Program Overview

The D.Ch.Dent. in Dental Surgery offers 7 strands: Special Care Dentistry, Periodontics, Prosthodontics, Oral Surgery, Orthodontics, Paediatric Dentistry, and Dental Public Health.

Special Care Dentistry

Course Director: Professor Alison Dougall
The professional doctorate in Special Care Dentistry runs full-time over three years or part-time over five years.
In their first year, in addition to modules in the Dublin Dental University Hospital, students follow selected modules as part of the M.Sc. in Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, in the School of Psychology in University College Dublin.
Clinical rotations take place in the Dublin Dental University Hospital and partner hospitals in Dublin.
The teaching and learning will be apportioned broadly as follows: 60% clinical, 40% didactic.
The didactic component will include a research dissertation.
The total ECTS to be applied to this course is 270 credits of which 90 will be attributed to the research dissertation.

Periodontics

Course Director: Dr Ioannis Polyzois
This course in Periodontology focuses on the management of periodontal conditions and the planning and execution of oral Implant therapy.
The course includes didactic and clinical components and provides the basis for continuing professional development after completion of the programme.
Students will be instructed in clinical periodontics and Implant Dentistry with emphasis on the scientific basis for treatment.
The course has been developed with the intent that it should be recognised for speciality training by the Dental Council of Ireland under the auspices of the relevant advisory committee of the Irish Committee for Specialist Training in Dentistry.
Students will undertake a research project leading to a thesis.
The Graduate programme in Periodontology is one of the 15 Graduate programs in Europe currently approved by the European Federation of Periodontology.

Prosthodontics

Course Director: Dr Michael O’Sullivan
This programme prepares the student for the clinical practice of prosthodontics at specialist level and provides the basis for continuing professional development after completion of the programme.
Students will thoroughly explore the prosthodontic literature and become competent in the clinical/laboratory aspects of fixed and removable prosthodontics, including dental implantology.
Students will learn how to diagnose, plan and execute high quality prosthodontic treatment for a range of patients.
They will have the opportunity to use state-of-the-art materials and equipment, including CAD-CAM restorations, computer-aided implant placement and fully adjustable articulators.
The course explores the use of high strength ceramics and high-aesthetic situations.
The Prosthodontic programme works closely with periodontics, especially in treatment planning for implant patients.
In addition, students attend multidisciplinary clinics for the treatment of dental trauma, developmental disorders (including hypodontia) and cancer surgery defects.

Oral Surgery

Course Director: Mr. Dermot Pierse
This programme places emphasis on the practical aspects of Oral Surgery (dentoalveolar surgery, implants, intra-oral soft tissue surgery and bone grafting).
There are strong links with oral medicine, oral pathology and other dental specialties, especially periodontology, prosthodontics and special needs.
There is a very strong component of Conscious Dental Sedation and students undertake the ACLS Course.

Orthodontics

Course Director: Professor Padhraig Fleming
The aim of the Orthodontics programme is to educate dentists to become specialists in orthodontics with a broad academic background and sufficient clinical experience.
It is the intention of this course to develop students’ clinical skills in the light of currently available scientific knowledge.
Students will undertake a research project leading to a thesis.
This research activity should also provide the basis for refereed publication.
The course fulfils the criteria for specialist recognition by the Dental Council of Ireland.

Paediatric Dentistry

Course Director: Professor Anne O’Connell
The Paediatric Dentistry Training Programme prepares the student both didactically and clinically to manage the child patient (0-16 years) at specialist level in a variety of settings (clinic, hospital, private practice).
Clinical experience is provided under consultant supervision in the Dublin Dental University Hospital and in two Paediatric Hospitals.
The volume and variety of patients includes healthy children, children with traumatic injuries, children with challenging behaviour, medically compromised children, children with dental anomalies/syndromes etc.
Treatment is provided under local anaesthesia, relative analgesia or general anaesthesia.
Interdisciplinary care is co-ordinated with the other specialty programmes.
Students are required to complete one or more research projects and present at international meetings.

Dental Public Health

Course Director: Associate Professor Brett Duane
The Dental Public Health programme runs full time over three years or part-time over five years.
The course has designed to support the development of an experienced dentist into a dental leader, and role model capable of either managing a large, often complex regional or national dental service, or acting as a consultant to provide health service reviews, and to encourage the development of patient centred evidence based, efficient oral health services.
The course is recognised for speciality training by the Dental Council of Ireland.
Students will take modules in biosciences, research and scientific methods and behavioral sciences, as well as modules focused on DPH to better understand its principles, including the ability to complete a needs assessment and health equity audit of a public health funding service, develop an oral health strategy, evaluate an oral health service, etc.
Students will undertake a research project leading to a thesis.

Course Details

Awards: NFQ Level 10
Next Intake: September 2025
Course Director: Course Directors for all strands are highlighted in the Course Overview
Closing Date:
- Applications for Orthodontics, Paediatric Dentistry and Oral Surgery programmes are not currently open.
- Applications to the Special Care Dentistry programme will close on 18th January, and to the Prosthodontics and Periodontics programmes on 31st January 2025.
- Applications to the Dental Public Health programme are to remain open until 31st March 2025.

Admission Requirements

Applicants will be considered only if they have held a primary dental qualification for at least two years.
The MFD/MJDF or equivalent is mandatory, unless applying for the Dental Public Health programme.
Normally, up to 12 months should have been spent working in hospital practice.
Good communication skills in English are essential.

English Language Requirements

All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language.
Applicants to this course are required to meet Band C (Higher Entry) English language requirements.

Course Fees

For a full list of postgraduate fees, please refer to the relevant section of the university's website.

Research Areas

The research areas for each strand of the D.Ch.Dent. in Dental Surgery include:
- Special Care Dentistry: Research dissertation as part of the didactic component.
- Periodontics: Research project leading to a thesis.
- Prosthodontics: Research in prosthodontic literature and clinical/laboratory aspects of fixed and removable prosthodontics.
- Oral Surgery: Research in the practical aspects of Oral Surgery.
- Orthodontics: Research project leading to a thesis.
- Paediatric Dentistry: One or more research projects and presentation at international meetings.
- Dental Public Health: Research project leading to a thesis.

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