Dental Public Health

Highly-trained public health specialists are required in Ireland and abroad to tackle issues such as health inequalities; their causes and solutions; communicable diseases; oral health; obesity; smoking and international health development. In particular, Dental public health is the science of preventing oral diseases, promoting oral health and improving the quality of life through organised efforts. It concerns not only actions directed at populations as a whole, but also at the groups and individuals that make up populations.

The Master of Dental Public Health (MDPH) is an innovative course designed to offer multi-disciplinary academic and experiential development. Our teaching model places emphasis on the following methods of learning:

student-directed learning
multi-disciplinary teaching and learning
problem-solving
skills training
flexibility

Our Dental Public Health programme will appeal to dental professionals who wish to develop the knowledge, skills, and commitment to developing services that are equitable and fair; and who wish to develop a greater understanding of the competing demands, resource implications, and expectations in providing a public dental service in the twenty-first century.

The programme comprises 90 credits as follows:

Part I (60 credits)

EH6051 Principles and Practice of Public Health (10 credits)
EH6052 Applied Research for Public Health (10 credits)
EH6053 Public Health Informatics (5 credits)
EH6054 Leadership in Public Health (5 credits)
PA6001 Decision Analysis and Evaluation Methods in Health Care and Health Care Financing (5 credits)
SS6028 Critical Social Science Perspectives on Public Health (5 credits)
OH6001 Dental Public Health (10 credits)
OH6002 Preventive Dentistry (10 credits)

Part II (30 credits)

OH6003 Dissertation in Dental Public Health (30 credits)

See the College Calendar (MDPH) for full programme details.

n course in our University Calendar.

Applicants must hold a BDS (Hons) Degree of the NUI or equivalent degree. Health care professionals, for example, medical doctors, nurses or auxiliary dental workers holding relevant degrees will also be considered.

Applicants must include a sample of their own written work with their application.

Applicants must satisfy an interview board.

All applicants should indicate on their application form their reasons for wishing to enter this programme and will be required to discuss these at the interview.

Note: In exceptional circumstances, applicants with a primary degree in another discipline may be recommended for entry to the programme under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) following a review of their individual qualifications and experience by the course committee. Admission of such applicants may be subject to the approval of the College of Medicine and Health Executive Committee.

Additional Requirements (All Applicants)
You will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process. This will include the following questions:

You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.
In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to this programme.

Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.

Please upload a short analytical/critical/report writing sample or essay (1,000 words approx.)

Closing Date
Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.

The course is a taught master's, modular in format with assessment through written examination, project work, essay and completion of a minor dissertation.

1 year full-time.

Start Date 9 September 2024

Skills and Careers Information
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

As part of UCC's commitment to Continuing Professional Development (CPD), healthcare professionals may take a one-off module and be provided with a relevant transcript of marks.