MSc (Clin) Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Course description

Our three-year MSc (Clin) Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery course enables dentists to train in the specialty concerned with the diagnosis and management of diseases, injuries and defects affecting the mouth, jaws, face and neck.

All units are based on the speciality of oral surgery, but within the wider context of maxillofacial surgery. You will undertake minor oral surgery under supervision, carried out under local anaesthesia, conscious sedation and general anaesthesia. You will also attend theatre to assist and observe major surgery and attend consultation clinics, trauma clinics, ward rounds and carry out ward duties.

The clinical component of the course consists of units covering surgical basic sciences, reflective oral surgery practices, dental tissues, bone disease and injury, soft tissues, and salivary tissue, pain and the temporomandibular joint.

You will attend weekly interactive seminars led by senior staff and invited guest speakers. Some of these have actor patients present to allow you to rehearse your clinical skills.

If you study the full three-year MSc, you will also attend external teaching events such as residential blocks for basic science applied to surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

You will become eligible to sit the Royal College of Surgeons examinations for Membership in Oral Surgery on completion of this MSc course.

Aims

The course aims to:

• provide dental practitioners with the knowledge and skills to undertake oral surgery in the context of wider knowledge of oral and maxillofacial surgery;
• provide you with the appropriate knowledge, understanding, intellectual skills, practical skills and attitude to practice oral surgery in selected cases;
• enable you to carry out critical evaluation, problem solving and use sound judgement for clinical problems;
• give you the knowledge to critically understand the issues involved in the scientific basis of oral and maxillofacial surgery;
• ensure you are competent in the design and interpretation of original clinical research at the forefront of current dental research (including data collection and statistical analysis using appropriate computer software);
• provide you with the knowledge and experience to plan, implement and complete a research project showing initiative and personal responsibility.

Career opportunities

MSc courses are designed for dental practitioners who wish to further their knowledge of surgery and are a useful foundation for specialist training in this field.

The three year course provides specialist oral surgery clinical training.