Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Periodontology

The Doctor of Philosophy in Periodontology is a postgraduate research programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the School of Dental Sciences. The programme trains specialist dentists to conduct advanced research on periodontal diseases, implantology, and oral tissue regeneration, contributing to improved oral health in Kenya and the East African region.

Students engage with advanced periodontal pathology, periodontal therapy, implantology, oral microbiology, and research methodology. The programme combines coursework with thesis research, requiring candidates to develop a research proposal, conduct independent clinical and laboratory research, and produce a doctoral dissertation that makes an original contribution to periodontology.

Kenya faces a significant burden of periodontal disease, which is a major cause of tooth loss and is linked to systemic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The programme addresses national health priorities under Vision 2030 by training specialist researchers who can improve periodontal care, develop local treatment protocols, and inform oral health policy.

Teaching methods include lectures, clinical sessions in the UoN Dental Hospital, periodontal surgery training, implantology, microbiology laboratory work, and supervised thesis work. Students collaborate with the Kenya Medical Practitioners' and Dentists' Board, the Ministry of Health, and international dental research bodies.

Graduates pursue careers as university lecturers, periodontal specialists, dental researchers, and oral health policy advisors in universities, referral hospitals, private dental specialty clinics, and the Ministry of Health.

This programme is ideal for holders of a Master of Dental Surgery in Periodontology or a related dental specialty who are committed to advancing knowledge in periodontology.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 642,600
Private, up to: Ksh 756,000
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 4 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Periodontal Pathology
Periodontal Therapy
Oral Implantology
Oral Microbiology
Periodontal Surgery
Research Methodology
Oral Tissue Regeneration
Thesis Research
Biostatistics
Clinical Periodontology

Modules

12 in the programme

Advanced Periodontal Pathology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Pathology of periodontal diseases including microbial aetiology, host response, and systemic interactions
Advanced Periodontology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Advanced periodontal science, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Advanced Periodontal Therapy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Advanced non-surgical and surgical periodontal therapy including scaling, root planing, and regenerative procedures
Periodontal Disease Pathogenesis
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Disease mechanisms, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Oral Implantology
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Dental implantology including implant placement, bone grafting, and restoration of implants
Oral Microbiology and Immunology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Microbiology of the oral cavity including periodontal pathogens, biofilms, and host immune responses
Dental Implantology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Implant research, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Periodontal Surgery
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Advanced periodontal surgery including flap surgery, grafting, and guided tissue regeneration
Periodontal Regeneration
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Tissue regeneration research, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Oral Tissue Regeneration
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Principles of tissue engineering and regeneration of periodontal tissues including growth factors and biomaterials
Oral Microbiology
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Microbiology of oral diseases, covering biological principles, research techniques, and their application in understanding living systems.
Departmental Seminars
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Research presentations and peer review, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in the field.

Specialisations

Oral History Research
Specialization in Oral History Research, preparing graduates for careers such as oral-history-digitization-specialist.
Academic Research in Health
Specialization in Academic Research in Health, preparing graduates for careers such as university-lecturer.
Dentistry Practice
Specialization in Dentistry Practice, preparing graduates for careers such as dentistry.
Dental Ceramics
Specialization in Dental Ceramics, preparing graduates for careers such as dental-ceramist.
General Dental Practice
Specialization in General Dental Practice, preparing graduates for careers such as general-dentist.
Dental Technology Research
Specialization in Dental Technology Research, preparing graduates for careers such as dental-technologist.
Dental Implantology
Research on implants
Periodontal Surgery
Research on surgical techniques
Periodontal Regeneration
Research on tissue regeneration
Periodontal Medicine
Research on periodontal-systemic links

A day as a student

A typical day combines clinical practice in the UoN Dental Hospital with periodontal surgery, implantology procedures, microbiology laboratory analysis, literature review, and thesis writing. Students attend clinical rounds, present cases at seminars, and conduct research on periodontal disease and treatment outcomes.

The trade offs

In its favour

High demand for specialist dental care and dental educators in Kenya
Highly specialised field with limited competition
Research directly improves oral health outcomes
Opportunities for international collaboration through EFP and ITI

Against it

Limited to one offering institution (UoN)
Very small academic community in Kenya
Requires dental surgery qualification and clinical practice
Specialist dental equipment and materials are expensive

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 349 health sciences courses

Public428k to 643k

428k at University of Nairobi643k at Kenyatta University

Private605k to 756k

605k at Mount Kenya University756k at Private universities

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

UoN 428K/yr verified (dental.uonbi.ac.ke). KU, private unverified.

Students may access HELB postgraduate loans, DAAD scholarships, NRF research grants, and ITI research grants for periodontology research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 80,000
DAAD Scholarship
Scholarship
NRF Research Grant
Grant
ITI Research Grant
Grant

Scholarships

5 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 80,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students enrolled in recognised universities
NRF Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Researchers at Kenyan institutions conducting research relevant to national development
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
DAAD Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
African graduates meeting academic criteria for doctoral study

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+
Alternative entry: Relevant diploma or equivalent qualification

Master's Degree
Master of Dental Surgery in Periodontology or equivalent dental specialty from a recognised university
Professional registration
Registrable with the Kenya Medical Practitioners' and Dentists' Board
Research capability
Evidence of research ability through publications, reports, or clinical research

How you are assessed

5 components

Thesis
Thesis60% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Clinical Examinations
Coursework40% of the mark
Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs)
Coursework30% of the mark
Oral Viva Voce
Coursework100% of the mark

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Registration with the Kenya Medical Practitioners' and Dentists' Board (KMPDB) is required for dental practice in Kenya.

Accredited by

Kenya Medical Practitioners' and Dentists' Board (KMPDB)
Professional registrationRequired
Mandatory registration for dental practice in Kenya
Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Mandatory accreditation for all university programmes in Kenya
Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council
ProfessionalRequired
Medical and dental practice regulatory body; registration required for clinical practice
Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

8 roles

Dental Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 220,000
Conducts oral health research at KEMRI, universities, or international research institutions
University Lecturer (Dentistry)
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 250,000
Teaches periodontology and conducts research in university dental schools
General Dentist
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 250,000
Provides general dental care with specialist referral options in hospitals or private practice
Periodontal Researcher
Low demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Periodontal research
Periodontist
Low demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000
Periodontal practice
University Professor
Low demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in periodontology
Dental Implant Specialist
Low demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000
Dental implant practice
Periodontal Specialist
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 400,000
Specialises in periodontal treatment and implantology at referral hospitals or private clinics

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as periodontal specialists, university lecturers, and dental researchers in universities, referral hospitals, private dental specialty clinics, and the Ministry of Health.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Periodontology is just about cleaning teeth
Periodontology is a dental specialty that includes surgical treatment of gum disease, implantology, oral tissue regeneration, and research on the relationship between periodontal and systemic diseases.
A PhD in periodontology is unnecessary for dental practice
A PhD is for those who want to lead research, teach at university level, and develop advanced clinical protocols in periodontology.
Periodontal research is not relevant to Kenya
Periodontal disease is highly prevalent in Kenya and linked to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, making research critical for public health.
Periodontists only work in private clinics
Periodontists with PhDs work in universities, referral hospitals, research institutions, and public health as educators, researchers, and policy advisors.

Related courses

Doctor of philosophy in general surgery