Dental anxiety and phobia are significant problems for many of our patients. Learning the tools that can be used to effectively manage these patients will allow you to broaden your clinical practice and increase the access to dental care for these patients.
Conscious sedation is a safe and effective way of facilitating routine and more complex dental care in patients who would otherwise not be able to have treatment done, including children and adolescents. You will also have the opportunity to explore other non-pharmacological techniques that can be used to effectively manage anxious patients in your daily practice.
This programme covers the core areas required to be able to provide safe and effective conscious sedation, including;
The programme fully complies with the Intercollegiate Advisory Committee on Conscious Sedation in Dentistry (IACSD) guidelines and therefore on completion you will be qualified to practice independently in conscious sedation.
The programme has been designed for dental practitioners either in primary or secondary care who wish to introduce this invaluable skill into their practice or formalise their existing training and experience.
Find out about the courses you will be studying on the programme.
This 60 credit programme is split into five courses. As conscious sedation is a practical skill, the programme has both online courses and a clinical course.
Online courses
The majority of the courses are delivered online to allow you to study the theory behind successful conscious sedation at a time and place most convenient for you. There are four 10 credit courses that each run over a period of five weeks.
Explore the relevant basic science that underpins practice in conscious sedation and the successful use of local anaesthetic in dentistry.
Examine a range of non-pharmacological techniques that can be utilised to manage an anxious patient and the importance of effective communication.
Explore the issues which relate to the suitability of a patient for dental-led conscious sedation and interpret the relevant clinical parameters.
Examine the current knowledge and practice within conscious sedation in dentistry, including more advanced techniques.
Clinical Course
The clinical course is a 20 credit course which runs alongside the online courses in the form of clinical practice days hosted at the Edinburgh Dental Institute. The first clinical practice day is in September and these run once a month until the following August.
The first clinical practice day is an Induction Day, and will include an introduction to the course, academic skills such as using the library, occupational health clearance and the required health and safety induction.
The second clinical practice day will cover medical emergencies in sedation practice and communication skills.
From the third clinical practice day you will start to provide the sedation for patients on the oral surgery clinic, and this will continue for the remainder of your clinical sessions. You will also have the opportunity to provide inhalational sedation.
Applicants should be aware that there is notable time commitment not only to the clinical days which are once a month hosted at the Edinburgh Dental Institute, but also to the online learning material and tasks which are estimated to take at least 10 hours per week. Participation in online discussion boards and journal club is expected on a weekly basis. Students are also strongly encouraged to maintain a reflective personal journal of their clinical experience alongside a sedation logbook as they progress through the programme.
The online courses of the programme are delivered on the virtual learning environment or VLE, which aims to provides a dynamic and collaborative learning experience using a variety of online learning methods such as discussion forums, an online journal club and clinical case studies. The online community will also be supported by the clinical practice days where you will have the opportunity to meet your fellow students and tutors.
To achieve the credits of the online courses you will be assessed on academic assignments such as a literature review or reflective essay. You will be supported in writing academically with advice given on searching the literature, examples of good academic and reflective writing and the opportunity for formative feedback on drafts before final submission. Two of the more clinically focussed online courses will be assessed through short written examinations consisting of single best answer and situational judgement test questions. Again, throughout these courses formative feedback will be given with the opportunity to practice these styles of question.
The clinical course will be assessed by submission of a clinical case presentation of a case treated on the programme alongside regular clinical assessment through the use of workplace based assessments. The student will submit four workplace based assessments to contribute to their final mark for the course.
Our postgraduate certificate in Dental Cone Beam CT Radiological Interpretation is a nine month distance-learning programme to train dentists to be able to use CBCT imaging appropriately to help diagnose clinical problems of the dento-alveolar areas of the jaws, correctly interpret the radiological signs and write structured radiological reports.
This course is mostly delivered online, so you can study with minimum disruption to your professional and personal life while benefitting from world-class teaching.
The programme provides knowledge and understanding of:
Developmental conditions
Students will acquire skills in:
Teaching
The course is a blended learning programme taught primarily online through the King’s College London’s online learning environment, KEATS (King's E-learning and Teaching Service) which provides information, interactive questions, assignments, use of bibliographic databases and reading material. Content is supplemented by online seminars and tutorials delivered by teaching staff.
The compulsory face-to-face component takes place for five consecutive days in September at King’s College London, Guy’s campus. This component will consist of four days of lectures, practical exercises, mock oral exams and tutor feedback, which will help to prepare students for the final exams taking place on the fifth day.
*In order to view and manipulate CT scans during your online self study activities, you will be required to use free software that only runs on Windows operating systems. More details will be given at the start of the course.
