Your journey
Introduction to Dentistry at RCSI webinar
Join our Introduction to Dentistry webinar on Wednesday, 27 November at 5pm (GMT), where you will hear from faculty and staff.Register now
Early patient contact commencing in Year 1 is one of the most important characteristics of this innovative degree programme. These early patient encounters play an important role in developing students' clinical communication and teamworking skills, and understanding the ethos of patient-centred care. Additionally, Years 1 and 2 of the programme lay down the scientific and technical foundations upon which the later, more clinically-intensive years of the course are built. By the end of the second year of study, students will have been introduced to the evidence-based core clinical and technical skills required of modern dentistry and will have developed competence in many aspects of dental care.
Across Years 2 to 5, students gain extensive experience on a wide range of common and important oral and general dental conditions, with continued reference to the science base that underpins dental practice. The later years of the programme support the gaining of understanding of the patient journey through primary, secondary and specialist dental care. Final year will provide a thorough grounding for contemporary practice through detailed preparation towards the skills required to practice as a primary care dentist immediately after graduation. Students will also be prepared for their working life on qualification through consolidation and strengthening of comprehension, applying information as well as enhancing skills. This year sees students transition from supervised student to independent practitioner.
Small group teaching supports curriculum delivery, and plenaries, practical Science for Dentistry (SfD) sessions and workshops support the programme as appropriate. The RCSI Simulated Dental Learning Environment (SDLE) enables students to develop and consolidate their clinical skills before treating patients safely and is equipped with a comprehensive and extensive range of models, equipment and state-of-the-art patient simulators. It provides a protected environment in which to practise clinical and technical skills.
Clinical teaching and learning will be in one or more of RCSI’s Dental Education Facilities (DEF) in Dublin. These facilities are designed specifically to meet the learning needs of dental students and to allow them to gain experience in clinical dentistry in a primary care community setting.
Engagement with local communities throughout the course is one of the keys to dental students developing professionalism and social accountability skills, plus a real understanding of the needs and demands of different groups in the population. Students will spend a considerable proportion of each year working closely with disadvantaged communities and other members of the wider healthcare team in their Inter-Professional Engagement modules.
In summary, the programme's aims are to:
- Provide you with the core skills and knowledge to qualify and register as a dentist with the Dental Council in Ireland.
- Provide training and education as approved by the Dental Council in Ireland.
- Develop competence in the clinical skills required to deliver primary care dentistry.
- Develop your critical and analytical acumen in relation to dentistry.
- Enhance personal and professional skills, and development of a professional identity.
- Develop transferable skills for lifelong learning and a career in dentistry.
- Provide you with opportunities for multidisciplinary working.
- Develop excellent communication and teamworking skills.
- Develop capability to underpin a successful future career as a dentist.