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Prof Chris Peck

Dean’s Message

Prof Chris Peck

Since 1929, the Faculty of Dentistry at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has been committed to advancing oral health research and education both locally and globally. Over the years, our graduates, staff, and partners have made significant contributions to improving oral health and well-being.

Our research pushes the boundaries of oral health science, often integrating technological advancements to improve patient care. For instance, we continue to explore microfluidics and organ-on-chip technologies to understand oral health issues and beyond. The work that we do unlock solutions and paradigms in an evolving healthcare landscape while also elevating the Faculty's global standing as an institution of excellence in oral health.

The Faculty takes prides in academic excellence as much as research excellence. Our experienced faculty members endeavour to provide students with a comprehensive foundation in oral health science, clinical skills, and critical thinking. To empower them on their academic journey, our students have access to cutting-edge facilities and opportunities for research collaboration and studies across our wide network of international partners.

As oral health professionals, we are aware of the key role oral health plays in transforming lives and we aspire to continue giving back to society and reaching out to underserved populations to provide oral healthcare, education, and preventative services. Our staff and students engage in extracurricular activities and community outreach, fostering leadership, teamwork, and social responsibility.

By continuing to advance integrated healthcare through oral health excellence, the Faculty recognises its pivotal role in transforming our healthcare landscape, as well as making oral healthcare accessible and essential for all. I invite you to explore our site and discover the work that our incredible people are committed toward.

Prof Chris Peck
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Vision

Leading and inspiring excellence in oral health

Mission

We champion person-centred care by integrating innovative research and enterprise with transformative education

About Us

The NUS Faculty of Dentistry began as a Department of Dentistry within the King Edward VII College of Medicine in 1929. It was the first dental school to be established in a British colony in the East. It achieved full Faculty status in 1966 and continues as the only dental school in Singapore.

The Faculty is led by the Dean and a team of academic and administrative staff. The Faculty comprises of six disciplines that support and fulfil the Faculty’s strive for excellence in areas of clinical care, research and education.

Unified Dental Education and Research Hub

Since 2019, the Faculty has been located at the National University Centre for Oral Health, Singapore (NUCOHS), integrating clinical services, education, and research. This move supports training more dental professionals with advanced simulation labs and research to address the rising oral health demands.

Clinical Services

Within the National University Health System (NUHS), our undergraduate-led clinic allows our students to provide dental services under the guidance of experienced academic mentors. This hands-on approach ensures quality care for patients while preparing our students for their future careers.

Learn more about our clinic here.

Our Disciplines

Oral Sciences

Oral Sciences

The Discipline of Oral Sciences comprises Dental Public Health, Oral Biology, Dental Materials and Basic Sciences. This multi-disciplinary set-up facilitates a confluence of a broad spectrum of clinical, scientific, research and public health expertise to yield a rich synergy across the dental and basic sciences. It also works closely with the other clinical disciplines in the Faculty of Dentistry and complements their efforts in education, research and service.

The Discipline of Oral Sciences is actively involved in undergraduate and graduate education as well as research.

Meet the Team

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

The Discipline of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Faculty of Dentistry is strategically based in the Main Building of the National University Hospital. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is the branch of dentistry that uses surgical methods to correct diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial area. Common oral surgical procedures include extraction of teeth, wisdom teeth surgery, dental extractions for medically compromised patients, placement of dental implants, bone grafting, aesthetic and functional jaw surgery and diagnosis and treatment of cysts and tumours.

The Discipline teaches and practices a broad scope of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Radiology, Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine. It boasts of a reputable team of Faculty, Clinicians, Residents and Part Time staff. The undergraduate programme involves a combination of didactic courses, seminars, independent study, along with strong clinical training in all aspects of oral and maxillofacial surgery. The course of study is organized to allow the student to work closely with full and part-time faculty and they are exposed to a wide variety of clinical situations. The Discipline also offers a postgraduate programme in oral and maxillofacial surgery that prepares candidates for examination for the Master of Dental Surgery and for a career that encompasses the broad scope of the speciality.

The Discipline places a lot of emphasis on research and invests in the future of the speciality. The Discipline also maintains a research program leading to Master of Science and Doctoral Degrees in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. There is also scope for dental students to pursue research in oral and maxillofacial surgery under the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Programme. Our faculty members are active in promoting exciting research pursuits from basic laboratory science to mining evidence from clinical practice and developing new surgical techniques.

Meet the Team

Endodontics, Operative Dentistry & Prosthodontics

Endodontics, Operative Dentistry & Prosthodontics

Endodontics deals with the morphology, physiology and pathology of the human dental pulp and peri-radicular tissues. Second-year undergraduates are taught the biology of the normal pulp as well as the aetiology, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of various conditions of the pulp and peri-radicular tissues. Third and final-year students then get supervised hands-on practise in providing endodontic treatment for patients.

