Master of Science in Orthodontics
About This Programme
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry concerned with facial growth, the development of the dentition and occlusion, and the diagnosis, interception and treatment of occlusal anomalies. MBRU's Master of Science in Orthodontics at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed College of Dental Medicine is a three-year, full-time programme that combines advanced academic, clinical and research training with patient care, and includes clinical training at the level of a specialist trainee. In the first year students are closely supervised while developing skills in history taking, examination, diagnosis, radiographic analysis and treatment planning, alongside a pre-clinical course on diagnostic records and the components of fixed and removable appliances. In the second and third years they manage appropriate cases more independently. Clinical training takes place in the clinics of the college and of Dubai Health's Community Health Centers, with opportunities to attend hospital grand rounds and physician conferences, and includes a two-week surgical rotation observing orthognathic surgery and cleft lip and palate surgery. Every student completes a research dissertation with an oral defence before internal and external examiners. The weekly literature course covers classic and current literature recommended for the Membership Examination of the Royal College of Surgeons UK and includes mock examinations, and the programme ends with a revision course for the UK Membership Examination in Orthodontics.
Course Highlights
- Three-year, full-time MSc with clinical training at the level of a specialist trainee
- 78 credit hours of specialty clinical training, orthodontic theory, weekly literature seminars, shared dental science courses and a research dissertation
- Clinical training in the college clinics and Dubai Health's Community Health Centers
- Two-week surgical rotation observing orthognathic surgery and cleft lip and palate surgery
- Mock examinations and a final revision course for the UK Membership Examination in Orthodontics
What You'll Study
The MSc runs full time over three years and six semesters and requires 78 credit hours, with a minimum cGPA of 3.0 and a minimum grade of C in every course. Alongside specialty clinical training, every semester includes specialty courses and a scientific literature course, and every semester from the second includes the research dissertation, while common courses in applied basic sciences, research methodology, clinical governance, oral epidemiology, radiology and molecular biology run across the college's programmes. Teaching combines lectures, small-group tutorials, clinical case-based discussions and student-led critical appraisal of the literature, and many courses use a flipped classroom approach.
Year 1, Semester 1
Specialty Clinical Training is a continuing course: it runs across both semesters of the year and is graded at the end of Semester 2.
- CC510 Applied Basic Sciences I2 credits
- CC502 Research Methodology and Biostatistics2 credits
- CC503 Clinical Governance, Legislation and Ethics1 credit
- OR621 Scientific Literature1 credit
- OR637 Specialty Clinical Training2.2 credits
- OR641 Clinical Skills2 credits
- OR642 Basic Science Relevant to Orthodontics1 credit
- OR643 Orthodontic Diagnosis and Treatment Planning1 credit
Year 1, Semester 2
- CC511 Applied Basic Sciences II1 credit
- CC508 Oral Epidemiology1 credit
- CC509 Radiology and Imaging1 credit
- OR612 Research Dissertation1 credit
- OR622 Scientific Literature1 credit
- OR637 Specialty Clinical Training5 credits
- OR644 Growth Assessment: Cephalometric Methods for Assessment of Dentofacial Changes1 credit
- OR655 Dentofacial Orthopedics and Temporomandibular Dysfunction1 credit
- OR656 Orthodontic Materials and Appliances1 credit
Year 2, Semester 1
Specialty Clinical Training is a continuing course: it runs across both semesters of the year and is graded at the end of Semester 2.
- PR366 Temporomandibular Disorders1 credit
- OR613 Research Dissertation1 credit
- OR623 Scientific Literature1 credit
- OR638 Specialty Clinical Training6.8 credits
- OR647 Craniofacial Development and Cephalometric Assessment1 credit
- OR652 Guiding the Development of the Occlusion1 credit
- OR657 Orthodontic Tooth Movement and Biomechanics1 credit
Year 2, Semester 2
- CC504 Molecular Biology1 credit
- OR614 Research Dissertation2 credits
- OR624 Scientific Literature1 credit
- OR638 Specialty Clinical Training6.1 credits
- OR660 Adult Orthodontics and Long-Term Effects of Orthodontic Treatment1 credit
- OR658 Orthodontic Techniques1 credit
- OR653 Multidisciplinary Treatment Modalities1 credit
Year 3, Semester 1
Specialty Clinical Training is a continuing course: it runs across both semesters of the year and is graded at the end of Semester 2.
