Department of Dentistry

Head of Department: Dr. Nilena Eriksen

Study programs offered by the Department of Dentistry:

– Second cycle integrated study program “Master of Science in Dentistry”

Department of Dentistry, as an integral part of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, is established in September 2004. This Department offers the integrated program of the second cycle of studies “Master of Science in Dentistry” with a duration of 5 years, approved by Council of Ministers upon Decision No. 197 dated 10.04.2004 and accredited for the first time by MoES upon order no. 388, dated 23.07.2010. In the framework of procedures for its continuity and improvement of quality, this program has been re-accredited by the Quality Assurance Agency in Higher Education with Decision no. 88, dated 21.09.2017 and is now waiting for the decision of Board of Accreditation after completion of all stages of internal and external quality evaluation regarding the last re-accreditation.

As an integral part of the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Albanian University, the Department of Dentistry is structured based on the following disciplines: – Discipline of Oral Surgery – Discipline of Therapy – Discipline of Paediatric Dentistry – Discipline of Prosthetics – Discipline of Periodontology. Each discipline and subject includes engagement of the necessary number of lecturers, assistant lecturers and coordinators.

The five year training is not only based on a two year good pre-clinical preparation in pace with modern advances, but also in another three year period focused on enhancement of skills in theoretical-practical courses in direct contact with the patient, providing students with highly admirable knowledge and at the same time making them capable of possessing and applying in practice the acquired technique. In this respect, until today, there is a considerable number of students who work or have been able to benefit from opportunities to further continue their academic training in various foreign countries. The main focus of this program is the advanced theoretical-practical education of students, based mainly on the TUFT Boston University model, fundamentally based on American literature of this University.

Another strong point of this Department is the rigorous commitment toward the scientific research, which is empowered with participation of physicians and students in national and international research projects, annual conferences, where are presented scientific-professional research works completed in our country or in the place of residence of physicians and students. Department of Dentistry also offers the third cycle of studies, which consist of the Long-term Specializations in “Orthognatodoncy” and Long Term Specializations in “Oral Surgery”, which are led by lecturers of prestigious Italian institutions.

Employment Opportunities:

This program enables preparation of skilled students according to well-known international standards and aims to educate individuals capable of creating, thinking, seeking and developing the gained theoretical and practical knowledge to establish a modern and sustainable medical persuasion. A dentist educated based on these criteria shall be capable of facing the EU growing requirements and standards, therefore this can enable him to have a facilitated integration or a job as a free lance professional in dental clinics, public institutions, sectors promoting and producing dental devices, hospital centres at any levels, research centres of academic profile or in various academic spaces, inside and outside Albania.

– Program of a professional profile “Higher Dental Laboratory Specialist”

Department of Stomatology offers also the program of professional character “Higher Dental Laboratory Specialist”, based on Order of Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth No.516, dated 24.10.2019. This study program is offered with a normal 2 year academic years (4 semesters) and a total of about 120 credits. At the end of studies, students are equipped with a professional diploma with the title “Higher Dental Laboratory Specialist”, referred to 5th level of Albanian Qualifications Framework. This study program is accredited for the first time by the Agency of Quality Assurance in Higher Education upon a decision of the Board of Accreditation No 20, dated 03.03.2023 for a 3-year period.

The professional study program “Higher Dental Laboratory Specialist” aims to provide students with basic knowledge in the field of dental laboratory. The main purpose of this study program is to provide students with theoretical and practical knowledge to educate professionals to become dental practitioners with most advanced knowledge in pace with time.

Practical basics in vocational subjects that students will benefit are focused on a good professional communication between a dentist and dental practitioner, in order to achieve successful clinical results edentulous total or partial patients with implants or orthodontic apparatus. The 2-year study program offers students a basic and characterizing education, aiming to coordinate knowledge and pre-training in order to be ready to model fixed bridges, orthodontic apparatus, total, skeletal and partial prostheses and even supra-structures on implants. The professional study program “Higher Dental Laboratory Specialist” preserves originality both in form and content, compared to programs of the same nature offered in our country.

As a primary focus of the program is the practical training of students, based on a curriculum with the mainly oriented towards student’s clinical practice.

The first year curricula includes classes of lectures and seminars with subjects of basic education, aiming to provide students with complete knowledge on the medical training modules. Such knowledge shall be useful in the practical application of the program’s general subjects. Development of some interdisciplinary subjects in this semester helps to pre-prepare students toward deepening of knowledge and professional coordination with characterizing subjects. The second year boosts their knowledge in interdisciplinary subjects, by increasing the number of hours that students spend in the auditorium for these modules, with lectures,

seminars or practices. It is important for them to complete the course works, i.e. obligations, which students develop during lesson hours that later on consist of obligations with deadline of submission and assessment for students.

Students are trained in preparation of movable prostheses according to clinical cases presented at the clinic. Competences for modelling and preparation of orthodontic movable apparatuses and prostheses on implants are additional elements of the knowledge and professional skills that students gain during the professional study program of “Higher Dental Laboratory Specialist”. Students gain the ability to interact with dentists, performing professionally in every laboratory stage required by dental treatment plants. Students shall be able to model fixed bridges and prepare them in the lab, including an excellent knowledge on dental clinic protocol.

Employment Opportunities:

Potential sectors for student employment, based on labor market assessment performed by the Department of Dentistry, are considerable. This is based on the professional training capacity of this study program of a professional character with a two year duration. Students graduated in this study program will be able to work as free-lance professionals at dental clinics, private or institutional (university), in laboratories or manufacturing and promotion sectors of dental laboratory equipments, in dental research centers in the profile of laboratory specialist.

 

– Joint Integrated Study Program “Odontoiatria e Protesi Dentaria”

Starting from 2022-2023 academic year, Department of Dentistry is now offering the joint study program “Odontoiatria e Protesi Dentaria”, in cooperation with University of Ferrara, Italy. This new study program with a duration of 6 years (12 semesters) and 360 credits, full-time system, is approved upon decision of Minister of Education and Sports No. 444, dated 22.04.2022.

Such program in a foreign language is based on a local and international labor market study, as a necessary to move pace to pace with counterpart universities, aiming to prepare future professionals capable of working inside and outside the country without being forced to get used to tools, materials, technology and dental treatment protocols. A joint diploma obtained at the end of the study program enables graduates to further apply for third study cycles for acceleration of application and admission procedures in local and foreign Universities.

Likewise, such program welcomes also foreign students who wish to study at the Albanian University in a foreign language. Mobility of professionals is the main goal of the study program, based on the same time in the internationalisation strategy of the study programs, initiated by the Albanian government.

Employment Opportunities:

This program teaches students the most well-known international standards, according to a really professional, qualitative and international curricula, such as the one of University of Ferrara and aims to educate individuals capable of creating, thinking, seeking and developing the gained theoretical and practical knowledge to establish a modern and sustainable medical persuasion. Partnership with the prestigious University of Ferrara offers important employment opportunities not only in Albanian but also in the entire continent and wider.