Notes for applicants
The course does not provide great detail on implant planning or image-guided planning/surgery, for which dedicated software is often required.
We have designed the postgraduate training for dentists who want to understand CBCT imaging and wish to write interpretation reports on CBCT scans of dento-alveolar region.
This course is not intended to train a dentist to become a radiologist. In UK, a radiologist is trained within a scheme approved by the regional LETB/Deanery, in a hospital setting, which requires minimum of 4 years full-time training and is examined by the Royal College of Radiologists.
The course is divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 60 credits.
You are required to take:
Each module consists of 6 units. Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.
Students are assessed through a combination of coursework, written and oral examinations.
The MSc in Medical Visualisation and Human Anatomy is a one-year taught postgraduate programme offered by the School of Simulation and Visualisation at The Glasgow School of Art in collaboration with the Laboratory of Human Anatomy, University of Glasgow.
The course presents a unique opportunity to combine actual cadaveric dissection with 3D digital reconstruction, interaction and visualisation using state of the art virtual reality facilities. It allows students to examine human anatomy, and to reconstruct it in a real-time 3D environment for use in education, simulation, and training. This Masters programme provides an ideal opportunity for enhancement of research into human anatomy, diagnostics, simulation, and visualisation, and is accredited by the Institute of Medical Illustrators.
Programme Structure:
The MSc Medical Visualisation & Human Anatomy programme is delivered over one year (45 weeks) in 3 Stages. Students undertaking the programme will split their time equally between the University of Glasgow and the Glasgow School of Art. The programme is delivered as two core areas - digital technologies applied to medical visualisation (delivered by the School of Simulation and Visualisation (SimVis) in Stage 1) and human anatomy (delivered by the Laboratory of Human Anatomy in Stage 2). In Stage 3, students work towards a large-scale self-directed final project, supported by supervisors from both SimVis and GU.
Stage 1
3D modelling and animation
Applications in medical visualisation
Volumetric visualisation
Core research skills for postgraduates
Stage 2
Introduction to anatomy
Structure and function of the human body
Cadaveric dissection techniques
Stage 3
MSc Research Project
Part time study is also available. Please see the Part Time Study Guide for more information.
Scholarships and Funded Places:
A range of scholarships are available which cover partial or full fees. More information can be found here.
Entry requirements:
You should have a good Honours degree or equivalent in any of the following disciplines:
• Life sciences, medical or biomedical science, e.g. anatomy, physiology, dentistry or dental technology, forensic anthropology, molecular biological degrees and the allied health professionals
• Computer science, 3D visualisation, computer graphics, health informatics, mathematics, and physics
• Medical illustration, 3D design, product design, digital media, digital arts, 3D modeling and animation
• or equivalent professional practice
High calibre graduates from other disciplines may be considered if they are able to demonstrate an interest and ability in the field of medical visualisation.
IELTS 6.5 for overseas applicants for whom English is not their first language.
The MSc in Clinical Anatomy is a new programme which aims to provide students with a greater understanding of advanced human anatomy including appropriate radiological anatomy, microscopic anatomy and embryology. The modules presented will emphasise clinically and surgically relevant anatomy, although they are not designed exclusively for clinicians, and applications are invited from any students who have studied some basic anatomy within their first degree.
Queen's is one of the few medical schools in the UK to teach students through anatomical dissection.
As well as a full Masters degree in Clinical Anatomy, PG Certificate and PG Diploma awards are also offered for those who have less time or wish only to study certain aspects of human anatomy.
This MSc provides students with a foundation in the analysis of human remains, both in archaeological and modern forensic settings. With a solid grounding in skeletal and dental anatomy, students learn about morphological variation, development, methods for biological profiling, human disease and forensic approaches to trauma and taphonomy.
Students will learn procedures for interpretation and analysis of human skeletal remains - considering both archaeological and modern forensic contexts. There is a unique opportunity to analyse recently excavated human remains, utilising methods and techniques learned during the programme. While the focus of this programme is primarily on modern humans, late Pleistocene hominids are also considered.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of five core modules (75 credits), one optional module (15 credits) and a research dissertation (90 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
Students choose one optional module from the following list or from the wider range of Master's optional modules available. Please note that some core modules are normally only available to those enrolled for the degree in question. If you wish to take a core module from another degree as an option certain restrictions may apply. Please consult the programme co-ordinator before choosing your optional module.
Please note that not all options run every year.
