Advanced General Dental Practice MSc (Distance Learning)

Please note that this programme is now closed for applications for the February 2013 start. Any applications will be considered for the February 2014 intake.

The School of Dentistry has been successfully running a part-time campus-based MSc Advanced General Dental Practice course for 11 years, longer than any other.

The demand for this highly popular course has led to the creation of the distance learning option, allowing dentists anywhere to gain a higher degree without interrupting their practice.

The distance Masters is based on the teaching of the campus course to ensure you receive the full benefits of all the University of Birmingham can offer.

Course fact file

Type of Course: Taught, distance learning

Study Options: Part time

Duration: Can be taken part-time over a period of 3 years

Start date: February

Details

This online programme is designed for primary dental care providers who want to advance their clinical skills and knowledge, with the primary objective of enhancing the quality of patient care. In response to demand from dentists around the world from 2013 this course was made available as an online distance learning Masters programme, making it easier to fit in with the lives of busy practitioners in these challenging economic times.

The online course curriculum meets the same objectives as the taught version:

  • To provide you with the opportunity to enhance your clinical knowledge, insight and expertise in areas directly relating to your practice
  • To enhance quality of care provided to your patients
  • To provide a base for enjoyable personal professional development
  • To improve your employability in a highly competitive job market
  • To provide support for achieving other qualifications - ORE, MFDS, FFGDP, MJDF etc

Why study this course

This new distance learning version of our well established campus-based programme of the same name, allows dentists anywhere in the world to gain a higher degree without interrupting their practice while receiving all the benefits that the University of Birmingham can offer. It will enable you to: 

  • improve the quality of care provided to patients
  • increase your insight and understanding, resulting in greater awareness of the management of patients 
  • provide a base for personal professional development
  • continue working in your practice while studying for your higher degree
  • improve your employability in a highly competitive jobs market

 

A unique aspect of the Birmingham Masters programme will be to provide you with your own phantom head jaws, equipment and teaching materials to allow you to refine your practical skills and learn new techniques across a wide range of operative procedures in conservative dentistry, endodontics and periodontology.

Additional Benefits

 

  • Personal access to one of the world's most advanced online dental education platforms
  • 24/7 access to online lectures and resources from renowned experts in every dental speciality
  • Free access to www.dentaljuce.com, the 24/7 verifiable e-learning library
  • Free access to School of Dentistry's award-winning ecourse www.dentistry.bham.ac.uk/ecourse
  • Free online access to journals from the University of Birmingham's dental and medical libraries
  • One-to-one online advice and guidance in dental photography via www.dentalphotographyinpractice.com
  • The opportunity to interact online with peers from around the world

Modules

  • The informed and informing clinician (20 credits)
  • Contemporary dental practice (20 credits)
  • Medical and surgical management of oral disease (20 credits)
  • Operative techniques 1 (Aesthetic dentistry & endodontics) (20 credits)
  • Operative techniques 2 (Fixed and removable prosthodontics) (20 credits)
  • Running a clinical business (20 credits)
  • Audit project (30 credits)
  • Combined speciality case report (30 credits)

This is the module list for 2013, but the programme continues to evolve and you should check the website regularly for any changes for next year.

Fees and funding

2013/14 course fee

Full MSc fee £21,000, payable over 3 years. 

Fee includes:

  • All study resources and materials
  • Accommodation and tuition fees for the residential courses
  • Your own Kavo phantom head jaws to produce a portfolio of practical work

Visit our website for information about scholarships for international students

Entry requirements

  • You must have a primary degree in dental surgery or equivalent qualification.
  • Two references from professional colleagues.
  • You will need to be currently delivering clinical care for patients that will provide a range of procedures for case reports on which some assessments are based.

Learn more about entry requirements

International students:

Academic requirements

We accept a range of qualifications, our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements

You can satisfy our English language requirements in two ways:

English to IELTS 7.0 (with a minimum of 6.5 in each component) or TOEFL Internet based 95 overall with no less than 22 in any band.

How to apply

When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for the programme you wish to apply for where you will create an account with the University application system and submit your application and supporting documents online. Further information regarding how to apply online can be found on the How to apply pages

Apply now

Learning and teaching

The programme will contain two one-week summer schools based in Birmingham and will allow you to receive direct hands-on tuition from some of the world's most experienced dental educators. You will use the brand new £1 million simulation suite at the School of Dentistry. Accommodation on the University's delightful campus and a full programme of social activities are included in the price of your Masters degree course.

Students will design and carry out an audit project with academic support from specialists relevant to their chosen subject. Also, in addition to clinical studies, Masters students will carry out a series of chair-side simulated practical procedures of their choosing, using the latest contemporary materials and equipment and following online step-by-step technique guides unique to this programme.

Feedback from many online courses confirms that students need to have direct access to real people who respond quickly and authoritatively to enquiries and requests.

"The key to successful distance learning is to not feel the distance."

Therefore you will have a personal named advisor for both your dental studies and for your general requirements as a fully enrolled student at the University of Birmingham. Your academic advisors will be highly experienced and qualified dentists from the Birmingham School of Dentistry.

Using email, telephone, Skype, and web-based discussions you will be able to communicate directly with your teachers, course administrators, and your fellow students.

Assessment methods

The programme is divided into eight study modules and each module will be assessed via a series of case reports and presentations that will serve a dual purpose for patient and peer education in practice. 

Employability

The MSc Advanced General Dental Practice programme is a Masters degree taught and accredited by the University of Birmingham, and is an excellent addition to your Curriculum Vitae (CV) when seeking new job opportunities. It proves that you have an advanced level of knowledge and skill in your chosen profession, that you have a commitment to improving the quality of your patient care, and that you understand the business aspects of General Dental Practice. These are all important qualities to potential employers.

If you are a citizen of a country outside the European Union (EU), please note that the MSc Advanced General Dental Practice in itself does not give you a licence to work in the UK.

For enquiries about working in the UK, please consult the UK General Dental Council.