Postgraduate study
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Paediatric Dentistry DClinDent, MClinDent

Awards: DClinDent, MClinDent

Study modes: Full-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Paediatric Dentistry

Who is this programme for?

The DClinDent in Paediatric Dentistry is a three-year, full-time programme which allows attainment of a Taught Professional Doctorate in Paediatric Dentistry.

The degree aims to provide doctoral-level educational opportunities to enable you to develop, consolidate and enhance your range of academic and clinical competencies. This will enable independent and reflective practice in Paediatric Dentistry.

Tri-Collegiate Membership in Oral Surgery

The programme is appropriate if you wish to present for the Tri-Collegiate Diploma of Membership in Paediatric Dentistry (M Paed Dent) examination administered by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Courses and attendance

The programme consists of 14 courses. All courses are compulsory, assessed and credit-bearing.

Attendance is required on weekdays for 42 weeks each year.

What will I learn?

The programme begins with an initial module of four to six weeks based in the clinical skills laboratory. This will allow you to become familiar with the rationale and clinical techniques used in the Department of Paediatric Dentistry at the Edinburgh Dental Institute.

During the initial months, there is an introduction to the dental literature and to research methodology.

The remainder of the programme follows a consistent pattern where six sessions each week are spent in the clinical care of patients. The remaining four sessions each week are dedicated to the academic and research programmes as well as personal study.

The clinical component is taught mainly in clinic, where you undertake supervised management of patients.

How will I learn?

In the first two years, the academic content of the programme will be delivered in the form of lectures and seminars with critical appraisal and discussion of the relevant literature.

In the final year, you will undertake research and clinical projects independently with a minimal amount of lectures or seminars.

Occupational health clearance

You are required to successfully complete occupational health clearance to undergo exposure prone procedures, prior to treating patients.

On completion of the DClinDent, you will be able to:

  • critically understand both the clinical and research practice for the discipline of Paediatric Dentistry which will include the scientific basis and evidence-base that supports the specialty
  • analyse and manage complex problems within your discipline
  • demonstrate the scientific principles of critical evaluation and analytical thinking for a range of clinical problems
  • interact and work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team amongst dental, medical and surgical specialties
  • apply transferable knowledge, skills and values from previous clinical practice for application in novel situations
  • show competence in the selection, planning, implementation, interpretation and dissemination of clinical audit

The programme is aimed at qualified dental practitioners who wish to further enhance their evidence-based knowledge and skills in paediatric dentistry to attain a Professional Doctorate.

You may also be interested in this programme if you are preparing for the Tri-Collegiate Specialty Membership Examination in Paediatric Dentistry.

The Tri-Collegiate Specialty Membership Examination facilitates access to the UK General Dental Council Specialist Register in Paediatric Dentistry. This allows you to practice as a specialist and with further training, gain appointment as a substantive/honorary NHS Consultant.

Likewise, if you are an overseas student, attainment of both a Professional Doctorate and a College Speciality Membership normally allows appointment within your own country at the Specialist/Consultant level.

We strongly encourage you to confirm how the DClinDent and MPaedDent awards are recognised in your country. This can be confirmed through regulatory bodies in your country of origin.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A primary dental qualification (such as a Bachelor of Dental Surgery), or its international equivalent, plus a minimum of two years' post-qualification experience.

Students from China

This degree is Band D.

Protecting Vulnerable Groups

All successful applicants will be required to join Disclosure Scotland's Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme before starting the programme. In addition, all applicants who don't live in the UK, or who have spent more than a year abroad, will need to provide equivalent verification from the relevant national authority.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Deposit

Successful applicants will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit before an unconditional offer can be made.

  • £2,500 (this contributes towards your tuition fees)

Find out more about tuition fee deposits:

Tuition fee deposits can be paid using the University's online payment facility, ePay:

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.

Tuition fees

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

  • your programme
  • the duration of your studies
  • your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • Edinburgh Postgraduate Dental Institute
  • Lauriston Building
  • Lauriston Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH3 9HA

Decisions will be made on applications by 29 March 2024.

All applicants should receive confirmation on the outcome of their applications in the following week.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • Edinburgh Postgraduate Dental Institute
  • Lauriston Building
  • Lauriston Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH3 9HA