You may be interested in pursuing a dental course but are unsure which course is best for you.

Well, below is everything there is to know about various dental courses in Kenya, including entry requirements, where to study, fees, and more.

Let’s get started…

Dental courses in Kenya – all you need to know

The following are all of the dental courses offered at various institutions in Kenya:

Bachelor of Dental Surgery

At the time of writing, only two universities have been approved by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) to offer a bachelor of dental surgery.

They are the University of Nairobi and Moi University, respectively.

Below are more details about the course:

Minimum entry requirements:

To be eligible for this program, you must meet the following minimum entry requirements:

A KCSE mean grade of B (plain) or its equivalent

In addition, you must meet the following cluster subject requirements:

• B (plain) in Biology,
• B (plain) in Chemistry,
• B (plain) in either Mathematics or Physics,

And,

• B (plain) in English/Kiswahili

Alternative qualifications:

You may also be eligible for this program if you have a diploma from a medical training institution recognized and accredited by the KMPD in any of the following disciplines:

• Dental technology,
• Dental surgery assistant,
• Dental hygiene,
• Community oral health,
• Clinical medicine,
• Laboratory technology,
• Radiography,
• Nursing,

Or,

• Pharmaceutical technology.

Besides, if you have a diploma in any of the disciplines listed above, you must have a minimum KCSE mean grade of C+ (plus) and a C+ (plus) in the required cluster subjects.

Also, you may be admitted if you have a degree in biological sciences or an equivalent qualification from a recognized university.

On top of that, you must have at least one year of work experience in both cases.

Course duration: Five (5) years

Fees:

The tuition fee per academic year at the University of Nairobi is Kshs. 521,000, while at Moi University it is Kshs. 612,000 (tuition fee only).

How to apply:

To be admitted as a government-sponsored student, you must apply via the KUCCPS student portal.  Otherwise, click here to apply to the University of Nairobi and here to apply to Moi University directly for private admission.

Bachelor of Science in Dental Technology

This is yet another dental degree program in Kenya.

Needless to say, this program is only offered by Mount Kenya University (MKU), and admission requires the following minimum entry requirements:

A KCSE mean grade of C+ (plus), with the following cluster subject requirements:

• Biology/Biological Sciences C+ (plus),
• Chemistry/Physical Sciences C+ (plus),
• English/Kiswahili C+ (plus),

And,

• Mathematics/Physics C+ (plus)

Alternatively, you can apply for the course if you have a diploma in dental technology from an institution approved by the university’s senate.

In addition, you must have completed a one-year internship and have at least one year of work experience.

Course duration: Eight (8) semesters for Direct Entry and five (5) semesters for Diploma Holders

Fees: Kshs. 90,000 per semester

How to apply:

Click here to apply online directly to the institution or apply through the KUCCPS portal when it opens for application.

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Diploma in Dental Technology

Again, only two institutions in Kenya are accredited to offer the diploma in dental technology in Kenya.

That is Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) and Mount Kenya University (MKU), with KMTC being the best for the course.

Keep in mind that KMTC typically has two intakes per year, in March and September.

That being so, the following are the basic minimum entry requirements for the course at either of the institutions:

A KCSE mean grade of C (plain) or its equivalent

In addition, you must meet the following cluster subject requirements:

• C (plain) in either English or Kiswahili,
• C (plain) in Physics, Physical Sciences or Chemistry,
• C- (minus) in Biology or Biological Sciences,

And,

• C- (minus) in any of the following: Mathematics, Metal work, Physics, or Chemistry.

Course duration: Three (3) years including practical attachment

Fees:

At KMTC, this diploma program costs Kshs. 82,200 for government-sponsored students and Kshs. 122,200 for self-sponsored students per academic year, whereas at MKU, it costs Kshs. 59,550 per trimester for a total of nine (9) trimesters.

How to apply:

As previously stated, the KUCCPS portal is the best way to apply (if you want to be admitted as a government-sponsored student).

