Far and wide: international work of the Dental Faculty

The Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) has nearly 8,000 Members and Fellows, of whom 49% reside outside of the UK. The FDS has broadened its activities internationally across many areas with a range of specified aims. These include supporting the wider healthcare profession through advocacy, career development, innovation and networking opportunities across the globe; improving direct engagement with Members and Fellows and supporting them with educational activities and benefits; expanding the examinations and education portfolio abroad and improving its delivery; and working with governmental and non-governmental organisations with regards to career advancement and partnership working to improve oral health across the globe.

Over the past three years, Professor Grant McIntyre, initially as Vice-Dean and subsequently as FDS Dean; Professor Philip Taylor as Immediate Past Dean; Mr Stewart Barclay; Dr Lochana Nanayakkara and Dr Tim O’Brien and others have worked with our international partners to lay the extensive groundwork for joint working in the areas of accreditation, education and examinations.

Over this summer, an FDS team comprising Professor McIntyre, myself and Mr Iain Foster-Smith, Head of Examinations, Education and Faculties, visited a large number of our international partners with a view to strengthening the offer RCSEd can provide in these areas. This article provides an overview and flavour of the ongoing work in some of these countries.

Middle East and North Africa

United Arab Emirates

The FDS has long-standing links with Dubai in education and hosting examinations. The FDS team met the Ministry of Health and the Dubai Health Authority. We discussed the recognition of the College exams and specialty examinations being offered at Fellowship level mapped to Tier 1 Consultant practice and programme accreditation, and for the Membership in Implant Dentistry to allow practising privilege for implant practice.

At Ajman University, meetings took place with Dr Karim Seghir, the Chancellor; Dr Salem Abu Fanas, the Dean of the College of Dentistry; Ms Latifa Al Kalbani, International Programmes and Partnerships Officer and other staff. We discussed portfolio accreditation; continuation as an exam centre, where recently the Orthodontics and Restorative mono-specialty exams have been held; and education activity. Subsequently, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed to develop the work in these areas.

The University of Sharjah hosted a meeting between the FDS and Vice-Dean Professor Zahi Badran and Dental School staff. This explored portfolio accreditation, use as an exam centre (particularly for the new FDS Diploma exams), education activity (including exam information sessions) and the potential for a Dental Clinical Skills Competition.

The FDS looks to continue discussions and agreements with all these partners when it attends AEEDC Dubai in February.

Egypt

RCSEd signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR) in September. This builds on the foundations laid by a previous Letter of Intention in 2023 and a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Supreme Council of Universities that year.

The Memorandum of Agreement is a five-year agreement allowing the development of individual agreements with universities, institutes and other organisations in collaboration with MOHESR. It is a multi-aspect agreement that, in relation to the FDS, will develop, improve and uphold the highest standards of dental practice and patient outcomes through the provision of education, training, assessment and accreditation.

In September, the first College Diploma Ceremony in Egypt was held in the superb setting of the Grand Egyptian Museum. There was a large contingent of Dental Fellows at the Ceremony, who supported the 57 new Dental Diplomates receiving their certificates. On the same visit, the Faculty provided information days for orthodontics and restorative dentistry and undertook a visit to Alexandria University to discuss collaborative working and see the continuation of the building of new dental facilities where, it is hoped, exams will be held in the near future. 

Indian subcontinent

Sri Lanka

A pre-arranged engagement event organised for New Delhi unfortunately fell on a day when junior trainees were on a national strike, called following the death of an intern, so attendance was low. However, it was possible to discuss training opportunities and portfolio accreditation, especially for Orthodontics and Periodontics, with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences University.

During the visit, there were ongoing talks with Dr Ashok Dhoble, Secretary of the Indian Dental Association, who strongly supported the development of the College Diploma in Endodontics for India. Separately, there were also discussions about engaging with the National Dental Council of India on Orthodontic training. 

Following discussions between the FDS and Saveetha University in 2022 and 2023 at conferences in Chennai and Bangalore, the FDS team toured the facilities at the Dental Hospital and attended a lavish Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony with the University Chancellor Dr NM Veeraiyan and Dr Aravind Kumar, Dean of the Dental College and Hospital, along with international dental advisors and staff from the institute. This paves the way for the introduction of Orthodontic specialty exams in 2025 and plans for further subsequent College exams. 

A Letter of Intent was signed with Dr H Thamizhchelvan, Dean of Sri Ramachandra Dental College and Hospital, and discussions focused on holding MFDS Part 2 and Dental Diploma examinations in
Sri Ramachandra.

Malaysia

The FDS team had the opportunity to visit the new RCSEd office
at the Medical Universities Campus, Kuala Lumpur (see pages 38–39) and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Malaysian Association of Paediatric Dentistry. We also attended the third
RCSEd Dental Diploma event in Kuala Lumpur with 50 Dental Diplomates, including three who received Fellowship without Examination. This was followed the next day by the second International Dental Clinical Skills Competition. 

International Dental Clinical Skills Competitions

Building on the inaugural International Undergraduate Dental Skills Competition in 2023 in Malaysia, expanded competitions were held this year at the International Medical University (IMU), Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, on 24 August and, for the first time, in Egypt at Newgiza University, 6th of October City, on 29 September. 

The competitions provided an opportunity for the undergraduates to showcase their exceptional talent in dentistry and contribute to their continual development of clinical excellence. They engaged the students with exciting possibilities within dental surgery and tested their abilities as clinicians. Skills tested included phantom head crown preparation, hand–eye co-ordination through laparoscopy challenges, orthodontic wire bending, child dental anatomy identification and age reconciliation, and having to accurately follow written instructions in constructing origami shapes. The participants expressed their fascination with the different skills evaluated. 

In Malaysia, 14 students, who were the top performers in their respective schools, represented MAHSA University; AIMST University; Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Lincoln University College; IMU; Manipal University College Malaysia; and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM).

Dentsply Sirona Malaysia Sdn Bhd kindly sponsored a range of prizes with Mr Nicholas Wong, the Country Commercial Manager, attending the event to hand out the awards. RCSEd provided certificates and additional College merchandise. The winner of first prize was Ms Aznurin Binti Azhan from UiTM, while Ms Chin Pei Ying from AIMST University and Mr Isaac Lui Chong Howe from IMU were the first- and second runners-up respectively. Each participating student received a certificate and RCSEd merchandise.

In Egypt, 12 students took part, representing Alexandria University, Al-Azhar University and Newgiza University. Mr Amr Mohamed from Newgiza University took first place, with Mr Yousef Salah Mahmoud Mashely from Al-Azhar University coming a very close second and Ms Rony Raafat, also from Newgiza University, hot on their heels in third.

The competitions provided an opportunity for final-year undergraduates to network with students from other universities in their countries, to meet members of the FDS and representatives of the sponsor, who can aid them during their future careers in dentistry.

RCSEd extends a huge thanks to IMU and Newgiza for hosting the competitions. The FDS will continue to run the contests next year and is also talking to other countries about hosting further International Clinical Skills Competitions.