Coursework Degrees

Master of Dental Science - MDSc

The Master of Dental Science (MDSc) degree is a three-year full time course for dentists to train as specialists in one of the specialty disciplines of Dentistry.  Courses are offered in the following disciplines: Endodontics, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Pathology & Oral Medicine, Orthodontics, Paediatric Dentistry, Periodontics and Prosthodontics. Each course satisfies the formal training requirements of the Dental Boards in each State of Australia so graduates are eligible to apply for registration as a specialist in the appropriate clinical discipline.  (Note: Some State Dental Boards may have additional requirements for specialist registration - such as a specified period of time in restricted and/or supervised practice - hence potential applicants should obtain further details/advice from the Dental Board in the State in which they intend to practice).

The MDSc is a degree by coursework and it includes a supervised research project. All courses contain a mixture of didactic, clinical and research work.  Approximately 50% of the time for all courses is spent developing clinical experience in the chosen specialty and all courses have interdisciplinary interaction with the other dental specialties throughout the course.  The research work must be presented as a formal research report/dissertation, and in some disciplines there may be an extra requirement that the research reports must be submitted to suitable professional journals for consideration for publication.

Applicants for admission to the Master of Dental Science degree must hold a Bachelor of Dental Science degree from this University, or they must have been admitted to equivalent status.  In addition, applicants must have had at least two years of experience in the practice of general dentistry and they must have successfully passed the Primary Examination of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgery, or its equivalent. [The Primary Examinations are the first stage of the examination process that leads to Fellowship in the Royal Australasian Collegeof Dental Surgeons (FRACDS).  This examination covers all of the basic sciences at a high level - that is, anatomy, histology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, and physiology.  The College conducts an Orientation Course in July each year to help candidates prepare for the Primary Examinations. The examinations are then held in December each year.  The RACDS web site has the relevant information: www.racds.org . Applicants for the MDSc course in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery must also satisfy other requirements as outlined below in the specific information related to this course].

The availability of MDSc courses will vary from time to time, and this will depend on the availability of staff and clinical facilities.  When available, courses will be advertised in the local press and in professional publications such as the NewsBulletin published monthly by the Federal office of the Australian Dental Association Inc.  Advertisements will usually be published in April/May of one year for commencement of the course in January of the following year. 

All applications will be assessed by a Selection Committee and acceptance into the course is usually very competitive.  Applicants will be assessed on their past academic performances, a demonstrated interest in the relevant discipline and the applicant’s work history.  Referee’s reports will be required and referees are particularly asked to advise whether they feel the applicant is capable of undertaking a higher degree.

Some information about the various streams is presented below. More detailed information can be obtained from the Course Co-ordinator for each discipline. Further details can also be obtained from the Postgraduate Handbook at:  http://handbooks.uwa.edu.au/splash

All aspects of Endodontics and Dental Traumatology will be studied and practiced in detail. The early part of the course also includes anatomy, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology and the theoretical aspects of oral medicine as they relate to endodontics.  Throughout the course, the emphasis will always be on the clinical aspects of endodontics.  Integrated and multi-disciplinary treatment planning is a feature of the course. Clinical training is provided within the clinics of the Oral Health Centre of WA. Opportunities may also be available for candidates to see interesting cases at the other hospitals and in private practice.

Course Co-ordinator:  Professor Paul Abbott

Applicants for this course must be registrable as a dentist with the Dental Board of Western Australia. Applicants must also have a medical degree registrable with the Medical Board of Western Australia and they must provide evidence of having gained some experience in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery since graduation, preferably as a Registrar (or similar position) in a creditable institution.  If a medical degree is not held, then the University of WA has a “lateral entry” program into the MB BS course in Medicine (see below).

If an applicant does not hold a medical degree, then prior to enrolling in the MDSc course, it will be necessary to successfully complete a one-year Graduate Diploma in Dental Studies course – this course is a bridging course of study for entry into 4th Year Medicine in the following year plus it includes training in basic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.  If the candidate successfully passes the one year Graduate Diploma course, then he/she will be admitted into the 4th Year of the six-year MB BS course in Medicine.  On successful completion of the MB BS degree in Medicine, candidates are then required to undertake the standard one year as an Intern or Resident in an approved teaching hospital in Perth in order to complete their training and registration requirements for the Medical Board of WA.

