Our facilities
Our Dental Surgery and Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy teaching is underpinned by state-of-the-art clinical training facilities. We also host research facilities and laboratories that support ground-breaking research in areas such as head and neck cancer, microbiology, and tissue engineering.
Clinical training facilities
Clinical skills learning environment
A core part of your dental education will be spent in our clinical skills learning environment in preparation for real patient treatment. It’s here that you’ll develop foundational clinical skills in a safe and controlled environment.
This state-of-the-art facility is fitted with the same equipment used by qualified dental teams, alongside ‘phantom head’ simulators which you’ll use to practise and perfect techniques - from fillings to extractions.
We also use the latest audio-visual technology in our teaching, so you can observe and copy demonstrations from qualified clinicians.
Virtual reality simulation
Our Virtual Reality Simulation Suite allows you to build upon skills taught in the clinical skills learning environment by exploring operative decision making, core clinical concepts and interactive patient case studies in a hands-on, interactive way.
Sheffield is a world leader in the use of VR for dental education, and our innovative research-led curriculum provides you with cutting-edge instruction to help prepare you for practice.
Dental Technology Unit
Our Dental Surgery students will spend time in our Dental Technology Unit, studying appliances like dentures, crowns and bridges. You’ll have access to the latest specialist equipment, including 3D printers and CAD software, and will take part in hands-on sessions using both traditional and modern techniques.
Anatomy teaching
At Sheffield, we make sure your anatomy and histology teaching is practical, inspiring, and relevant to your clinical practice. You’ll benefit from a combination of expert-led teaching, real human plastinated specimens, and advanced digital resources.
We’ve recently invested in 22 Anatomage tables, one of the most advanced 3D anatomy visualisation tools available. This makes the University of Sheffield number one in the world for Anatomage content delivery. These full-size interactive digital tables let you explore the human body layer by layer, rotate and isolate structures, and simulate different clinical conditions. It’s a powerful tool for linking anatomical knowledge to scenarios you might face in dental practice.
Find out more about our anatomy teaching
Charles Clifford Dental Hospital
During your time at Sheffield, you'll combine your academic studies and simulated learning with real hands-on clinical practice.
We have a close working relationship with Charles Clifford Dental Hospital, a specialist facility adjacent to the School, where most of your clinical placements will take place.
Here, you’ll get to experience a range of dental clinics. These can include:
- oral and maxillofacial surgery
- paediatric dentistry
- orthodontics
- restorative dentistry
You’ll be guided and supported throughout your patient interactions, with your clinical exposure progressing from observations of simple procedures through to treating or managing your own patients where appropriate, under the close supervision of qualified dental practitioners.
Alongside your time at Charles Clifford, you’ll also make use of our Dental Practice Unit, which functions as a traditional dental practice with separate dental surgeries.
In the Dental Practice Unit, you’ll work alongside experienced dental nurses to treat adult patients, and deliver high-quality care in a well-supported clinical environment. Working in this way will give you first-hand experience of the dental teams you'll join after you qualify.
Research facilities
Our core research facilities include world-class technologies that support ground-breaking research in head and neck cancer, neuroscience, microbiology and infection, and regenerative biomaterials and tissue engineering.
These facilities offer a comprehensive range of resources for cutting-edge research, including dedicated spaces and equipment for tissue culture, molecular biology, biomaterials and manufacturing, histology, microscopy, microbiology, and spatial biology.
Student spaces
As a dental student, you'll also have access to The Den, our newly-refurbished social space. It's a calm, relaxing hub where you can study or simply recharge.
As a student at Sheffield, you'll also have access to a range of other outstanding facilities and study spaces.
Explore our University facilities
Experience Sheffield for yourself
The best way to find out what studying at Sheffield is like is to visit us. You'll get a feel for the atmosphere, the people, the campus and the city.