Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Hamad Dental Centre has celebrated the achievement of 21 Qatari dentists successfully completing the requirement to be enrolled in the post-graduate dental education fellowship specialty programme.
Developed in collaboration with the Faculty of Dentistry of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), the programme is the first of its kind in Qatar. The dentists took membership of the college at an entrance exam in October 2016.
“It is the first time RCSI has affiliated with any healthcare organisation in the Middle East to provide an internationally accredited dentistry fellowship programme of the highest calibre,”said professor Johann De Vries, dental director and CEO of Hamad Dental Centre, and chairman of the Hamad Dental Service.
“The objective is to offer specialised dentistry training for Qataris interested in furthering their education and advancing their dental qualifications to internationally recognised standards.”
RCSI’s internationally accredited Pediatric Dentistry Fellowship Programme presents Qatari clinicians with the opportunity to pursue a selective graduate education locally, without the requirement of travelling abroad. More importantly, clinicians will have earned accreditation from a globally respected institution.
“Parts 1 and 2 of the Membership of the College examination were administered in Qatar for the very first time. The pass rate of our doctors (clinical associates) for the stringent exams was extremely high and exceeded the average pass rate of their counterparts in the region,” explained Dr Jamal al-Abdullah, senior consultant, Divisional Chief and Unit Head of Pedodontics, Hamad Dental Service.
“This specialised training offers Qatari dentists an amazing opportunity to expand their expertise and develop their professional careers. This is an extremely important area for our population in Qatar, where the oral health needs of our children need particular attention,” Dr al-Abdullah added.
The collaboration between RCSI and HMC requires faculty members from the Hamad Dental Centre to engage in extensive training to support and facilitate the management and operational goals of the newly accredited dental fellowship training programme.
The programme selects four fellows annually. Priority is given to Qatari citizens with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited dental school recognised by HMC.
Clinicians must also possess the designation of clinical associate with evidence of substantial daily clinical experience relevant to pediatric dentistry.
