BACHELOR OF DENTAL SURGERY

BACKGROUND

Dentistry is the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment (nonsurgical, surgical or related procedures) of diseases, disorders and/or conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and/or the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. The diseases or conditions may be of hard and soft tissues and include tooth decay, infections, malformations, malocclusion, tumours and traumatic injuries. These conditions cause pain, discomfort, and morphological defects and impede normal function in the head and neck region. They may be debilitating and affect the social well-being of individuals thus impacting negatively on the quality of life.  

The Department of Dental Sciences, housed at the Dental School of the University of Nairobi, was established in 1974 to train dental practitioners and meet national development needs by providing oral healthcare services to the population. The Department has achieved this through the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme as well as four flagship Master of Dental Surgery programmes in Paediatric Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Prosthodontics and Periodontology.

The BDS programme is relevant in ensuring the provision of oral health care as a basic human right as stipulated in the Kenyan Constitution (2010) and healthcare as a component of the social pillar of Vision 2030. Further, the programme aligns with the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) as well as in the realisation of Universal Health Coverage, one of Kenya’s Big Four Agendas. Notably, this programme supports UNESCO’s Education 2030 framework work for Action (FFA) as well as its theme on Health, HIV and AIDS.

The Department wishes to review the regulations and syllabus to improve the programme by incorporating salient recommendations by stakeholders and external examiners, to ensure the uptake of modern global standards while maintaining competitiveness among our graduates.

PHILOSOPHY OF THE DEGREE PROGRAMMES

The Bachelor of Dental Surgery is a clinical training programme aimed at producing graduates competent in the practice of dentistry. It is driven by the need to produce dentists who can provide leadership and stewardship in the provision of evidence-based oral health care in Kenya and the world.

THE RATIONALE OF THE DEGREE PROGRAMME

Justification of the need for the programme

This programme was last reviewed in 2012. The major revisions focus on aligning with guidelines provided by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMP&DC).

The present review considers advances in dental knowledge and the demand for leadership skills. Further, there is more emphasis on the clinical and/or practical examination in the evaluation process. The review is an opportunity to rationalize the content and incorporate new material to prepare graduates for the ever-changing landscape in healthcare provision.

The revised curriculum remains a 5-year programme in which basic sciences will be completed by the end of the 3rd year of training. Graduates will be expected to demonstrate competency in meeting the oral health needs of the population, be self-motivated and ethical in their approach to patient management, and actively engage in national and global oral health agendas.

There is a need to train competent dentists to bridge the existing gap and address the unmet demand for oral healthcare providers in answer to the call of healthcare aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Kenya Vision 2030 and the Kenya Oral Health Policy 2022-2030.

Situation analysis

Several head and neck conditions necessitate treatment by oral health professionals. They include diseases of the dental hard tissues such as extensively damaged teeth due to unmanaged dental caries, dental fluorosis and other conditions associated with tooth discolouration, developmental dental defects such as amelogenesis and dentinogenesis imperfecta, impacted teeth, edentulism or tooth loss; diseases of the soft tissues such as periodontal diseases; soft tissue trauma and fractures; malocclusion; bone diseases; benign and malignant tumours; and, congenital defects such as cleft lip and palate.

In Kenya, the National Oral Health Survey of 2015 identified the burden of oral diseases and conditions as varying from low to high. The overall prevalence of dental caries in primary and permanent teeth among children (5-, 12-, and 15-year-olds) was 23.9%. The prevalence of dental caries among the 5-year-olds in this population was 46.3% while that in the adult population (18 years and above) was 34.3%. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was 23.7% among adults and 41.4% among children. The prevalence of tooth wear among the adult population was 14.6%; of these, 9.3% had enamel erosion while 5.3% had dentine erosion. Enamel fractures were detected in 1.6% of the participants, combined dentine and enamel fractures in 3.4%, while trauma involving the pulp was present in 3.6% of the participants. The mouth and the oropharynx are among the ten most common sites affected by cancer globally while orofacial trauma is among the most common injuries from accidents and violence. These often require specialized interventions and rehabilitations initiative by a dental surgeon.

These conditions may cause difficulty in speech and pronunciation, lower an individual’s self-confidence by altering their self-image to the extent of embarrassment, impede socialization and the formation of close bonds, and worse, limit the choice of foods that can be comfortably consumed, resulting in a compromised nutritional status. This cumulative dysfunction is associated with aesthetic, functional, psychological and social impacts on individuals thus essentially affecting their health-related quality of life.

