Faculty of Dentistry

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1. Dissertation requirements for Masters Degrees (M Dent)

   As part of the final master's degree examination mark, the following is required:

   1. A research based minor dissertation governed by the general university and faculty rules regarding registration with REPC, supervision and external examiners as described under General Rule G23.4

      and

   2. A paper deemed by the Examination Panel to be suitable for acceptance and publication by a SAPSE accredited journal, with the candidate as the senior author.   A bound copy of the paper, together with a certificate from the Examination Panel deeming the paper to be, suitable for publication, must be submitted to the University before the degree be awarded

2. Registration and Registrarship

   1. A candidate who is appointed to a Registrar's post between

      1. January and March will be registered as from January provided that the application with full supporting documentation is submitted to the University by 31st March

      2. April and August will be registered as from 1st of July, provided the application with full supporting documentation is submitted to the University by 31st August;  and

      3. September and December will be registered as from 1st of January of the following year, provided the application is submitted to the University before 31st March the following year

   2. Registration must be renewed annually in January until completion of the course.   A student who fails to register annually will not be granted retrospective recognition of the period for which s/he was not registered.

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A candidate enrolling for any of the M Dent programmes must be registered as a dentist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and have practised as a dentist for at least two years.

The programme extends over a minimum period of three years during which the student must be in full-time employment as a registrar in the respective Department.

 

i) Primary Examination Courses
ATHS701	Administrative Theory and Health Related Social Sciences
ETBD701	Epidemiologic Theory, Bio-Statistics, Research Methodology and Demography
BBOH701	Biologic Basis of Oral Health, consisting of -
ORMI702	Module I - Oral Microbiology
ORBI703	Module II - Oral Biology
ORPA704	Module III - Oral Pathology
ii) Attendance Course
CHRC701	Communicable Diseases and Health Related Conditions
iii) Main Course
CODE761	Community Dentistry
iv) Clinical/Practical Experience
Clinical/Practical experience is obtained over a three year period while holding a full-time clinical post, recognised for that purpose, at the Medunsa Oral Health Centre or at an equivalent institution recognised by Medunsa.
v) Project
Each student must complete a project (PHRP701/PHRP702), the protocol of which must be approved by the Head of the Department.  The project must be submitted six months before sitting the final examination.
vi) At least half of the training period shall be completed at the Medunsa Oral Health Centre or at an institution recognised by Medunsa for this purpose.

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A candidate enrolling for any of the M Dent degree programmes must be registered as a dentist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and have practised as a dentist for at least two years.

The programme extends over a minimum period of three years during which the student must be in full-time employment as a registrar in the respective Department.

 

i) Attendance Course
REME781	Research Methodology
ii) Primary Examination Courses
ANAT701	Anatomy
PHYL701	Physiology
PATH703	Pathology
iii) Intermediate Examination Courses
GPSD721	General Principles of Surgery
ORPA721	Oral Pathology
iv) Final Examination Course
MFOS761	Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery
v) Clinical/Practical Experience
a) Clinical experience is obtained over a three year period while holding a full-time clinical post at the Medunsa Oral Health Centre or at an equivalent institution recognised by Medunsa.
b) At least half of the total training period shall be completed at the Medunsa Oral Health Centre

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A candidate enrolling for any of the M Dent degree programmes must be registered as a dentist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and have practised as a dentist for at least two years.

The programme extends over a period of four years during which the student must be in full-time employment as a Registrar in the Department of Oral Pathology.

i) Primary Examination Courses
BIOS701	Biostatistics
REME701	Research Methodology
ANAT701	Anatomy
PHYL701	Physiology
ii) Intermediate Examination course
ANPA721	Anatomical Pathology
iii) Final Examination Course
ORPA761	Oral Pathology
iv) Research Component
Each candidate must successfully complete a research project (OPRR791) before being admitted to the final examination.
v) Clinical/Practical Experience
a) Clinical/Practical experience is obtained over a four-year period while holding a full-time registrar post at the Medunsa Oral Health Centre or at an equivalent institution recognised by Medunsa.
b) At least half of the total training period shall be completed at the Medunsa Oral Health Centre.

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A candidate enrolling for any of the M Dent programme must be registered as a dentist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and have practised as a dentist for at least two years.

