DEN100 Behavioral Sciences
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Sep 09, 2026
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Dental Medicine
Nina Bosankić-Čmajčanin
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
Introduce students to the biopsychosocial approach to health and illness and its relevance to dental medicine. Provide an understanding of the psychological, behavioral, social, and cultural factors that influence oral and general health. Familiarize students with major behavioral science concepts relevant to patient behavior, health behavior, illness, pain, stress, and treatment. Develop students’ awareness of the role of effective communication and the dentist–patient relationship in clinical practice. Introduce psychological and behavioral approaches that can support prevention, health promotion, treatment adherence, and behavior change. Examine the influence of social, cultural, and environmental factors, including health inequalities and social determinants, on oral health and access to dental care. Promote awareness of professional ethics, cultural competence, and the well-being of dental professionals. Provide opportunities to connect behavioral science concepts with clinical situations and patient care in dentistry.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Wedding, D., & Stuber, M. L. (Eds.). (2020). Behavior and medicine (6th ed.). Hogrefe.
Additional Literature
Provided by the lecturerTeaching Methods
In-class discussions
Tutorials
Field assignments
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Behavioral Sciences and Basic Concepts | chapter 1-2 |
| 2 📍 | Family, Relationships and Development | chapter 3-4 |
| 3 | Development Across Adulthood and Aging | chapter 5-6 |
| 4 | Pain, Fear, Anxiety and the Dental Patient | chapter 7-8 |
| 5 | Stress, Illness and Health Behavior | chapter 9 |
| 6 | Addictive Behaviors and Oral Health | chapter 10 |
| 7 | Psychological Approaches and Motivational Interviewing | chapter 11-12 |
| 8 | Midterm exam | |
| 9 | Human Sexuality and Professional Well-being | chapter 13-14 |
| 10 | Ethics and Professional Practice in Dentistry | chapter 15 |
| 11 | Communication with Dental Patients Quiz | chapter 16 |
| 12 | Clinical Reasoning, Patient Assessment and Difficult Patients | chapter 17-19 |
| 13 | Culture, Humanities and Complementary Approaches in Dental Care | chapter 20-22 |
| 14 | Health Equity, Social Determinants and Oral Health | chapter 23 |
| 15 | Group project |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN100.1 | Course | Thursday 12:00 - 13:50 | A F2.8 - Classroom | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 12:00 - 15:00 | A F2.22 | |
| Wednesday | 12:00 - 15:00 | A F2.22 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5 6
Midterm Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 3 4 5
Quiz
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3 4
Field work
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 3 4
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 3 ECTS credit course corresponds to 75 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture hours
28 hours ⏳ (14 week × 2 h)
Field work
10 hours ⏳ (2 week × 5 h)
Midterm exam
21 hours ⏳ (7 week × 3 h)
Final exam
13 hours ⏳ (13 week × 1 h)
Quiz
3 hours ⏳ (3 week × 1 h)
75 Total Workload Hours
3 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [DEN100] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Sep 09, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| DEN100 | Behavioral Sciences | 2 | 0 | 3 | Thu 12:00-13:50 | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Nina Bosankić-Čmajčanin | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 12:00-15:00 Wednesday: 12:00-15:00 |
|||||||
| nbosankic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | Introduce students to the biopsychosocial approach to health and illness and its relevance to dental medicine. Provide an understanding of the psychological, behavioral, social, and cultural factors that influence oral and general health. Familiarize students with major behavioral science concepts relevant to patient behavior, health behavior, illness, pain, stress, and treatment. Develop students’ awareness of the role of effective communication and the dentist–patient relationship in clinical practice. Introduce psychological and behavioral approaches that can support prevention, health promotion, treatment adherence, and behavior change. Examine the influence of social, cultural, and environmental factors, including health inequalities and social determinants, on oral health and access to dental care. Promote awareness of professional ethics, cultural competence, and the well-being of dental professionals. Provide opportunities to connect behavioral science concepts with clinical situations and patient care in dentistry. |
|||||||||
| Textbook | Wedding, D., & Stuber, M. L. (Eds.). (2020). Behavior and medicine (6th ed.). Hogrefe. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | In-class discussions, tutorials, field assignments | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction to Behavioral Sciences and Basic Concepts | chapter 1-2 | ||||||||
| Week 2 | Family, Relationships and Development | chapter 3-4 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Development Across Adulthood and Aging | chapter 5-6 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Pain, Fear, Anxiety and the Dental Patient | chapter 7-8 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Stress, Illness and Health Behavior | chapter 9 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Addictive Behaviors and Oral Health | chapter 10 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Psychological Approaches and Motivational Interviewing | chapter 11-12 | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Midterm exam | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Human Sexuality and Professional Well-being | chapter 13-14 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Ethics and Professional Practice in Dentistry | chapter 15 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Communication with Dental Patients Quiz | chapter 16 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Clinical Reasoning, Patient Assessment and Difficult Patients | chapter 17-19 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Culture, Humanities and Complementary Approaches in Dental Care | chapter 20-22 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Health Equity, Social Determinants and Oral Health | chapter 23 | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Group project | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 30 | 1,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Quiz | 1 | 15 | 3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Field work | 1 | 15 | 2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture hours | 2 | 14 | 28 | Field work | 5 | 2 | 10 | |||
| Midterm exam | 3 | 7 | 21 | Final exam | 1 | 13 | 13 | |||
| Quiz | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 75 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 3 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 29/09/2026 | |||||||||