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Dental Technology
School of Clinical Dentistry,
Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health

Course description
This course covers traditional as well as digital dental technologies, with a focus on the latest CAD/CAM techniques. Dental technicians and clinical professionals with suitable training in basic dental technology can expand and update their skills by studying the fundamentals of digital dentistry.
You’ll be trained to produce advanced and technically demanding dental appliances and medical devices. There is a wide range of digital design and manufacturing processes that you can study, and you’ll have the flexibility to focus on the ones that interest you most, or that are most relevant to your practice.
You’ll explore the major dental problems that dental technicians can help patients with, and develop strategies to address them systematically. Your digital dentistry training will include using intra-oral and extra-oral scanners to investigate dental problems in greater detail, and our module on dental materials science will help you provide the best treatment options for patients.
There is also a research training programme that will equip you to conduct a research project of your own, working closely with expert researchers in the School of Clinical Dentistry.
Modules
Core modules
- Dental Technology I and II
- Introduction to Digital Dentistry and Dental Manufacturing
- Dental Materials Science
- Research Problems and Approaches
- Dental Laboratory Governance
- Research Methods in Clinical Dentistry
- Research Project
The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn.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. We are no longer offering unrestricted module choice. If your course included unrestricted modules, your department will provide a list of modules from their own and other subject areas that you can choose from.
Open days
An open day gives you the best opportunity to hear first-hand from our current students and staff about our courses. You'll find out what makes us special.
Duration
1 year full-time
Teaching
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Tutorials
- Practical classes
Assessment
- Written assignments
- Examinations
- Practical laboratory work
- Objective structured practical examinations (OSPE)
Your career
This course is designed to help you take your career in dentistry to the next level by giving you
- thorough knowledge and understanding of dental biomaterials
- the skills to critically analyse and assess individual patients’ cases
- the expertise to develop practical solutions to a range of dental problems
- experience of research, and applying your findings to the practice of dental technology and digital manufacturing
Graduates from this course often go on to more senior or managerial roles in dentistry. Others build on their research training with a PhD and a career in academia.
Student profiles
Entry requirements
A degree in dental technology or a relevant subject such as biomedical science or bioengineering. You should have a minimum of two years of post-training experience in dental technology and be able to demonstrate advanced technical expertise in the field.
If you don’t have a degree, we’ll accept an equivalent recognised professional qualification in dental technology.
Overall IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, or equivalent.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an online interview.
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the department.
Fees and funding
Additional costs
The cost of dissertation binding is not included in your course fees.
Apply
You can apply for postgraduate study using our Postgraduate Online Application Form. It's a quick and easy process.
Contact
dentalpgtadmissions@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 215 9318 or +44 114 215 9319
Any supervisors and research areas listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.
Recognition of professional qualifications: from 1 January 2021, in order to have any UK professional qualifications recognised for work in an EU country across a number of regulated and other professions you need to apply to the host country for recognition. Read information from the UK government and the EU Regulated Professions Database.