The final stage of the training program in OMS is the MDSc degree.  This Masters degree program takes three years with formal surgical training as a Registrar and includes the undertaking of the full range of OMS procedures in a variety of training institutions. The early part of the course involves basic training in Oral Surgery as well as anatomy, oral pathology, pharmacology, biological research methodology and the theoretical aspects of oral surgery and oral medicine. Throughout the course, candidates work as a Registrar in the clinics and theatres of the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia and Royal Perth Hospital. This includes on-call emergency work. Opportunity is made for the candidate to see interesting cases at other hospitals (including Princess Margaret Hospital for Children) and in private practice.

Course Co-ordinator:  Assoc. Prof. Raymond Williamson

Candidates may elect to concentrate their studies and practice towards either Oral Medicine or Oral Pathology. In either case, the alternative subject will still form an integral part of the training program due to the close inter-relationship between the subjects.  The early part of the course covers the basic sciences pertinent to Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology. These lead to the development of an understanding of the biology of disorders of the head and neck by means of didactic training and involvement in the Oral Medicine Clinic and Oral Pathology Diagnostic Service.

Course Co-ordinators:  Dr’s Nick Boyd and Gareth Davies

The course contains a number of basic science and clinical subjects that support the theory and practice of orthodontics.  Areas such as growth and development will be covered in detail along with all aspects of clinical orthodontics and the related disciplines. Integrated and multi-disciplinary treatment planning is a feature of the course. Orthognathic surgery and the biomechanics of tooth movement, root resorption and other pathological conditions affecting orthodontic treatment are examples of the areas covered.  Clinical training is provided within the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia and at other institutions where relevant (such as Princess Margaret Hospital for Children). Opportunities are available for candidates to see complex and interesting cases in private practice.

Course Co-ordinator:  Dr Mithran Goonewardene

A major focus of the clinical teaching in this course is concerned with treating children with a variety of dental and medical conditions, and behavioural problems. The early part of the course includes paediatric medicine, growth and development, genetics, biostatistics and research methodology. Later in the course the emphasis is on the clinical aspects of advanced-level paediatric dentistry. Clinical training is provided within the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia and at Princess Margaret Hospital. Emergency on-call work is a requirement.  Opportunities are available for candidates to see complex and interesting cases in private practice.

Course Co-ordinator:  Not available

All aspects of modern periodontal practice are covered throughout this course. These include the relevant biomedical sciences (such as microbiology, clinical immunology and the biology of the periodontal tissues), Biostatistics, Dental Research Methodology, Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology as they pertain to Periodontics, and multi-disciplinary treatment planning with all dental specialty disciplines.  Emphasis is placed on the principles and development of skills in evidenced-based practice which form the foundation for lifelong learning and application to clinical practice.  Students will undertake pre-clinical non-surgical and surgical technique courses utilising simulation materials so they can develop their skills in a safe manner. This enables these skills to be subsequently used in the clinical setting with more confidence and competence in order to maximise the clinical experiences throughout the program. Clinical teaching is concerned with the examination, diagnosis, treatment planning and conservative therapy of patients with periodontal disease. Students will learn and practice periodontal surgical techniques including all pre-prosthetic surgical procedures (such as crown lengthening, implant placement, etc) and the full range of periodontal surgical procedures.  Clinical training is provided within the clinics of the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia and at other institutions such as Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, where patients are treated for paediatric oncology disorders, medication-related disorders and dental trauma.

Course Co-ordinator:  Dr Jonathon Swain

Prosthodontics is a broad discipline and all aspects will, be covered throughout the course. The early part of the course is devoted to the basic science background of clinical dentistry. Subsequently the emphasis is changed to integrate the clinical and laboratory aspects of dental materials science, occlusion, fixed and removable prosthodontics, and osseo-integrated implant dentistry.  Integrated and multi-disciplinary treatment planning is a feature of the course. Clinical training is provided within the clinics of the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia. There are also opportunities for candidates to see interesting cases in the areas of paediatric prosthodontics at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, maxillofacial prosthodontics at Royal Perth Hospital, and other cases in private practices.

Course Co-ordinator:  Dr Kimble Halliday