Universiti Malaya has been accredited as a Dental Education Centre by the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), marking a historic milestone in global dental education.

This accreditation confirms that Universiti Malaya’s dental specialty doctoral programmes meet the Faculty of Dental Surgery’s rigorous academic and clinical standards. It is the first accreditation of its kind to be awarded by FDS anywhere in the world.

The accreditation was formally conferred at the prestigious Diplomate Ceremony, which was held in London and attended by senior leadership from both institutions.

During the ceremony, Dr Charlotte Eckhardt, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, presented the award to Professor Zamri Radzi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs), representing the Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Malaya, and to Professor Firdaus Hariri, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry at Universiti Malaya.

This landmark achievement reflects the deepening educational ties between the UK and Malaysia and reinforces Universiti Malaya’s position as a leading institution in dental education in the region.

RCS England’s postgraduate programme accreditation is awarded to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that demonstrate outstanding surgery-related educational provision. Through this recognition, RCS England works in partnership with institutions to ensure the highest standards of surgical and dental education and training are consistently achieved.

The accreditation encompasses eight doctoral programmes:
•    Doctor in Orthodontics
•    Doctor in Paediatric Dentistry
•    Doctor in Special Care Dentistry
•    Doctor in Prosthodontics
•    Doctor in Periodontology
•    Doctor in Restorative Dentistry
•    Doctor in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Oral Medicine
•    Doctor in Dental Public Health
 

The first seven programmes are preceded by the Master of Oral Science programme, while the last programme is preceded by the Master of Community Oral Health programme.

At the Diplomate Ceremony, the Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery, also conferred the Fellowship in Dental Surgery on Professor Wan Nurazreena Wan Hassan, Deputy Dean (Postgraduate), recognising her key role in initiating the accreditation and her leadership in postgraduate dental education, and on Professor Siti Adibah Othman in recognition of her contributions to the Faculty and academic development.

Meanwhile, Professor Dr. Zamri Radzi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs), Universiti Malaya, said: “It is a great honour for Universiti Malaya to receive this recognition from the Royal College of Surgeons of England. As a landmark achievement for a Malaysian dental faculty, it reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence in education, research, and clinical training against internationally recognised standards.”

Professor Dr. Firdaus Hariri, Dean, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, said: “As a leading dental teaching institution offering comprehensive postgraduate specialty training, Universiti Malaya is honoured to receive accreditation from the Royal College of Surgeons of England. This accreditation affirms our commitment to high-quality dental education through rigorous academic standards, research excellence, and patient-centred clinical training aligned with international benchmarks. We look forward to continuing a strong partnership with RCS England to strengthen academic collaboration, enhance clinical training, advance research innovation, and develop globally competent, ethically grounded dental specialists who will contribute to better oral healthcare regionally and internationally.”

Professor Dr. Wan Nurazreena Wan Hassan Deputy Dean (Postgraduate), Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, said: “For over two decades, we have been privileged to pioneer postgraduate dental education in Malaysia, contributing substantially to the nation’s specialist workforce. This FDS Centre accreditation recognises the vital role of our programme coordinators and academics—the backbone of our postgraduate programmes and the driving force behind our standards. For our trainees and graduates, it provides added confidence that their training is structured, closely supervised, and independently benchmarked for quality.”

Dr Charlotte Eckhardt, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said: “We are pleased to recognise Universiti Malaya’s Faculty of Dentistry for meeting the rigorous standards required for this accreditation. This achievement reflects the strength of its programmes and its commitment to excellence in dental education and training.”

JOINT PRESS RELEASE: 

• Universiti Malaya
• Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England)