This Programme fulfils the need for dental practitioners to have access to a higher dental degree which provides specialist clinical training in Orthodontics.
Introduction
The Professional Doctorate is a research qualification that contains Professional Skills Training. In addition, the Doctorate prepares candidates for the examinations of surgical Royal College leading to the award of Membership in Orthodontics or further orthodontic qualifications. You should have already passed the FDS/MFDS examination or an equivalent.
Who is this course for?
This Programme is designed for those who are already a Graduate of Dental Surgery and wish to specialise. This is a 3-year full time Doctorate programme comprising 540 credits. The programme has 120 credits at Level 7 and 60 credits at Level 8 in year one and 360 credits at level 8 in years two and three, totalling 540 credits, therefore making the DDSc a higher degree than a Masters degree. The programme consists of 5 core modules common for all pathways and 5 specialty modules.
What you'll learn
Orthodontics
Communication skills
Patient management skills
Preparation for MOrth exam
Course content
Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.
Year one
The DDSc is a 3-year full time Doctorate programme comprising 540 credits. The programme has 180 credits in year one mostly at master’s level and 360 credits in years two and three at doctorate level. All modules are mandatory i.e. must be passed, and make up the taught, clinical and research components of the programme. The programme consists of 5 core modules and 4 speciality specific modules.
Compulsory modules
RESEARCH METHODS ONLINE (15 CREDITS) (CDEN207)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: whole session
This module will provide students with insight to the overarching strategy and process involved in the application of research to their professional field. The module will be delivered wholly online and supported by interactive eLectures/audio-visual presentations, quizzes and case based interactive discussion boards. For the final assessment, students will be required to p roduce a plan for a research project. The assessment will be school specific and examples will include: experimental design; research design; grant application; ethics application etc. Each assigment must include a full plan of the research including a discussion of any ethics, propsed data collection and analysis and include a justification of the proposed methodologies including any statistics. Successful students will be able to understand and appropriately implement all elements of ‘the research journey’ from conception of an idea, through development/approval, execution, analysis, application and dissemination of such work.
COMMUNICATION, HEALTH PROMOTION AND CLINICAL GOVERNANCE (CDEN233)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: continuing professional development,whole session
To understand Health Service structures and clinical governance and effectively communicate with the dental team.
Research Protocol (CDEN299)
Credits: 60 /
Semester: research session
To produce a postgraduate capable of the general ability to design and implement a project for the generation of new knowledge, applications or understanding at the forefront of professional practice, and to adjust the project design in the light of unforeseen problems
ORTHODONTIC PATIENT CLINICAL ASSESSMENT (CDEN201)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: semester 1
To acquire the skills of taking a history from a patient
To undertake an intra oral examination of the head and neck
To examine the occlusion of the patient
To acquire the skills of clinical information gathering by way of relevant clinical investigations and be able to interpret the clinical data including study models
To acquire the skills of gathering images of patients at appropriate stages of treatment and interpreting these images
To acquire the skills of prescribing, reporting and interpreting relevant radiographic images with particular emphasis on the tracing and interpretation of cephalometric radiographs
ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT PLANNING (CDEN202)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
To identify the general principles of treatment planning for an orthodontic patient
To acquire the skills of formulating an orthodontic treatment taking medical problems into account and identify treatment procedures that will guide the developing malocclusion
To identify the biological principles of treatment, the development of the dento-facial complex and the importance of psychology in patient care
ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCES A (CDEN203)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: semester 2
To acquire the knowledge of dental materials that will inform clinical decisions of appliance selection.
To develop the knowledge and skill to use a range of fixed and removable orthodontic appliances.
ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCES B (CDEN204)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 2
To acquire the knowledge of dental materials that will inform clinical decisions of appliance selection and adjustment
To develop the knowledge and skill to use a range of fixed and removable orthodontic appliances
Any optional modules listed above are illustrative only and may vary from year to year. Modules may be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved and staff availability. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
Year two
Compulsory modules
GROWTH MODIFICATION AND ANCHORAGE (CDEN301)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: semester 1
To identify the clinical reasoning and judgement used in growth and treatment analysis, long term effects and latrogenic effects of orthodontic treatment.
To identify the clinical reasoning and judgement used in treatment anchorage systems and the clinical governance and safety of these systems.
CLINICAL PRACTICE (CDEN303)
Credits: 60 /
Semester: whole session
To produce a specialist capable of independent practice
Any optional modules listed above are illustrative only and may vary from year to year. Modules may be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved and staff availability. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
Year three
Compulsory modules
MULTIDISCIPLINARY ORTHODONTICS (CDEN302)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: whole session
To identify the clinical reasoning and judgement used in planning the treatment of multidisciplinary orthodontic cases
CLINICAL PRACTICE (CDEN303)
Credits: 60 /
Semester: whole session
To produce a specialist capable of independent practice
Any optional modules listed above are illustrative only and may vary from year to year. Modules may be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved and staff availability. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
How you'll learn
The DDSc Orthodontics Programme is a clinical programme. Candidates are expected to be on clinic for 60% of their time. Clinical teaching is delivered through blended learning, including seminars, work-based discussions as well as face to face and online lectures. The course includes both taught clinical components.
In the first year of the programme, students are trained as specialists in Orthodontics in theory-based and clinical taught modules and begin to assess and treat patients. There will be a large amount of clinical contact with patients and consultants which, due to the small ratio of students to consultants, will be approximately 1 hour clinical time: 1 hour contact.
