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Paediatric Dentistry MSc

London, Bloomsbury

This unique, three-year blended learning master’s programme provides training in paediatric dentistry and is designed to support working dentists. It blends online learning with hands-on simulated clinical training and is ideal for dentists looking to expand their skills in paediatric dentistry while continuing to practise.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
Fees to be confirmed
£14,900
Programme only available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
Fees to be confirmed
£21,750
Programme only available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
Not applicable
3 academic years
5 academic years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
All applicants: 14 Oct 2024 – 04 Apr 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

All applicants must hold an approved dental qualification and have a minimum of two years clinical experience post-qualification.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 3

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

The full-time and part-time versions of this programme are taught primarily online with some teaching taking place on campus in London. As such, international students who apply to this programme are not eligible to apply for a regular Student visa for full-time study in the UK.

To attend the on-campus teaching sessions for this course, international students will ordinarily use a UK Standard Visitor visa for study.

Please note that UK immigration rules are subject to change by the UK Government, as such, there is no guarantee that the current rules referred to here will be in place for the duration of your study with UCL.

Should you have any questions regarding visa compliance, please contact the UCL Student Immigration Compliance Team.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree


This Paediatric Dentistry MSc gives busy dentists the ability to plan their lives around their studies. Our mix of theory, latest scientific evidence and technical skills provides exciting opportunities for dentists who may not be able to access high-quality education and training locally.

Teaching is mostly delivered online, and you will have on-demand access to recorded sessions. You won’t treat patients at the Eastman, but you will need to attend the Eastman for the mandatory lab weeks throughout the programme.

Year one gives you the fundamental knowledge required in paediatric dentistry and teaches some of the clinical techniques needed in a laboratory setting. Year two encourages more advanced and complex treatment planning and looks at other aspects of good patient care, such as clinical governance. Year three consolidates your learning and gives you the theoretical experience to understand, critically appraise and potentially carry out research.

Our programme gives you the chance to learn from UCL's globally renowned experts and become more specialised or established in the field of paediatrics.

Who this course is for

The programme is designed for busy dentists working in practice, community services or any other environment who wish to provide a higher standard of care for children. It is particular beneficial for those in parts of the world where access to high-quality education and training in paediatric dentistry may be limited. To benefit from the course, you need to be treating children in your clinic for approximately two days per week, or the part-time equivalent.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

This programme offers you the following benefits and opportunities.

  • The opportunity to develop your skills in excellent laboratory facilities, with a focus on management of cases, trauma, and practical experience of inhalation sedation.
  • The chance to call on day-to-day help in the management of your own patients, using our online forums.
  • Opportunities to diagnose, develop treatment plans and manage paediatric patients with a wide variety of conditions.
  • An evidence-based approach to the specialty in a supportive environment.
  • The chance to undertake a research project.
  • Study with experienced staff who have national and international reputations in caring for young patients with behavioural problems, dental trauma, paediatric / orthodontic interface, craniofacial anomalies, and severe medical conditions.
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Whatever your career pathway, the MSc Paediatric Dentistry will help you to take your career to a more specialised level or become more established in your chosen field.

According to the HESA Graduate Outcomes survey (2018-2022), the majority of our Paediatric Dentistry MSc graduates have either remained in, or progressed onto, highly skilled work as dental practitioners, both in the UK and overseas. Typically, these roles will include specialist registrars, specialty doctors and senior dental officers.

You can do most of your teaching in your own time - evenings or weekends - and then you come for dedicated week blocks. It's designed to be flexible and work around people's busy lives.

Dr Susan Parekh

Dr Susan Parekh, Programme Director

Paediatric Dentistry, MSc

Hear more from Susan

Employability

As a graduate in paediatric dentistry, you will gain a wide variety of high-standard clinical skills. You will return to clinical dental practice with the enhanced skills and knowledge to treat, advise on and monitor the oral health needs of children. You will also develop transferable skills such as the use of electronic resources, giving presentations and academic writing.

Graduates of the Paediatric Dentistry MSc have gone on to roles as academic training fellows, specialist registrars, specialty doctors and senior dental officers.

Networking

There are regular networking opportunities, including events where you can hear from expert speakers. We encourage students to broaden their skills and expand their networks by attending and participating at conferences.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a mix of:

  • Online lectures, quizzes, collaborative exercises, and case-based discussions
  • Formative assessments (do not count towards your final grade)
  • Summative assessments (do count towards your final grade)
  • Research appraisal and journal clubs
  • Practical sessions and group discussions.

During the lab weeks, hands-on clinical skills are taught on campus. Our state-of-the-art facilities include five clinical skills laboratories containing 90 clinical skills stations equipped with dental manikins, allowing trainees to refine skills and work practically and safely in conditions that mimic real-life practice. Two of our suites are also equipped with dental microscopes.

To aid independent study, students have access to UCL library electronic journals. We provide students with an iPad to ensure everyone has a similar online experience.

1) PG Certificate (Year 1)

Students will present a case they have treated in their clinics near the end of the year, as well as an essay based on research. Additional assessments include written exams and competency-based skills lab exercises during the lab weeks and an online written assessment and viva at the end of the year.