The programme extends over a minimum period of three years during which the student must be in full-time employment as a registrar in the respective Department.

i) Attendance Courses
MFOS781	Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery
PROS781	Prosthodontics
PERI781	Periodontics and Oral Medicine
PAED781	Paedodontics
BIOS781	Biostatistics
OTOR781	Otorhinolaryngology
PLAS781	Plastic Surgery
PMAD781	Practice Management
REME781	Research Methodology
APSY781	Applied Psychology
APHG781	Applied Human Genetics
SPTH781	Speech Therapy
ii) Primary Examination Courses
ANAT701	Anatomy
PHYL701	Physiology
iii) Final Examination Course
ORTH762	Orthodontics
iv) Research Component
ORRR791
v) Clinical/Practical Experience
(a) Clinical/Practical experience is obtained over a three-year period while holding a full-time registrar post at the Medunsa Oral Health Centre or at an equivalent institution recognised by Medunsa
(b) At least half of the total training period shall be completed at the Medunsa Oral Health Centre

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A candidate enrolling for any of the M Dent degree programmes must be registered as a dentist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and have practised as a dentist for at least two years.

The programme extends over a minimum period of three years during which the student must be in full-time employment as a registrar in the respective Department.

i) Primary Courses (Part 1)
Examination Courses
ANAT701	Applied Anatomy
PHYL701	Applied Physiology
PRGP721	Principles of General Pathology
Attendance Courses
BIOS781	Biostatics
REME781	Research Methodology
ii) Intermediate Examination Courses (Part II)
ORPA721	Applied Oral Pathology
ORBI721	Applied Oral Biology
iii) Final Examination Course (Part III)
PEOM761	Periodontology and Oral Medicine
NB Note:  The following courses will be required in partial fulfilment of the Periodontology and Oral Medicine course.   The format of these courses may vary.   In some the requirement will be met by preparation of a dedicated seminar(s) which will be discussed in interaction with the head of the relevant department.   In others the requirement will be met by a structured attendance course in that particular discipline
Oral Microbiology	Dermatology
Radiology	Orthodontics
Prosthodontics	Applied Pharmacology
Haematology
iv) Research Component
PORR791
Each candidate will be expected to produce a dissertation related to the major subject (Periodontology and Oral Medicine) which should show originality and the ability to conduct independent research.
v) Clinical/Practical Experience
(a)       Clinical/Practical experience is obtained over a minimum period of three years while holding a full-time registrar post at the Medunsa Oral Health Centre or at an equivalent institution recognised by Medunsa
(b)       At least half of the total training period shall be completed at the Medunsa Oral Health Centre

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A candidate enrolling for any of the M Dent degree programmes must be registered as a dentist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and have practised as a dentist for at least two years.

This full-time programme extends over a minimum period of 3 years.   Students may be employed as registrar/lecturer in the Department of Prosthodontics if posts are available.   Alternatively they may enter the course as a full-time student/honorary lecturer.

i) Part I:   Primary Examination Course
ORBI701	Oral Biology
ORPA701	Oral Pathology
ORMI701	Oral Microbiology and Immunology
ii) Final Examination Course
PROS761	Prosthodontics

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An applicant must be in possession of at least a BDS or equivalent degree.

The duration of the course shall be a minimum of two years, full-time and a minimum of three years part-time.   Maximum of five years and thereafter a request for the extension of time on a yearly basis to Faculty Board and Senate.

The registration of the title of the dissertation is approved for a maximum of four years, after which the candidate may apply to Senate (through Faculty Board) for an extension of time.   The final date for submission of the dissertation for examination, with a view of having the degree conferred at the end of the same year, is 30 June.

The MDS curriculum consists of:

1. two compulsory examination subject courses:
   • BIOS801 - Biostatistics
   • REME801 - Research Methodology

   and

2. a major dissertation

The degree with distinction is awarded to a candidate who has obtained a mark of at least 75% in a dissertation and all courses.

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Admission:

A person who wishes to be admitted as a candidate shall lodge an application in writing with the Registrar, submitting evidence of his/her academic record and general qualifications in the subject in which the candidate has passed an Honours or equivalent examination,  The candidate should indicating the field of research in Dentistry which he/she wishes to follow.   The research project must be based on an aspect of Oral Anatomy, Oral Physiology, Oral Microbiology and Dental Materials.

Registration:

A person who is admitted will be deregistered if the requirement for registration of a research project had not been met.

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A candidate for the degree of Master in Dental Science shall execute the completed research project during not less than two academic years full-time or three years part-time study.   The maximum time shall be four years.

1. Registration of Research Project

   A research project shall, after consultation with the supervisor(s), be registered with the Faculty's Research, Ethics and Publications Committee before the end of June of the year in which the student first registered.

2. Subjects Offered

   A person may be admitted by the Senate as a candidate for the Degree of Masters of Science (Dental) in a subject selected from the following list:

   • Oral Anatomy
   • Oral Physiology
   • Oral Microbiology
   • Dental Materials

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Message from the Dean | Mission/Goals | Academic Personnel | Degree & Diploma Programmes | Undergraduate Degree Programmes | Undergraduate Diploma Programmes | MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAMMES | Postgraduate Honours Programmes | Doctor's Degree Programmes | Postgraduate Diploma Programmes | Syllabuses