For the second and third years, the taught elements of the Orthodontic pathway are based in two clinical modules.
How you're assessed
The assessment strategy for the programme adopts a varied approach with individual modules tailoring the assessment to the specific skills and learning outcomes to be tested.
For clinical work, students are assessed through specifically designed continuous assessments to evaluate the competency of the student in the clinical setting and so are graded pass/fail. Consultants assess the clinical competency of students and the Internal and External Examiners review the clinical logbook portfolios at the end of the respective modules. This continuous clinical assessment approach enables students to monitor their own progress and performance and take the necessary measures to ensure that they improve their learning and performance. The format of the continuous assessment and expected competencies are different from year one to years two and three to reflect the level 7 and level 8 learning outcomes.
Liverpool Hallmarks
We have a distinctive approach to education, the Liverpool Curriculum Framework, which focuses on research-connected teaching, active learning, and authentic assessment to ensure our students graduate as digitally fluent and confident global citizens.
Your experience
The DDSc orthodontics is a professional doctorate programme with heavy emphasis on clinical skills.
The Orthodontics pathway prepares students for the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (RCS) examinations (MOrth) and has a research component required to become a specialist. The MOrth curriculum is embedded into the programme. The RCS set out the learning outcomes expected of an MOrth graduate. These, combined with the learning outcomes expected of a Doctoral student form the Learning Outcomes of the DDSc programme.
The Professional Doctorate is a research qualification that contains Professional Skills Training. The Doctorate prepares candidates for the examinations of surgical Royal Colleges leading to the award of Membership in Orthodontics or further orthodontic qualifications.
Supporting your learning
From arrival to alumni, we’re with you all the way:
Careers and employability support, including help with career planning, understanding the job market and strengthening your networking skills
A dedicated student services team can help you get assistance with your studies, help with health and wellbeing, and access to financial advice
Support for students with differing needs from the Disability advice and guidance team. They can identify and recommend appropriate support provisions for you.
An exciting place to study
One of the largest dental schools in the UK
State-of-the-art facilities with £6million recent investment
Provides specialist clinical training with taught and research components
Internationally recognised qualifications with a wide range of programmes
We accommodate many specialist dentistry interests through our partnership with the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Together we’ve created state-of-the-art facilities for specialist dentistry resThe Clinical Research Support Costs help towards supporting students research and will cover the cost of consumable materials used during the course. This includes dental-materials, dental nurse support for clinical practice, research lab support & consumables and digital design suite support, consumables and service. This is a compulsory payment required each year.earch and education, including the management of clinical trials to a high level of clinical governance.
Likely career destinations for graduates include:
Specialist Orthodontic Practice (Orthodontist)
Hospital Orthodontist or Consultant
Clinical academia (University researcher/lecturer)
Fees and funding
Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.
Tuition fees
UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland)
Full-time place, per year
£22,150
International fees
Full-time place, per year
£45,250
Fees stated are for the academic year 2024/25 and are subject to change for 2025/26. Please contact dentenq@liverpool.ac.uk for more information.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support.
If you're a UK national, or have settled status in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Loan worth up to £12,167 to help with course fees and living costs. Learn more about fees and funding.
Additional costs
We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any course-related costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.
We accept a 2:2 honours degree from a UK university, or an equivalent academic qualification from a similar non-UK institution.
The programme is intended for graduates of BDS/BChD programmes or equivalent, with some vocational experience.
Candidates for whom English is not their first language need to provide documentary evidence of their competency in English. The English Language Requirement for this programme is 7.0 in IELTS (minimum of 6.5 in each of the subtests) or equivalent. Please see the English Language Unit website for further information (http://www.liv.ac.uk/elu/index.htm).
International qualifications
To be a Graduate of Dental Surgery, have at least 2 years post qualification experience, have MFDS/MJDF qualification or equivalent, have achieved at least a 7.0 IELTS with no lower than 6.5 in any individual category.
International applicants who do not meet the minimum required standard of English language can complete one of our Pre-Sessional English courses to achieve the required level.
English language qualification
Requirements
IELTS
7.0 overall, with no component below 6.5
TOEFL iBT
100 overall, with minimum scores of listening 21, reading 21, writing 21 and speaking 23. TOEFL Home Edition not accepted.
Duolingo English Test
130 overall, with no component below 120
Pearson PTE Academic
69 overall, with no component below 61
LanguageCert Academic
75 overall, with no skill below 70
PSI Skills for English
C1 Pass in all bands
INDIA Standard XII
National Curriculum (CBSE/ISC) - 75% and above in English. Accepted State Boards - 80% and above in English.
WAEC
C6 or above
PRE-SESSIONAL ENGLISH
Do you need to complete a Pre-Sessional English course to meet the English language requirements for this course?
The length of Pre-Sessional English course you’ll need to take depends on your current level of English language ability.
Liverpool bursts with diversity and creativity which makes it ideal for you to undertake your postgraduate studies and access various opportunities for you and your family.
To fully immerse yourself in the university experience living in halls will keep you close to campus where you can always meet new people. Find your home away from home.
Discover what expenses are covered by the cost of your tuition fees and other finance-related information you may need regarding your studies at Liverpool.
Contact us
Have a question about this course or studying with us? Our dedicated enquiries team can help.
