Restorative Dentistry (Online Learning) MSc, PgCert, PgDip, PgProfDev

Our online learning technology is fully interactive, award-winning and enables you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff from the comfort of your own home or workplace.

Resources

Resources include:

• reading lists
• recorded lectures
• case based discussions
• group projects

All learning material is available 24/7 and live sessions are always recorded to allow those who could not attend to watch at a more convenient time.

Online community

Interaction with other students is an important part of the learning community and this is facilitated through discussion boards, live sessions and group work.

Our online students not only have access to Edinburgh’s excellent resources, but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.

How will I be assessed?

Assessments are submitted at the end of each semester and include:

• assessed coursework and participation
• written assignments
• case based projects

Routes of study

You may choose to study to:

• certificate
• diploma
• or masters level

There is also the opportunity to register for Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) for individual courses.

Time commitment

This programme has a significant time commitment, as you must take part in weekly tutorials and discussions.

We estimate you will need between 15 to 20 hours of clinical time and personal study each week.

Assessment

Students upload coursework for assessment to the site and there is an active student discussion board available alongside tutor-led discussions.

Maintenance of a portfolio of evidence is an essential component of assessment. You are strongly encouraged to include a reflective element and to maintain a personal journal.

Courses

Each course will run over a period of five or ten weeks (depending on the credits).

Participation in online discussions and completion of timed tasks is a compulsory part of the process.

A virtual learning environment (VLE) supports the programme and all the educational material is available online.

Year 1 (Certificate) and Year 2 (Diploma)

Courses include:

• Introduction to Clinical Evidence
• Introduction to Dental Clinical Photography
• Oral Health Assessment and Diagnosis
• Assessment and Management of Occlusion
• Treatment Planning
• Prevention and Management of Dental Caries
• Endodontics
• Periodontal Management
• Advanced Restorative Dentistry Part 1
• Advanced Restorative Dentistry Part 2

Year 3 (Masters)

You will:

• complete a systematic review of literature answering a research question in the field of restorative dentistry
• carry out a multi-disciplinary restorative dentistry clinical case report

PPD

Courses available are:

• Introduction to Clinical Evidence
• Introduction to Dental Clinical Photography
• Oral Health Assessment and Diagnosis

These courses are available for consecutive study only.

Summer and winter school

The Edinburgh Dental Institute will run an annual summer school to reinforce the clinical skills coaching element of the teaching.

In Year 3, the Edinburgh Dental Institute will run an annual winter school to help students prepare their case report and research project. We will also provide an opportunity to practice for the unseen viva voce assessment held at the end of the academic year.

This is only available to students registered for the following programmes:

• PgCert
• PgDip
• MSc

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Each course has its own specific learning outcomes. However, the general learning outcomes reflect those of all the postgraduate degrees offered at the Edinburgh Dental Institute.

On graduating, you will be able:

• to develop an evidence-informed approach to clinical practice
• to develop as critically reflective practitioners, able to self-evaluate their clinical and academic practice
• to develop practical clinical skills to enable the provision of exemplary restorative dentistry within a primary dental care setting

• to develop academic practice in skills such as:

  • scientific and academic writing
  • case reports
  • peer learning
  • systematic literature reviews

• to enable continued professional development and collegiate learning through peer review and discussion

This masters degree develops enhanced practitioners that can undertake and critically reflect on treatments and procedures in order to produce better patient outcomes. The course additionally develops a clinical portfolio record that can be used as evidence of well-planned clinical treatments and procedures.

This additional level of practice will aid career progression within the NHS, military, corporate and private dentistry.

Practitioners who also wish to be involved with teaching or research will also find the MSc an important clinical and professional career marker as well as those undertaking various Royal College membership examinations.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A primary dental qualification (such as a Bachelor of Dental Surgery), or its international equivalent, plus a minimum of one years' post-qualification experience in general dental practice or equivalent.

Students from China

This degree is Band D.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Deposit

Successful applicants will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit before an unconditional offer can be made.

• £1,500 (this contributes towards your tuition fees)

Find out more about tuition fee deposits:

• Tuition fee deposits

Tuition fee deposits can be paid using the University's online payment facility, ePay:

• Pay a tuition fee deposit

Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan

  • family support

• personal savings

• income from work

• employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

• Online Learning Scholarships

• Group tuition fee scholarship

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding