Department of Therapeutic Dentistry and Periodontology

Oksana Kopchak, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor.

Oksana Kopchak has scientifically-teaching experience of more than 23 years. After graduating with honors from the National Medical University named after O.Bogomolets in 2000, she studied at an internship, clinical residency and postgraduate studies at the Department of Therapeutic Dentistry of the Institute of Dentistry of the National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education (NMAPE) named after P. Shupyka, which she graduated early from 2006 with defense of a dissertation on the topic “Pathogenetic justification of differentiated approaches to the treatment of dentine hyperesthesia in periodontal diseases”.

In 2018 Oksana Kopchak defended her doctoral dissertation on the topic: «Pathogenetic substantiation of new approaches to the treatment of generalized periodontal diseases in patients with endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular pathology». During18 years she was working at the Department of Therapeutic Dentistry of the Institute of Dentistry of the National Academy of Medical Sciences named after P.Shupyka, where she progressed from Assistant to Associate Professor of the Department.

In 2018 Oksana Kopchak headed the Department of Therapeutic Dentistry and Periodontology at the Private Higher Educational Establishment «Kyiv Medical University», where she is the developer and educational guarantor-professional program by specialty 221 «Dentistry»  by the second (master’s degree) level.

Oksana Kopchak was awarded the «Order of Saint Apollonia» (No62) for achievements in the development of dentistry in Ukraine in April 2021.

In February 2022 she received the academic title of Professor.

Under the leadership of Oksana Kopchak, the conclusion of memorandums of cooperation with European companies and foreign higher education institutions is being implemented. Oksana Kopchak supervises student scientific works and scientific works of Postgraduate Students of the department.

Continuously improves her professional level thanks to foreign internships (Greece, Turkey, Lithuania, Netherlands, Italy, Germany).

Constantly participates and organizes scientifically-practical conferences with international participation, delivers reports, conducts educational webinars, practical master-classes and other educational-scientific activities.

Oksana Kopchak is a member of the coordination board of the UPO «Association of Dentists of Ukraine», member of the board of the Kyiv branch of the UPO «Association of Dentists of Ukraine», vice-president of the All-Ukrainian UPO «Association of Periodontologists of Ukraine». She is a member of the editorial board of the specialized Polish magazine «Stomatologia Wspolczesna» and international magazine «Oral and general health».

Oksana Kopchak is also a member of the group for the development of industry standards for therapeutic dentistry at the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

Permanently Oksana Kopchak acts as a member of the one-time Specialized Academic Councils for the defense of dissertations for obtaining the scientific degree of Philosophy Doctor. She is an author about 200 scientific works, 2 of which are training aids, 3 – Guidelines, 10 – patents, 7- articles, published in periodicals, included in the scientometric bases Web of Science and Scopus.

Oksana Kopchak is a therapist dentist of the highest category and is a leading specialist in therapeutic dentistry and periodontology in Ukraine and abroad. Her professional activity contributes to the development and improvement of the dental industry of Ukraine and makes a significant contribution to the formation of the national scientific potential.

Today at the departmentthey 13 employees are working (1- a professor, 3- docent, 9- assistants) one of them is a doctor of medical sciences, five – PhD, two masters.

• Oksana Kopchak, DMSc, Professor, Head of Department
• Oleksiy Azarov, PhD, Docent, (responsible for teaching the discipline «Therapeutic Dentistry»).
• Nataliya Marchenko, PhD, Docent (responsible for scientific work).
• Yanishevskyi Konstantin, PhD, Docent.
• Roman Novikov, Assistant of the Department ( responsible for teaching the discipline «Propaedeutics of therapeutic dentistry» and working with doctors-interns)
• Alyona Kulish, PhD.,Assistant (secretary of the department, secretary of the faculty council).
• Anna Obolonska, PhD, Assistant (responsible for the work of the student scientific group at the department).
• Chernyak Svitlana, head teacher of the department, assistant.
• Volodymyr Rogozin, Assistant.
• Yakovets Oksana, Assistant.
• Oleksii Berehovyi, Assistant (methodologist of the department, responsible for filling the platform «PrExem»).
• Vyacheslav Dmytrashko, Assistant (responsible for the work of the student research group at the department, director of the simulation training center «Dentistry»).
• Yana Litvinova, Assistant.

Such disciplines are taught at the Department:

• Propaedeutics of therapeutic dentistry
• Therapeutic dentistry

Such optional educational components are taught at the Department (elective courses):

• Aspects of modern dentistry
• Modern treatment protocols for generalized periodontal diseases. Therapeutic and surgical stages

Disciplines are taught to students 2-5 years of the Faculty of Dentistry, as well as English-speaking students. Webinars, master-classes and student competitions are held at the Department.

The Department conducts post-graduate training in the course «Therapeutic Dentistry», postgraduate studies, the opening of doctoral studies is planned. Thematic improvement courses for doctors are also held by topic: «New  approaches to the treatment of periodontal patients» and «Modern approaches to the treatment of diseases of the mucous membrane and red border of the lips».

