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Faculty of Dentistry

Frequently Asked Questions

 

(I) Courses offered by the Graduate Studies


Does Graduate Studies offer any part time courses or diploma courses?

The Graduate Studies only offers the Master of Dental Surgery (Residency Training Programme), which is a 3-year full time training programme. However, we do offer part time Graduate Diploma programmes. Information on the centre is available at Centre For Advanced Dental Education. Graduate Studies also conducts the Basic Medical Sciences (BMS) course, a 2-week full time preparatory course for the Part I MDS Examination. The BMS course is conducted annually in September. For more information, please refer to our website at BMS Course/ Part 1 Examinations

 

(II) MDS Residency Training Programme


1. What are the entry requirements for the MDS Residency Training Programme?

Entry Requirements

Holder of basic dental degree (Bachelor of Dental Surgery or equivalent);

At least two years full-time clinical experience in general dentistry after graduation
(excluding internship);

Applicants whose native tongue or medium of undergraduate instruction is not English must complete the TOEFL or IELTS. The minimum acceptable scores are: TOEFL – 580
(computer based score of 237 & above) or IELTS – 7.

More details on admission procedures are available at: MDS Residency Programmes.

 

2. How many international students do you accept each year for MDS Residency Training programme?

Entry is strictly on merit and there is no quota for foreign students. We may offer up to 4 students per year for the Endodontics, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Periodontology, Prosthodontics and Paediatric Dentistry residency training programmes, and up to 6 students for Orthodontics residency programme.

 

3. Is the Part I compulsory?

A pass in the Part I Examination is necessary for consideration to the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery MDS residency training programme.

 

4. I have successfully completed the F.R.A.C.D.S. examination. Would this be considered equivalent to the Part I MDS with regard exemption from the Part I examinations?

Yes. Applicants who have taken and passed the FRACDS examination will be exempted from the Part I MDS Examination, the results of which will be taken into due consideration in the shortlisting of applicants.  However, a pass does not guarantee a place in the programme.

 

5. How much is the tuition fee?

Annual tuition Fees are listed at

http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/edu/gd-fees.html

 

(III) Financial Aid/ Scholarship/ Employment

1. Is there any form of financial aid available in form of scholarship or teacher's assistantship/research assistantship?
More information is available on the Registrar’s Office website at

https://www.dentistry.nus.edu.sg/GDS/GDS_scholarship_and_financial_aid.html

2. Is there any form of temporary practising license/ hospital job available while pursuing the course?
International applicants who are accepted into the programme will be issued a temporary registration from the Singapore Dental Council in order that they may carry out clinical work as part of their training. They will not receive any salary or stipend for this.
The terms of the license prohibits residents from practicing outside of the designated training centre by the National University of Singapore.

3. Do the international students receive stipends during the education?
There is no regular stipend given to MDS residents. Private (non-sponsored) residents who may conduct some undergraduate clinical teaching as part of the MDS Residency training programme are paid a small amount.
International students are required to show that they have adequate funding to fund the full course of their education before student visas are approved.

4. Is it possible for international students to work in or out of university during the period of their education?

The student visa issued to international students upon matriculation does not permit the holder to work during term time. International students are required to apply for permission to work (as part of student pass conditions). For more information, please refer to the Registrar’s  Office website at http://www.nus.edu.sg/admissions/graduate-studies/

Also, international students will not be able to work as a dentist outside of the dental school because the temporary practising license will be valid only for training purposes within NUS.

 

(IV) Other Enquiries


1. Which countries have the NUS MDS degree been registrable?

This question is best answered by the Dental Council from the respective country. You are advised to write to the Singapore Dental Council regarding the registration matters in Singapore.
The Singapore Dental Council website can be found at – http://www.sdc.gov.sg

 

2. Is the MDS degree approved by universities in other countries?

Universities do not approve of degrees. We do not seek approval for our postgraduate courses from other Universities.

3. If I have a research degree in dentistry (M.Sc.Dent; MSc), will I be exempted from the research component of the MDS programme?

There will be no exemption from the research component of the MDS programme.