Postgraduate Dental Programmes in the UK to Study from Home

Now that you’re trained as a dentist, you might be considering your options about specialising or wanting more out of your dental career. 

The opportunity to build on your existing skills and sharpen them up can only open up doors for you. The good news is that accessing postgraduate training programmes has become easier than ever. With plenty of learning options available, including distance learning, dentists have more choices in the courses they want to study and more specialisation options, too.

Is It Possible To Work And Study?

You might be wondering how you’ll even pursue a postgraduate degree with mounting work and personal commitments. With so much to navigate and so little time, not to mention the financial burden of a postgraduate qualification, the pursuit of postgraduate dental education probably feels unattainable and not something you can do, even if you really want to.

That’s where flexible, online learning comes in. As the demand for flexibility in studying rises, dental students are finding themselves at a crossroads. With so much opportunity available, dentists have a wide range of options to choose from to expand their horizons and refine their expertise — all from the comfort of their own living rooms, or studies.

Why The UK?

With the UK holding a long-standing reputation for being the hub and centre of excellence, it’s no surprise that the country attracts thousands of students each year. From studying STEM subjects to arts and the humanities, the UK is a popular destination for its academic excellence, challenging standards, high-quality education and prestige. 

The prospect of a UK postgraduate dental qualification is undoubtedly going to be highly attractive and a huge advantage for students wherever they go. With the impressive reputation of a world-class UK education among your achievements, you’ll definitely improve your chances of employability as well as the chances of negotiating a higher salary.

Obtaining A UK Qualification From Home

Even if you’re looking to study from home, it’s still possible to attain a distinguished UK qualification. With the advent of technology and the internet, distance learning has become an easier and more convenient way to study. 

With institutions like the Open University and the University of London allowing students all over the world to study their chosen subjects, there’s no reason why postgraduate dentistry cannot be taught online, too. For students who are unable to access high-quality education in person, studying a dental course from home has become easier than ever.

5 Dental Courses You Can Study From Home

While there are plenty of dental courses available for you to study online, the paradigm shift towards remote learning has been immense, leading to many vocational courses becoming mostly, if not entirely, online. With a myriad of options available, we’ve put together a list of dental programmes in the UK for students to study without leaving the comfort of their homes.

Figure 1 — list of postgraduate dental courses in the UK you can study from home 

1. PG Dip. Aesthetic & Restorative Dentistry — London Dental Institute

For dental professionals who are passionate about improving smiles for their patients, the London Dental Institute brings a reimagined approach to postgraduate education. With the PG Dip. Aesthetic & Restorative Dentistry at the London Dental Institute, you can master restoring function while also improving the visual appearance of people’s smiles. From learning craniofacial anatomy and biomimetic dentistry to understanding clinical research and smile design. You’ll also get to conquer the principles of assessment and diagnosis, fundamental clinical skills as well as tackling complex multidisciplinary treatments.

With advanced aesthetic and restorative dentistry further, along the course, removable prosthesis, implant restorations and digital dentistry are key parts of learning. During the 12-month course, you’ll pick up evidence-based practices and the latest techniques to give you a well-rounded education.

What makes this programme a winner is the level of flexibility. Wherever you are on the globe, you can study the course from anywhere and work around your career and personal commitments. With a blended learning approach, you can study this dental course 100% online and attend an optional week-long practical training conference in London to supplement your hands-on skills while also meeting other LDi students. The use of the Practical Training Kit, Virtual Learning Environment platform and the LDi app allow students to receive a unique dental experience that can be learned anywhere with real-world and practical applications. 

Whether you’re aiming to add more skills and services to your private dental practice or shine as an NHS dental specialist, add aesthetic and restorative dentistry to your repertoire with a world-class education from the London Dental Institute.

2. PG Dip. Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics — London Dental Institute

If you’re looking to brighten up people’s smiles and improve dental health, the London Dental Institute has a comprehensive syllabus in PG Dip. Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics can be covered completely online without needing a visa and travelling for lectures and seminars for the compulsory modules. The one-year online course caters to dental professionals who are enthusiastic about refining their manual dexterity and overall dental finesse. With a focus on evidence-based practices and scientific research, the orthodontics and dentofacial orthopaedics programme provides a well-rounded approach to specialising in this field of dentistry.