The department has methodological recommendations in such thematic areas as: dental caries and its complications, non-carious dental diseases, diseases of periodontal tissues and oral mucosa.

Employees of the department are the authors of a number of methodical materials for classroom and extracurricular work of students. Anthonina Politun is a co-author of educational manuals in Ukrainian and Russian: «Therapeutic dentistry: in 4 textbook» (M.Danylevsky, A.Borysenko, A.Polytun, L.Sidelnikova, O.Nesin and others, 2004 y., 2008 y.); «Practicum in therapeutic dentistry. (Phantom course)»(A.Polytun, L.Sidelnikova, A.Borysenko, 1993 y., 2001 y., 2004 y., 2007 y., 2009 y.), of the «Therapeutic Dentistry»  section in the «Protocols for the provision of dental care» (A,Borysenko, A.Polytun, L.Sidelnikova, O.Nesin, 2005y.); «Therapeutic dentistry.Caries.Pulpit.Periodontitis.Oral sepsis» (M.Danylevsky, A.Borysenko, A.Polytun, L.Sidelnikova, O.Nesin, 2010 y.).O.Kopchak is a co-author of the textbook: «Modern filling materials and methods of their use in therapeutic dentistry» (G.Biloklitska, O.Asharenkova, O.Kopchak, 2013 y.) .Ass.department V.Rogozin is an educational author-methodological manual «Means of simulation training of future dentists» (reviewers: I.Melnychuk, O.Kopchak, 2023 y.).

Today employees of the department are working on research-research topic: «Clinic-laboratory substantiation of the latest approaches in diagnostics, prevention and treatment of major dental diseases». The scientific activity of the department is dedicated to solving the current problems of modern dentistry, including: diagnosis, treatment and prevention of major dental diseases (pathology of hard tissues of teeth, pulp and periodontium, periodontal tissues and oral mucosa).

The main scientific direction of the department’s work is aimed at in-depth study of the features of the clinical course and pathogenesis of generalized periodontal tissue diseases in young patients and patients with comorbid and multimorbid conditions. The aim of developing is pathogenetically based differentiated approaches to complex treatment using the latest regenerative technologies and tissue engineering, which ensures the achievement of a sustainable therapeutic effect. One Doctor of Medical Sciences was trained at the department, 13 PhD, 11 Masters. Today 5 Postgraduate Students are doing dissertation work.

Employees of the department undergo internships and participate in conferences, congresses, international level symposia, which are held on the territory of Ukraine and abroad, in particular, at the annual congresses of the UPO «Association of Dentists of Ukraine» ,«Association of Periodontologists of Ukraine», European Federation of Periodontology, FDI World Dental Federation. To date, employees of the department are the authors of more 500 scientific works.

The department pays attention to the prevention and treatment of the main dental diseases among the population.

The department carries out treatment work in medical institutions of the city of Kyiv. The main base of the department is the Dental Center «Universitetsky»  (Kyiv, A.Tzedek str., 7), where treatment is provided on an ongoing basis-advisory assistance 500 patients annually.

The Department of Therapeutic Dentistry started work in 1995. Its first leader and founder was a Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Mykola Kodola. The first batch of dentists was in 1997 when PhD, Prof. Oleksiy Marchenko. After graduating with honors from the Kyiv Medical Dentistry Institute, Oleksiy Marchenko worked on a candidate’s thesis, devoted to issues of root canal sterilization. In 1959 he headed Odesa Scientifically-Research Institute of Dentistry (OSRID). In 1966 defended his doctoral thesis on the topic «Research of physiological mechanisms of absorption by the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and tongue». Oleksiy Marchenko is an author over 260 scientific works, in particular 12 monographs, 14 copyright certificates for inventions.

During 2005–2008 years the Department was initially headed by Associate Professor Iryna Borisova and then Ihor Molozhanov.

In 2008–2016 years the position of the head of the department of therapeutic dentistry was held by PhD.,Prof. Antonina Politun. Antonina headed the clinical school of endodontics in Ukraine. Published more than 250 scientific works, was a co-author of three volumes 4-volume edition of the textbook «Therapeutic Dentistry», five teaching aids, two scientific monographs. She also carried out fruitful public work: as president she led the Ukrainian Endodontic Association (2006–2016 years), was a member of the board and coordination council of the ASU, scientific director of the Educational Center of the Academy of Sciences (1996–2013 years), chief editor of «Endodontist» magazines, «EndoFile», «Endodontic practice», «Implantology, periodontology, osteology». For her contribution to the development of higher education and dentistry, she was awarded the «Badge of Honor» (1986y.), «Golden  Stamil» (Ukraine), «Golden Candle» (Euro FDI), honorary award of the Association of Dentists of Ukraine (2014y.) in the field of therapeutic dentistry. Under the supervision of Antonina Politun were prepared two dissertations for obtaining the scientific degree of doctor of medical sciences, protected 10 candidate theses.

In the period of 2016-2017 years the duties of the head of the department were performed by associate professor Oleksiy Azarov, who at the same time supervised the work of the dental faculty, and from February 2017 the position of manager was held by PhD, Prof. Olena Oliynyk.