Dentistry

Prevent, diagnose and treat

Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Dentistry has been providing students with an outstanding education since its founding in 1908. Students learn and practice in our state-of-the-art clinic and lab facilities from nationally and internationally recognized faculty members. We are proud to welcome and work with these highly competent oral health care professionals as colleagues after graduation. Our program is fully accredited by the Commission of Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC).

Doctor of Dental Surgery (four-year degree)

In Dalhousie’s four-year Doctor of Dental Surgery program, you’ll learn techniques in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a full range of dental diseases, including how to screen for oral cancers and perform oral surgery.

Your courses will cover a range of topics, including the biological, medical, and dental sciences. A strong emphasis is placed on clinical patient treatment activities, even in your first year. In your upper years you’ll cover topics such as oral and maxillofacial surgery, comprehensive patient care and more. As early as your second year you’ll treat dental patients in Dalhousie’s Dental Clinic as well as in local hospitals.

Doctor of Dental Surgery (three-year Qualifying Program)

This program is designed for Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada who have graduated from a non-accredited dentistry program in another country. You'll build on your existing knowledge and gain training in North American dentistry practices.

Once you finish the program, you’ll graduate with a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree and are eligible for a license to practice in Canada, the United States, and Australia.

Sample courses:

• Orthodontics
• Paediatric Dentistry
• Caries Prevention
   

Once you’ve completed your DDS, you may choose to complete the one-year Dental Specialty Assessment and Training (DSATP) in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Visit the Academic Calendar to view degree options and course details.

After successfully completing four years of study, you’ll graduate with a Doctor in Dental Surgery (DDS) degree with the skills you need to pursue a career in dentistry - whether you work as an associate, buy your own dental practice, or go on to graduate studies in dentistry. You might pursue a career in any of the following specialties or interests:

• general practice
• implant dentistry
• cosmetic dentistry
• periodontal surgery
• health education and advocacy
  
  

After completing the DDS program, you could complete a general practice residency (GPR), a paediatric GPR, or graduate programs in periodontics or oral and maxillofacial surgery. Other graduate and post-graduate programs in science are also available.