For a few years now, the Dental School has provided a Welcome event for the first year Dental students, the first year BSc Hygienist and Therapy students and the first year Foundation course, for those students who have alternative A level subjects.
The Welcome event is on the Friday morning of Fresher’s Week and takes place in the Whitworth Hall of the University. The academics are gowned and the students wear their new uniforms.
Professor Anne-Marie Glenny, the Deputy Head of Division, welcomed the newcomers to Manchester, in the absence of the Dean, Professor Paul Coulthard. She outlined the ten year Campus Masterplan which includes a new Alliance Business School, the Graphene Engineering centre, the Engineering Campus development which includes the Henry Royce Institute and a larger Students’ Union.
The Turner Dental School was founded in 1883 to provide dental treatment for the poor, a dental degree was established in 1904 and the new University of Manchester was then reorganised in 2004. Notable figures have accepted honorary positions in the New University namely Sir Peter Fahy, former Chief Constable of Cheshire Constabulary, Maria Balshaw, Director of Tate and formerly Director of the Whitworth and City Galleries, Sir Howard Bernstein, former CE of Manchester City Council and George Osborne, former Chancellor of the Exchequer and Chairman of the Northern Powerhouse.
Professor Kevin Seymour, The Director of Undergraduate Education, outlined the 5 year Dental curriculum which involves Enquiry Based Learning (EBL). Early access to the clinic is in the first year and local community Outreach clinics in the fifth year.
He also included having responsibilities to our patients, and the jurisprudence and the ethics of belonging to the dental profession. The students all stood while they took “The Affirmation” which is similar to the Hippocratic oath. They will then repeat this affirmation on their graduation day. Jamshaid Masoor, a past dental student, and no a member of staff, gave an illustrated presentation entitled” Being a professional”. He provided examples of cases that he had treated, which showed the interplay of several disciplines of dentistry.
Dee Singh, a past Hygienist and Therapy student, and also now a member of staff, talked about “BSc Oral Health Science – a career choice well made”. Team building is a mainstay of the course and integrates with the dental students’ course. As the president of Somanda, I provided a brief history of the Society and outlined its aims and objectives including the Student Hardship fund, a Student Elective fund and CPD prizes for 2 postgraduates annually.
Manchester University is unique in having social responsibility, including equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) as one of its three core strategic goals. This is alongside the commitments to worldwide research and an outstanding learning and student experience. Our Alumni aims to acknowledge these commitments.
Congratulations are due to the staff of the School for organising this impressive and memorable event, which included a buffet lunch. It was very much appreciated by the students.
Jill Jagger
The following Somanda Prizes BDS Years 1-4 were then presented for 2017:
Year 1 – Miss Harrer Akram
Year 2 – Miss Tara Kang
Year 3 – Miss Zamzam Abdullah
Year 4 – Mr Daniel Watson
The 5th year prize to Bethan Liddy, who also won the JS Lowry OS Prize had been presented on Graduation Day in July, as had the BSc OHS prize jointly awarded to Alannah Birtwistle and Charlotte Sproston.