Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow - Dental College

The first postgraduate qualification in dentistry offered by the Royal Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (as the College was then known) was the Higher Dental Diploma, which was established in 1920. The examination at this stage was open to those holding the Licentiate in Dental Surgery (LDS) on production of evidence of at least twelve months study or practice of dental surgery as a registered dentist.
Following the passing of the Dentists Act in 1921, the Faculty created a Dental Committee to advise on dental matters. In 1949, Faculty established a Diploma in Dental Orthopaedics, the first postgraduate diploma in orthodontics to be awarded in the United Kingdom. The first diploma was awarded to Miss E M Webster, LDS.
In 1967 the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow instituted a Fellowship in Dental Surgery and established a Dental Council. The members of the Dental Council are elected by the Fellows and Members in Dental Surgery, and the Dean of the Dental Council is also Vice-President (Dental) of the College and a member of the College Council and College Executive.
The Dental Faculty now includes not only those working in the hospital and university services, but also dentists working in general dental practice and in the community dental service. The variety of College qualifications reflects the range of training of the fellows and members of the Faculty.
The principal qualification is the Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (MFDS), which has superseded the Fellowship in Dental Surgery (FDS), the last diet of which was held in September 2002. The MFDS was introduced in 1998. The examination consists of two intercollegiate written components, A and B, which include multiple choice questions, multiple short answers and a simulated clinical examination on human diseases in relation to dentistry, and a third collegiate part which consists of oral and clinical examinations. The examination may be completed towards the end of general professional training with the opportunity to take the first part after twelve months. Regulations and Guidance for Candidates are available from the Examinations section of this website.
The college Dental Faculty collaborates with the Faculty of Dental Surgery in the RCSEng offering four bi-collegiate Specialty Membership examinations. Of these, two are administered in Glasgow (paediatric dentistry and orthodontics) and two in England (restorative and surgical dentistry).
In addition, the Glasgow College contains the central office of the intercollegiate Specialty Fellowship examinations, which comprise six specialties: oral medicine, oral surgery, orthodontics, paediatric dentistry, dental public health and restorative dentistry.
Currently, there are three collegiate dental qualifications: the Memberships in General Dental Surgery and in Clinical Community Dentistry will be phased out by 2007; A Membership in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is offered to overseas candidates.
Postgraduate education and training are currently going through major changes and the College's examination structure is evolving to reflect these changes. Much of the development is taking place on an intercollegiate basis together with the Dental Faculties in our three sister Colleges in Dublin, England and Edinburgh. The extent of the intercollegiate cooperation varies with the different qualifications.
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
232-242 St Vincent Street
GLASGOW
G2 5RJ
Tel: +44 (0) 141 221 6072