Operative Dentistry
Operative Dentistry deals with the restoration of the diseased or damaged tooth. Students are introduced to the basics of cavity preparation and restoration in their first year. During the two-year pre-clinical course, students practise simple filling procedures in the phantom head room where they develop their psychomotor skills and learn to manipulate restorative materials. They will then bring these skills to the clinic when they treat patients.

Prosthodontics
Prosthodontics restores oral structures through the use of crowns, bridges, dentures and implants. The undergraduate prosthodontic programme stretches over three years, beginning with removable partial denture technique in the second year. Fixed prosthodontics is introduced at the end of the second year. Simple prosthodontic work is carried out in third-year clinics and more complex cases in final-year clinics.

Another important focus of the department is research. Major areas of research include the development of biomaterials for dental use, alternatives to dental amalgam, and the development of IT-related and multimedia applications in teaching and learning.

The efforts in research have paid off with a recent patent on the invention and development of a carbon dental post. The concept of a functionally graded material was employed in the development of a dental post. This was to help reduce the stress concentration at the tip of the dental post which is cemented in the endodontically treated tooth. A graded stiffness, where the apical end is of lower stiffness than the coronal end, allows more even dissipation of stresses in root dentine. Finite element analysis and photoelastic stress analysis were performed to test the efficacy of this new material.

Meet the Team

Periodontics

Periodontics

This discipline deals with diseases of the gums. It is one of the first clinical subjects the undergraduate encounters in the dental course. Through the lectures, tutorials and clinical sessions, undergraduates study about the normal and pathological tissues of the periodontium as well as the aetiology and classification of gingival and periodontal disease. Students in their third and final year treat patients with periodontal problems. They are also given the opportunity to perform simple periodontal surgical procedures during their final year.

Meet the Team

Orthodontics & Paediatric Dentistry

Orthodontics & Paediatric Dentistry

Orthodontics deals with the development of dentoalveolar and craniofacial structures. This course comprises lectures, tutorials and clinical sessions, and aims to provide undergraduates with the skill and expertise to diagnose positional aberrations of the teeth and jaws. It also equips the students with the ability to treat simple cases of malocclusion with removable and functional appliances. Sometimes, students are given the opportunity to apply fixed appliances in the treatment of simple malocclusions.

Paediatric Dentistry
Paediatric Dentistry teaches the prevention, diagnosis and management of dental conditions in the young. The pre-clinical course, which consists of lectures and paediatric operative techniques, is conducted in the third year. Paediatric dentistry clinical sessions begin in the final year. Here, students are given the opportunity to treat and manage dental conditions in young children.

Meet the Team

Primary Dental Care & Population Oral Health

Primary Dental Care & Population Oral Health

Primary care is a valuable starting point within the healthcare ecosystem to promote oral health. With appropriate primary dental care, it facilitates the timely prevention, detection and management of the two most common oral diseases – dental caries and periodontal disease. Often, the effective management of these diseases requires a combination of prevention and treatment. The Discipline therefore focuses its efforts on promoting and maintaining oral health through primary dental care, prevention and health promotion. Dental Public Health, which addresses the art and science of prevention, is championed by the Discipline through a broad range of educational activities in the undergraduate curriculum, research as well as community engagements and partnerships. The Discipline also looks at how primary dental care can be integrated within the broader context of oral healthcare delivered across a spectrum of settings including the community, hospitals, national specialty centres and intermediate and long-term care facilities.

