DDS in Orthodontics (Doctorate in Dental Surgery)

This programme aims to:

• provide a higher degree in orthodontics for dental graduates;
• prepare students for the Membership in Orthodontics (Morth) at one of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons.

This programme produces motivated clinician scientists capable of obtaining high clinical standards in an objective manner.The Doctorate in Dental Surgery (DDS) will enable you to develop the ability to design, undertake and apply appropriate research to relevant clinical problems.

Applications for a position on this programme as a Specialist Trainee in Orthodontics will be made through the National Recruitment process, which is likely to be advertised in the British Dental Journal in early 2014.

We will also accept university-based applications for the same 2014 intake from overseas applicants, followed by shortlisting and interviews of selected candidates.

There are usually eight positions: one each in Taunton, Yeovil and Plymouth, plus four opportunities for home students and one opportunity for an overseas student in Bristol/ Bath.

The programme is broadly divided between academic modules, treatment of patients under close supervision and a research project.

The academic teaching component is a comprehensive lecture/seminar programme covering all aspects of orthodontics, relevant basic medical sciences and research methods. We have developed a programme with both internal and external speakers who have demonstrated excellence in their chosen topics. Please see the School website for a full list of areas covered by the modular programme.

Treatment sessions with your own patients, diagnostic clinics, case seminars and topic-related tutorials are included in the teaching. To increase the diversity of clinical experience, you will also be supervised by a number of different consultants during your training. A number of treated cases are prepared for the MOrth examinations of the Royal College of Surgeons in the summer of the third year of the programme.

As part of the programme, students carry out an investigation and prepare a research dissertation, which must include a critical review of the relevant literature. It is also a requirement that material is prepared and submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal during the three-year programme. Projects are diverse and cover contemporary areas of clinical practice and laboratory based research in orthodontics. This research is examined in the autumn of the final year.