The Dental Academy
Explore the teaching and research activities taking place within our Dental Academy
The Dental Academy is a modern, primary-care based school that trains General Dental Council-registered and qualified dental care professionals, and offers comprehensive oral and dental healthcare to the public.
We offer three degree-based programmes – in Dental Nursing CertHE, BSc (Hons) Dental Hygiene, and BSc (Hons) Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy – and there is a strong emphasis on team training within the Dental Academy.
Students train in practice teams using modern clinical facilities that replicate those found in real NHS dental practices. Our evidence-based approach to education is further enhanced by our involvement with various areas of research.
We've received an Athena Swan Bronze award for our commitment to gender equality in the dental profession.
The Dental Academy is supported through our partnership with the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences at King's College London, whose dental students are also trained within our school.
Dental Academy patient services
Please visit our page on the NHS website to find out if we're currently accepting patients.
Teaching
Our undergraduate degree courses are:
There is an emphasis on practical teaching within the Dental Academy, and our students start treating patients – under the close supervision of qualified staff – early in their studies. Our students start on simulation models known as 'phantom heads', before putting their learning into action with real patients.
Our live teaching clinics have treatment bays replicating the set-up of a dental surgery, and students work together in small teams to replicate the conditions of general dental practices – giving them valuable experience in building intra-professional working relationships. Our students also spend time on placements, observing dentistry in a variety of settings.
We support our students through a personal tutor system and use an app-based longitudinal assessment method to track students clinical progress and provide continuous feedback.
Our postgraduate courses are:
We also offer a variety of continuing professional development (CPD) courses for the whole dental team.
Welcome to the Dental Academy
Take a tour of our Dental Academy at the University of Portsmouth, where we teach Dental Hygiene, Dental Therapy and Dental Nursing courses
A video showing highlights of studying in the Dental Academy at the University of Portsmouth - using phantom heads and live patient clinics, develop your practice with x-ray machinery, fillings, scaling and impressions. (No dialogue.)
Our teaching areas
Outreach
The Dental Academy delivers outreach activities, including offering free dental health services to the public, during which our dental nurse, dental hygienist and dental therapist students gain valuable professional experience.
Our preventative and educational work in the community also gives students a better understanding of the social impact of good dental care – with our students regularly involved in our schools Brush Up programme and our work with the homeless community.
Research
Our research is focused on delivering evidence-based health care to our patients and the community, on improving the quality of dental education, and in the area of clinical innovation and dental materials.
Our global team of postgraduate researchers, research associates and research clinicians are working on areas such as children's oral health, oral health within the older community, and community outreach dental activities.
Our research was submitted to the Research Excellence Framework 2021 (REF 2021) in Unit of Assessment 3 (Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy). 90% of this research was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour and 100% of the Impact Case Studies were rated as very considerable in terms of their reach and significance.
We also offer MPhil, PhD and PhD by Publication programmes – to find out more, visit our Dental and Oral Health postgraduate research degrees page.
Our areas of expertise
Explore the work we're doing across our areas of expertise:
Dental public health
We undertake research relating to promoting health, preventing disease and how to facilitate access to high quality dental care for all.
Dental education
We're focusing on the development and evaluation of education for the dental team, and working to develop new operative and learning tools for dentistry.
Clinical innovation
We're conducting studies that consider and test advanced clinical and diagnostic techniques, efficient models of clinical care, and novel clinical materials.
Recent projects include
A pilot programme for children, which focused on improving tooth brushing skills, increasing the number of children using fluoride toothpaste in the Early Years setting (in addition to tooth brushing at home), raising awareness of good oral health practice with parents/carers and children, and improving sign-posting to dental services.
A programme aimed at improving the dental and oral health of deprived families, in partnership with Portsmouth City Council.
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A pilot study with dental professionals, led by Dr Kristina Wanyonyi.
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A project, led by Dr Kristina Wanyonyi, funded by Solent NHS Trust.
Our staff
Explore our faculty
Explore the other Schools and Departments that make up our Faculty of Science and Health.
Contact us
To get in touch, please contact our Faculty office.
