Our Orofacial Pain MSc is an innovative programme designed to provide advanced training and clinical practice in this emerging discipline. Orofacial pain and headaches are a significant financial burden to the NHS with patients presenting as challenging cases often baffling practitioners. Led by world-renowned experts who have extensive published research, this course will provide training in the field of Orofacial Pain to benefit patients in the UK and internationally.
Key benefits
- Internationally renowned centre of excellence for teaching and research in dental and health sciences.
- Led by world-renowned experts who have extensive published research, including Professor Tara Renton, Consultant in Oral Surgery and Clinical Lead for Orofacial Pain Services at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and at INPUT (Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust), a nationally recognised pain management centre.
- Clinical attachments to multidisciplinary orofacial pain services, which include neurology (led by Professor Peter Goadsby), oral surgery, ENT, psychology, psychiatry, neurosurgery and pain management at King’s College Hospital and Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital.
Description
The course will provide comprehensive understanding, experience and advanced skills in the diagnosis and management of patients with orofacial pain, and will enable you to appreciate the relationships with other medical and dental specialties.
You will develop:
- Enhanced knowledge on key underlying neurological and molecular mechanisms involved in acute and chronic pain.
- Understanding of pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods used to manage acute and chronic pain.
- Advanced knowledge about anatomical, physiological, biological, pathophysiological and medical processes involved in orofacial pain.
- Improved understanding of the social, physical, psychological, physiological, cultural and behavioural implications of orofacial pain.
- Knowledge about orofacial pain conditions and their classification, with a specific focus on:
Bio-psychosocial model of pain
- The environmental, psychological and psychiatric pain constructs
- Acute orofacial pain conditions
- Masticatory musculoskeletal pain
- Neurogenic orofacial pain
- Temporomandibular disorders
- Headache disorders – differential diagnosis
- Orofacial motor disorders including orofacial dystonias and bruxism
- Intraoral, intracranial, extracranial and systemic disorders.
- Expertise in examining and evaluating the patient.
- Competency in diagnosing and managing the orofacial pain patient.
- Ability to coordinate the appropriate care of orofacial pain patients, either as a single clinician or within a multi-disciplinary team.
- Expertise in evaluating the treatment outcomes of patients with orofacial pain.
- Ability to develop and successfully carry out research projects within the field of orofacial pain.
Course format and assessment
Teaching
We will teach you through lectures, tutorials, hands-on training and supervision in clinic. Course material will be available through our online learning environment, King’s E-learning and Teaching Service (KEATS), where you will find information, interactive questions, assignments, bibliographic databases and reading material.
Assessment
Three modules in year one are assessed by written examination and one by 50% case presentation and 50% written examination. In year two, two modules are assessed by 50% case presentation and 50% written examination. The research project is assessed by written dissertation and oral examination.
Career prospects
The Orofacial Pain MSc may contribute to a specialism in oral medicine, oral surgery or restorative dentistry.
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