Meet the Team

Our History

1929
The Dental School in Singapore had its beginnings in a disused ward of the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) when Professor E.K. Tratman was appointed Head of the Dental School of the King Edward VII College of Medicine.
1933
First batch of graduates awarded with Licentiates in Dental Surgery (LDS).
1938
Opening of the 'New' Dental School and Clinic Building.
1939 - 1945
The Dental School closed temporarily because of war.
1949
University of Malaya in Singapore was established. Amalgamated with King Edward VII College of Medicine.
1950
First batch of Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) graduates. Professor RJS Tickle assumed post as Head of the Dental Department.
1955
Extension and modern equipment were added to the building.
1962
The Degree, BDS (S'pore) was first awarded with the establishment of the University of Singapore. Professor Jansen was appointed Head of the Dental Department.
1966
The Department of Dentistry attained Faculty status with 4 departments -- Conservative Dentistry, Oral Surgery, Preventive Dentistry and Prosthetic Dentistry. Dr Edmund Tay was elected the first Dean of the Faculty.
1970
The Faculty underwent restructuring into 3 departments -- Operative Dentistry, Oral Surgery and Prosthetic Dentistry. School of Postgraduate Dental Studies (PGDS) was also established.
1979
The Faculty celebrated 50 years of dental education with a renovation of its SGH building, upgrading all clinical areas with new flooring and Maruchi-eight dental units, while also refurbishing and air-conditioning the histology laboratory and Operative Technique Room.
1985
Prof Edmund Tay stepped down as the longest serving Dean in the history of the university. He was succeeded by A/P Loh Hong Sai.
1986
The faculty premises moved from SGH to a new three-storey modern complex at the National University Hospital (NUH) occupying 74,000 square feet of space. An Outpatient NUH Dental Centre was started.
1988
Third GDC (General Dental Council) visitation, with continued recognition of BDS for registration in the UK.
1989
60 years of Dental Education as Faculty proudly celebrates its Diamond Jubilee. Vice Chancellor Prof Lim Pin unveiled the water colour painting of the “Old Dental School” by Ong Kim Seng.
1990
Departments were re-organised into Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Preventive Dentistry and Restorative Dentistry.
1995
Prof Chew Chong Lin was appointed as the third Dean of the faculty. Fourth GDC (General Dental Council) visit
1996
An elective undergraduate student exchange programme (SEP) for overseas attachments began, problem-based learning was introduced for final-year students, and student research initiatives under the University Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) commenced.
1997
School of postgraduate dental studies was renamed the Graduate School of Dental Studies (GSDS).
1998
First International Advisory Panel (IAP) visitors, Prof John Stamm (USA) and Prof Nairn Wilson (UK). Virtual reality pre-clinical simulation systems, DenSim introduced for training in pre-clinical operative technique.
2000
First conjoint Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) examination with the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh) successfully conducted in Orthodontics.
2001
A/P Keson Tan appointed the fourth Dean of the faculty. President of NUS, Prof Shih Choon Fong opened the 4th level extension of the building at NUH. New features include 150 set auditorium, additional seminar rooms, student lounge and computer lab, Dentistry ITU and multimedia lab.
2002
The graduate school of dental studies was subsumed into the faculty and renamed “Division of Graduate Dental Studies (DGDS)“ now offering MDS residency training in 5 specialties.
2003
Electronic Dental Records (EDR) using Dental Exact were introduced for patient management and charting.
2004
The 75th Anniversary celebrations. Alumni named facilities unveiled. Heritage corner started. Faculty research facilities opened at the Defence Science Organization (DSO) Building.
2006
Undergraduate dental enrolment expanded to 42 students, and the MDS orthodontic residency training increased to 6 students. The Centre of Advanced Dental Education (CADE) was launched to provide lifelong learning support for dental professionals.
2007
Alumni mentorship scheme launched to encourage interaction between undergraduate dental students and practicing dentists.
2008
Formation of the National University Health system (NUHS) in Jan 2008 comprising Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS Faculty of Dentistry and National University Hospital (NUH).
2009
Undergraduate dental enrolment expanded to 48 students. Construction of a new Faculty building commenced in June 2009 and was completed in December. Faculty celebrated its 80th anniversary with events culminating in the grand gala dinner on 7th November. An “80th Anniversary Dental Bursary fund” was started.
2010
Assoc Prof Grace Ong was appointed as the fifth Dean and holds the distinction of being the first female Dean in the dental school's history. Faculty moved into its new building at NUS CP9 on 4th January. The new A-shaped building, spanning 6,195m², is situated at the junction of Medical Drive and Lower Kent Ridge Road. It serves as the training hub for undergraduate students and hosts MDS residency programs in Prosthodontics, Orthodontics, as well as the Diploma in Implantology.
2011
On 1st October, the NUS Dentistry was restructured into a One-Department Faculty. This will streamline and facilitate the Faculty’s administration.
2015
Launch of the Paediatric Dentistry Residency Training Programme.
2016
Prof Patrick Finbarr Allen was appointed as the sixth Dean of the NUS Dentistry.
2017
Launched the Master of Paediatric Dentistry programme.
2018
In October, the Dean’s Office shifted to the building of National University Centre of Oral Health, Singapore (NUCOHS).
2019
The Research and Teaching facilities began operations in the new NUCOHS building. S.M.I.L.E Clinic, an undergraduate-run clinic operated by Year 3 and 4 students under the supervision of their teachers, was officially launched on Levels 7 and 8 of the NUCOHS building, offering dental care to the public.
2020
The Covid-19 pandemic led to the transition of classes to online platforms. On 30 June 2020, Prof Patrick Finbarr Allen ends his term as Dean and Assoc Prof Wong Mun Loke, Vice Dean of Undergraduate Studies, assumed the role of Acting-Dean.
2021
As the Covid-19 pandemic continued, undergraduate and postgraduate students requiring clinical practice were assigned to specific clinics to minimise exposure risk.
2023
The introduction of a new Undergraduate Common Curriculum across NUS Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy students. On 23 Aug 2023, Prof Chris Peck joined the Faculty as the new Dean.
2024
The Faculty celebrated its 95th Anniversary with a Carnival for students, staff and alumni.