Dental Institute

Modern dental research and practice covers topics at the forefront of basic and clinical science. The Dental Institute is a leading international centre of excellence for teaching and research with an internationally renowned faculty providing a full range of postgraduate taught and research programmes.

We offer programmes that lead to specialist registration, extended master’s programmes (MClinDent) and MSc programmes that give the graduate specialist skills in clinical dentistry. All the programmes offer friendly small group teaching.

The King’s College London Dental Institute has pioneered flexible (distance) learning in dentistry, providing teaching for postgraduate students from many different countries including the UK for nearly two decades. This is the perfect solution if you choose to stay at home but want to further your learning and gain a higher qualification. Overall costs are kept to a minimum and are considerably lower than studying full-time in London. You can learn anywhere and choose where you are assessed.

World-renowned research activities underpin our teaching and specialist clinical care and keep us at the forefront of developments in dental and oral science. There are strong links with industry for research and development and technology transfer. The latest research technology and facilities are used to encourage the multidisciplinary collaboration between clinical and basic scientists at the Dental Institute.

The 2008 UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) confirmed that King’s College London Dental Institute, with more than 70 principal investigators, has one of the largest, most influential teams of researchers in dental and oral health sciences in the world. With more than 70 per cent of the Institute’s research output being judged as internationally excellent, the Institute has made and continues to make highly significant contributions to global advances in oral health sciences, which are impacting on innovative developments in the clinical practice of dentistry.

We are located on the Guy’s and King’s Denmark Hill campuses, and benefit from association with the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as part of the King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre.

Students on taught programmes attend a comprehensive generic induction programme of five days spread over the first five weeks that introduces them to clinical governance in the UK and teaches them how to approach their master’s studies and dental research. Master’s students in the restorative dentistry disciplines come together one day per week in their first year for didactic and hands-on training to ensure cross-fertilisation of ideas. Research students undergo annual induction and training with the other health Schools and have access to the Graduate School Researcher Development Programme throughout the year. The Institute also runs its own structured postgraduate programme consisting of a tutorial course in cell and developmental biology, a techniques course and a high profile seminar series tailored to students’ needs. The students organise their own science club and a monthly journal club.

The Institute has excellent research and clinical facilities funded by an ongoing programme of development from competitive outside sources. Each research group offers a wide range of modern techniques with access to appropriate equipment and facilities. There are numerous computer points to access online information services and systems that offer a wide range of printed, electronic and multimedia material.

The Dental Institute funds some PhD students, and also has funding from Research Councils, charities and specific awards for overseas students. Funding is also available through the Graduate School. Many students are self-funding or obtain personal scholarships.