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 15,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and practical classes. This MSc has strong links with the Forensic Archaeological Science MSc which gives individual programmes an interesting mix of participants and provides many opportunities for discussion. Assessment is through essays, class tests, reports and the dissertation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Bioarchaeological and Forensic Anthropology MSc
Some graduates of the programme go on to PhD studies, while others go on to work in a range of archaeological and non-archaeological roles as osteoarchaeological specialists, members of the police, curators and political researchers.
The UCL Institute of Archaeology is the largest and most diverse archaeology department in the UK, offering students a range of opportunities.
This particular MSc is unique, offering a combination of bioarchaeological and forensic principles for the study of human remains unlike anything else available in the UK. Students further benefit from access to a large collection of skeletal material for study, including dental and palaeopathology reference collections. Access to sophisticated equipment and techniques (laser scanner, SEM, thin sectioning, CT) is also available.
Some lectures will take place at the Royal College of Surgeons and students have access to their teaching collections and museums, including the Wellcome Museum of Anatomy and Pathology.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Institute of Archaeology
73% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
Our MSc/PGDip Oral Surgery programme provides the busy General Dental Practitioner with a part-time educational route to acquire the skills and knowledge required of a Dentist with Special Interest (DwiSI).
This programme focuses on contemporary practice, teaching evidence-based principles and systems to ensure an optimal outcome for the patient and practitioner.
Applicants will be invited to an Advice day held at Greenbank Building at UCLan, where prospective students will be given an opportunity to talk to the Course Leader and tour the specialist facilities including the UCLan Dental Clinic where students will carry out their 15 clinical placements throughout their course in which we provide the patients.
Postgraduate Advice Events
Tuesday 6th Feb 2018, 2pm – 4pm (Presentation and Facilities Tour)
Tuesday 10th April 2018, 2pm – 4pm
Wednesday 2nd May 2018, 2pm – 4pm (1 hour CPD lecture 4pm – 5pm)
Saturday 16th June 2018, 10.30am – 1pm (1 hour CPD lecture 12pm – 1pm)
Wednesday 11th July 2018, 2pm – 4pm (1 hour CPD lecture 4pm – 5pm)
Reserve your place by emailing [email protected]
The programme encompasses a blended learning approach and consists of a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, clinic training sessions and laboratory visits. Each person will be assigned a personal tutor for the entire programme.
We offer MSc students 15 clinic placements in which we provide the patients at the UCLan Dental Clinic during the diploma programme.
Each module of your course will have a series of assessments and examinations - these are designed to develop and test your core knowledge and skills at regular intervals throughout the programme. Assessments focus on your higher levels skills of diagnosis and planning, rather than simply remembering facts. Typical assessments would include analysis of given clinical cases OSCEs and essays.
Our MSc/PGDip Oral Surgery programme provides the busy General Dental Practitioner with a part-time educational route to acquire the skills and knowledge required of a Dentist with Special Interest (DwiSI). This programme focuses on contemporary practice, teaching evidence-based principles and systems to ensure an optimal outcome for the patient and practitioner.
During the course (2 years PGDip; 3 years MSc) you will be expected to attend up to 15 study/assessment days per year. Many of these sessions will be within the School of Medicine and Dentistry on the main UCLan Preston Campus, though some sessions will be timetabled in UCLan Dental Clinic, where you will observe, assist and ultimately lead in clinical treatment. To accompany the study days, much of the course content, including lecture notes, PowerPoint slides, videos of lectures and assignments will be delivered to you via the University’s Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) allowing you to both prepare work for study days and undertake additional work independently from your home location.
Work in the early part of the course will comprise plenary lectures and practical sessions in our state-of-the-art phantom head facility and work on pigs head sand similar systems. As you move through the course you will progress to working on live patients under close supervision in UCLan Dental Clinic. Here skills will be developed and assessed through Direct Observations of Procedural Skills (DOPS). The academic underpinning that supports this discipline will be developed though plenary lectures, directed reading and case-based discussions, which you and others in the group will be expected to prepare and lead. Group sizes are generally small (typically 12 per cohort) leading to an informal and supportive learning environment where you can ensure that your own learning needs are being met.
We must of course have assessments and examinations - these are designed to develop and test your core knowledge and skills at regular intervals throughout the programme. Assessments focus on your higher levels skills of diagnosis and planning, rather than simply remembering facts. Typical assessments would include analysis of given clinical cases OSCEs, mini clinical examinations and essays.
Our three-year MSc (Clin) Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery course enables dentists to train in the specialty concerned with the diagnosis and management of diseases, injuries and defects affecting the mouth, jaws, face and neck.
