5 of the world’s most prominent Dentistry Schools

Dentistry is often viewed as a form of art, considered an accomplished way to sculpt a winning smile. It’s a complex yet rewarding career that requires specific expertise and dedication. After all, dentists are there to take care of your oral health and to ensure you maintain a healthy dental routine.

Dentistry plays a fundamental role within society today. Despite the threat of shop-bought dental care kits, patients continue to seek professional help. With specialised knowledge on their side, there will always be demand for the opinion of dental experts, thus feeding the demand for expert dentistry schools.

It’s a profession that’s both respected and rewarding, requiring qualified practitioners to oversee the development of patient health. This role may also equate to acting as a doctor of oral diagnosis with the ability to prevent oral disease. Through informative courses, you will learn a wide range of skills; interpreting x-rays, for instance, or performing surgical procedures on the tissues, bone and teeth. Specialist dentistry schools will teach you how to track the growth of the jaw, as well as how to administer safe doses of anesthesia. As there are so many responsibilities involved, academic and clinical training is essential.

With effective tuition you will receive an influx of gratified patients. According to an article published by the British Dental Journal, dentistry is a superb and lucrative profession. BDJ states that: “it is an incredibly intimate job with the potential for great impact…dental treatment really can help people; a successful root treatment or filling can help to remove pain and a denture may help people eat foods they may previously have struggled with”. As highlighted, one of the main aspects that motivates aspiring dentists is patient satisfaction.

But it isn’t just the patient who leaves the practice room warm with satisfaction – the dentist loves it too! From beginning to end, each patient represents an individual journey. Every job you take on leads to an end result. Unlike other occupations, dentistry delivers action-packed routines. You can be your own boss and initiate tough, yet worthwhile decisions. A solid and stable income also follows your choice to become a dentist. There’s also potential to earn high-level salaries depending on your vocational experience.

If you’re someone who wishes to embark on this education venture, it might be wise to analyse every possible study option. Endless lists of dentistry schools can be overwhelming, especially if you want to take note of the prime places to study. This is why we’ve listed five of our favourite dentistry schools to ease up your decision. Each school offer distinguished dentistry courses and exceptional education standards.

Here are our top picks…

FACULTY OF DENTISTRY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE (NUS) – SINGAPORE

Dedicated to delivering effective clinical research and education, and providing quality clinical service, the NUS Faculty of Dentistry is the only dental school in Singapore offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

For close to 90 years, the Faculty has contributed to improving oral healthcare in Singapore and the region by training generations of dentists and dental specialists. Students from across the globe compete to secure a place with the dental school at Asia’s top university. Its postgraduate coursework programmes are reviewed by international examiners and its graduates are conferred the NUS Master of Dental Surgery degree and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Membership in Endodontics (MEndo), Orthodontics (MOrth), Periodontology (MPerio) and Prosthodontics (MPros). PhD Graduates from the Faculty go on to postdoctoral positions in Harvard and other top research opportunities.

But there’s another reason why many dental practitioners aspire to train as specialists and advanced researchers at the NUS Faculty of Dentistry – the opening of the National University Centre for Oral Health, Singapore in 2019. As revealed by The Straits Times, this bespoke university-based and government-supported centre, strategically located in Asia, will play a crucial role in dental studies and oral healthcare. Future-ready specialists and researchers trained to reach the highest standards will bring their knowledge and skills to improve the lives of many in the world.

DENTAL INSTITUTE, KING’S COLLEGE LONDON – UK

Nestled within the UK’s capital city, the King’s College Dental Institute is a popular choice for aspiring dentistry students. The university was established in 1829 by King George IV, but has managed to stay modern through facilities like its brand new research society. Evidently, this is a college that inspires and involves its academics.

In 2017, the school welcomed executive dean Professor Mike Curtis to the team. As a former president of the British Society for Oral and Dental Research, he aims to steer learners towards revolutionary discovery and innovation.

The institute’s management team takes pride in the college’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. With both global and local students by their side, the school has set up supportive programmes like KCL Women in STEM (WiSTEM). This is just one of the many associations created by KCL to assist professionals, researchers and students with their studies. It is the care and consideration for the dental community that sets this college apart from competition.

DEPARTMENT OF DENTAL MEDICINE, KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE – SWEDEN

For those who can’t wait to get their teeth into a clinical career, the Karolinska Institute (KI) offers places on their ‘Dentmed’ scheme. The institute’s department of odontology caters to future dental hygienists and dentists.  It’s also widely recognised for its vast range of subject areas such as orthodontics, endodontics and orofacial surgery.

In the Times Higher Education’s (THE) 2018 world university rankings, KI even snagged the top spot. By achieving first place, you can see why this Swedish school has attained world-class medical research records.

The prestigious title permits the Karolinska Institute to nominate students for the Nobel Laureate in medicine and physiology. According to the THE report, “out of the eight Swedes who have received the award, five studied at Karolinska”. With its Nobel Assembly and high-status degrees in dentistry, the KI’s department of dental medicine may be a valuable school to consider.

SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN – USA

In the QS 2017 university rankings for dentistry, the University of Michigan (U-M) won prime position. For the second year running, this school rated as the top in the United States, and achieved second place within the global ranking.

Founded in 1875, U-M’s core values are a collaboration of compassion and creativity. The school encourages students to become future leaders of dentistry and to commit to ethical decision making.

The University of Michigan understands how rewarding dentistry can be, which is why they’ve set global initiatives worldwide. Every year, members of the school have the opportunity to take trips to countries like Ethiopia and Greece. Their 2017 Kenya program provided dental students a chance to share their skills. U-M visited many schools and hospitals with preventive oral treatments and educational materials. By training and treating global patients, this school offers a unique dentistry experience.

FACULTY OF DENTISTRY, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY – AUSTRALIA

For more than 100 years, the University of Sydney has been training students in the art of dentistry. The Sydney Dental Hospital in Surry Hills is home to the faculty and is where you’ll find Australia’s finest dental trainees.

Former President of the Australian and New Zealand Division of the IADR, Professor Christopher Peck, is the school’s acting Dean. He ensures that studies at Sydney involve expert oral health professionals and patient centred practice. The faculty of dentistry opens its doors to globally-aware undergraduates and postgraduates. Plus, teaching in functioning dental hospitals helps boost student confidence.

To assist their academics, the university has set up the Sydney University Dental Association (SUDA).  The faculty understands that starting a dentistry course may seem daunting, so the SUDA is there to support fresh and existing practitioners with their course as well as social aspects of studying.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International

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