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    DClinDent
    2025 start September 

    Periodontics

    School of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Health

    Study on a full-time, three-year, taught clinical doctorate programme to become a specialist in periodontics.
    Three students chatting in the lobby of the Dental School building

    Course description

    This course is for dentists who want to specialise in periodontics and earn speciality membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd).  At the end of your final year, you can sit a single exit assessment held jointly between the University of Sheffield and RCSEd.  Candidates will be awarded a DClinDent from the University of Sheffield and a membership from the RCSEd in the relevant specialty, without the need to sit a separate examination. 

    Although periodontics will be your speciality focus, you will learn alongside students in our Endodontics and Prosthodontics courses. With small class sizes (a ratio of 1:4) you will gain a broader knowledge base, preparing you well for the RCSEd membership exams and a clinical career in restorative dentistry. 

    All our courses are mapped to the UK General Dental Council’s speciality curricula and in this way, we ensure that the whole syllabus is covered throughout the three years. 

    Your first year is shared between all students in the three speciality courses. This provides a unique opportunity to develop a solid foundation in all aspects of restorative dentistry. All aspects of restorative dentistry in all three specialisms will be covered, including operative skills, clinical assessments and patient care. You will develop new practical skills in clinical training sessions, and attend consultant clinics and case discussions.

    In the second and third years, your learning and professional development will focus almost exclusively on your mono-speciality working towards the end-of-programme con-joint examinations. You will gain the confidence to make sound judgements in complex and unpredictable patient care.

    You will further develop a speciality skill set in the multidisciplinary environment of the programme; working, learning and sharing experiences with students and trainees from other areas, including orthodontics, dental public health and paediatrics. You will develop your skills and professional aptitudes in all domains so that you can communicate confidently, clearly and professionally with specialists, non-specialists and your patients.

    Why study at Sheffield?

    • State-of-the-art facilities and bespoke patient clinics - You will develop your clinical skills via skill simulation environments, laboratory production laboratories (digital and conventional) and in NHS patient clinics, where you will work alongside a dental nurse assigned to support you in patient care throughout your study with us.
    • Small class sizes - You will be taught clinical skills by registered specialists with a ratio of 1 teacher to 4 students, and learn from and collaborate with clinicians across all three restorative dentistry mono-specialities.
    • Develop your research skills - You will take part in a research project, culminating in a peer-reviewed journal publication written by you.

    Do you have a question? Talk to us

    Book a 15-minute online meeting with our course leader to find out more information and ask further questions.

    Book an appointment with Professor Nicolas Martin

    Modules

    A selection of modules is available each year - some examples are below. There may be changes before you start your course. From May of the year of entry, formal programme regulations will be available in our Programme Regulations Finder.

    Principles of Periodontal Treatment

    This module develops knowledge and an in-depth understanding of the theoretical background and scientific basis of Periodontology and integration of periodontal treatment in total patient care. The aetiology, classification and diagnosis of periodontal diseases and the multifactorial nature of disease susceptibility will be considered regarding the role of major risk factors. The epidemiology of periodontitis and the interaction between systemic diseases will be considered. Clinical skills training will include management of simple/moderate periodontal disease by non-surgical and surgical means. Students, working singly and in groups, will seek knowledge through a range of learning modalities: Lectures, critical appraisals and skills practice.

    15 credits
    Principles of Endodontics Treatment

    This module will develop knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of endodontic disease. Students will obtain a foundation of basic science knowledge relevant to the understanding of Endodontology. They will develop relevant knowledge and clinical skills in the principles of root canal treatment and be able to carry out non-complex treatment. They will develop knowledge on how to assess and manage endodontic complications within the context of other dental specialties and so understand treatment options. Students, working singly and in groups, will seek knowledge through a range of learning modalities: Lectures, critical appraisals and skills practice.
    This module will develop knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of endodontic disease. Students will obtain a foundation of basic science knowledge relevant to the understanding of Endodontology. They will develop relevant knowledge and clinical skills in the principles of root canal treatment and be able to carry out non-complex treatment. They will develop knowledge on how to assess and manage endodontic complications within the context of other dental specialties and so understand treatment options. Students, working singly and in groups, will seek knowledge through a range of learning modalities: Lectures, critical appraisals and skills practice.


    This module will develop knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of endodontic disease. Students will obtain a foundation of basic science knowledge relevant to the understanding of Endodontology. They will develop relevant knowledge and clinical skills in the principles of root canal treatment and be able to carry out non-complex treatment. They will develop knowledge on how to assess and manage endodontic complications within the context of other dental specialties and so understand treatment options. Students, working singly and in groups, will seek knowledge through a range of learning modalities: Lectures, critical appraisals and skills practice.

