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4 Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition | January - February 2014academia tribune Direct:+97144248703 Fax:+97144248686 DubaiHealthcareCity, Bldg34 Dubai,UAE www.dsdm.ac.ae Contact Information tunity to “Embark on a three year intensive clinical training program with a clear didactic component and a research dis- sertation”. How has the school developed since the opening? Professor Wray: Since opening to students in January of this year DSDM has been highly successful. We accepted resi- dents into our Pediatric Dentist- ry and Orthodontic programs in January and after completing our initial accreditation process with the CAA we have now ac- cepted residents into all the specialty programs which we offer including Oral Surgery, Periodontiology, Prosthodontics and Endodontics. Seeing the growth of the DSDM since its launch, what sets you apart from the other Dental Universities in the UAE and the region? The big bonus about DSDM is that graduates, as well as re- ceiving their Master’s Degree at the end of their course, also receive a conjoint Specialty Membership Diploma from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. This Specialty Membership Diploma gives DSDM graduates a clinical qualification to complement their academic degree and a membership to the Royal Col- lege which is globally recog- nized, and DSDM provides a stimulating environment for graduates to carry out their postgraduate degree. What are the major reasons for the regional dental students to choose DSDM? DSDM provides both academic and clinical training within Dubai without having to leave the Gulf region which is a huge benefit especially to female residents with domestic com- mitments. This can be achieved without compromise since we have a world-class international fac- ulty of teachers. DSDM pro- vides education and training of the highest quality in a range of specializations to its students, and has also received initial academic accreditation from the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the UAE Min- istry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The school is led by world-renowned spe- cialists and is home to some of the world’s top specialists in the field. In addition, DSDM’s Part- nership with The Royal Col- lege of Surgeons of Edinburgh (UK) provides postgraduate students, through a conjoint exam, with a member- ship diploma which guarantees recogni- tion internationally at specialty level in all areas. DSDM is part of Dubai Healthcare City, which is the world’s first healthcare free-zone, and DSDM students are able to make the most of the world-class education facilities offered by the medical hub. What are the further plans of DSDM in the coming 2 to 3 years? DSDM has plans to expand its clinical facilities to cope with the increased numbers of resi- dents and patients expected next year. Our partnership with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is also progress- ing and we have already run four college examinations in DHCC this year. We anticipate that we will become one of the largest global hubs for dental postgraduate examinations in the near future. Could you please share your thoughts on the level of Den- tistry in the UAE and the re- gion? The quality of dental educa- tion and clinical practice in the UAE and the region is already very high but we hope to drive standards even higher with our postgraduate programs and of course, our graduates will be benchmarked clinically with the global standards set by the Edinburgh Royal College. Could you emphasize on the dental industry developments in the region? We have seen dental compa- nies expanding within the re- gion and new ones coming. This reflects the interest in serving the dental community and the needs of the patients. In addition, the many confer- ences which Dubai hosts act as a platform to showcase the lat- est technology and how it can benefit the patients. Through your experience as an educator, what should young students target when becoming a dental professional? Dentistry is largely a commu- nity-based profession and we need both general dentists and specialists to provide a full range of healthcare support for our patients so there is not just one path for a young dentist to follow. DSDM is dedicated to training specialists but there is a hugely important role for the generalist. Regardless of the path a young dentist chooses, it is important not to lose sight of the need for lifelong learning through continuing profession- al development be it in formal courses or through attendance at courses and self-directed learning. Dentists have a pro- fessional responsibility to keep up-to-date and DSDM is here to support them in that endeavor. How can you describe the den- tal students in Dubai? The students in Dubai today are wonderful, mature, profes- sional young dentists who are a family working towards a com- mon goal. Our residents are a joy to teach and a privilege to be colleagues with. Do you have any tips you would like to share with the young dental professionals? Because of the explosion of new knowledge, young dentists must be constantly diligent and always treat the patients holis- tically. We don’t just do fillings; we care for the total oral health needs and wellbeing of our pa- tients. We should be proud of our profession and the care we can provide. Do you have anything else to share with the dental audience? Because DSDM is dedicated to specialization in dentistry we now represent a fantastic fa- cility providing secondary oral healthcare to the community. Many dentists in UAE do not have the facilities or capacity to provide a fully comprehensive level of care and DSDM is here to provide support and expertise to the dental community. Whether the patients have com- plex restorative problems or se- rious mucosal disease, DSDM is here to help and welcomes referrals from all branches of the profession. “We have now accepted residents into all the specialty programs” “DSDM is part of Dubai Healthcare City” “DSDM provides both academic and clinical training within Dubai” “Dubai School of Dental Medicine has been highly successful” By Dental Tribune Middle East D UBAI, UAE: A year after the successful opening of the Dubai School of Dental Medicine we managed to catch up with Professor David Wray, Dean of DSDM to learn more about the developments since the opening. DTMEA: Professor Wray, al- most a year ago you opened the doors of the Dubai School of Dental Medicine with the aim to attract dental students and provide them with the oppor-