The University of Cambridge Postgraduate Certificate in Dental Education has been designed collaboratively by University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) and the University of Cambridge, School of Clinical Medicine’s Clinical Deanery. The Postgraduate Certificate is a one-year, part-time Master’s-level programme resulting in 60 Level-7 credits and the University of Cambridge award.
Course Dates
Course details
Academic team
Course overview
Key course information
Watch the information session for the Dental Education pathway from our Medical Open Week 2025.
Who is the course designed for?
The Postgraduate Certificate is aimed at professionals with educational roles in dentistry, including clinical supervision (direct oversight of the day-to-day practice of a dental student or trainee), educational supervision (overview of the performance and development of one or more trainees), formal teaching in academic settings (undergraduate and postgraduate), specific educational leadership roles, such as those of training programme director, and other professionals allied to dentistry that have a role in teaching either undergraduates or postgraduates.
Aims of the programme
The programme aims to develop:
- an individual's ability to adopt an informed and critically reflective stance to their own and to others’ practice as dental educators, whether working in academic or practice settings
- an individual's own teaching practice (including approaches to the design, implementation and evaluation of teaching)
- a strong rationale for approaches they adopt, drawing on contemporary learning literatures, within and beyond dental education
The course has been designed to reflect professional standards for dental educators, in particular Committee of Postgraduate Dental Deans and Directors (COPDEND) 2013, Standards and Testing Agency (STA) Standards for Dental Educators and the Academy of Medical Educators (2021), Standards for Medical, Dental and Veterinary Educators
Progression
Upon successful completion of the Postgraduate Certificate in Dental Education, students may apply to progress to:
- our Postgraduate Diploma in Dental Education, 1 year, part-time
- our MSt in Dental Education (upon successful completion of the postgraduate diploma), 1 year, part-time, launching in 2027 to 2028
Please note that the postgraduate diploma and MSt are not guaranteed to run each year. It is anticipated that the MSt will be available from 2027 to 2028.
We welcome applications from students with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. As part of our admissions process, you’ll need to meet certain requirements and make sure you’re able to attend teaching sessions in the UK.
Standard entry requirements
Typically, we expect a good UK undergraduate degree, such as a 2.1, or international equivalent.
If your degree is not from the UK, check international qualifications on the University’s postgraduate site to find the equivalent in your country.
If you wish to apply to join the programme you must also:
- be a post-foundation-year dentist in primary, secondary or tertiary care, or a Dental Care Professional (DCP), who is involved in teaching students at undergraduate or postgraduate levels or who has a role in training and appraising dental healthcare professionals
- hold a Dental or Dental Care Professional (DCP) qualification or another relevant healthcare profession qualification
- have had at least one year of experience as a teacher prior to starting the programme
English language requirements
Our courses are taught in English and require a good level of fluency. If English is not your first language, you'll need to prove you have sufficient fluency before admission. If we offer you a place, it will be subject to you meeting this requirement. For more information, visit Postgraduate and Master's admissions and the University’s English language requirements.
Visa information
We welcome applications from international students. If you’re coming from overseas, you would attend the in-person teaching sessions for this course with visitor immigration permission.
It's important to be aware that entering the UK as a visitor for study purposes comes with certain expectations and restrictions. To make sure you understand the requirements, we advise you to read the in-depth information on the University’s International Students website.
Teaching
The course is delivered through in-person and online teaching sessions requiring attendance in Cambridge, self-directed and peer learning, and synchronous and asynchronous approaches provided via the course Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). The course requires a commitment to reading and pre-class preparation, including some specific reading between class sessions.
Below are the expected teaching dates for this course. If they change, we'll update offer-holders in line with the University's terms of admission. Exact teaching dates will be added to this page in due course.
The Postgraduate Certificate comprises 2 modules and combines in-person and online study days with additional between-module reflection, study and assignment work.
Module 1: Core Skills in Dental Education
- 1-2 October 2026
- 12 November 2026 (online)
- 10-11 December 2026
- 14 January 2027 (online)
Module 2: Supporting Dental Learning
- 25-26 February 2027
- 8 April 2027 (online)
- 13-14 May 2027
Assessment
Each module will include both formative and summative assessments. Assessed topics will include reflective accounts of teaching and teaching plans, and exploration of participants’ development as educators in relation to the educational models discussed during the course. Assessment will be through a range of formats which include coursework, presentations and projects. The summative assessments total 9,000 to 11,000 words.
Post-nominals
Upon completing your award, the permitted post-nominals are: PGCert (Dent Ed).
Fees
The total fees for this course are shown above in 'Course details'.
To understand which fee status applies to you, whether as a home or overseas student, visit the University’s fee status page.
To help you manage your finances more comfortably, you can pay the fee in instalments. See how to pay for more.
There are also some additional costs you’ll need to cover as part of this course. These are usually:
- an application fee of £85, unless you're eligible for a fee waiver, payable online
- any travel, accommodation and subsistence costs for the residential teaching sessions held in Cambridge
Funding
We're dedicated to reducing and removing financial barriers to learning. Visit financial support ahead of the application deadline to find out what options may be available to help you in your studies. You can explore external funding and stay up to date on our concessions and bursaries.
Please note that places on the Postgraduate Certificate in Dental Education are offered on merit rather than funding. We recommend that you explore any potential funding well in advance of the application deadline.
Considering applying? We look forward to receiving your application. Should the course become full, we reserve the right to close for applications early. We encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible.
Key timings for your application
- The application deadline is 28 May 2026.
- Applications will be considered on a rolling basis with interviews taking place from March 2026.
- If you're shortlisted, we'll contact you in the weeks before interviews to arrange a time and format for yours.
How to apply and what you'll need
The ‘Apply now’ button will take you to the Applicant Portal. There, you can:
- create, save, and submit your application
- upload your supporting documents
- submit and manage your references
- pay your application fee
- track your application
Supporting documents
When you submit your application, you’ll need to provide supporting information.
Qualifications and transcripts
Upload details of degree-level courses you have completed or are studying.
Employer letter of support
Upload a letter from your employer confirming release of time to study.
Evidence of funding
Upload details for any funding you have secured for this course.
References
Submit contact details for 2 academic referees, who we will contact on your behalf.
For more information on applying and admissions, see Postgraduate and Master's admissions.
We're committed to supporting you in your learning journey, and we offer a variety of support opportunities to meet individual needs. Visit student support to find out more about how we can help.
