Syllabus and Textbook: The course syllabus contains an extensive summary of each lecture and can be downloaded from the course web site. A username/password combination is required which was included in your pre-arrival package and will be given again during the course orientation. If you have lost the username/password, request it again by e-mail to Dr. Hardies. The syllabus contains numerous references to the textbook: "Biochemistry," 5th edition, by Berg, Tymoczko, and Stryer, ISBN 0-7167-3051-0. Resources for Berg et al. are available electronically at http://www.whfreeman.com/biochem5
Schedule: A complete schedule for the course is posted at http://dentalbioc.uthscsa.edu/
All course activities, EXCEPT EXAMS 1, 2, and 3, will be in Room 2.424T. EXAMS 1, 2, and 3 will be in the UTHSCSA auditorium.
Attendance: Attendance at lectures and conferences is not compulsory. However, students may be tested on any material from the syllabus or the lectures on the examinations.
Conferences: These are help sessions conducted by the faculty.
Clinical Correlation Lectures: These lectures are given by invited lecturers and demonstrate the application of biochemistry to the practice of dentistry or dental research. Unless also covered in lecture or syllabus, material from these lectures is not covered on exams. Instead, attendance at these lectures will count toward the course grade as indicated below.
Exams: There will be two two-hour exams (50% of the course grade) covering the first and second third of the course and a four-hour final exam (50% of the course grade). The first half of the final exam covers the final third of the course, while the second half of the final exam will consist of comprehensive questions covering the entire course. Examinations may cover any material presented in the lectures or the syllabus. A makeup exam will be granted only for an exceptionally good excuse, and will be conducted as an oral exam.
Challenges: Challenges to examination questions must be submitted in writing to the class representative who will then submit the written challenges to the course director within one week after posting of examination grades.
Grading: The exam average will be increased by 0.5 percentage points for each of the clinical correlation lectures attended (three such lectures are offered) and for participating in the course evaluation (conducted once upon completion of the course).
Adjusted Exam Average Grade
90-100
A
80-89.9
B
70-79.9
C
60-69.9
D
<60
F
Goals and Requirements of the Course: The goals of the course are to teach freshman dental students basic biochemistry related to fundamental cellular processes and to processes relevant to the oral cavity. Students are required to learn and understand biochemistry sufficiently to pass the course by successful completion of the two two-hour examinations and the four-hour final exam.
A Summary of the Course Content: Dental Biochemistry covers basic biochemistry related to fundamental cellular components and macromolecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids; metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids; elementary processes such as DNA replication, transcription, translation, and energy transduction; and biochemistry of processes relevant to the oral cavity such as blood coagulation, caries formation and calcium homeostasis.
Remediation Protocol: Dental Biochemistry will be remediated, if needed and permitted by the Pre-clinical Promotions Committee, by a combination of tutorial sessions, self-study, and examination.
Exemption Exam: An optional exemption exam is tentatively scheduled for Thurs, August 2, 2007, from 1:00 to 2:50 pm in room 2.424T. Students scoring 80 or above on this exam will receive a grade of EXEMPT and will not be required to take the course for a grade.