However, you can also apply online through the institutions’ websites (as a self-sponsored student though). So, if you want to apply as a private student, go here for KMTC and here for MKU.

Career opportunities for holders of dental courses

So, after completing any of the above dental courses in Kenya, you can pursue the following career paths in the dental field:

• Dental practitioner – With a bachelor’s degree in dental surgery or dental technology programs, you can work as a licensed dental surgeon in private dental clinics, government hospitals and health facilities, dental schools, or even start your own practice.
• Dental technologist – On the other hand, if you have a diploma in dental technology, you can work in dental laboratories, creating prosthetics and appliances under the supervision of a dentist.

Furthermore, you can also pursue postgraduate studies to specialize in areas of dentistry such as orthodontics, oral surgery, or periodontics.

Dental courses in Kenya – Wrapping up

With the information presented above, I believe you will now be able to choose the dental course that best suits your qualifications.

Remember to only apply to the institutions listed above because they are the only ones that are accredited by KMPDC to offer dental courses.

Again, remember to apply through the KUCCPS portal if you want to benefit from the government scholarships and loans, but otherwise apply through the links that I’ve provided for each of the institutions.

All the best in your career journey!

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Dental technology courses in Kenya – All you need to know

The post Dental Courses in Kenya [All you need to know] appeared first on Kenya Education Guide.

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Dental Technology Courses in Kenya including:

• Colleges and universities offering Dental Technology Courses in Kenya.
• Requirements to study dentistry in Kenya for various Dental Technology Courses in Kenya .
• Fees payable for the course.
• Job prospects for holders of Dental Technology Courses In Kenya.

And more.

Let’s dive in:

All Dental Technology Courses In Kenya – what you need to know including dental course requirements and the best dental schools in Kenya

First, what is dental technology?

In short, dental technology is a course that teaches you skills that will enable you make a variety of dental appliances such as crowns, dentures, bridges, orthodontic appliances, etc.

Having said that, it is important to note that as a dental technician, you’ll be working under a dentist- your work involves improving patients’ teeth, for example, by repairing dentures, replacing lost teeth, carrying out prescribed dental bridge procedures, and more.

Keep reading to learn how you can become a dental technologist in Kenya…

The best Dental Technology Courses in Kenya

 Now, if your dream is to work as a dental technologist, you should take any of these courses- the course you’ll eventually pursue depends on your KCSE grades..

Bachelor of Science in Dental Technology (degree in dental technology)

A Bachelor of Science in dental technology degree is offered by MKU (Mt Kenya University) and you can be admitted as long as you have met the minimum entry requirements outlined below:

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) Mean Grade- C+ (plus) or its equivalent. In addition, you must have at least a C+ in: Physics or Mathematics, Physical sciences/chemistry, Biology/Biological Science, Kiswahili or English.

Holders of a Bachelor of Science degree in in health related area may also be accepted.

In both instances, you must have undergone a 1-year internship and gained 1 year working experience (at least) to be accepted.

Alternatively, you may get admission if you hold a Diploma course in a health linked field or a similar qualification as specified by the University Senate.

The course takes 8 semesters for those who are admitted directly and 5 semesters for those who join with a diploma in dental technology.

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Diploma in dental technology / diploma in dental surgery in Kenya

KMTC offers a well-recognized Diploma in dental technology course in some of its campuses. Again, you must have attained the basic entry grades listed below:

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) Mean Grade- C (plain). Besides, you are required to have scored a C plain in English/Kiswahili, and one of Physical Science/Physics/Chemistry

Lastly, prospects must have a C- (minus) in Biology and a similar grade in one of Mathematics, Metal work, Physics, or Chemistry.

The diploma takes 3 years including practical attachment.

You may also take the Diploma in Dental Technology at MKU.

In short, the only two colleges offering diploma in dental technology we recommend are KMTC and MKU and the entry requirements are as above.

Certificate in dental technology

Unfortunately, the certificate in dental technology course is not accredited locally meaning there are no colleges offering certificate in dental technology in Kenya.