Stakeholder involvement

This review was conducted in accordance with the University of Nairobi QMS guidelines. It incorporated output from the assessment of the former curriculum while benchmarking with relevant curricula of Universities in the Commonwealth and America. The recommendation of various stakeholders including the students, the Ministry of Health, the Regulatory Body, other health professionals and members of the public were also considered. 

GOALS OF THE PROGRAMME

The goal of the BDS programme is to train dental surgeons who are competent in the provision of preventive and curative oral health care as well as demonstrate leadership in oral health care. 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. To equip the student with knowledge, skills and competencies in patient management.
2. To equip the student with knowledge, skills and critical thinking to enable them to conduct ethical research.
3. To instil in the student integrity and professionalism in the management of patients and interaction with professional peers.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Minimum admission requirements

1. The common regulations governing admission to a bachelor’s degree programme at the University of Nairobi shall apply.
2. Candidates for admission shall satisfy the general University of Nairobi undergraduate admission criteria of a mean grade of C+ in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E). A minimum of Grade B will be mandatory in each of the cluster subjects.
3. The cluster subjects for Bachelor of Dental Surgery for K.C.S.E holders are as follows:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics or Mathematics
• English or Kiswahili

In addition to (3.1.2) above, eligibility for consideration for admission for other qualifications shall be governed by the following admission requirements, outlined under each catchment category.

Advanced level of education certificate holders, that is, Advanced Certificate of Education (ACE) or Advanced Level (A Level), should have at least three principle level passes in the following subjects:

1. Biology
2. Chemistry
3. Physics/Mathematics

A minimum of Grade C will be mandatory in each of the cluster subjects.

           OR

International Baccalaureate (IB) holders should have Grade 5 and above in the following cluster subjects:

1. Biology
2. Chemistry
3. Physics/Mathematics

            OR

Kenya Certificate of Education (KCE) holders with a minimum ‘O’ level division II Pass OR Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) with C+ mean grade in addition to a three-year diploma from a Medical Training Institution or equivalent from an institution recognized by the University of Nairobi Senate in any of the following disciplines:

1. Dental Technology
2. Dental Surgery Assistant
3. Dental Hygiene
4. Community Oral Health
5. Clinical Medicine
6. Laboratory Technology
7. Radiography
8. Pharmaceutical Technology
9. Nursing, or
10. Other equivalent disciplines

            OR

Holders of degrees in any of the science subjects from the University of Nairobi or equivalent degrees from institutions recognized by the University of Nairobi Senate.

International students from non-English speaking countries shall provide evidence of competence in the English language by producing a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) certificate, International English Language Testing System (IELTS) certificate or equivalent.

Credit transfer and exemptions

1. A candidate may transfer credits up to one-third [1/3] from an institution or programme recognized by the University of Nairobi Senate.
2. A candidate seeking transfer of credit or exemption of course units shall:

• Send a formal application to the Academic Registrar through the Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences. Such application shall include justification of the request and evidence of the credentials to support such request.
• Pay the prescribed application processing fee.
• On successful application, be allowed to transfer, or be exempted from, up to a maximum of one-third of the core course units for a similar programme at the same level.
• Be allowed transfer or exemption of credits only for pre-clinical courses, subject to verification of course content previously covered and level of achievement by the relevant department(s).

COURSE DURATION

The BDS programme shall extend over a minimum period of five and a maximum period of ten academic years of full-time training, unless under special circumstances as specified in the University's academic policies and procedures.

The programme shall consist of taught coursework, practicals, research projects, tutorials, seminars and clinical work. All the course units in the programme shall be compulsory.

COURSE STRUCTURE

Each academic year shall comprise two semesters within a period of 36 weeks. Courses will be taught for 18 weeks during the first semester and 15 weeks during the second semester. Formative assessments shall be conducted at specified time points during the semesters while summative assessments shall be conducted during the last three weeks of the second semester.

First Year (36 Weeks)

Students will take a minimum of five (5) course units in the first year.

Second Year (36 Weeks)

Students will take a minimum of eight (8) course units in the second year.

Third Year (36 Weeks)

Students will take a minimum of eight (8) course units in the third year.

