PUSH GmbH (Postgraduate University Studies for Medical Professions) has been providing postgraduate Master of Science dentistry specializations worldwide, as the exclusive partner of the Danube Private University (DPU) and Danube University Krems (DUK), for a decade and a half. The ongoing experience with the provision of M.Sc. programmes and the exchange with dentists in training has resulted in the academic standards, the selection of the lecturers, their didactic methods and the organizational structure of the courses since attaining the very highest academic and practical standards, a fact that is also confirmed by the evaluations of the students.

The fact that an increasing number of dentists from outside Europe, e.g. from Australia, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, former CIS states and many Asian countries, etc. are also enrolled in the individual dentistry specialization courses speaks for the quality of the Master of Science programmes. As a result, the university’s courses are regularly also staged in English: the Oral Surgery/Implantology course is being held in English for the third time and the Orthodontics course has already been held in English five times. The high demand shows the international acceptance and recognition for the mainly German academic staff and lecturers from renowned universities, who generate an enthusiasm and joy for new knowledge and innovative treatments among the students.

The Institute of German Dentists (Institut Deutscher Zahnärzte – IDZ), together with the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Dentists (Kassenzahnärztliche Bundesvereinigung – KZBV) and the German Dental Association (Bundeszahnärztekammer – BZÄK), discovered, based on annual revenue statistics, that dental practices, who had specialized, for example, in implantology, orthodontics, periodontics, endodontics and aesthetic-reconstructive dentistry, earned significantly higher revenue from fees than general dental practices (between 40% and 100% more). This fact also represents one of the foundations for the Master of Science programmes and their success at the DPU/DUK.

A modern Master of Science programme however offers far more than professional training and qualifications alone. It is organized, in accordance with the international regulations for recognizing academic Masters degrees, as a six-semester course with a workload of 90-120 ECTS, allowing for modular organization and career-integrated study alongside the running of a successful practice. The careful selection of lecturers from various different fields presents continuing education at university in a new dimension. The students find themselves in a circle of interesting colleagues seeking to further their knowledge in a specific field of their profession. The professional exchanges among colleagues, the friendships that result and the cooperation between practices that develop result in a resource of expertise for practice work that should not be underestimated.

The Master of Science programmes are suited to all age groups. Whereas more experienced dentists sometimes view them as an opportunity to give their practices and careers new impetus, younger colleagues see them as the chance to specialize in a preferred field of dentistry and achieve the very highest standards in their profession from the very start of their careers. The dentists experience new knowledge, find new impulses and gain deeper insights through the ideal of lifelong learning. The students set themselves the very highest standards with a postgraduate course of study and as a result enrich their professional and private lives. The academic title of “Master of Science in Speciality (M.Sc.)” allows them to identify themselves as specialists to their patients.

A Master of Science course of study lasts three years (six semesters) and requires about 45–50 days of attendance at the university during this period. Individual courses take place at regular intervals in the form of modules, between which time the students can already apply what they have learned in their practices. After fulfilling the European ECTS requirements (Masters thesis of approx. 40 pages, documentation of eight to ten practical cases, examinations and oral/written tests), students in the university’s dental programmes graduate with a “Master of Science (M.Sc.)” degree in the dentistry field in question, e.g. “Master of Science Oral Surgery/Implantology (M.Sc.)” or “Master of Science Orthodontics (M.Sc.)”, etc. but above all with excellent opportunities for a more successful practice. The outstanding success of the M.Sc. degree programmes is shown by the fact that one third of our graduates have already started or graduated from their second, third or fourth Master of Science degrees.

You too could be one of them

Honorary Consul Prof. h.c. M. B. Wagner-Pischel
Managing Partner PUSH GmbH (Postgraduate University Studies for Medical Professions)
President of the Danube Private University