Vision

To be a department of reference and relevance with high visibility and maximum impact through innovative, collaborative, and translational research that will positively impact the oral and systemic health of the community in the immediate environ and beyond.

Mission

• To provide optimal teaching, training and research opportunities for staff and students in a conducive environment through mentor-mentee relationship and entrepreneurship development (skills acquisition and academia/industry partnership). 
• To provide the highest form of education in preventive dentistry for our dental students [undergraduate and postgraduate] and students in other medical affiliates to position them to compete with their counterparts globally.
• To continuously enroll and build high quality academic oriented health professionals in preventive dentistry specialties.
• To provide the best standards of oral health care based on sound and excellent research to surrounding communities by maximizing the existing and available technology at the regional, national and global level.
• To perform relevant research that will positively influence Oral Health Policies in Nigeria and beyond as well as contributing to scientific knowledge.

Welcome note from the HOD

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Department of Preventive Dentistry in the Faculty of Dental Sciences of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (the University of First Choice and indeed the Nation’s Pride). We place high value on quality and impactful training, research, and service delivery. We are a multispecialty department with competent, goal and research oriented academic members of staff in the field of Oral Diagnosis & Oral Radiology, Oral Medicine, Periodontology and Community Dentistry. Our academic staff conduct quality research and collaborate with other health related disciplines, and actively participate in local and international conferences on an impressive scale. Our positive research output is evidenced by the large number of publications by our staff in learned national and foreign journals to which some of our staff serve as peer reviewers. Our academic staff serve as external examiners to other Tertiary Institutions. Our well experienced academic staff span the sub-specialties. We are also supported by efficient administrative and technical staff (Dental therapist).

The departmental offices are mostly located on the second and third floor of the New Dental Block for academic and administrative staff with internet facilities for research and teaching purposes while the modern clinic facilities are located on the ground floor in the New Dental Block as well as in the old Dental Block. The department also has a modern radiographic facility for digital intraoral and extraoral investigation, an affiliated and vibrant Oral Hygiene Unit and a Primary Oral Health Care Centre at Pakoto, attached to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. The department has access to the Faculty facilities; lecture hall [100-capacity on the first floor], seminar room [50-capacity on the third floor] and a well-equipped literary repository in the New Dental Block. 

Currently, the department trains undergraduate dental students in Oral Diagnosis, Oral Radiology, Oral Medicine, Periodontology and Community Dentistry which are achieved through lectures, seminars, tutorials, field trips and clinical practice in the 5th and 6th clinical years of the dental course. In addition, College of Medicine students (Medical, Radiography, Dental, Pharmacy students) have an annual orientation/exposure to the department at their 200/300 level in Basic Therapeutic Skills and Basic Clinical Skills. The department is involved in the postgraduate training of Resident doctors for the award of the Fellowship of the National Postgraduate Medical College and the West African College of Surgeons in the affiliated specialties in the department and is also involved in the dental nursing diploma training programme with the hospital. The department organizes Outreach Dental Services and Mobile Dental Services on a regular basis approximating once every month to surrounding communities and various locations across Lagos State.

As a department, we are committed to having maximum impact on our students, institution and communities through quality and impactful research. Our philosophy is the holistic approach to oral health prevention and management of oral diseases and to improve the quality of life of the Nigerian community as a whole.

Dr. K. A Umeizudike

Ag. Head, Department of Preventive Dentistry 

Teaching Staff