Study options
- Starting in
- September 2025
- Location
- Distance Learning
- Fees
- Home: £4,100
Overseas: £9,200
EU/EEA/Swiss students
What you'll study
This online course provides you with a clear and detailed foundation in dental healthcare policy.
You’ll take four compulsory modules from the Postgraduate Diploma course covering topics from dental public health policy, how to assess oral health in populations, evidence-based dentistry, to disease prevention.
You’ll study at an internationally respected institution: we’re ranked 14th in the world for dentistry (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022). We have some of the most modern facilities in the UK: the Institute of Dentistry moved to new premises in The Royal London Hospital in 2014 – the first UK dental school to be built in 40 years.
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Watch our video to find out more
You can also choose our MSc or Postgraduate Diploma in Dental Public Health, Policy and Leadership.
Structure
- Four compulsory modules
Compulsory/Core modules
The Dental Public Health and Policy module is the first module in the distance-learning (online) Dental Public Health, Policy and Leadership postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and MSc course. This module covers the fundamental principles of Public Health, Dental Public Health and policy making. Teaching is delivered online over nine weeks using a range of interactive e-learning tools, videos, key readings and tasks for students to complete on a weekly basis.
The Assessing Oral Health and Diseases in Populations module covers oral epidemiology, measures of oral diseases and the study designs used to assess the prevalence and causes of oral diseases in populations. It will introduce students to the epidemiology of common oral diseases. Students will also learn how to interpret data from epidemiological studies. The teaching delivered online over nine weeks will use a range of interactive e-learning tools, videos, key readings and weekly tasks for students to complete.
This module will equip students with (i) applied knowledge of evidence-based dentistry; (ii) the skills to enable them to critically appraise research and; (iii) strategies that allow them to apply and implement evidence in practice. The nine-week online teaching will use videos, existing publicly available resources, key readings and interactive task to build critical appraisal skills. Library skills teaching developed in collaboration with the School of Medicine and Dentistry librarian will equip students will database searching skills.
The Prevention and Oral Health Promotion module is the fourth module in the distance-learning (online) Dental Public Health, Policy and Leadership postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and MSc course. This applied and consolidated module covers oral health promotion, oral health promotion strategies, how to use behaviour change theories and models in oral health promotion, and how to use planning models to design, implement and evaluate oral health promotion activities. The module will enable students to design oral health promotion activities, and learn how to evaluate them.
Assessment
You will be assessed by a mixture of:
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Quizzes, MCQ examinations, written coursework and Zoom/Teams online presentations
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An assessment of your participation and engagement in the online activities
Teaching
You’ll be taught through our online platform, QMplus, which will enrich your studies with a dynamic range of webinars, videos, interactive quizzes and Zoom/Teams presentations. Your written assignments will be submitted through the portal, while poster and oral presentations will be assessed via Zoom/Teams.
You’ll be encouraged to interact with your teachers and other students in online discussion forums, join group activities and become part of our community.
You’ll also be expected to use your own time to prepare for your formal study sessions, read, produce written work and revise for examinations. You should expect to spend approximately 10–16 hours a week on each module.
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—"What I truly appreciate about this degree is how it has expanded my outlook on oral health which previously was only from a clinical perspective. It has introduced me to more impactful approaches to providing oral health services, where I see the potential to make a meaningful difference for a broader population in Pakistan. Moreover, I find the weekly engagement with current research materials in the field inspiring, and it continuously motivates me to expand my knowledge base."
"Being awarded a scholarship from Queen Mary University of London is a tremendous accomplishment for me. Coming from a country where there is a tremendous need for improvement in the public health sector, it has always been my aspiration to attend one of the world's top universities and gain knowledge of the best practices to bring back home to Pakistan. Thanks to the Commonwealth scholarship, this aspiration became a reality for me. "Iffat Umair Niazi - MSc Dental Public Health Policy and Leadership Year 1 (2023)
Where you'll learn
Facilities
- Queen Mary’s dedicated online portal, QMplus
- Video and audio recordings of all lectures and other online resources
- College online library facilities, journals and a specifically designed study skills module
- Campus facilities if you decide to visit at any point during your course
- Watch our video to discover online study at Queen Mary
About the Institute
Institute of Dentistry
If you study with us, you will join a dynamic, successful dental school with a first-class reputation: Queen Mary has consistently been ranked in the top 20 in the World for dentistry in the QS World University Rankings by Subject and we were ranked joint first in the country for research environment for dentistry in the most recent national assessment (REF 2021).
The Institute of Dentistry is a special place to undertake your postgraduate studies. We bring together a number of world-leading researchers in basic and clinical sciences who supervise research students in the fields of oral medicine, oral pathology, oral microbiology, oral epidemiology, oncology, dental biomaterials, dental biophysics, dental public health, dental education, periodontology, orthodontics, paediatric, prosthetic and conservative dentistry.
The Institute is based in Whitechapel and offers cutting-edge technology, a superb education and first-class research facilities.
The Institute of Dentistry is part of Queen Mary’s Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. Queen Mary is part of the University of London and a member of the Russell Group.
Career paths
The skills you gain on this programme will accelerate your training and enhance your career prospects in dental health care and public policy making.
You’ll also have the experience necessary to pursue further academic research at PgDip or MSc level.
"I have always had the desire to pursue Dental Public Health (DPH) as a career pathway, due to my deep interest in novelty."
"What I enjoy most about this degree is the flexibility it affords me. I can work and provide for my family while studying to improve myself. "
Makafui Dawoe, MSc Dental Public Health Policy and Leadership Year 1 (2023)
- 100% of Dentistry postgraduate-taught students are in employment or further study (2020/21)
- 100% of these students are in highly skilled work or graduate study (2020/21)
—"Distance learning with Queen Mary University provided a great foundation for balance between professional and academic life, independent and supported study, as well as harmonising the structure of progressing through the degree with the flexibility to tailor the experience to everyone. I have never experienced academic encouragement quite like it, as it reinforced individuality, expanded my mindset and potential, all whilst instilling the much-needed peer comradery throughout the turbulent times of the Covid-19 pandemic."
Philippa Barnwell,
Dental Public Health, Policy and Leadership Online MSc
2020-2022
Fees and funding
Funding
There are a number of ways you can fund your postgraduate degree.
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Postgraduate loans (UK students)
- Country-specific scholarships for international students
Our Advice and Counselling service offers specialist support on financial issues, which you can access as soon as you apply for a place at Queen Mary. Before you apply, you can access our funding guides and advice on managing your money:
Entry requirements
UK
Degree requirements
A 2:1 or above at undergraduate level in a relevant discipline such as Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Health Sciences, Oral Health Sciences or the Social Sciences .
Professional practice gained from a wide variety of relevant backgrounds will also be considered.
Find out more about how to apply for our postgraduate taught courses.
International
English language requirements
The English language requirements for our programmes are indicated by English bands, and therefore the specific test and score acceptable is based on the band assigned to the academic department within which your chosen course of study is administered. Note that for some academic departments there are programmes with non-standard English language requirements.
The English Language requirements for entry to postgraduate taught and research programmes in the Institute of Dentistry fall within either English band 4 or English band 5. This programme requires the following English band:
Band 4: IELTS (Academic) minimum score 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each of Writing, Listening, Reading and Speaking
We accept a range of English tests and qualifications categorised in our English bands for you to demonstrate your level of English Language proficiency. See all accepted English tests that we deem equivalent to these IELTS scores.
Visas and immigration
Find out how to apply for a student visa.