Indeed, like many medicine courses in Kenya, you are unlikely to be licensed to practice as a dental technologist even if you obtain a certificate from a foreign institution- many dental technology jobs in Kenya require at least a Diploma.

Tuition fees and other costs

The fee for the Bsc. (Bachelor of Science) in Dental Technology at MKU is Ksh.79550 per semester.

You should add accommodation and your other day-to-day expenses to the above fee.

Diploma students at MKU pay Ksh.49550 per trimester (3 months) for the 3 years.

On the other hand, those who intend to enroll for the Diploma qualification at KMTC should be prepared to pay about Kshs.120000/- per year as fee if self-sponsored and about Kshs.80000/- if you’re joining the regular program.

There could be a few extra thousands (most of them paid once) to cater for important activities such as internship. Again, budget for your expected living costs.

When and how to apply

To apply to MKU, head over to their website and download the application form. You can fill and then take it physically to MKU’s main campus at Thika.

Alternately, you can submit the application online via the website.

On the other hand, to apply to KMTC, you should create an account on the KMTC application portal and fill the common online application form. For the course, indicate Diploma in Dental Technology.

Keep in mind that there are two intakes annually- in March and September so ensure you apply before the advertised deadline (KMTC advertises its intakes through the national media- newspapers, radio, TV stations, etc).

Career prospects for holders of dental technology courses

For the most part, the above courses set you up for entry-to-middle-level positions as a dental technician in both public (county-run hospitals) and private health facilities.

In a nutshell, your potential employers are:

• Privately-owned dental clinics
• County health centers
• Established dental technology laboratories

Regarding your future prospects, even if not many people appreciate the importance of what dental technicians do- since they don’t interact with patients directly- dentists and orthodontists recognize that their jobs would not be possible without receiving a helping hand from a dental technician.

In fact, you can specialize in a range of areas as a dental tech.

The primary ones are:

• Crowns and bridges
• Complete/partial dentures.
• Dental ceramics
• Orthodontics- you exclusively work with orthodontists
• Implants

Any of these dental technology specialties can set you up for a great career as a licensed dental lab technician and help you make a good living throughout your life.

Diploma In Dental Technology Salary In Kenya

Dental technicians can make a significant income in Kenya- a dental technician earns about 40000- 90000 KES (or thereabouts) in a month.

Of course, the pay can rise to over 100k or fall to about 30k depending on the entity you’re working for.

That said, this is the run-of-the-mill monthly salary without including housing, transport, and other reimbursements/allowances.

Needless to say, the final earnings mainly differ based on experience, expertise, gender, or even locality.

Dental Technology Courses in Kenya – Frequently asked questions

1.      Is dental technology marketable in Kenya? 

Dental Technology is one of the best dental courses you can take in Kenya because of the ever-increasing demand for qualified dental technicians.

Not only are more Kenyans relying on professional dentists for basic dental care but also, more and more Kenyans are nowadays opting to pay for dental procedures such as teeth alignment (Orthodontics) and tooth filling for aesthetics reasons or better dental health.

2.      Where can I find dental technology in Kenya? 

The best institutions to study dental technology in Kenya are the government-owned KMTC for the Diploma and MKU for the bachelor’s degree course in dental technology.

These two have amazing facilities not to mention that their graduates tend to be preferred by employers.

3.      What are the minimum dental surgery requirements? 

If you’d rather take a dental surgery course, you must have attained a minimum of C+ (mean Grade) in your KCSE. In addition, a C+ is needed in the dental surgery (bachelor) cluster subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics/Mathematics, and English /Kiswahili.

These are the typical requirements at the University of Nairobi and most of the universities in Kenya.

4.      Can a dental technician become a dentist? 

Short answer: Yes. But, you need to pursue further qualifications. Specifically, you may need to join a university that has been accredited by the medical practitioners and dentists board of Kenya for a bachelor of dental surgery course.

The good news is that institutions such as the University of Nairobi admits holders of a Diploma in Dental Technology to the degree in dental surgery course as long as one had a C+ mean grade in KCSE.

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