Dublin Dental School and Hospital Open New Educational Facilities

Posted on: 08 December 2010

New education facilities at the Dublin Dental School and Hospital were recently opened (December 1st) by the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Mary Coughlan. The new facilities will provide space for the Dental Hospital Library, additional seminar rooms for teaching, a new materials science laboratory and academic staff offices.

At the opening ceremony, the Tánaiste complimented on the facility, which will underpin significant teaching and academic activity.

Dublin Dental  Hospital is the only hospital in Ireland to cater for all careers in dentistry including dental technician, hygienist and nursing and it also provides ongoing Continuing Professional Development education.

Mr Brian Murray, CEO; Dr Michael O’ Sullivan, Clinical Director; Professor June Nunn, Dean of Dental Science; An Tánaiste, Ms Mary Coughlan TD, Minister for Education and Skills and Ms Emer Daly, Chairperson of the Dublin Dental Hospital Board

The Hospital provides clinical training for dental students from Trinity College.  In more recent years, and in line with international best practice, this involves training students from the beginning of their courses and the Hospital now trains 40 dental students in each of the five years of the course.  It also trains students in the dental postgraduate specialities, the equivalent of specialist registrar training in medicine, of oral surgery orthodontics, paediatric dentistry, periodontology, prosthodontics and special care. Some twenty specialist postgraduates are currently in training.

On the research front, the Hospital has a biosciences and materials sciences laboratory and, in addition to clinical research, undertakes research in the areas of oral candida, biocompatibility of dental materials, implants, oral cancer, MRSA and translational research in novel disinfectant systems and on MRSA control and water decontamination. There are currently 20 students undertaking masters and postdoctoral degrees in these areas in the Hospital.