Program Overview
The DClinDent is a three-year full-time clinical taught postgraduate course designed for dentists seeking specialist training in endodontics, periodontology, or prosthodontics. The program provides a solid grounding in restorative dentistry, with a focus on developing clinical skills and research abilities. Students benefit from extensive practical experience, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the opportunity to earn both a university degree and specialist membership from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd).
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The DClinDent is a three-year full-time clinical taught postgraduate course delivered by specialists. It is designed for dentists who wish to pursue specialist training in one of the restorative mono-specialities and prepare for the speciality membership examinations in endodontics, periodontology and prosthodontics of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd). The course aims to provide students with a strong multi-disciplinary grounding across all aspects of restorative dentistry, fostering a broad learning experience beyond their chosen speciality. It also aims to develop students' ability to make sound judgements in complex and unpredictable situations, plan and implement tasks at a professional level, and communicate clearly and professionally to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Outline:
The program is structured into three years, with a common first year for all students across the three disciplines (endodontics, periodontology, and prosthodontics). The second and third years are speciality-specific, with students focusing on their chosen speciality.
First Year:
- Provides a solid grounding in endodontic, periodontal and prosthodontic treatments.
- Develops clinical skills in first-rate facilities.
- Students attend treatment planning clinics with course tutors.
- Students carry out the literature review component of the research project.
Second and Third Years:
- Students treat patients and focus on their specialism of endodontics.
- Students carry out the experimental component of the research project.
- Students complete a thesis of publication standard.
Modules:
- Principles of Periodontal Treatment: Develops knowledge and understanding of the theoretical background and scientific basis of Periodontology and integration of periodontal treatment in total patient care.
- Principles of Endodontics Treatment: Develops knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of endodontic disease. Students will obtain a foundation of basic science knowledge relevant to the understanding of Endodontology.
- Principles of Conservative Dentistry: Develops knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of caries and other conditions that impact negatively on the biological health and structure of teeth.
- Management of the Partially Dentate Patient: Develops knowledge and understanding of the effect that loss of teeth has on function, aesthetics and the patient's psychological well-being.
- Research Project Literature Review: Introduces students to the background reading and critical appraisal of the literature related to their chosen project.
- Research Methods in Clinical Dentistry: Introduces students to patient-centred research methods, including evidence-based dentistry, critical appraisal, research governance and ethics, quantitative and qualitative research methods, and statistical appraisal of research reports.
- Principles of Clinical Management: Introduces the basic concepts of clinical management of a patient including clinical governance, cross-infection control and radiology.
- Clinical Practice Programme - New Patient 1, 2, and 3: Develops competency in the skills required for Restorative Dentistry practice with an emphasis on the development of a multidisciplinary treatment strategy specific to the needs and expectations of an individual patient.
- Research Project: Experimental Work Data Collection: Students undertake experimental work and data collection aspects for their chosen research project under the direction of the supervisory team.
- Clinical Practice Programme - TOP1 and TOP2: Provides clinical experience to develop the key skills of the specialist to a proficient level, including diagnosis, treatment planning and management of patients within the speciality and for patients requiring multidisciplinary care within restorative dentistry and other disciplines of dentistry.
- Specialty Programme 1 and 2: Endodontics: Develops knowledge and understanding of the theoretical basis and practical skills to enable the competent management and treatment of endodontics and general restorative inter-disciplinary cases to a specialist level in accordance with the requirements of the GDC's Specialist Curricula.
Assessment:
- Competency-based continuous clinical assessments
- Formal examinations
- Oral presentations
- Written assignments
- Research project
Teaching:
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Seminars
- Demonstrations
- Clinical skills laboratory sessions
- Case-based discussion
Other:
- The University of Sheffield has a memorandum of agreement with RCSEd on conjoint examinations in endodontics. This memorandum recognises this three-year programme as providing sufficient equivalence that the RCSEd will permit registered candidates to sit the Membership Examination in Endodontics; if successful, candidates will be granted the RCSEd Membership in Endodontics (the “MEndo RCSEd”) and the DClinDent (Endodontics) from the University of Sheffield.
- Final-year students (year 3) can choose to sit a conjoint examination. Successful candidates will be awarded the degree of DClinDent and speciality membership (RCSEd) in endodontics.
- Distinct and carefully mapped opportunities to work and interact with colleagues in the other two restorative disciplines and other hospital trainees will give doctorate students the opportunity to develop their skills in a multidisciplinary environment. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.
