Program Overview

Introduction to the Bachelor of Dental Surgery Programme

The Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme at RCSI offers a dynamic and patient-centred approach to undergraduate dentistry. One of the most distinctive features of this programme is early patient contact, beginning in Year 1. These early clinical experiences help students build essential communication, teamwork, and patient care skills from the very start of their journey.

Programme Overview

The five-year BDS programme aims to:

• Provide students with the core skills and knowledge to qualify and register as a dentist with the Dental Council in Ireland.
• Provide training and education as approved by the Dental Council in Ireland.
• Develop competence in the clinical skills required to deliver primary care dentistry.
• Develop critical and analytical acumen in relation to the practice of dentistry.
• Enhance personal and professional skills, and development of a professional identity.
• Develop transferable skills for lifelong learning and a career in dentistry.
• Provide opportunities for multidisciplinary working.
• Develop excellent communication and teamworking skills.
• Develop capability to underpin a successful future career as a dentist.

Programme Structure

The programme is structured over five years, with each year building on the previous one to provide a comprehensive education in dentistry.

Year 1

• Clinical education commences at the start of Year 1.
• Students learn the core scientific foundations of dentistry in a clinical context through an enquiry-based learning (EBL) format.
• Modules include:
  • Integrated Dental Science 1
  • Clinical Dental Practice 1
  • Professional Development 1
  • Inter-Professional Engagement 1

Year 2

• Builds on the foundations of Year 1, with a greater emphasis on common dental problems and disease mechanisms.
• Learning continues through EBL and in the Simulated Dental Learning Environment (SDLE).
• Modules include:
  • Integrated Dental Science 2
  • Clinical Dental Practice 2
  • Professional Development 2
  • Inter-Professional Engagement 2

Year 3

• Greater emphasis on clinical practice and self-directed learning.
• Students prepare project assignments, including an engagement project with students from another healthcare profession and clinical cases.
• Modules include:
  • Applied Dental Knowledge 3
  • Clinical Dental Practice 3
  • Professional Development 3
  • Inter-Professional Engagement 3

Year 4

• Clinical activities expand to approximately three days per week.
• Students start to prepare clinical cases for finals.
• Modules include:
  • Applied Dental Knowledge 4
  • Clinical Dental Practice 4
  • Professional Development 4
  • Inter-Professional Engagement 4

Year 5

• Emphasis on the implementation and consolidation of the skills and acumen acquired in previous years.
• Final preparation for dental practice.
• Modules include:
  • Applied Dental Knowledge 5
  • Clinical Dental Practice 5
  • Professional Development 5

Learning Experience

The programme provides a distinctive, personalised, and robust dental education that is socially accountable and targeted at meeting oral health needs of the future. Key features include:

• A spiral, vertically and horizontally integrated programme utilising a blend of teaching and learning methods.
• Patient and student-centred activities offering rich opportunities for authentic and contextual deep learning.
• Authentic tasks and real-life opportunities for clinical care and participation in meaningful work-based learning.

Teaching Methods

The programme employs a range of teaching methods, including:

• Anatomy practicals
• Case presentations
• Chairside tutorials
• Clinical skills teaching
• Early patient contact
• Electives
• Enquiry and case-based learning
• Facilitated discussions
• Healthcare symposia
• Interprofessional education
• Laboratory practicals
• Lectures
• Plenaries
• Seminars
• Simulation
• Simulated and standardised patients
• Small group teaching
• Supervised research
• Team-based/multi-disciplinary workshops
• Team projects
• Technology enhanced learning
• Tutorials
• Workplace learning including diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment of patients
• Workshops

Feedback and Assessment

The programme uses a multifaceted approach to assessments, including:

• A suite of assessment methods tailored to cover a spectrum of knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
• Formative and summative assessments to support measurement of progress and guide decisions concerning academic and clinical advancement.
• Regular portfolio appraisal records and meetings with academic tutors to review progress and develop annual personal development plans.

Student Supports

RCSI provides comprehensive support to students, including:

• Academic counselling with assigned tutors.
• Student welfare services, including confidential one-to-one support and advice.
• Counselling services provided by professionally registered counsellors.
• Learning Access and Facilitation Service for students with disabilities, significant medical conditions, or learning difficulties.
• Student health primary care services at the Department of General Practice in the Mercer Medical Centre.

Clinical Experience

Students enjoy training in simulated and clinical environments, including:

• The Simulated Dental Learning Environment (SDLE) for acquiring and practicing clinical skills.
• Dental Education Facilities (DEF) for clinical learning in a primary care setting.
• Specialist visits to explore the role of secondary care and its contribution to the clinical journey and patient experience.

Research Opportunities

The programme offers active participation in research, serving as a catalyst for lifelong learning and integrating theoretical knowledge with practical applications. Opportunities include:

• The RCSI Research Summer School for developing core skills in scientific writing, presentation, data management, statistics, ethics, and research involving patients.
• The RCSI Student Innovation Challenge for devising innovative approaches to address problems facing modern healthcare delivery.