What makes the London Dental Institute courses stand out is its provision of world-class and internationally-recognised education while also being flexible. Irrespective of where you are in the world, you have the opportunity to manage your career and your studies without relocation and upheaval. The convenient blended learning approach is supported by the inclusion of the Practical Training Kit to help students with practical skills, the Virtual Learning Environment platform for discussion of case studies and the additional provision of the LDi app allows for an engaging learning experience without the need for on-campus studying.

Whether you want to extend your private dental practice’s service offering or become an accomplished NHS dental specialist, you’ll achieve your goal by studying with the London Dental Institute.

3. Dental Public Health, Policy and Leadership Online MSc — Queen Mary’s, University of London

Dental public health isn’t just about creating patient smiles. It’s an important branch of dentistry that focuses on improving the oral health and well-being of entire communities. By addressing factors such as access to care, preventive strategies and health policies, dental public health professionals play a key role in promoting oral health for the wider public. For dentists who are keen to go down this route, it’s worth considering the Dental Public Health, Policy and Leadership Online MSc at Queen Mary’s University of London. From advocating for water fluoridation to implementing school-based dental programmes, this MSc programme is focused on creating positive, lasting impacts beyond the dentist’s chair.

With modules on Prevention and Oral Health Promotion, Research Methods, Health Systems Policy and Performance and many more, this programme equips dental professionals with the expertise to lead, strategise and evaluate health policies and programmes in their respective contexts. With this MSc, students will cultivate the confidence to become strategic global oral health leaders.

The MSc in Dental Health, Policy and Leadership offers a wonderful opportunity to enrich your professional journey that allows you to move beyond everyday practical dentistry and attain leadership skills.

Maxillofacial Prosthetic Rehabilitation MSc — King’s College London

Working at the intersection of dentistry and technology, the Maxillofacial Prosthetic Rehabilitation MSc is dedicated to restoring function and aesthetics to individuals who have suffered facial deformities due to trauma, surgery or congenital conditions. Create custom-designed prostheses with advanced materials and digital techniques to replace missing or damaged facial structures.

In this course, you’ll learn how pivotal your role is in helping patients regain their confidence, quality of life as well as social integration with the use of personalised prosthetic devices that blend in with natural facial features.

Blended learning is the chosen learning method with this programme allowing students to access course materials through the KCL online learning platform — the King’s E-learning and Teaching Service (KEATS). With interactive assignments, bibliographic resources and study materials available through KEATS, students can learn easily through virtual tutorials and vibrant and engaging discussions. 

From intricate facial prosthetics to implantology and prosthesis design, this programme is suited for students on a path to excellence. With opportunities to shape the landscape of maxillofacial prosthetic rehabilitation, you’ll be able to achieve a high level of expertise with this distance learning course.

Study From The Comfort Of Your Home

The path to advancing your dental career has never been more accessible. Whether you want to explore your study options further or have already decided you want to learn from home, these programmes will set up your dental career for success and help you achieve your goals without leaving home. 

With abundant choices and a rapidly growing and evolving world of dentistry, the concept of learning from a distance is no longer a pipe dream but a tangible reality. From mastering the intricacies of orthodontics to learning deeply about maxillofacial prosthetic rehabilitation, or taking the lead in shaping dental public health policies, the UK’s prestigious institutions have flexible programmes that will help you reach your career goals without compromising on your existing commitments.

With the London Dental Institute, studying from home is easy and convenient. The length of the courses, the useful Practical Training Kit and the Virtual Learning Environment platform and app provide an online on-campus experience that provides community, support and boundless opportunities. As you consider your next move in modern dentistry, just know that the world of postgraduate dental education in the UK is globally-recognised and will open up doors that will enrich your career. 

Explore your flexible course options with the London Dental Institute — speak to an enrolment advisor or click here to find out more.