All units are based on the speciality of oral surgery, but within the wider context of maxillofacial surgery. You will undertake minor oral surgery under supervision, carried out under local anaesthesia, conscious sedation and general anaesthesia. You will also attend theatre to assist and observe major surgery and attend consultation clinics, trauma clinics, ward rounds and carry out ward duties.
The clinical component of the course consists of units covering surgical basic sciences, reflective oral surgery practices, dental tissues, bone disease and injury, soft tissues, and salivary tissue, pain and the temporomandibular joint.
You will attend weekly interactive seminars led by senior staff and invited guest speakers. Some of these have actor patients present to allow you to rehearse your clinical skills.
If you study the full three-year MSc, you will also attend external teaching events such as residential blocks for basic science applied to surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
You will become eligible to sit the Royal College of Surgeons examinations for Membership in Oral Surgery on completion of this MSc course.
The course aims to:
Assessment is by essay and SBAs throughout the course and related to the taught units. You will also maintain a clinical surgical logbook and undertake a clinical competency test. There is also an oral examination.
Research Methods Component (15 credits): The aim is to equip you with skills related to design, execution and interpretation of clinical and clinically-related research.
Biostatistics component (15 credits): This unit aims to equip you with skills in data collection, simple analysis and interpretation of clinical and clinically related research.
Specialist Clinical Component: The aim of this component is to give you an understanding of the scientific basis of oral and maxillofacial surgery, with particular emphasis on current theories relevant to the diagnosis, treatment planning and clinical management of adult patients.
The Specialist Clinical Component encompasses the following:
Dissertation
Course content for year 1
Additional teaching and learning specific to the three year course:
Course content for year 2
Course content for year 3
You will have access to dedicated postgraduate suites. You will also be able to access a range offacilities throughout the University.
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service .
Some selected seminars will provide you with CPD hours.
MSc courses are designed for dental practitioners who wish to further their knowledge of surgery and are a useful foundation for specialist training in this field.
The three year course provides specialist oral surgery clinical training.
Our Prosthodontics MClinDent offers you the opportunity to learn fixed, removable and implant prosthodontics from world-renowned academics and clinicians. You will receive personal supervision and training, both academic and practical, and we will teach you the skills and methods needed to complete an in-depth research project in an area which interests you.
Sixty per cent of the programme is dedicated to clinical experience. Teaching styles include close mentoring, chair-side guidance and small group work that emphasises the importance of the evidence base in literature and creates new research opportunities.
Our programme covers the scientific background to implants, fixed and removable prosthodontics, and clinical techniques. You will study anatomy, physiology, histology and pathology of the dental and oral tissues, occlusion, epidemiology and prevention of dental caries and tooth wear, properties of dental materials, and radiology, infection control and audit in relation to prosthodontics.
By the end of our programme, which is formally recognised as part of UK specialist training, you will be a highly knowledgeable professional in prosthodontics at master's level, and proficient and skilful in related areas of restorative dentistry.
UK/EU practising dentists usually attend three days per week over four years. Practising dentists from overseas who have to relocate to take the course will generally attend five days per week over three years.
The programme content is identical across both versions.
Teaching styles include close mentoring, chairside guidance and small group work that emphasises the importance of the evidence base for prosthodontics in the literature and creates new research opportunities. A research project is also undertaken.
For more information about the department and staff please see our departmental brochure
Modular programme consisting of 360 credits. Modules are grouped into three distinct types:
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh has approved the programme for award of the MRD diploma after completion of specialist training. If you are on a Specialist Advisory Committee (SAC) approved training pathway leading to specialist accreditation, you will undertake additional clinical activity during your tenure that will complete your requirements for specialist certification with the General Dental Council (GDC).
The Master’s in Clinical Dentistry (MClinDent) Endodontology programme is perfect for dentists who are keen to increase the range of endodontic options they offer. The course aims to prepare you for practice, with the theoretical knowledge and expertise you need to confidently treat the most challenging and endodontically compromised teeth.
Taught by renowned academics and experts in the field, you will learn how to use advanced technologies through a blended learning approach. You will be exposed to an intensive mix of lectures, seminars and practical workshops using advanced microscopes, piezo techniques and other contemporary ways of managing endodontic problems. You will also work with colleagues from other programmes to discuss management of patient cases with a multidisciplinary approach and develop sound judgement based on evidence.
As part of this programme, you will design and implement a research project that advances understanding in the discipline. Our objective is to provide dental surgeons with the core knowledge and clinical skills essential for the delivery of competent, high-quality dental care.
The Master's in Clinical Dentistry (MClinDent) Endodontology degree is awarded by BPP University.