    15 credits
    Principles of Conservative Dentistry

    This module will develop knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of caries and other conditions that impact negatively on the biological health and structure of teeth. Students will obtain a foundation of basic science knowledge relevant to the understanding of Prosthodontics. They will develop relevant knowledge and clinical skills in the principles of management of compromised teeth and the dentition as a whole using direct and indirect restorative systems. They will learn when and how to provide the most appropriate restorative modalities to restore function and aesthetics in a predictable and durable manner with due attention to the achievement of occlusal harmony. Students, working singly and in groups, will seek knowledge through a range of learning modalities: Lectures, critical appraisals and skills practice.

    60 credits
    Management of the Partially Dentate Patient

    This module will develop knowledge and an in-depth understanding of the effect that loss of teeth has on function, aesthetics and the patient's psychological well-being. Students will develop an in-depth and critical understanding of the different restorative methods available for the restoration of function and aesthetics of a partial dentition in a predictable and durable manner. Students will develop the necessary skills to establish a diagnosis, prognosis and treatment strategy for the management of the partially dentate patient.

    30 credits
    Research Project Literature Review

    Research is key to the practice of clinical dentistry. This unit will introduce students to the background reading and critical appraisal of the literature related to their chosen project.

    30 credits
    Clinical Practice Programme- New Patient I

    The candidate will attend consultant clinics and case based discussion seminars which develop 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. The candidate will develop the skills to effectively communicate these treatment strategies to the patient and colleagues in primary or secondary care who may be required to execute them.

    30 credits

    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.

    Open days

    An open day gives you the best opportunity to hear first-hand from our current students and staff about our courses.

    Book a space on our next open day on Wednesday 27 November

    Duration

    3 years full-time

    Teaching

    You will learn and develop through a wide range of complementary educational methods, each one specifically designed for the task in hand. These include 

    • lectures
    • tutorials
    • seminars
    • demonstrations
    • operative skill learning in phantom heads and VR environments
    • critical appraisal of the literature
    • journal club
    • VR simulation
    • case-based discussions
    • reflective feedback
    • research seminars
    • participation in clinical and research groups, and extensive patient-centred practical clinical experience

    All your clinical learning, teaching and supervision is provided by registered specialists with a 1:4 clinical tutor-to-student ratio to ensure optimum support of your learning, feedback, reflection and mentoring.

    All clinical patient-centred care is provided in our dental hospital facilities at the Charles Clifford Dental Hospital, which provides NHS care to patients. You will have exclusive use of a designated dental chair and be assigned a dental nurse to support you in your learning and patient care. This is complemented by on-site dental technology laboratories for all fixed and removable prostheses, including full implant provision. You will learn and use conventional and fully digital fabrication processes, using state-of-the-art intra-oral scanning and fabrication technologies

    Assessment

    We will use a combination of formative and summative assessments including different competency-based clinical assessments, end-of-module examinations, written reports, verbal presentations, logbooks and research publications. 

    Entry requirements

    A university-accredited degree in dental surgery that enables the practice of dentistry.

    We also consider a wide range of international qualifications:

    Entry requirements for international students

    We assess each application on the basis of the applicant’s preparation and achievement as a whole. We may accept applicants whose qualifications don’t meet the published entry criteria but have other experience relevant to the course.

    The lists of required degree subjects and modules are indicative only.  Sometimes we may accept subjects or modules that aren’t listed, and sometimes we may not accept subjects or modules that are listed, depending on the content studied.

    English language requirements

    IELTS 7 (with 6.5 in each component) or University equivalent.

    Other requirements

    You should have at least two years of post-qualification experience in any sphere of restorative dentistry, including general dental practice.

    You must also meet our health and Disclosure and Barring Service requirements for clinical courses. 

    Application process

    Applicants must include the following in their application:

    • Degree certificate and transcript.
    • Two up-to-date references.
    • Curriculum vitae (CV).
    • Supporting statement outlining why they want to study the course.
    • English Language Qualification.

    See our supporting documents webpage for more information on the documents we require.

    We do not issue conditional offers for this programme, so only applications submitted with all the necessary supporting documentation will be considered.

    The deadline for your application to be considered in the first round of shortlisting is 15 December 2024. Any applications received after this date will only be considered if places become available and another round of shortlisting is required.


    Application timeline for 2025 entry

    Applications open: 15 September 2024

    Application deadline: 15 December 2024

    Applications received after this date will only be considered if another round of shortlisting is required.

    Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an online interview. These will take place in late February 2025.

    You should expect to receive a decision by March 2025.

    Offer holders must accept their offer and pay a £5,000 fee deposit within four weeks of receiving their offer letter. Otherwise, the offer will be withdrawn.

    If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the school/department.

    Fees and funding

    Additional costs

    The following costs aren't included in your course fees:

    • dissertation binding
    • registration, travel and accommodation expenses for external conferences and meetings
    • examination fees and related expenses for the conjoint examination (if you decide to sit this) and any other external examinations such as the MRD, MFDS or ORE

    Financial information for postgraduate taught courses

    Apply

    You can apply now using our Postgraduate Online Application Form. It's a quick and easy process.

    Apply now

    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.

    Our student protection plan

    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.