National University of Singapore Faculty of Dentistry

Faculty of Dentistry
9 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Level 10
Kent Ridge Singapore 119085
656-772-5340
www.dentistry.nus.edu.sg

The NUS Faculty of Dentistry (FOD) 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 6 Disciplines that support fulfil the Faculty’s strive for excellence in areas of clinical care, research and education.

Discipline of Prosthodontics, Operative Dentistry and Endodontics Discipline of Periodontics Discipline of Orthodontics and Paediatric Dentistry Discipline of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Discipline of Oral Sciences Primary Dental Care & Population Health The Faculty has an annual intake of 60 undergraduates. It works closely with departments in the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and other teaching hospitals and institutions across Singapore in healthcare delivery and education. It also partners departments in other faculties of the University, public institutions and private enterprises in multi-disciplinary research activities.

From 2019, the Faculty has re-located to the new National University Centre for Oral Health, Singapore (NUCOHS), with clinical services, education and research facilities under one roof.

This provides excellent opportunity for the Faculty to train the next generation of dental professionals to address the increasing demand for oral health in Singapore, resulting from an ageing population. It will cater to an increased annual undergraduate intake to train more dental professionals, employing advanced simulation laboratories to promote leading-edge and experiential dental training. Through its spectrum of laboratory, clinical and population-based research, the Faculty leverages on research to transform oral health care. In the domain of clinical care, a broad range of dental services catering to the Singapore public, particularly to the elderly and those with medically complex conditions will be provided by the clinics.

NUCOHS is part of the National University Health System, which is an integrated Academic Regional Health System that delivers value-driven, innovative and sustainable health care in Singapore.

Our mission will support the three thrusts of NUS: quality education; high impact research and entrepreneurship, in service of country and society.

By providing a vibrant and challenging environment, the faculty strives to produce clinically competent, socially and ethically responsible professionals who will be leaders in the community.

Excellence in our educational programs and innovative research with high impact is the foundation upon which we will advance knowledge and nurture students to realize their full potential with a passion and commitment to independent lifelong learning.

Goals of the Faculty of Dentistry In line with NUS objectives, the Faculty aims to be the leading dental school in the Asia Pacific region with the next 10 years and a top ranked dental school internationally within 20 years.

The Faculty will be guided by 8 objectives to achieve our Vision to be a dental institution of international distinction:

To be the educational hub for dentistry in the region, being a confluence where the very best dental students, staff and faculty interact and learn from one another.

To establish a vibrant and conducive environment for high impact research, excellent teaching, and professional clinical service.

To produce clinically competent graduates with a sense of professionalism, ethical and social responsibility.

To develop peaks of excellence of high impact research.

To be the regional centre for postgraduate clinical specialty training programmes that are recognised for their excellence and graduates who are leaders in their clinical specialties.

To strengthen bonds with students, alumni and other stakeholders; building bridges that transcend the academic experience.

To provide leadership in the development of the profession.

To contribute towards life-long learning for the dental profession.

Dental Education through the years:

It was the first dental school to be established in a British colony in the east. From the beginning, the courses of study were designed to conform to British standards. Up to 1949, the College awarded a Licence in Dental Surgery which was accorded recognition by the General Medical Council of England in 1947.

In October 1949, King Edward VII College of Medicine amalgamated with Raffles College to form the University of Malaya. King Edward VII College of Medicine then became the Faculty of Medicine. The Department of Dentisty continued to be a Department within the Faculty of Medicine.

After revising the courses of study in dentistry to conform to the General to the General Dental Council requirements, the degree of Bachelor of Dental Surgery was awarded in place of the Licence in Dental Surgery in 1950.

The Department of Dentistry later became a part of the University of Singapore which was founded as a separate university from the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur on 1st January 1962. On 31 August 1966, the Department of Dentistry attained Faculty status. Professor Edmund Tay became the first Dean and led the dental school for 19 years.

On 8th August 1980, the University of Singapore was merged with the Nanyang University to form the National University of Singapore.

The Faculty premises were located on the grounds of the Singapore General Hospital until 28th April 1986, when it occupied a three-storey modern complex in the National University Hospital. Profesor Loh Hong Sai, the second Dean led the school and saw to its development.

Professor Chew Chong Lin became the third Dean in 1995.During his tenure new initiatives like the competency based curriculum and Student Exchange Program (SEP) were introduced.

In 2001, another floor (4th level) was added to the existing building which included new features like a 185 seat auditorium with full theatre facilities, additional seminar rooms, student lounge cum computer lab, a multimedia development laboratory, dentistry IT Unit office, research lab space and a concourse area. These additional facilities will help faculty maintain its mission.

In 2001 Associate Professor Keson Tan became the 4th Dean taking over the mantle from Professor Chew Chong Lin, the immediate past Dean.

In 2002, the graduate school of dental studies was subsumed into the faculty and renamed the “Division of Graduated Dental Studies (DGDS) offering MDS residency training programs in 5 dental specialties.

Faculty became part of the National University Health System (NUHS) in 2008. The NUHS comprises the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSOM), the Faculty of Dentistry (FOD), the National University Hospital (NUH), the National University Cancer Institute, and the National University Heart Centre.

Due to the increasing demand for dental education, Faculty took in its first cohort of 48 first year students in 2009. It was also a significant year, as we celebrated 80 years of dental education with the launching of the 80th Anniversary Bursary Fund. Construction of the new FOD building began in June 2009 and the building was completed in December.

In January 2010, Associate Professor Grace Ong became the 5th Dean of the FOD. The dental school officially moved to its new building at the junction of Medical Drive and Lower Kent Ridge Road on 4th January to begin its Term III of its academic year 2009/10.

On 1st October 2011, the Faculty of Dentistry was restructured into a One-Department Faculty. This will streamline and facilitate the Faculty’s administration.

Under the new structure, Directors will administer the following discipline groups:

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Prosthodontics,

Operative Dentistry & Endodontics,

Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry,

Periodontics,

Oral Sciences,

Primary Dental Care & Population Health.

The new set-up also facilitates further integration and synergy between NUS and NUHS.

In May 2016, Professor Patrick Finbarr Allen took over as the 6th Dean of the FOD.

Map of National University of Singapore Faculty of Dentistry Faculty of Dentistry, 9 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Level 10, Kent Ridge Singapore 119085

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