Why choose the Diploma in Endodontic Practice?

by Dr Kunal Patel, Clinical Teaching Fellow, Endodontology

You just have to look into the academic backgrounds of the most prominent and talented dentists within the UK, to realise that many of them trace at least a part of their training to the Eastman.

The Institute has deservedly earned a reputation for producing world renowned dentists and thus studying here was an easy decision for me when aspiring to maximise my potential. I believe that in many regards, it remains the only Institute to still offer the very highest level of teaching expected by the best within the dental community.

After graduating from the Institute I felt confident in my dentistry and privileged to be a part of a respected community. The degree opened many career doors, which previously did not exist -including being invited back to teach on the part-time Endodontic Diploma programme.

What is the Diploma in Endodontic Practice Programme?

The Diploma in Endodontic Practice is a flexible programme, consisting of approximately 45 contact days over two years. The curriculum has been developed by Programme Director Professor Kishor Gulabivala, and involves teaching delivered by Paula Ng, George Milesis, Cormac Cullinane, Sanjay Ardeshna, Imran Azam, Alex mustard, Nigel Foot, Simon Cunnington, Nick Frankel, Fiona McMichen, Elizabeth Hoy, Christos Pollatos and myself.  It is specifically designed to meet the demands of the modern general dental practitioner who wishes to transfer the taught skills straight into their clinical practice.

The programme is broken down in three domains in the first year; Clinical sciences, Endodontic sciences, Practical Endodontics.

Clinical Sciences involves patient management by students in their own clinical practice, maintenance of a log-book of all endodontic cases treated from the start of the programme, case log reflections (by students and a member of staff) and clinical case conferences.

Endodontic Sciences is delivered through a structured lecture/seminar series on various academic aspects of Endodontics. It involves learning through reading, study, discussion and application of knowledge.

Practical Endodontics is delivered through hands-on skills-laboratory Endodontic Techniques Course (ETC). It involves self-learning and technical skills development with the support of a laboratory coach. The purpose is to help students refine their technical skills in endodontics. Feedback is provided contemporaneously, in the manner of a coaching session, at every practical session, during and at the end of each exercise.

The purpose of the second year is to continue the process of integrating and consolidating the application of acquired knowledge and technical skills into clinical practice. The majority of patients will be seen in the students’ own practices but they will also have the opportunity to attend supervised clinical sessions at the Institute, managing referred patients from primary care (via the UCLH Eastman Dental Hospital). The purpose of this is to identify and correct any flaws in clinical approach and to help refine and make more efficacious and efficient the students’ clinical skills.
The students will continue to contemporaneously maintain their clinical case logs, which will serve as the source for their final selected cases for examination. The attendant clinical supervisors will provide reflective comment on the cases treated by the students in their own practice at each day of attendance.

Why would someone choose the Diploma programme?

• The great benefit of having an ‘Eastman’ degree on your CV: the Eastman Dental Institute has built a reputation based on its teaching philosophy that is intense, high quality, focused and practical;
• The course is compliant with the guidelines laid down by the Department of Health and Faculty of General Dental Practice for GDPs with a special interest in Endodontics (2006) and is positioned to facilitate development to meet the expectations required of a dentist with enhanced skills in future arrangements;
• Students have the chance to develop personally and professionally and an opening for further postgraduate development;
• The programme defines and directs the knowledge base, confidence and skills to tackle more complex endodontic problems;
• We provide close supervision with an excellent student/teacher ratio*;
• The flexible programme allows the balancing of practice commitments with the development of new knowledge and skills, which can be directly integrated into clinical practice from Day 1.

The programme is continually reviewed and improved to ensure it facilitates the fruition of any latent endodontic talent. Regardless of your dental background or your previous clinical experience, UCL Eastman is like a fresh start to not just your dentistry but also your life in general. I gained a world-class degree in Endodontology but the greatest achievement were the friends I met during my time here. I felt part of a small family who made the journey all that more rewarding. 

Thinking of applying for the Endodontic Practice Diploma? Try a free taster day first

*currently 2-4 students per teacher