What is Dental Science?

Dental Science is the study of the oral cavity and the diseases associated with oral tissues. This five-year programme is designed to ensure that graduates can safely and effectively deliver the full range of primary dental care, including prevention, diagnosis and treatment of oral and dental diseases. Treatment involves areas such as the restoration of damaged teeth, the correction of irregularities, the replacement of missing teeth and surgical procedures such as the removal of teeth. In recent years, there has been an exponential advance in dental science with greater emphasis on preventing disease as well as the development of new, minimally invasive methods and materials for restoring teeth.

Dental Science: The course for you?

If you have an ability to build caring and professional relationships with patients, co-workers and the wider community and if healthcare interests you, specifically oral healthcare and its impact on individuals, then Dental Science is right for you. You should also enjoy undertaking physically and mentally demanding clinical practice, which requires considerable attention to detail with small margins for error. The course is long (five years) and intense, requiring stamina and commitment.

Dental Science @ Trinity

This course is based in the Dublin Dental University Hospital situated on the Trinity College campus. Clinical facilities are of a very high standard, emphasising the use of information technology. Class sizes are small, to ensure that students receive considerable staff input into their progress throughout the programme. Much of the teaching is delivered through Problem-Based Learning and there is lots of hands-on clinical experience treating patients. Students are introduced to clinical practice in first year as observers and they commence treating their own patients (under supervision) in the second year. By the fifth year students are expected to have completed a wide range of treatments similar to those provided in general dental practice. Graduates of the Trinity School of Dental Science and Dublin Dental University Hospital are highly sought after due to the extensive clinical exposure obtained during the programme.

Graduate skills and career opportunities

Graduates of the Dental Science programme in Trinity College are widely recognised for their clinical experience and are highly sought after. Graduates are clinically competent, have good communication skills and are well prepared for life-long learning. There is a wide range of career options open to newly qualified dentists, from general dental practice providing both state-funded or private dental care, or in the salaried public dental service. Many graduates choose to continue their education, specialising in one area within dentistry. Dentistry gives scope to work and travel worldwide. Citizens of the EU who graduate from an EU dental school may practice anywhere in the EU and there is currently demand for dentists all over Europe.