Doctor of Dental Medicine

The course resolutions detailed in this page apply to all courses included in the table below under section 1 (course codes).

These resolutions must be read in conjunction with applicable University By-laws, Rules and policies including (but not limited to) the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2014 (the 'Coursework Rule'), the Coursework Policy 2021 (the 'Coursework Policy'), the Learning and Teaching Policy 2019, the Resolutions of the Faculty, University of Sydney (Student Academic Appeals) Rule 2021, the Academic Integrity Policy 2022 and the Academic Integrity Procedures 2022. Current versions of all policies are available from the Policy
Register: http://www.sydney.edu.au/policies

1  Course codes

2  Attendance pattern

The attendance pattern for this course is full time only.

3  Master’s type

This master’s degree is a professional master’s course, as defined by the Coursework Policy.

4  Embedded courses in this sequence

There are no embedded courses in this sequence.

5  Streams

Streams are not available in the Doctor of Dental Medicine.

6  Cross-faculty management

(1) Candidates in the Doctor of Dental Medicine will be under the general supervision of the Faculty of Medicine and Health until the end of the semester in which they complete the requirements for the course.

7  Admission to candidature

(1) Subject to subclause 7(13) below, available places will be offered to qualified applicants based on merit, according to the following admissions criteria.

(2) Admission to the Doctor of Dental Medicine requires:

(a) completion of a bachelor’s degree comprising at least three full-time equivalent years of study which will be either:

i. a bachelor degree (pass) accredited at Level 7 under the Australian Qualifications Framework or a bachelor degree (with Honours) accredited at Level 8 under the Australian Qualifications Framework) from an Australian university or self accrediting higher education institution; or

ii. a bachelor degree from an overseas university listed in Australia’s National Information Centre for qualifications recognition in the Department of Education, Skills and Employment’, provided that the degree is equivalent to an Australian bachelor degree (pass or with Honours); and

(b) a demonstrated sustained academic performance to a standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate. In assessing sustained academic performance, the relevant delegate may, at their discretion, consider performance in the bachelor's degree(s) and/or performance in any graduate diploma, master or doctoral degree (or equivalent); and

(c) performance in an admissions test(s) approved by the relevant delegate to a standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate; and

(d) performance in an admission/selection assessment, if required, to a standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate; and

(e) the minimum English requirement at IELTS (academic module) 7.0 overall and a minimum result of 7.0 in each band.

(3) If the bachelor’s degree was completed more than 10 years before 1 January of the year for which the applicant is seeking enrolment, the applicant must, in addition:

(a) have completed within this 10 year period; or

(b) complete prior to 1 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the Doctor of Dental Medicine a postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma (or equivalent).

(4) The qualifications required under subclause 7(3) must be:

(a) a postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma accredited at Level 8, 9 or 10 under the Australian Qualifications Framework from an Australian university or self-accrediting higher education institution; or

(b) an overseas university listed in Australia’s National Information Centre for qualifications recognition in the Department of Education, Skills and Employment provided that the postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma is equivalent to an Australian postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma accredited at Level 8, 9 or 10 under the Australian Qualifications Framework.

(5) No applicant will be admitted to candidature for the Doctor of Dental Medicine unless they have completed a bachelor degree prior to 1 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the Doctor of Dental Medicine.

(6) The official results listed on an applicant’s transcript, and their admission test results, will be taken as the awarding and testing authorities’ assessment of the academic standards reached by the applicant, taking due account of illness and misadventure according to the relevant authorities’ policies.

(7) A person who has commenced the Doctor of Dental Medicine in a fee-paying place at the University may not be admitted or transfer to a Commonwealth Supported Place in the Doctor of Dental Medicine.

(8) The relevant delegate may, in exceptional circumstances, admit to the Doctor of Dental Medicine an applicant who has commenced studies in postgraduate dentistry at another University, provided that the applicant:

(a) has not previously applied unsuccessfully for admission to the Bachelor of Dentistry, Bachelor of Dental Surgery or the Doctor of Dental Medicine at the University of Sydney; and

(b) would have met the requirements for admission to the Doctor of Dental Medicine that were in place at the time the applicant was admitted to their previous course in dentistry.

(9) Prior to admitting an applicant to the Doctor of Dental Medicine in accordance with subclause 7(8), the relevant delegate will consider:

(a) the circumstances leading to the applicant’s request for admission;

(b) whether the curriculum undertaken by the applicant in their previous course in dentistry is comparable to the Doctor of Dental Medicine.

(c) the academic performance of the applicant’s previous course in dentistry; and

(d) the availability of places in the Doctor of Dental Medicine in the relevant year.

(10) The relevant delegate may, prior to admitting an applicant to the Doctor of Dental Medicine in accordance with subclause 7(8), require the applicant to undertake either or both of a written or clinical examination that permits entry into the relevant year.

(11) A group consisting of the Head of School and Dean, Associate Dean (Education) of the Faculty of Medicine and Health, Academic Coordinator Doctor of Dental Medicine Admissions, and Doctor of Dental Medicine Program Director, may confirm or withdraw an offer which has been made to an applicant inconsistently with the admission criteria specified in these resolutions.

