Dental Surgery MChD/BChD, Oral Science BSc

You’ll develop vital communication, leadership and teamwork skills through personal and professional development modules in all years of the course.

In the first year you’re introduced to the basics of dentistry and you’ll be involved in the clinical environment from the start of the year. Scientific learning and clinical experience are integrated. Amongst other topics you’ll be introduced to health and health promotion, oral anatomy, microbiology and related science, and periodontal disease.

Year 2 builds your scientific knowledge and further develops your patient communication skills and competency in simple clinical procedures. You’ll learn about biomedical and social sciences relating to dentistry. You’ll be introduced to evidence-based practice and psychological models of dental anxiety. You’ll develop your operative clinical skills and be responsible for patient care.

In year 3 you’ll be introduced to clinical skills used in the diagnosis and treatment of more complex dental disease and complex restorations. You’ll study ‘illness and well-being’ and communication skills relevant to patient care. You’ll have the opportunity to consolidate your knowledge of psychological theories of anxiety and stress and their effects on health. You’ll undertake an assessed research project, which helps develop your skills in scientific research and in applying research principles.

There is a possibility for you to take a year out and undertake an intercalated degree before beginning year 4. Please read more about intercalation.

You continue to build your experience in year 4. All practising clinicians must be able to assess the health of their patient to undertake safe dental treatment and you’ll continue to build relevant skills. Your clinical experience will span the specialist areas of restorative and paediatric dentistry, orthodontics, oral medicine, oral surgery, pathology and radiology. You’ll choose your final-year project and acquire the skills you need to undertake this.

Our fourth year students also have the option of a three-month exchange with students from Trinity College Dublin School of Dental Sciences, Ireland, which is part of the Erasmus programme. Alternatively, a professional development elective allows you to undertake an activity related to dentistry, organised and run by you. You cannot take both these options and you do not have to take either.

Year 5 is the culmination of your studies. Final-year modules and clinical experience consolidate the skills, behaviours and knowledge you need to move successfully into dental foundation training and professional life. You’ll practise conscious intravenous and inhalation sedation. You’ll undertake the in-depth Masters-level project which develops and assesses your higher-level cognitive learning skills. The final personal and professional development module focuses on preparation for the world of work. It introduces the organisational, business and managerial skills needed in general dental practice and provides support for the dental foundation training selection process.

For a visual plan of the course, view our curriculum map

Course structure

These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

Modules Year 1

Compulsory modules

• Health and Health Promotion 20 credits
• Introduction to the Oral Environment 20 credits
• Anxiety and Pain Management 20 credits
• Oral Diseases, Defence and Repair 20 credits
• Introduction to Clinical Skills and Practice 20 credits
• Personal and Professional Development 1 20 credits

Year 2

Compulsory modules

• Personal and Professional Development 2 20 credits
• Social Sciences Related to Dentistry 10 credits
• Clinical Skills A 60 credits
• Introduction to Biomedical Sciences 20 credits
• Clinical Practice 2 15 credits

Year 3

Compulsory modules

• Undergraduate Projects 20 credits
• Clinical Skills B 50 credits
• Child Centred Dentistry 1 10 credits
• Illness and Well-being 20 credits
• Clinical Practice 3 20 credits
• Personal Professional Development 3 20 credits

Year 4

Compulsory modules

• Clinical Medical Sciences 1 30 credits
• Complex Adult Dentistry 35 credits
• Child Centred Dentistry 2 10 credits