Periodontology (Distance Learning) MSc

This part-time, three-year blended-learning master's programme offers busy general dental practitioners the chance to learn the latest, most optimal techniques in periodontology. It combines flexible, blended online learning with compressed residential components in London.

About this degree

This innovative, flexible and inclusive MSc programme is ideal for dentists looking to expand their knowledge of the non-surgical and surgical management of patients with periodontal needs. You will study peri-implant disease management, non-surgical therapy and the fundamentals of diagnosis and treatment planning in implant dentistry.

The course includes a mix of live and recorded sessions online and compressed face-to-face teaching in London. As a busy dental practitioner, you can plan your life around your study and complete periodontal training while studying at a time that suits you.

Clinical skills training is delivered during residential weeks or days, using phantom heads and pig jaws models, and covering all aspects of managing periodontal diseases and conditions.

Your clinical progress is monitored through constant review of a specifically designed clinical logbook and clinical cases submissions.

Our mix of theory, latest scientific evidence and technical skills provides an exciting opportunity, especially for overseas students who may be unable to access high-quality clinical education and the latest technologies.

Who this course is for

The course is ideal for national and international applicants who want to improve their knowledge of periodontal and implant dentistry. Applicants should have regular access to patients with periodontal needs for the duration of the course.

What this course will give you

This programme offers you the following benefits and opportunities.

• The chance to advance your knowledge in periodontology and implant dentistry, with the flexibility of a part-time, blended-learning educational route and multiple exit points (Certificate/ Diploma).
• Advanced practical skills in non-surgical periodontal therapy, including hand and mechanical instrumentation.
• Advanced practical skills in surgical periodontal therapy, including the latest minimally invasive surgical techniques for periodontal regenerative surgery, and hard and soft tissue management around teeth and dental implants. 
• Access to UCL's highly advanced simulation facilities for non-surgical and surgical periodontal training.
• Excellent collaborative links with similarly progressive units throughout the worldwide periodontal community.
• Opportunities to learn directly from experienced academics and develop projects that will be clinically applicable to your future career.
• Engagement with some of the key opinion leaders in periodontology and implant dentistry.
• The confidence to manage patients with periodontal needs and the ability to tailor your practice to learn operative skills and be at the forefront of modern periodontology.

The foundation of your career

MSc Periodontology graduates can undertake a wide variety of high-standard clinical skills. Most develop their clinical dental practice with the enhanced skills and knowledge to treat, advise and monitor the periodontal needs of patients. Our graduates are well equipped to accept periodontal referrals for non-surgical management of periodontal patients.

Employability

Whatever your career pathway, this MSc will help you to advance your career to a more specialised level or to become more established within the periodontal field.

Our programme supports the unique combination of theory, practice and innovation you will need for a fast-moving, competitive and evolving discipline.

You will gain cutting-edge knowledge in periodontology as well as transferable skills in conducting research in clinical and medical science. It will give you up-to-date perspectives on trends in the causality, diagnosis, management and innovative approaches in periodontology and implant dentistry.

If you wish to go on to further academic study and research activity, such as a PhD, we will give you guidance and support to help you realise your ambitions.

Networking

There are regular networking opportunities, including events where you can hear from expert speakers. We encourage students to broaden their skills and expand their networks by attending and participating at conferences.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a mix of:

• Online lectures and clinical demonstrations
• Live synchronous online lectures and group discussions and feedback on formative assessments
• Clinical case presentations, problem-based learning, and unseen clinical cases
• formative assessments
• Discussion forums (general and clinical)
• Research appraisal and literature seminars
• Practical sessions, work-based learning, and group discussions.

New teaching content is made available at the beginning of each programme week to allow a coordinated learning experience. The content includes a variety of exercises and formative tasks to ensure that content is correctly and progressively assimilated.

During the residential weeks, hands-on clinical skills are taught on campus.

To aid independent study, students have access to online reading lists and library resources. The online sessions are set to UK time but always recorded and accessible, and you will have access to other pre-recorded sessions.

Students will be assessed by:

• Coursework
• Essays
• Clinical case submissions
• Unseen written and oral clinical cases
• Online oral and video presentations
• Case studies
• Role-play
• Formative direct observation
• A research project dissertation (written thesis).

Based on full-time hours, you are expected to spend around 50% of your working week in your own clinical environment (with no direct clinical supervision) managing independently patients with periodontal needs.

The contact hours / taught components for the programme take up 20-25% of your time. These include online synchronous lectures, seminars, clinical case-based discussions and drop-in sessions for the distance learning content, and residential weeks / days for the lab-based hands-on practical training. The rest of your working week will be dedicated to independent study.

You should expect to spend about 15 hours per week learning from the online synchronous or pre-recorded teaching episodes, making use of library resources, and working on your formative assessments.

Compulsory modules

•  Scientific Basis of Periodontology
•  MSc in Periodontology Dissertation
•  Complicating Factors and Other Oral Conditions
•  Evidence Based Healthcare
•  Periodontal Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
•  Non-surgical Periodontal Therapy
•  Surgical Periodontal Therapy
•  Implant Therapy and Peri-implant Diseases

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Periodontology (Distance Learning).

Fieldwork

You will treat patients in your own clinic and synthesise your knowledge and practice skills through discussion with peers, staff and others, to improve your clinical practice and effectiveness.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Where youll study

We are a world-leading, academic centre for postgraduate dentistry and translational research. We offer high-quality postgraduate education, including Master's degrees, speciality training, certificates, diplomas, research degrees and CPD courses. Our clinically-intensive programmes are led by international specialists. As a world-class research centre, we are continually improving systemic and oral health by developing novel treatments, therapies, diagnostics and smart materials. Our new state-of-the-art facilities at Bloomsbury campus ensure that our students, researchers and academics have exceptional access to patients and opportunities for education and research. The UCLH Eastman Dental Hospital is part of the largest hospital in Europe specialising in complex oral health care and advanced ear, nose and throat treatments.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course (UK students)

Fee description

Part-time Tuition fees (2025/26) £14,900

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

Students will face costs of travel and subsistence to attend the campus-based teaching blocks in London (for which, we have some guidance).

You will also need an SLR camera set up with appropriate lens and ring flash for documentation of clinical cases (approx. £1,400).

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

There is an application processing fee for Eastman Dental Institute programmes of £120 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application, we would like to learn:

• why you want to study Periodontology (Distance Learning) at graduate level
• why you want to study Periodontology (Distance Learning) at UCL
• what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
• how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
• where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.