- OR615 Research Dissertation2 credits
- OR625 Scientific Literature1 credit
- OR639 Specialty Clinical Training10.2 credits
Year 3, Semester 2
- OR616 Research Dissertation3 credits
- OR626 Scientific Literature1 credit
- OR639 Specialty Clinical Training8.7 credits
- OR659 Consolidation of Orthodontic Training1 credit
What You'll Learn
Knowledge and understanding
- A comprehensive appraisal of the development and growth of the facial complex, dentition, occlusion and psychosocial development
- Integrated knowledge of orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning
- Original application of clinical and scientific knowledge, with a practical understanding of how established research techniques create and interpret knowledge in orthodontics
Intellectual and practical skills
- Critically evaluate current research and advanced scholarship to deliver expert-level, evidence-based orthodontic care
- Be prepared to provide specialist-level comprehensive treatment of malocclusion and dentofacial disharmonies in children, adolescents and adults
- Work within an interdisciplinary team to provide high-level orthodontic care
- Treat patients with moderate to difficult orthodontic requirements, including dentofacial anomalies and systemic conditions
- Communicate appropriately with patients and peers in orthodontic practice
- Be prepared for future roles in clinical research, with the critical and inquiring attitude needed to advance practice, research and teaching in orthodontics
Attitudes
- Maintain a high ethical standard and work in harmony with peers, support staff and faculty, with a view to becoming a team leader
- Value knowledge sharing, self-development, lifelong learning and research in the evidence-based practice of orthodontics
- Establish practice management skills and accountability for critical decisions and governance
- Manage and work within the context of a healthcare system
Entry Requirements
Shortlisted applicants are invited to the programme interview and Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) as applicable, and may also have a practical hands-on assessment. Applicants whose degree was awarded outside the UAE need an Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) General with Grade Average evaluation. Dubai Health employees must also submit a letter of support from the Chair of Oral Health, specific to the specialty. MBRU describes additional qualifications, such as the MFDS from one of the UK Royal Colleges or another postgraduate dental degree, as desirable.
Careers
The college's master's programmes are designed to prepare dentists for a career at specialist level. MBRU states that all of them satisfy the eligibility criteria to sit the specialty membership examinations of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RCSI). It also states that graduates of this programme are eligible to sit the Emirati Board examination.
Accreditation & Professional Recognition
Accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research through the Commission for Academic Accreditation, whose register lists the degree as Active; MBRU's catalog dates the accreditation to December 2012. The catalog also states that the programme is accredited by the National Institutes of Health Specialties (NIHS).
Programme Details
Award
Master of Science (MSc) in Orthodontics
Start Date
August (2026-27 classes started on 30 August 2026)
Typical Offer
Dentistry degree (BDS, DDS or DMD) with a cGPA of 3.00, a one-year internship and an EDREE or SDLE pass
Duration
3 years, full time
Qualification
MSc
Subject Area
Health Sciences
Campus
Dubai Healthcare City
Study Pattern
Full-time
Tuition Fee
AED 185,000/yr
Applications open on 12 October 2026 and close on 25 January 2027, which is also the deadline for English test results. MBRU's timeline then sets 15 February 2027 for interview notifications, 24 to 28 February 2027 for interviews and MMI, and 31 March 2027 for admission offers. Annual tuition is AED 185,000 for international applicants and AED 160,000 for UAE and GCC nationals. The application fee is AED 1,000 plus AED 50 VAT, and the non-refundable AED 10,000 seat reservation fee is deducted from the first-semester instalment for students who enrol. The needs-based Jood Scholarship offers up to 50% of annual tuition to UAE students, but only to continuing dental students with a monthly income below AED 20,000 and an annual GPA above the minimum for progression. MBRU states that its postgraduate dental students are not eligible for stipends.