Postgraduate Oral Health

Overview

The Faculty of Dentistry offers the Master of Oral Health ( MOH ), and the Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences ( PGCertHealSc ) endorsed in Adult Restorative Dental Care.

Applicants must have sufficient prior education and clinical experience in oral health therapy, dental therapy and or/dental hygiene for the MOH , or in oral health therapy or dental therapy for the PGCertHealSc .

Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences ( PGCertHealSc ) in Adult Restorative Dental Care

The PGCertHealSc (Adult Restorative Dental Care) provides an opportunity for registered and practising oral health therapists and dental therapists to gain a qualification that will enable them to provide restorative dental care (within their existing scopes of practice) for patients over 18 years of age.

The PGCertHealSc will be offered part-time over one year (starting June/July each year) and will be distance-taught but include a two-week on-campus block course at the commencement of the course (first two weeks of course).

The PGCertHealSc will consist of one 60-point paper, DEOH 401 Adult Restorative Dental Care. The clinical component of the course will be completed under the supervision of a nominated registered dentist, or a registered oral health therapist with the necessary scope of practice, within the student’s and nominated supervisor’s dental practice. (Students will be expected to complete approximately one day a week treating restorative patients aged over 18 years.) The student will complete assignments, as well as keep a logbook, reflective journal, and prepare case studies documenting their patients’ care.

Registered dental therapists will be required to complete DEOH 201 (Human Disease and Pharmacology) as a prerequisite to DEOH 401. A short continuing professional development ( CPD ) course for dental therapists (prior to the block course commencing) will revise aspects of periodontal care within the dental therapy scope of practice that are not used frequently by those treating children.

Applicants must:

• have completed an oral health therapy or dental therapy qualification and be registered in the scopes of oral health therapy or dental therapy
• have at least two years’ clinical experience post-graduation, particularly in restorative dental care
• have a suitable patient group and nominate a suitably-qualified mentor who will be available to assess specified patient care and procedures completed by the student
• demonstrate a commitment to understanding and achieving equity in oral health outcomes

Regulations for the PGCertHealSc , and programme requirements for the Adult Restorative Dental Care endorsement, can be found on the PGCertHealSc qualification page:

Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences (PGCertHealSc) Qualification page

Supplementary Information Form for Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences (PGCertHealSc) (PDF)

Master of Oral Health (MOH)

The Master of Oral Health (MOH) provides an opportunity for Bachelor of Oral Health graduates, or graduates of another approved oral health qualification, and registered in the scopes of oral health therapy, dental therapy and/or dental hygiene, to develop advanced theoretical, clinical and research skills.

This qualification will provide a stepping stone to a PhD and a pathway to an academic career in oral health or to an advanced clinical career.

It is offered as a one-year full-time or two-year part-time 180-point taught master's programme. For part-time, distance-learning candidates, the clinical experience will be practice-based, remote from Dunedin.

MOH graduates will have attained advanced knowledge, skills, and attributes in the scopes of oral health therapy, dental therapy and/or dental hygiene practice. They will demonstrate a high level of research-informed clinical practice, the implementation of an oral health promotion project, and the ability to undertake a rigorous research project.

Applicants must:

• have completed the degree of Bachelor of Oral Health from the University of Otago or another oral health therapy, dental therapy and/or dental hygiene qualification approved by the Admissions Sub-Committee, and be registered in the areas of oral health therapy, dental hygiene and/or dental therapy practice in their country of practice or residence, and;
• have achieved a minimum grade point average of B+ in the final year of the qualifying degree or qualification.

Further information about the Master of Oral Health (MOH)