With the postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Dentistry in Skopje, students gain modern knowledge through the application of methods and scientific techniques used in our as well as in the developed university centers, to prepare professionals who will contribute to the development of their work environment. With these studies the student is trained to apply the methods in scientific research that will enable him to master and implement new methods in the diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases in the following areas: pediatric and preventive dentistry, orthodontics, dental prosthetics, dental diseases, and endodontics, oral surgery, diseases of the mouth and periodontium, maxillofacial surgery.
To monitor the development of dental science, as well as the promotion of the level of professional and scientific competence of the candidates, the Teaching-Scientific Council of the Faculty of Dentistry has made several changes to the existing curricula and programs for postgraduate studies, covering the period since 1972 when the first study program was adopted, until today.
The first curriculum of the Faculty of Dentistry in Skopje, then the Department of Dentistry at the Medical Faculty, for postgraduate teaching was adopted in the academic year 1972/1973. The same was conducted as two-year studies, i.e. postgraduate teaching in duration of four semesters, projected 500 classes, of which 350 theoretical and 150 practical classes. The total number of subjects was 16. The first postgraduate students to obtain a master’s degree in dentistry in 1976 were Professors Ljupka Dimkova Matovska and Marija Nakova.
Starting from the academic year 1977/1978, at the already established Faculty of Dentistry, postgraduate master studies were introduced, with an adopted, and later supplemented and amended study program, with defined teaching contents of the studies. Teachers from the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Dentistry were included in the teaching process.
Due to the need to make changes and additions to the study program, in the academic year 1990/1991, the new curriculum for postgraduate studies was adopted at the Faculty of Dentistry in Skopje, in duration of two years (four semesters). The curriculum consisted of 235 classes of theoretical, and 80 classes of practical work.
To monitor the development of dental science, several changes were made to the existing curricula and master programs in 2009 and the new program was accredited in 2010, as an improvement of the level of professional and scientific competence of the staff of the Faculty of Dentistry.
The new study program of the second cycle is organized as a one-year i.e. two-semester curriculum with a total of 60 credits for the education of masters of dental sciences in the following fields: dental prosthetics, orthodontics, oral surgery, maxillofacial surgery, pediatric and preventive dentistry, diseases of the mouth and the periodontium.
A total of 138 students enrolled in this study program, counted from the academic year 2010/2011 to 2014/2015, and 67 students acquired their master’s degrees.
Moving towards continuous improvement of the quality in reference to the study programs and in order to make sure that the requirements set by the legal regulations are followed, a Decision was adopted to establish a new study program for the second cycle of studies in dentistry in 2014. This occurred as an inevitability in the process of harmonization and construction of the study programs following the changes in the field of education which continuously complies with the trend of constant adaptation to the recommendations and the requirements of the Bologna Declaration and other EU acts, adopted to create a single European educational system. This study program envisages producing profiles per area according to the Frascati area classification. The teaching-educational process of the second cycle included the structure of the study program built of 9 sub-programs:
1. orthodontics,
2. oral surgery,
3.-pediatric dentistry,
4.-preventive dentistry,
5.-prosthetics,
6. dental pathology,
7.-periodontology,
8.-oral pathology,
9.-maxillofacial surgery.
The study program envisages a total of 10 subjects. 5 subjects out of the total are general and mandatory for each sub-program. The sixth mandatory course is provided by the sub-program selected by the student. The total number of mandatory subjects is 6. From the list of elective subjects determined by each sub-program, the student is obliged to select at least one subject that belongs to the sub-program in the field which he/she has chosen.
The student can choose the remaining two elective subjects from any sub-program, but they should be related to the choice of the master’s thesis. The number of elective subjects is a total of 3. The student chooses the remaining 10%, i.e. one subject from the University list of free elective subjects.
The second cycle of studies, according to this program, lasts 2 semesters – a one-year (two-semester) curriculum for education and is projected by the European system with the achievement of 60 credits. After passing the exams provided by the study program, the student registers the preparation of a master’s thesis. The master’s thesis is prepared under the supervision of a mentor. The student is obliged to prepare and defend the master’s thesis within one year from the day of approval of the theme.
The professors from the Faculty of Dentistry and from the Department of Epidemiology and Statistics within the Faculty of Medicine take part in the teaching, with the prior consent of the Faculty where they are selected for the title.
From the first academic year, 2015/2016, until the academic year 2018/2019, 73 students were enrolled in this study program, and during that time 60 students have obtained their master’s degree.
Due to the harmonization with the new Law on Higher Education (“Official Gazette of RM” no. 82/2018), as well as the need to update the study program for the second cycle of postgraduate studies in dental medicine, the Faculty of Dentistry adopted a Decision on re-accreditation of the study program from the second cycle of academic (master) studies in dental sciences in 2018, which is accredited and received a decision to commence work in 2019.
The new study program, in duration of three semesters or 90 credits, is designed following the practice of the European credit transfer system. Candidates who have graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry (doctors of dentistry and/or doctors of dental medicine) have the right to apply for this study program.
The study program comprises of mandatory and elective subjects and preparation and defense of a completed master’s thesis. The elective subjects are from different fields of dentistry and the students choose them depending on their point of interest and the topic elaborated further on in their master’s thesis. In the first semester, the students have 4 mandatory subjects for which they receive a total of 30 ECTS. In the second semester, there are two mandatory subjects for which they receive 15 ECTS, while 15 ECTS are obtained by choosing and passing 3 subjects from the list of all of the offered subjects related to the topic that will be covered in the master’s thesis. The students receive the other 30 ECTS by preparing and defending the final master’s thesis. This paper is publicly defended after passing all the subjects.
The teaching includes experienced staff and eminent teachers from the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University “St. Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje. The enrollment of students in this program will begin in the academic year 2020/2021.
Upon completion of the studies, the student acquires the academic title of Master of Dental Science. Students obtain a diploma after passing the master’s degree.
Attached is the full list of master’s theses defended at the Faculty of Dentistry in Skopje in the period from 2009 to 2019.
Number of enrolled students who have a master’s degree in postgraduate studies in the period from 2009 to 2019
| Year | Enrolled | Graduated with master’s degree |
| 2009 | 15 | 4 |
| 2010 | 31 | 2 |
| 2011 | 49 | 8 |
| 2012 | 34 | 28 |
| 2013 | 15 | 16 |
| 2014 | 9 | 13 |
| 2015 | 5 | 20 |
| 2016 | 38 | 17 |
| 2017 | 21 | 6 |
| 2018 | 9 | 12 |
| 2019 | 11 | 5 |