of dental prosthetics
Head: Mindaugas Čestovas, tel. +370 37 33 75 52.
In the training laboratory of dental prosthetics, students learn basic manufacturing technologies of dental prosthesis and equipment. The staff are familiar with all the modern techniques and all kinds of orthopedic equipment and dental prostheses. They also have contracts with doctors and give certificates for service provided in the laboratory.
Department of Dental and Oral Pathology
Students‘ education is one of the main commitments of the Clinic of Dental and Oral Pathology. A considerable part of the studies is carried out here for second, third, fourth and fifth year students of Odontology and for third year students of Oral Hygiene. The curriculum includes pre-clinical as well as clinical subjects, such as Cariesology, Endodontology, Periodontology and diseases of Oral mucosa. The major part of the curriculum comprises clinical experiences. There are 3 large rooms for clinical training equipped with dental chairs. Second year students practice in a class of pre-clinical studies and improve their practical skills on models. Practical skills are obtained during clinical training guided by the teachers who are experienced clinicians of different specialities such as endodontics, periodontology and oral pathology. Lectures, seminars and computer-aided learning take place in diverse educational situations to support the main educational principles. Students’ self-learning and individual research are encouraged in order to develop an ability for a critical evaluation of literature.
We offer 2 educational postgraduate programmes leading to a degree of endodontist and periodontologist. The duration of these programmes is 3 years. The purpose of the programmes is to train the participants to become competent specialists in their field. This demands a thorough understanding of general biological principles and function, as well as comprehension of the science. Technical skills are trained during treatment of a great variety of patients. Furthermore, critical, evidence-based thinking is exercised during study and evaluation of textbooks and scientific articles related to the subject.
There is a number of separate courses with a different content available for continuing education of dental practitioners. They have a possibility to get acquainted with modern technologies in dentistry such as work with dental microscopes, rotary endodontic instruments, etc.