Why study Dentistry at Dal?
Prevent, diagnose and treat
Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Dentistry has been providing students with an outstanding education since its founding in 1908. Students learn and practice in our state-of-the-art clinic and lab facilities from nationally and internationally recognized faculty members. We are proud to welcome and work with these highly competent oral health care professionals as colleagues after graduation. Our program is fully accredited by the Commission of Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC).
Degree overview
Undergraduate Degree: Doctor of Dental Surgery, DDSFaculty: Faculty of Dentistry
Campus: Carleton Campus, Halifax
Program Length: 4 years
Qualifying Program Length: 3 years
Program Start: August
What will I learn?
Doctor of Dental Surgery (four-year degree)
In Dalhousie’s four-year Doctor of Dental Surgery program, you’ll learn techniques in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a full range of dental diseases, including how to screen for oral cancers and perform oral surgery.
Your courses will cover a range of topics, including the biological, medical, and dental sciences. A strong emphasis is placed on clinical patient treatment activities, even in your first year. In your upper years you’ll cover topics such as oral and maxillofacial surgery, comprehensive patient care and more. As early as your second year you’ll treat dental patients in Dalhousie’s Dental Clinic as well as in local hospitals.
Doctor of Dental Surgery (three-year Qualifying Program)
This program is designed for Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada who have graduated from a non-accredited dentistry program in another country. You'll build on your existing knowledge and gain training in North American dentistry practices.
Once you finish the program, you’ll graduate with a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree and are eligible for a license to practice in Canada, the United States, and Australia.
Sample courses:
- Orthodontics
- Paediatric Dentistry
- Caries Prevention
Once you’ve completed your DDS, you may choose to complete the one-year Dental Specialty Assessment and Training (DSATP) in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Visit the Academic Calendar to view degree options and course details.
Careers and future study
After successfully completing four years of study, you’ll graduate with a Doctor in Dental Surgery (DDS) degree with the skills you need to pursue a career in dentistry – whether you work as an associate, buy your own dental practice, or go on to graduate studies in dentistry. You might pursue a career in any of the following specialties or interests:
- general practice
- implant dentistry
- cosmetic dentistry
- periodontal surgery
- health education and advocacy
After completing the DDS program, you could complete a general practice residency (GPR), a paediatric GPR, or graduate programs in periodontics or oral and maxillofacial surgery. Other graduate and post-graduate programs in science are also available.
Admission requirements
The Faculty of Dentistry accepts up to 42 candidates into the Doctor in Dental Surgery (DDS) program and up to six candidates into the Qualifying Program each year.
Preference is given to permanent residents of the Atlantic provinces. Applicants are selected on a competitive basis. We look at university grades, DAT scores, résumés, and references. Those with strong results in these areas and who do well in the interview and Faculty of Dentistry testing have the best chance of admission.