​​​​​The Department of Basic Dental Sciences is one of the main departments of the Faculty of Dentistry at Princess Nora Bint Abdul Rahman University. The department studied a set of courses that are shared with other departments in the Bachelor of Oral and Dental Surgery program.

-       The department includes several specializations as follows:

•       Oral and Maxillofacial surgery

•       Oral Pathology

•       Oral Medicine

•       Oral Radiology

•       Oral Biology

•       General Medicine

-       These various sciences are taught in most updated methods through three divisions:

•       Oral and Maxillofacial surgery

•       Diagnosis Sciences

•       General Medicine  ​

-       Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery is the specialty of dentistry, which includes the diagnosis, surgical and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving both the functional and aesthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region.

-       Oral Pathology

Oral Pathology is a branch of dentistry that introduces the students to the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis,​ and effects of oral and maxillofacial diseases. This division applies and integrates the basic sciences into clinical dentistry through detailed microscopic interpretation and written reports on tissues submitted for diagnosis. Oral pathology provides consultation and advises on the management of diseases and interacts with other health care providers at PNU and in the surrounding community.

The oral pathology courses provide a high level of competence in the diagnosis of oral pathological lesions and conditions. Students are introduced to the basic concepts to the specialty in an integrated course during the second year of the dental program with the specific focus starting form the third year onwards.

-       Oral Medicine

Oral Medicine is the specialty of dentistry that centers on the diagnosis and non-surgical management of medically related disorders and oral diseases affecting the oral and maxillofacial region. It brings the fundamental knowledge of Medicine into Dentistry.  It is a field in which patients are assessed, using recent advances in diagnostic oral medicine which have also moved from the laboratory to the dental clinic, then to be properly managed medically and non-surgically or referred to various Medical and Dental specialists as needed. 

The aim of the Oral Medicine Division is to provide comprehensive training to dental students so that they are able to use a multidisciplinary approach to provide the highest quality of care to patients, designed specifically for them. The teaching of the specialty begins from the second year in the course of the integrated diagnostic and continues into the remaining years in increasing depth and independence. This is accomplished using the large and small-group format in both the didactic and the clinical components of the courses. 

-       Oral Radiology

Oral Radiology is the specialty of dentistry concerned with the production and interpretation of diagnostic imaging used for examining the craniofacial, dental and adjacent structures.

The Oral Radiology division provides didactic and clinical instruction on radiation physics, techniques of taking various intraoral as well as extra-oral radiographs, processing, and interpretation of the radiograph. Also, the course provides the basic principles of radiation biology, radiation safety, and protection, the risk versus benefit considerations, and justify dose reduction strategies. Faculties are involved in the integrated teaching of dental students starting from the 2nd year of the dental program using an active student-centered learning methodology.

The division provides basic and advanced diagnostic imaging services with standard digital intraoral and panoramic radiographs as well as utilization of cone beam technology for regular patients of the dental school as well as patients referred by the professional community for specific imaging studies.

-       Oral Biology

Oral biology is a tremendously diverse scientific area, encompassing the disciplines of histology embryonic development and physiology of the mouth and craniofacial complex. The field of oral biology blends fundamental scientific disciplines in unique and fascinating ways to meet the challenges of developing up to date and effective ways for oral diagnosis. It also teaches accurate and modern scientific techniques introduced in dentistry, such as genetic engineering applications of stem cells in dentistry. It involves the implementation of digital technologies in oral biology science through virtual microscopes. It explains the research and its importance for the development of the dentistry field in an attempt to prepare students to become part of oral research institutions.