Skip to content
Pathrel
Start free
All courses
Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Oral Maxillofacial Surgery

The Doctor of Philosophy in Oral Maxillofacial Surgery is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Dental Sciences. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in oral and maxillofacial surgery, craniofacial disorders and surgical innovation. The programme addresses Kenya's oral surgery research and maxillofacial healthcare development needs.

Duration
4-5 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 396,000
Ksh 1,584,000 to Ksh 1,980,000 total
Private tuition
Ksh 288,000
Ksh 1,152,000 to Ksh 1,440,000 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 396,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,584,000 to Ksh 1,980,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 288,000 a year at a private one.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of Masters Degree or above, plus 1 subject grade. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 4-5 years, full-time, part-time, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 1 institution.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Dental Ceramist, at 3 out of 100.The detail

The programme

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

Overview

Students engage with advanced topics in oral and maxillofacial surgery, craniofacial trauma, maxillofacial pathology, dental implantology, orthognathic surgery, cleft lip and palate surgery, head and neck oncology, temporomandibular joint disorders, facial reconstructive surgery and research methods.

The curriculum emphasises original research that develops surgical insights for Kenya's oral and maxillofacial healthcare challenges.

Kenya's road traffic accidents causing facial trauma, oral cancer burden, cleft lip and palate conditions, maxillofacial infections, dental implant needs, craniofacial anomalies and the demand for surgical research create demand for doctoral-level oral maxillofacial surgery expertise. The programme supports Kenya's oral and maxillofacial healthcare development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, clinical sessions and supervised research. At UoN, the School of Dental Sciences offers PhD in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Duration 4 years full-time, 5 years part-time. MDS in Oral Maxillofacial Surgery (HDS62) is offered as a pathway. Application fee KSh 4,000. PhD by thesis total KSh 450,000.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, oral surgery researchers, maxillofacial surgeons, craniofacial consultants and dental educators. They work in universities, Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, private practice and international health organisations.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Advanced Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Craniofacial Trauma and Reconstruction
  • Maxillofacial Pathology and Oncology
  • Dental Implantology and Bone Grafting
  • Orthognathic Surgery and Facial Deformity
  • Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery
  • Head and Neck Surgery
  • Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
  • Facial Reconstructive Surgery
  • Research Methods in Oral Surgery

Modules

8 in the programme

  • Advanced Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Oral surgery, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.

  • Craniofacial Trauma and Reconstruction

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Craniofacial trauma, covering construction technologies, project management, and their application in the built environment.

  • Maxillofacial Pathology and Oncology

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Pathology and oncology, covering pathological principles, diagnostic techniques, and their application in disease investigation.

  • Dental Implantology and Bone Grafting

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Implantology, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.

  • Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Cleft surgery, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.

  • Research Methods in Oral Surgery

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Research design and methodology, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.

  • Departmental Seminars

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Research presentations and peer review of doctoral work, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in.

  • Thesis Research

    Year 3Semester 26 creditsCore

    Doctoral thesis research and dissertation writing, involving original research, literature review, data analysis, and the production of a doctoral dissertation contributing new knowledge to the.

Specialisations

  • Head and Neck Oncology

    Research on head and neck oncology

  • Cleft Surgery

    Research on cleft lip and palate

  • Craniofacial Trauma

    Research on craniofacial trauma

  • Dental Implantology

    Research on dental implantology

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting oral surgery research, analysing surgical outcomes, reviewing maxillofacial surgery literature, attending clinical rounds at KNH, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with KMPDC, IAOMS and hospitals for research collaboration. Clinical observation in operating theatres is common.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's facial trauma burden creates demandRequires medical/dental qualification
Access to KNH and MTRH for clinical researchClinical research requires ethical approvals
Research contributes to surgical improvementBalancing surgical practice with research is challenging

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
Public367k to 396k
367k at Kenyatta University396k at University of Nairobi
Private144k to 288k
144k at Kenya Methodist University288k at Kabarak University

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 396k, KU 367.2k/yr (dental.uonbi/ku.ac.ke). KeMU 144k, Kabarak 288k/yr (eafinder/kabarak)

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. NACOSTI provides research grants for science and technology research.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

  • NACOSTI Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

  • HELB Postgraduate Scholarship

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

    ScholarshipKenyan

    Postgraduate students in Kenya

  • NACOSTI Research Grant

    GrantKenyan

    Science and technology researchers in Kenya

Scholarships you could apply for

2 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade
Masters Degreeminimum entry
Alternative entry

At UoN: Masters degree from UoN or equivalent from recognised institution. Submit research proposal. Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Dental Sciences. Duration 4 years full-time, 5 years part-time. Total KSh 450,000. Application fee KSh 4,000. MDS in Oral Maxillofacial Surgery (HDS62) as pathway.

Subject requirements
MDS in Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Master of Dentistry or equivalentRelevant Masters from recognised university

When it next starts

Taught at 1 institution
January 20271 institution

Including University of Nairobi.

May 20271 institution

Including University of Nairobi.

September 20271 institution

Including University of Nairobi.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Coursework

    Continuous assessment30% of the mark

    Assignments, clinical projects and seminar presentations

  • Thesis

    Thesis50% 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

Accreditation

  • Commission for University Education

    AcademicRequired

    Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

  • Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council

    ProfessionalRequired

    Regulates medical and dental practice in Kenya

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at University of Nairobi (Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Dental Sciences, PhD in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 4 years full-time, 5 years part-time, total KSh 450,000). MDS in Oral Maxillofacial Surgery (HDS62) as pathway. KMPDC regulates medical and dental practice.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Craniofacial Consultant

    High demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 800,000

    Consulting on craniofacial conditions

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000

    Teaching and research in dental schools

  • Oral Surgery Researcher

    High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000

    Research on oral surgery

  • Maxillofacial Surgeon

    High demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 800,000

    Surgical practice at hospitals

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, oral surgery researchers, maxillofacial surgeons and craniofacial consultants. They work at KNH, MTRH, universities and private practice.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Oral surgery PhD is just about tooth extraction.

    The field covers craniofacial trauma, oncology, reconstructive surgery, implantology and cleft surgery.

  • There is no demand for oral surgery PhDs in Kenya.

    Kenya's facial trauma and oral cancer burden create demand.

  • Oral surgery research is purely clinical.

    The programme uses surgical outcomes research, biomaterials, imaging and clinical trials.

  • Only dentists study this PhD.

    The programme attracts medical doctors and plastic surgeons.

Further reading

Read next