Program Overview

Introduction to the Bachelor of Dental Surgery Program

The Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) program at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is a five-year, full-time undergraduate program designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and professional attributes necessary to deliver excellence in dental care. This community-based program reflects a major international trend in dentistry, shifting clinical training from traditional hospitals to community settings.

Program Overview

The program is underpinned by a curriculum built on the award-winning Peninsula Dental School program at the University of Plymouth, combining clinical skills training with the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and professional attributes. Students will experience contact with patients from their first year, allowing them to develop their clinical and communication skills at the earliest opportunities.

Curriculum Structure

• The first two years lay down the scientific and technical foundations upon which the later, more clinically intensive years of the course are built.
• Across Years 2 to 5, students gain extensive experience of a wide range of oral and general dental conditions, with continued reference to the scientific base underpinning dental practice.
• The later years of the program support students in developing an understanding of the patient journey through primary, secondary, and specialist dental care.
• Year 5 provides a thorough grounding for contemporary practice, ensuring students gain the skills needed to work as a general dentist immediately after graduation.

Teaching and Learning Methods

• Small-group teaching is a key feature of the students' experience.
• Students attend plenaries, practical sessions, and workshops.
• The RCSI Simulated Dental Learning Environment enables students to develop and consolidate their clinical skills before treating patients safely.
• The environment is equipped with models, equipment, and state-of-the-art patient simulators, providing a protected environment where skills can be built.

Career and Personal Supports

• The program is designed to facilitate students in realizing their potential as healthcare professionals.
• Graduates are knowledgeable in the science of their discipline and are highly skilled, well-rounded practitioners.
• Students have access to a range of career and personal supports aimed at helping them build resilience and resolve to succeed in their studies and thrive personally and professionally.
• Encouragement is given for involvement in any of the 85 student societies and sports clubs to enjoy a vibrant student life.

Community-Based Dentistry Curriculum

• Inspired by recommended international best practices, the program focuses on delivering integrated patient care and professional training near underserved communities.
• The curriculum emphasizes patient-centric practices to ensure the delivery of high-quality oral health improvements in the community.
• A community-based model addresses local health needs effectively, aligning with the national oral health policy to provide comprehensive oral healthcare and reduce inequalities.

Heritage in Dental Education

• RCSI has a strong heritage in dental education and training, running an undergraduate dental school for close to 100 years and granting a Licence in Dental Surgery.
• Theodore Stack, the first Professor of Dentistry in either England or Ireland, was appointed at RCSI in 1884.