Sidebar

Faculty of Dentistry

Welcome to S.M.I.L.E. Clinic

(Support, Mentor and Inspire our students in their Lifelong Education)

 

Responsive imageThe S.M.I.L.E. Clinic is a teaching facility in the Faculty of Dentistry (FoD), National University of Singapore. Under the Undergraduate Dental Treatment Program, our third and final-year undergraduates of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery programme provide dental treatments similar to those of a general dentist, while working under close supervision of qualified dental surgeons and specialists to meet your oral health needs and provide you with the necessary care and treatment.

Located on Levels 7 and 8 at the National University Centre for Oral Health, Singapore (NUCOHS), the S.M.I.L.E. Clinic serves both educational and patient care missions. As a teaching facility, we are fully equipped with dental equipment and facilities for our students to serve our patients. Our appointment durations are longer than typical dental visits, allowing thorough supervision and optimal learning opportunities for our students to provide quality service to our patients.

For registration or enquiries about the Undergraduate Dental Treatment Program, please complete our Patient Recruitment and Enquiry Form.

For details on treatment types, patient eligibility, clinic hours, the patient journey, appointment policies, fees and subsidies, payment information, x-rays, and referrals to the Postgraduate Clinic, refer to the sections outlined below.

 

 

Types of Treatment:

The types of treatment offered at our S.M.I.L.E. Clinic are:

  • Scaling and polishing
  • Gum treatment
  • Fillings
  • Dentures
  • Crowns
  • Root Canal Treatment
  • Extractions
  • Screening for braces

Special Note: From mid-April to mid-May, we conduct annual dental treatment for one-off general dental care (scaling, polishing and gum treatment only). These treatments are performed by graduating dental students under the general practice management course. If you are interested in receiving these specific treatments, please submit your interest via our Patient Recruitment and Enquiry Form by end of February.

 

 

Who can be a Patient?
S.M.I.L.E. Clinic provides dental care to anyone aged 4 years and above. All nationalities are welcomed.

 

 

Clinic Hours
S.M.I.L.E. Clinic operates according to the undergraduate’s clinical schedule. The assigned undergraduate student will arrange appointment with you.  We are closed on weekends, public holidays and during the faculty’s term breaks.

 

 

Your Patient Journey

  1. If you are interested to be a patient at S.M.I.L.E. Clinic, submit your interest via our Patient Recruitment and Enquiry Form.

  2. Waiting time:
    After submitting the Patient Recruitment and Enquiry Form, you will be placed on our waiting list for a dental screening appointment. The waiting time for an appointment typically ranges from 1 to 12 months.

    An assigned undergraduate student will contact you directly to arrange appointments based on their clinical schedule.

  3. Dental Screening, Treatment Planning and Discharge:
    1. For your dental screening appointment, you are required to bring the following:
      • NRIC, permanent resident or non-resident identity card
      • Referral letter from dental polyclinic (preferred)
      • Relevant medical records (if any)

    2. Dental Screening:
      During the dental screening appointment, the assigned undergraduate student will seek your/parent’s consent and review your medical history with a dental examination. This assessment determines the type of treatment you might require and your suitability to be under the Undergraduate Dental Treatment Programme.

    3. Treatment Planning:
      Between the first and third visit, the student will:
      • present a diagnosis and discuss treatment options with you
      • propose a treatment plan
      • inform you on the treatment costs involved

      You may accept or decline the recommended treatment plan at this time.  All assigned undergraduate student’s procedures are supervised by licensed dental surgeons.

    4. Discharge:
      Upon completion of the treatment plan, you will be discharged by the assigned undergraduate student from the Undergraduate Dental Treatment Program.  If you have any other dental needs, please register again to be on the waiting list and we will assign another undergraduate student to you.

  4. Treatment Schedule:
    Once treatment begins, the complete course of care usually spans 6 to 24 months, with a minimum of two visits per month. Each appointment typically lasts between 2 to 4 hours.

    The duration for each visit is largely due to the close supervision of the students in carrying out the dental procedures. The required number of visits and the course of care may vary across time depending on a variety of reasons including your treatment plan preferences, response/recovery to the treatment and the assigned undergraduate student’s clinical schedule.

 

 

Appointment Policy
Our S.M.I.L.E. Clinic schedule is congruent to our teaching timetable.  Hence, all first appointment requests must be submitted through our Patient Recruitment and Enquiry Form. Please note that:

  1. We do not accept walk-in appointments.  All appointments must be arranged with the assigned undergraduate student or our clinical coordinator.

  2. We do not provide urgent care services.
    For urgent dental care needs, you may consider visiting your nearest dental polyclinics, private dental clinics, or NUCOHS Dental Centre (Tel: 6716 2233).

 

 

Fees, Subsidies and Payment Information

  • Treatment rendered by undergraduate, post-graduate students or dental officers are priced differently.  Please enquire before proceeding.
  • As our treatment fees are at subsidised rates (for teaching), additional government subsidies through Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS), Pioneer Generation, and Merdeka Generation are not applicable.
  • S.M.I.L.E. Clinic operates on a cashless payment system, accepting credit/debit cards, NETS, and payments through NUHS and HealthHub apps. No instalment plans are available.

 

 

X-rays

  • X-ray record request: If you need copies of your x-rays, you can submit a request via the NUHS App. Please note that a request fee will be charged. To view a step-by-step guide, click here.

  • X-rays during pregnancy: When dental x-rays are necessary, they can be performed safely during pregnancy with proper precautions in place. Our safety protocol includes:

    1. Inform your assigned undergraduate student and dentist supervisor about your pregnancy during your visit.

    2. The supervising dentist will carefully evaluate the necessity of any X-rays during pregnancy, and may decide to postpone the X-ray if it is not urgent.

    3. If an X-ray is required,
      • We use protective lead aprons to shield your abdomen and minimise radiation exposure.
      • Alternatively, you may explore with the supervising dentist on alternative diagnostic methods which do not involve radiation.
      • When possible, we prefer to schedule routine X-rays after your first trimester, as this is a critical time for the baby’s development. However, in situations where X-rays are necessary, we will take additional precautions to ensure your safety while addressing your dental needs.

 

 

Referral to Postgraduate Clinic
While care will be managed holistically by the assigned undergraduate student, some recommended treatment/procedures may be beyond the undergraduate students’ learning scope. 

In such cases, if you agree to the recommended treatment/procedures, you may therefore be referred to postgraduate (PG) students in NUCOHS for the procedures and the prevailing PG treatment fees will apply.

If you would like to receive government subsidies at the PG, you would need to obtain a referral letter from a Polyclinic before making an appointment with the PG Clinic.

  • Home
  • Clinics
  • S.M.I.L.E Clinics@FOD