(12) The following special admissions schemes apply to this course:

(a) the Indigenous Facilitated Entry Scheme, as specified in these resolutions;

(b) the Rural Applicants Facilitated Entry Scheme, as specified in these resolutions.

(13) Applicants for admission under the Indigenous Facilitated Entry Scheme must be able to demonstrate that they are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders as required by the Confirmation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identity Policy 2015, and may be admitted on the basis of:

(a) a bachelor's degree and performance in an admissions test(s) approved by the relevant delegate at an academic standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate; or

(b) a postgraduate degree approved by the relevant delegate, without performance in an admissions test(s), and

i. a demonstrated sustained academic performance to a standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate; and

ii. performance in an interview, if required, to an adjusted standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate; or

(c) a Bachelor of Oral Health degree accredited at Level 7 under the Australian Qualifications Framework from an Australian University or self-accrediting higher education institution, without performance in an admissions test(s); and

i. demonstrated sustained academic performance to an academic standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate; and

ii. performance in a written assessment and panel discussion session to a standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate.

(14) If an applicant is admitted through the Indigenous Facilitated Entry Scheme on the basis of a postgraduate degree, that degree must:

(a) have been completed within three years before 1 January of the year in which the applicant is seeking admission; and

(b) be either:

i. a postgraduate degree accredited at level 9, or 10 under the Australian Qualifications Framework, from an Australian university or self-accrediting higher education institution; or

ii. a postgraduate degree at an overseas university listed in Australia’s National Information Centre for qualifications recognition in the Department of Education, Skills and Employment’, equivalent to an Australian postgraduate degree accredited at Level 9, or 10.

(15) Applicants for admission under the Rural Applicants Facilitated Entry Scheme:

(a) must be able to demonstrate that they are of Australian rural origin as specified in Australian Statistical Geography Standard – Remoteness Areas (2016);

(b) may be admitted with any one of more of:

i. a lower academic performance than the requirement for standard applicants;

ii. performance in admissions test(s) approved by the relevant delegate to an adjusted standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate; and

iii. performance in an admissions assessment, if required, to an adjusted standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate.

8  Deferral

(1) Applications for deferral of enrolment following an offer of a place in the Doctor of Dental Medicine:

(a) will only be considered under exceptional circumstances; and

(b) require the approval of the delegated authority.

9  Requirements for award

(1) All units in the Doctor of Dental Medicine are prescribed and must be taken in the year of enrolment to which they correspond.

(2) To qualify for the award of the Doctor of Dental Medicine, a candidate must successfully complete 192 credit points across the four years.

10  Recognition of prior learning

(1) Waivers may be granted or the volume of learning may be reduced in recognition of prior learning in accordance with the Coursework Policy 2021.

(2) Advanced standing and credit for previous study is not available for the Doctor of Dental Medicine, except:

(a) under exceptional circumstances; and

(b) with the approval of the relevant delegate.

11  Progression rules

(1) These progression requirements should be read in conjunction with the relevant unit of study outlines, faculty local provisions and faculty resolutions.

(2) Assessments are integrated across themes and across the units of study each year.

(3) Details of assessment requirements in each year, including the structure, content and expected standards, are available for enrolled students in the Unit of Study Outlines, the Handbook and on the Learning Management System.

(4) In each year there will be an integrated portfolio-based assessment, involving a range of assessments using the following formats:

(a) Examinations and in-class assessments;

(b) Skills-based assessments;

(c) Clinical assessments;

(d) Submitted works of capabilities, as approved by the Doctor of Dental Medicine Program Advisory Group.

(5) Candidates must pass all units of study in one calendar year before proceeding to the next year.

(a) Failure in any unit results in a failure of the year and requires the candidate to retake the entire year without credit or exemption for work previously completed.

(b) The Doctor of Dental Medicine Program Director may waive the requirements of this subclause in exceptional circumstances.

(6) Students must meet the attendance requirements specified in the Faculty of Medicine and Health - Sydney Dental School - Attendance Provisions 2020.

(a) The Doctor Dental Medicine Program Director or the relevant Portfolio Advisory Group will consider the case of each student who does not meet these attendance requirements and, if appropriate, refer them to the Associate Dean as not meeting the academic progression requirements.

Note: Refer to the Coursework Policy

(7) Students must comply with the requirements of the Faculty of Medicine and Health - Professionalism Provisions 2019 and Faculty of Medicine and Health - Professionalism Requirements Provisions 2019.

(a) Students who demonstrate serious or repeated breaches of these requirements may be required to show cause as to why their enrolment should be continued.

(b) Failure to show cause may result in exclusion from the course.

(8) Candidates who withdraw at any point in time of any year will be required to repeat all of the applicable year.

12  Cross-institutional study

Cross-institutional study is not available in this course.

13  International exchange

International exchange is not available in this course.

14  Award of the master’s degree, graduate diploma and graduate certificate

The Doctor of Dental Medicine will be awarded in the pass grade.

15  Course transfer

Course transfer is not available for this course.

16 Transitional arrangements

(1) These resolutions apply to persons who commenced their candidature after 1 January 2024 and persons who commenced their candidature prior to 1 January 2024 who formally elected to proceed under these resolutions.

(2) Candidates who commenced prior to 1 January 2024 may complete the requirements in accordance with the resolutions in force at the time of their commencement