This module explains the causes and aetiology of pulpal disease and how they may be treated or prevented. It provides knowledge of the morphology of teeth including the size, shape and course of the pulp chamber and canals developing an awareness of anatomical variations. Students will also be able diagnose pulpal disease, treat endodontology emergencies and advise patients of post-operative sequelae.
This module teaches students to develop a comprehensive, properly sequenced treatment plan and alternative plans based on all diagnostic data. It introduces the latest methods of managing disease of the pulp and technologies of root canal preparation, debridement and obturation underpinned by evidence-based treatment planning. It also covers restorative protocols and their influence on current thinking with regard the long-term prognosis of the root treated tooth.
If root canal treatment is not a viable or cost-effective treatment option this module gives an overview of implants and the theory of osseointegration with guidance on patient selection, diagnosis, treatment planning, and restorative protocols.
This module develops competency in retreatment of failed root canal treatment as a result of under-preparation, inadequate obturation and iatrogenic perforation of the canal system. Included is the management of facial trauma and surgical endodontology with risk assessment and determination of long-term prognosis.
This module addresses clinical aspects of occlusal treatment: diagnosis and treatment protocol, fabrication of bite splints, treatment of temporomandibular disorders, the creation of functional restorations, occlusal adjustment, and treatment of malocclusion.
Students present and treat a minimum of ten surgical cases, four of which are under supervision and appraised at an regional clinic. Students also contribute to seminars and present interesting case reports they treated or intend to treat under supervision or independently. The cases build up a clinical portfolio that is marked for evidence of successful completion of the module.
Introduces statistics, measurement, research design, and argument exploring their specific application in dental research and evaluation of different treatment modalities.
Students will be able to develop a research question and produce a research dissertation in an area relevant to their practice.
Physician Associate (formerly known as Physician Assistant) is a rapidly growing healthcare role in the UK, working alongside doctors in hospitals and in GP surgeries. Physician Associates support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients. They are trained to perform a number of roles including: taking medical histories, performing examinations, analysing test results, and diagnosing illnesses under the direct supervision of a doctor.
To understand what a Physician Associate does on a day-to-day basis, Health Education England have produced this informative Day in the Life of a Physician Associate video.
We also run a flexible MSc Physician Associate programme for those who already have their Postgraduate Diploma from a UK or Irish institution.
Please note: the British Physician Associate programme does not qualify you to work in the USA.
The University of Birmingham has been training Physician Associates (formerly Physician Assistants) since January 2008. As one of the longest running programmes in the country, we are delighted to offer this opportunity to graduates to make a valuable contribution to the nation’s health. We work in partnership with hospitals and practices in the Midlands and beyond.
The development of the profession has been led by the Department of Health and has involved the Royal Colleges of Physicians and of General Practitioners as well as the profession itself through the former UK Association of Physician Associates (UKAPA) which is now the Faculty of Physician Associates at the Royal College of Physicians. University of Birmingham staff have taken a key role in the development of the programme at a national as well as a regional level in response to need identified by local healthcare providers. Successful completion of the programme will qualify you to practise as a Physician Associate in the UK.
Please note: the UK PA training programme does not qualify you to work in the USA.
The course
The course leaders regard integration of theory and practice as fundamental to clinical learning.
Regulation
All students will be registered with the Faculty of Physician Associates at the Royal College of Physicians. Graduates currently join a Managed Voluntary Register.
This is a very intense course with a large amount of knowledge and skills to acquire in a relatively short time. You will need to dedicate at least 50 hours each week to learning, much of it by yourself and with your learning set.
At the University of Birmingham we believe in very close integration between the theory learning (‘the hip is a ball and socket joints and the femur anatomy is as follows’ and clinical learning (‘when people fracture their hips it happens like this, they present like this, and your understanding of the hip anatomy enables you to understand why and how hips fracture’). You will also link theory and practice by learning, say, how to examine a hip on each other, on a simulated patient and (often) on a real patient before you see such a patient in a clinical environment.
Birmingham-trained Physician Associates have been very successful in the NHS jobs market with most of our graduates on NHS Agenda for Change Band 7 (starting at £31,383 p,a.) or higher.
Our graduates are working all across the UK (although about half have stayed in the West Midlands) and in a wide range of specialties including: general medicine, acute medicine, cardiology, paediatrics, breast surgery, trauma and orthopaedics, mental health, emergency medicine and General Practice. Many have also chosen to go into teaching and research (part-time while maintaining clinical duties), with five of our graduates currently teaching here at Birmingham.
The number of NHS Trusts and Practices seeking Physician Associates (and the average number working for each Trust/Practice) has increased rapidly throughout the last few years, and we would expect that number to continue to increase at a similar pace over the next few years.