Fourth Year (36 Weeks)

Students will take a minimum of ten (10) course units in the fourth year.

Fifth Year (36 Weeks)

Students will take a minimum of six (6) course units in the second year.

MODE OF DELIVERY OF THE PROGRAMME

Face-to-face mode

This will be offered using various techniques including, but not exclusive to, didactic lectures, seminars and tutorials, laboratory-based practice, skills laboratories, clinical clerkship and practice, and case-based learning.

Open, distance and e-learning mode

This will be offered using a multi-media approach that includes self-instructional print and electronic study materials. Learners shall be required to access online courses and submit assignments online.

Blended learning mode

The blended combines online learning with synchronous, asynchronous and face-to-face methods. This shall apply to relevant course units.

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOME OF THE PROGRAMME

By the end of the programme, the learner should be able to:

1. Demonstrate integrity and professionalism while interacting with peers and patients;
2. Apply knowledge and skills in the medicolegal framework and ethical considerations affecting practice and research in dental surgery in Kenya and internationally;
3. Diagnose common oral and related conditions;
4. Practice evidence-based clinical dentistry to manage common oral and related conditions;
5. Appraise basic research relating to oral health and disseminate the findings;
6. Design and implement oral health promotion programmes in Kenya

CAREER PROSPECTS

Graduates of this program can take up careers as dentists in  public  or  private  health  institutions, oral  healthcare  product  managers  in  dentally allied manufacturing companies or teaching at universities and colleges. It also prepares learners for postgraduate studies. The program also imparts skills to graduates who may wish to venture out as entrepreneurs.

ATTACHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The department has over the years formed very strong collaborations with various public and private institutions where our students can go for attachemnt. They include government hospitals and teaching and referral hospitals across the country. Students are encouraged to submit their attachment applications through the Department of Dental Sciences.

FEE STRUCTURE

Tuition fees (Self Sponsored) Ksh. 576,000 Per academic year (or Ksh. 288,000 Per Semester)

Other charges

a. Application (Once) Ksh 3,000

b. Registration (Per Semester) Ksh 2,250

c. ICT Services (Per Year) Ksh 7,000

d. Library (Per Year) Ksh 4,000

e. Medical (Per Year) Ksh 6,500

f. ID Card (Per Year) Ksh 1,000

g. Activity (Per Year) Ksh 2,000

h. Students' Organization (Per Year) Ksh 1,000

i. Examination (Per Unit) Ksh 1,000

j. Caution (Once) Ksh 5,000

The university does NOT discriminate against fees charged. International students shall pay the same fees as Kenyan students, except that such fees are payable in US dollars.

Fee Payment Instructions

1. The fee is payable in full on or before the commencement of each semester and no student shall be allowed to register without paying full fees.

2. All fees shall be paid by Direct Cash Deposits, EFT (Swift Code is BARCKENX), or RTGS transfer to:

1. Module-II Collection Account No. 2032771362 at ABSA Bank, Plaza Branch
2. UON Dollar Account No. 2032270625 at ABSA Bank, Plaza Branch

3. You can also pay fees via M-Pesa Pay Bill:

a.Business Number: 300059
b.Account Number: Enter your "Student Registration Number" as it appears on your student ID card (or "Admission Ref Number" for new students).

4. Deposits can be made at any branch of ABSA Bank countrywide using the Application Reference Number (Continuing students use student registration number)

5. Personal Cheques, Bankers' Cheques, or Institutional Cheques are not acceptable.

6. The student account will be updated the next working day and can be accessed through the student online portal (http://smis.uonbi.ac.ke)

7. After making an initial payment, the new student can access his/her University Registration number on http://smis.uonbi.ac.ke

APPLICATION TO JOIN THE PROGRAMME

Submission of applications to join the programme opens typically in April of every year. Applicants wishing to be sponsored by the government must submit their applications through Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).

Click here for further information.

Self-sponsored students wishing to join the programme should submit their applications through the University of Nairobi Online Application Portal.

Click here to Apply now

SCHEDULE OF INTAKES

Intakes are in September every calendar year. Registration and admission for qualified applicants commence in August. For more  information on Registration & Admission please  click here

Click here to Apply now                                      

 

For enquiries, kindly contact us via:

Email: dept-dental@uonbi.ac.ke

Tel: +254-773 181 503 / +254 020 491 5901