About the Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Biology

The Department is located on the sixth floor of the Oral and Dental Hospital and is composed of different sections that form part of the training of oral hygienists, dentists and postgraduate students. The different sections are:

• Oral Pathology provides students with the skills to recognise, diagnose and manage pathological conditions of the head and neck and is responsible for rendering services in diagnostic histopathology.
• Anatomical Pathology provides students with the fundamental knowledge of the processes of disease of the organs and tissues.
• Forensic Odontology involves the identification of deceased individuals, age estimation and bite mark identification.
• Oral Biology teaches the development, structure, function of the oral cavity and associated structures.
• Diagnostic Imaging teaches the principles of radiography and radiology as well as the clinical training of students and rendering of services to Gauteng Health patients.
• The department is also involved in community outreach, through the Paediatric HIV Clinic at Kalafong Hospital.

Specialisation in Oral Pathology requires an additional 5 years of full-time postgraduate training in the histopathological recognition and diagnosis of all pathological conditions of the head and neck. Additionally, the department also offers postgraduate courses in Forensic Odontology, Oral Biology, and Radiology.