Welcome to the Faculty of Dentistry
The Faculty of Dentistry is a world-class oral health centre committed to the promotion of oral health through excellence of its teaching and learning, service rendering, community engagement and research.
The Faculty of Dentistry offers high-quality professional education and service based clinical training at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, laying the foundation for life-long professional development.
The Academic Oral Health Centres at Tygerberg and at Mitchells Plain are at the core of our clinical platform, but clinical care and training activities also take place at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's and Groote Schuur hospitals, Gugulethu and Mitchells Plain Dental Clinics, the Phelophepha Health Trains and many other locations served by our mobile dental clinic.
We provide a unique and diverse range of community and hospital settings in which students learn and refine their clinical skills, while delivering much needed oral health care to surrounding communities.
This clinical platform is jointly managed by the Dental Faculty of the University of the Western Cape (UWC), and the Provincial Government of the Western Cape (PGWC) Department of Health.
Professor Veerasamy 'Jeff' Yengopal
Dean: Faculty of Dentistry
The Department of Community Dentistry provides undergraduate as well as postgraduate programmes which enable students to make a diagnosis of a population’s oral health problems, establish the causes and effects of the problems and plan effective interventions through interdisciplinary co-operation and organised efforts of society.
The discipline is concerned with promoting the health of a population, and, therefore, focuses action at community level as opposed to an individual.
The discipline is concerned with promoting the health of a population, and, therefore, focuses action at community level as opposed to an individual.
The Department is dedicated to providing evidence-based dental and craniofacial health care through excellence in research, education,
and clinical practice.Our aim is to enhance our knowledge of craniofacial biology and elucidate the complexities of pathological conditions that impact dental and craniofacial health.
This is a diagnostic science department that provides a holistic evaluation of a disease/condition in terms of clinical, radiological and pathological investigations with the aim of providing an accurate diagnosis which informs the therapeutic management of the patient.
Through interdisciplinary collaboration, dental professionals are enabled to provide comprehensive care, thereby potentially improving patient outcomes and enhancing quality of life.
and clinical practice.Our aim is to enhance our knowledge of craniofacial biology and elucidate the complexities of pathological conditions that impact dental and craniofacial health.
This is a diagnostic science department that provides a holistic evaluation of a disease/condition in terms of clinical, radiological and pathological investigations with the aim of providing an accurate diagnosis which informs the therapeutic management of the patient.
Through interdisciplinary collaboration, dental professionals are enabled to provide comprehensive care, thereby potentially improving patient outcomes and enhancing quality of life.
The cluster, Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, and Anaesthesiology and Sedation consists of the two departments namely “Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery” as well as ”Anaesthesiology and Sedation”.
The cluster offers postgraduate programmes that vary from clinical postgraduate diplomas, a clinical specialist master’s programme, research masters and PhD studies.
The cluster offers postgraduate programmes that vary from clinical postgraduate diplomas, a clinical specialist master’s programme, research masters and PhD studies.
The Department of Oral Hygiene is primarily responsible for development and delivery of the Degree in Oral Health (BOH).
The scope of expertise of the specialist in Oral Medicine and Periodontics includes the diagnosis and management of diseases, disorders and anomalies that affect the oral and periodontal tissues, as well as the oral and peri-oral manifestations of systemic diseases according to evidence based practices.
The discipline of orthodontics focuses on the growth and development of the craniofacial complex and dental occlusion, as well as the treatment of abnormalities related to these structures. Although the word orthodontics is derived from the Greek "orthos" being "straight" and "odontos" being "tooth", the scope of orthodontics and orthodontic treatment is much wider than only the dentition.
Paediatric Dentistry encompasses all the different disciplines of dentistry for the child patient. The department caters to the needs of all children (including medically compromised and special needs children) under the age of 12 years.
The scope of Paediatric Dentistry involves the practice of oral and dental health care for infants, children and adolescents, through appropriate preventive, educational and treatment services, which includes treatment under general anaesthesia and sedation.
Paediatric Dentistry encompasses all the different disciplines of dentistry for the child patient. The department caters to the needs of all children (including medically compromised and special needs children) under the age of 12 years.
The scope of Paediatric Dentistry involves the practice of oral and dental health care for infants, children and adolescents, through appropriate preventive, educational and treatment services, which includes treatment under general anaesthesia and sedation.
The Department of Prosthodontics Dentistry core business is teaching removable prosthodontics, research, and clinical services. Teaching and learning removable prosthodontic courses in the undergraduate and postgraduate programs revolve around the rehabilitation of partially and completely edentulous patients. This involves the art and science of designing, planning, constructing and fitting removable artificial appliances or prosthesis in patients’ mouths to replace missing teeth.
The undergraduate curriculum in the BDS program commences from the second year, and spreads over four years. It consists of laboratory and clinical modules. At the end of fifth year, the student is able to successfully treat and manage edentulous patients that present with basic or advanced complications.
The postgraduate programs share a joined platform between Prosthetic and Conservative Dentistry. Postgraduate programs include MChD - clinical Master’s program of 4 years, MSc - clinical Master of Science program of three years (open to international students) and MSc - research Master's program. The department also offer PDD diploma courses in aesthetic dentistry, removable prosthodontics and implantology.
The undergraduate curriculum in the BDS program commences from the second year, and spreads over four years. It consists of laboratory and clinical modules. At the end of fifth year, the student is able to successfully treat and manage edentulous patients that present with basic or advanced complications.
The postgraduate programs share a joined platform between Prosthetic and Conservative Dentistry. Postgraduate programs include MChD - clinical Master’s program of 4 years, MSc - clinical Master of Science program of three years (open to international students) and MSc - research Master's program. The department also offer PDD diploma courses in aesthetic dentistry, removable prosthodontics and implantology.
The WHO collaborating centres are institutions such as research institutes, parts of universities or academies, which the Director-General designates to carry out activities in support of the Organization’s programmes. Currently, there are over 800 WHO collaborating centres in 90 member states working with WHO on areas such as nursing, occupational health, communicable diseases, nutrition, mental health, chronic diseases and health technologies.
