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University of Sydney launches new Master of Dental Public Health degree

13 July 2020

The new master program putting the mouth into health

The University of Sydney has just launched a new master's degree in dental public health that brings together dentistry and public health disciplines to transform oral health at a population level.

The new Master of Dental Public Health (MDentPH) program, is the only program in Australia accredited by the Australian Dental Council (ADC) and approved by the Dental Board of Australia to lead dental graduates who meet the standard for general registration in Australia to apply for registration as a specialist in Public Health Dentistry.

As a specialised field of study within the broader discipline of public health, the course will also benefit non-dentists with an interest in influencing widespread community change in oral health.

Program Director and Chair of Population Oral Health at the University of Sydney School of Dentistry, Professor Woosung Sohn, said the course exemplified the school's mission to put the mouth into health.

By bringing together disciplines in dentistry and public health, the course aims to produce graduates skilled in oral health surveillance, policy development, community-based disease prevention, health promotion, research and optimisation of oral health services and delivery.

"We recognise the growing need for experts in this field to provide leadership and guidance that will create widespread change, and through this course we're aiming to create leaders in an emerging field, where dental expertise, public health knowledge, policy acumen, and research innovation work hand in glove," he said.

The new master program is expected to attract prospective postgraduate students from a range of dental and non-dental backgrounds who already have a foundational public health qualification.

Students of this program will learn to apply their skills in areas such as epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, management, administration, and research to help communities achieve better oral health, said Professor Sohn.

The one-year full-time (two-year part-time) degree will commence in 2021, with applications closing 11 February 2021.