Program Overview

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Programme: MChD in Community Dentistry

The MChD in Community Dentistry is a postgraduate programme offered by the University of Pretoria's Faculty of Health Sciences.

Programme Information

Exemption may be granted by the Chair of School, on the recommendation of the relevant head of department, by virtue of comparable training and/or experience in terms of the requirements of School Regulations, with the proviso that exemption from the examination and evaluation in the major subject may not be granted.

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor of Dentistry (or equivalent) degree
• Registration as a dentist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in the category Independent Practice

Examinations and Pass Requirements

Examination and Evaluation in the Major Subject

Admission to the examination in the major subject is determined by the relevant head of department.

1. Only candidates who have met all the requirements for the MChD degree except for the major subject (final examination), i.e., passed all the prerequisite subjects; completed all applicable training as prescribed by the relevant head of department; and completed the required research component for the degree, will be allowed to write the final MChD examination, after which they will obtain the MChD specialist qualifications.
2. The student must submit and pass a dissertation on an approved topic related to the major subject and submit a manuscript for publication as required.
3. Candidates who have met all of the above criteria may choose to sit for the final Colleges of Medicine South Africa (CMSA) Part II examination in place of / in addition to the final MChD examination, and be credited for this where applicable.

Examinations in the Basic and Subsidiary Subjects

• A student must pass these subjects prior to admission to the examination in the major subject. A minimum of at least 50% is required to pass.
• Examinations in the basic and subsidiary subjects must be passed before the end of the third year of study, or at a time as determined by the relevant head of department.

Research Information

The student must submit (to the external examiner) before taking the final examination and pass a dissertation on an approved topic related to the major subject and as required in obtaining the MChD.

Pass with Distinction

An MChD student, who has obtained at least 75% with the first attempt in both his major subject and the dissertation, will receive the degree with distinction.

Core Modules

The following are the core modules for the programme:

• BOS 850: Biostatistics 850 (Credits: 10.00)
• EHR 800: Ethics and human rights 800 (Credits: 0.00)
• GTH 810: Community dentistry I 810 (Credits: 40.00)
• HCM 810: Health policy and systems 810 (Credits: 10.00)
• HME 874: Epidemiology 1 874 (Credits: 10.00)
• SCM 810: Social determinants of health and primary healthcare 810 (Credits: 10.00)
• SCM 820: Principles of human resource management 820 (Credits: 10.00)
• SCP 810: Health promotion 810 (Credits: 10.00)
• TNM 802: Applied research methodology 802 (Credits: 0.00)

Additional core modules include:

• BOS 875: Biostatistics 2 875 (Credits: 10.00)
• GTH 812: Community dentistry II 812 (Credits: 80.00)
• HCI 810: Health systems operations management 810 (Credits: 10.00)
• SCC 810: Communication in health 810 (Credits: 10.00)
• GTH 813: Community dentistry III 813 (Credits: 60.00)
• HCF 872: Financial management in public health 872 (Credits: 10.00)
• HME 875: Monitoring and evaluation 875 (Credits: 10.00)
• YPO 803: Applied clinical pathology and oral medicine 803 (Credits: 15.00)
• GTH 814: Community dentistry IV 814 (Credits: 45.00)
• GTH 895: Mini-dissertation: Community dentistry 895 (Credits: 120.00)