Many dentists develop an interest in one or more branches of dentistry, which they pursue through academic endeavour, attending meetings and conferences, or undertaking short training courses and university programs.
The college said that this professional commitment generally goes unrecognised, and the aim of the diploma examinations is to provide evidence and benchmarking of this self-development.
The level and curriculum of the diploma examinations are based on the skills required for providers of Level 2 Complexity of Care as defined by NHS England or that of a dentist with a special interest.
The first Dental Diploma Examinations in 2025 will be dental sedation, paediatric dentistry, and the restorative single speciality examinations, namely endodontics, periodontics and prosthodontics. The college has said oral surgery and oral medicine diploma examinations will follow.
Each examination will be fully digital, comprising a single best answer and clinical case questions.
The RCSEd quality assurance standards mean that question writing, blueprinting, standard setting, examiner calibration and psychometrics will continue to be part of the process. The college has said these provide reassurance that the holder of one of the dental diplomas has reached a pivotal point in their career where their commitment has been recognised by one of the world’s most respected awarding bodies.
These diplomas are not intended to replace full specialty training pathways, and successful practitioners will not be able to call themselves specialists. However, successful candidates can claim to have been tested in these specific areas to a high standard.
The qualification may be for self-reflection or may act as a first step in career progression into a chosen speciality. Successful candidates may also wish to use these qualifications as part of their portfolio of evidence towards Level 2 service commissioning or as part of the portfolio for mediated entry applications to specialist listing as their career develops.
Grant McIntyre, dean of the dental faculty at the RCSEd, said, “With our long history of quality assured assessments for the whole dental profession, these new diplomas provide an opportunity for dentists, both from the UK and countries across the world, to test their learning and understanding in one or more areas of dental practice, and evidence their achievements to themselves and their patients.”
For more information visit https://services.rcsed.ac.uk/professional-support-development-resources/learning-resources/webinars/dental-examinations/the-new-dental-diploma-examinations