2) PG Diploma (Year 2)

Students will present a portfolio of patients they have treated in their clinics near the end of the year, as well as an audit poster and governance portfolio. Additional assessments include a written exam during the lab week and an online written assessment and viva at the end of the year.

3) MSc (Year 3)

Students will present a dissertation of their research near the end of the year. Additional assessments include a written statistics exam during the lab week and an online viva exam at the end of the year.

On this programme, your typical contact hours will be:

  • Certificate level: 2 x one-week lab blocks with regular online teaching split into weekly blocks.
  • Diploma level: 1 x one-week lab block with regular online teaching split into weekly blocks.
  • Master’s level: 1 x one-week lab block and undertake an academic research project.

On average, students must spend around four to five hours a week on activities, at a time that suits them.

The Postgraduate Diploma consists of eight compulsory core modules (120 credits); two years part-time. The Postgraduate Certificate consists of four compulsory core modules (60 credits); one year part-time.

Modules

On this part-time programme, you will complete eight compulsory taught modules and a research dissertation over three years.

Our contact days are as follows:

  • Year one: one week in November, one week in March
  • Year two: one week in November
  • Year three: one week in December
  • Exam day (online) in June each year

Part-time students may not take any time away from study without authorised extenuating circumstances. However, unlike the flexible mode, you should be eligible for study loans.

Year one

  • Management of Oral Disease

Topics include: aetiology; pathogenesis, diagnosis and epidemiology of acquired disorders of teeth and supporting structures; prevention of common acquired disorders affecting the dentition, with a focus on caries and erosion; restoration of the primary and permanent dentition including both basic and advanced techniques; endodontics for the primary dentition; composite restoration of permanent incisor teeth.

  • Trauma

Topics include: role of the dentist in child protection; diagnosis and emergency management of dentoalveolar trauma.

  • Behaviour Management

Topics include: non-pharmacological behaviour management techniques; pharmacological management of behaviour (nitrous oxide sedation); planning for general anaesthesia.

  • Planning Treatment in the Developing Child

Topics include: growth and development of the child and adolescent; treatment planning in the developing child, including orthodontic considerations

Year two

  • Clinical Governance

Topics include: quality improvement projects (including audit).

  • Advanced Paediatric Dentistry

Topics include: orthodontics and oral surgery; genetic disorders; craniofacial development and disorders; managing patients with dental anomalies; advanced safeguarding.

  • Managing Children with Special Needs

This module explores the role of the paediatric dentist in the management of patients with special needs relevant to paediatric dentistry.

  • Structured Extramural Clinical Practice

There is no formal teaching. You learn through treating patients in your own environment and present a patient portfolio to demonstrate clinical progress.

Year three

  • Paediatric Dentistry (MSc Dissertation)

This module recognises the importance of research skills in the delivery of high-quality patient care by requiring students to critically evaluate published studies and guidelines. The module introduces you to the principles behind clinical research methods, with an emphasis on systematic reviews.

Students on the flexible mode follow the same order as part-time students but can take a break at the end of a year without any extenuating circumstances. You must still complete the programme within five years of the start date.

If you opt for the flexible study mode, it is likely that you will not be eligible for study loans.

It is not possible to transfer between modes of study, so students need to select the option that suits their personal circumstances. Students will be taught together irrespective of their mode of study.

Compulsory modules











Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Assessment is via written, practical, coursework and oral examination Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Paediatric Dentistry. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Paediatric Dentistry. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Paediatric Dentistry.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Where you'll study

Welcome to UCL Eastman Dental Institute

We are a world-leading, academic centre for postgraduate dentistry and translational research. We offer high-quality postgraduate education, including Master's degrees, speciality training, certificates, diplomas, research degrees and CPD courses. Our clinically-intensive programmes are led by international specialists. As a world-class research centre, we are continually improving systemic and oral health by developing novel treatments, therapies, diagnostics and smart materials. Our new state-of-the-art facilities at Bloomsbury campus ensure that our students, researchers and academics have exceptional access to patients and opportunities for education and research. The UCLH Eastman Dental Hospital is part of the largest hospital in Europe specialising in complex oral health care and advanced ear, nose and throat treatments.

Learn more about the Eastman Dental Institute, our staff and facilities

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) Fees to be confirmed £14,900
Tuition fees (2025/26) Fees to be confirmed £21,750

Programme only available on a modular (flexible) basis.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For flexible/modular offer holders a £500 fee deposit will be charged.

There is no fee deposit required for PG Dip and PG Cert applicants.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

Students will need to meet the costs of travel and subsistence to attend the campus-based teaching blocks (for which, we have some guidance). Otherwise, you will need adequate internet access to access the online teaching. This will vary depending on service providers in your area.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for Eastman Dental Institute programmes of £120 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application, we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study paediatric dentistry at graduate level
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • your previous experience in paediatric dentistry
  • your source of funding and any funding applications you have made
  • what you aims are after completing this master's and how you expect this qualification to help you.

Applicants should demonstrate they are currently treating children for approximately two days per week (or part-time equivalent). Appropriate references (preferably from paediatric dentists) are required.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Eastman Dental Institute
Eastman Dental Institute

edi.paeds@ucl.ac.uk

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