Is it your lifelong ambition to become a dentist? So let’s start your journey in Singapore. You have nothing to worry about because Singapore has a great reputation for education. Its Dental Surgery program is among the best in the world.
In comparison to the United States or Europe, the procedures necessary to practice dentistry or pursue higher postgraduate courses in Singapore are significantly more streamlined and considerably more affordable. So, let’s get started on the path of becoming a dentist in Singapore!
Three steps Journey to become a dentist in Singapore
Are you thinking about attending dental school in Singapore? Take a look at the following guidelines to get an idea of what it takes to become a dentist in Singapore:
To earn a degree in dentistry and begin working in this fulfilling field, it is necessary to fulfill admission requirements, go through the registration process, and finish clinical internship.
Step 01
The Bachelor of dental surgery (BDS)
This degree is only offered by National University of Singapore
4 years | Full Time
Fully accredited by the Singapore Dental Council
National University of Singapore
Undergraduate Entry Requirements
Applicants who are keen to pursue a course in Dentistry should meet admission requirements and the following subject pre-requisites:
| Qualifications Presented | Subject Pre-requisites |
Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘A’ Level | – Good H2 pass in Chemistry – Good H2 pass in either Biology or Physics |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma | – Good Higher Level (HL) pass in Chemistry – Good HL pass in either Biology or Physics |
| International and Other Students | – Year 12 or good higher level pass in Chemistry – Good higher level pass in either Biology or Physics |
| NUS High School Diploma | – Good major CAP in Chemistry |
| Diploma from Polytechnic in Singapore | – Polytechnic diplomas accredited for Dentistry |
Teaching
The four-year program covers academic, clinical, and practical dentistry. The BDS program has two phases:
| Pre- Clinical (Year 1-2) | Clinical (Year 3-4) |
Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pharmacology, Microbiology (including Immunology), Pathology, and Oral Biology and Dental Public Health are taught in the first two years. | The dental health of patients of all ages is covered by the clinical, second phase. As part of the clinical training, relevant aspects of Medicine, Surgery and Paediatrics are also included in the third year of the course. |
| Goal: This ensures dentistry students learn basic and dental science for clinical practice. | Goal: It enhances students’ dental treatment proficiency and is supervised by staff or faculty for in-depth training. |
| Pre-clinical coursework prepares students for clinics. | Clinical oral sciences and patient management are stressed in the third and fourth years. |
The Faculty of Dentistry has 6 Disciplines
- Oral Sciences
- Oral, and Maxillofacial Surgery;
- Endodontics Operative Dentistry and Prosthodontics;
- Periodontics;
- Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry as well as
- Primary Dental Care and Population Oral Health.
Accredited by:
This is fully accredited by Singapore Dental association for registration.
With a BDS (Singapore) degree, one is eligible to register in both Malaysia and Singapore. The BDS (Singapore) is recognized by the General Dental Council (UK) for full registration from holders who earned their degrees before 2001. Graduates who receive their degrees after this time must pass the Overseas Registration Exam in order to be fully registered in the UK.
Step 02
Register as a Dentist in Singapore
Dentists in Singapore are required to become registered dentists before they can provide dental care to the public.
Full Registration:
Singaporean dental graduates (Singaporean citizens or Foreign) graduated from National University of Singapore can apply for Full Registration.
Learn MoreStep 03:
Start your career in Singapore
After graduation, Singaporean and non-Singaporean graduates must work in the local public health sector for 4 or 5 years, respectively.
Public Sector Mandatory Service:
For graduates from Singapore, government of Singapore pays a lot for medical and dental school, students must sign a medical or dental Tuition Grant Agreement. This says that people who finish their studies must work in the local public health field for 4 years if they are Singapore citizens or 5 years if they are not Singapore citizens.
All the best for the aspiring dentists!