The Faculty is the sole institution in Hong Kong dedicated to training dental undergraduates and postgraduates. It aspires to become Asia's leading dentistry faculty, through innovative and cutting edge research, and world class postgraduate training. (http://www.facdenthk.org/index.asp)

The Faculty of Dentistry offers both MPhil and PhD programmes in both full-time and part-time mode. The MPhil is a two-year programme and PhD is a four-year programme for the full-time students, while the part-time students need to lengthen the course correspondingly. MPhil students graded as excellent in the first year may elect to switch to a PhD programme on the recommendation of the supervisor.

The University of Hong Kong requires the applicants for its research postgraduate programmes to be both proficient in English (TOEFL with a paper-based score of not less than 550 or a computer-based score of not less than 213 or an Internet-based score of not less than 80) and to have an excellent academic standard from their previous undergraduate and postgraduate (master degree for PhD application) courses. An applicant should study the postgraduate prospectus of the Faculty of Dentistry carefully ( http://www.facdenthk.org/postgraduate_prospectus.htm ) and identify any research areas or faculty research groups that he/she is interested in and then contact the respective research postgraduate (RPG) advisor or research group convenor in order to design a research proposal jointly with the recommended research supervisor. The completed application form should be submitted together with the research proposal to the Graduate School for consideration by the Faculty Higher Degrees Committee. (http://www.hku.hk/gradsch/admis)

The Faculty Higher Degrees Committee will consider each application carefully and place the endorsed applicants in the waiting list for admission. The University will allocate a research student quota to the Faculty around March each year. The applicants in the waiting list will be prioritized and the offer for admission will be sent to the selected applicants. Full time research students will be eligible to apply for postgraduate studentships as a form of scholarship to help their living expenses in Hong Kong during their study. Postgraduate studentships will be awarded based on academic merit and to students in need of financial support. The enrollment date of the research postgraduate will be from July onwards every year.

Any university graduates, not only dental graduates, may contact any of the advisors below and formulate a research proposal in support of their applications.

Faculty Research Groups:

Biomedical and Tissue Engineering Research Group

The principal research focuses are:

• Micro-array of growth factors regulating jaw growth
• Soft and hard tissue reconstruction of upper and lower jaws
• Dentinogenesis, phosphophorins and CIF
• Identifying growth factors controlling asymmetrical growth of the mandible
• Bonding agents to both dentine and enamel
• Distraction osteogenesis
• The role of tissue inhibitor of mentallomatrix proteinases and the role of angiogenic mediator in regulating the healing of bone grafts
• Dental biomaterials
• 3-dimensional imaging
• Immediate loading implants
• Nerve regeneration following inquiry

Group convenor
Professor A.B.M. Rabie
Email: rabie@hkusua.hku.hk

Infection & Immunity Research Group

The principal research focuses are:

• Oral microbiology of compromised individuals including the HIV-infected, diabetics, the irradiated and renal transplant cohorts
• Molecular pathogenesis and epidemiology of oral candida infections
• Basic and applied research on microbiological profiles, and the molecular mechanisms of bacteria-host interactions in subjects with periodontal diseases
• Bio- and genetic markers for periodontal diseases
• In vitro studies on microbiological biofilm
• Development of appropriate therapeutic modalities in controlling periodontal diseases
• The application of traditional Chinese medicine in oral health care.

Group convenor
Dr L.J. Jin
E-mail: ljjin@hkusua.hku.hk

Public Health and Healthy Ageing Research Group

The principal research focuses are:

• Epidemiology of oral diseases
• Clinical trials on innovative preventive methods and treatments of oral diseases
• Assessment of oral therapy outcomes using clinical and patient-centred measures
• Prevention and treatment of oral diseases in medically compromised individuals
• Oral health care services, manpower issues and utilization of services
• Functional and psychosocial impact of oral diseases
• Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of oral diseases

Group convenor
Professor Anne S. McMillan
E-mail: annemcmillan@hku.hk

Specialty Research Areas

Endodontics:
Efficacy of root canal preparation techniques; mechanical and fatigue properties of root canal instruments; treatment outcomes of various form of endodontic therapy; clinical and laboratory studies of endodontic restorative materials.

RPG Advisor
Dr G.S.P. Cheung
Tel: 2859 9013
Fax: 2559 9013
Email: spcheung@hkusua.hku.hk

Dental Materials Science:
Design and interpretation of test methods in materials science; saliva chemistry; chemical equilibrium and solution speciation computation; mechanical properties of materials; dental procedures, equipment and materials: chemistry, physics, mechanics.

RPG Advisor
Professor B.W. Darvell
Tel: 2859 0303
Fax: 2548 9464
Email: b.w.darvell@hku.hk

Dental Public Health:
Epidemiological, health services and behavioural research of oral health status and its determinants; clinical intervention studies on prevention and treatment of common oral health problems and diseases; studies on oral health-related quality of life.

RPG Advisor
Professor E.C.M. Lo
Tel: 2859 0292
Fax: 2858 7874
Email: edward-lo@hku.hk

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery:
Cleft lip and palate, navigational surgery and implantology; biology of distraction osteogenesis and its application; 3-D modeling in reconstructive surgery; minimal invasive surgery and 3-D facial soft tissue imaging.

RPG Advisor
Professor L.K. Cheung
Tel: 2859 0262
Fax: 2559 9014
E-mail: lkcheung@hku.hk

Oral Bio-sciences:
Oral microbiology; oral immunity; oral pathology; cariology; oral candidal infections; HIV disease; in vitro studies on microbiological biofilm; various studies by an artificial mouth model; studies on molecular mechanisms of microbe-host interactions and bio- and genetic markers for major oral diseases, e.g. periodontal disease.

RPG Advisor
Dr L.J. Jin
Tel.: 2859 0302
Fax: 2547 6133
E-mail: ljjin@hkusua.hku.hk

Oral Rehabilitation:
Implantology; dental handpiece performance; maxillofacial reconstruction; denture retention; dental magnets; motor control of the human jaw muscles; pathogenesis and management of temporomandibular disorders; quality of life measures in gerodontology; resin-bonded bridges; patient-centred assessment of fixed and removable prosthodontic treatment; glass ionomer cements.

RPG Advisor
Professor A.S. McMillan
Tel: 2859 0305
Fax: 2858 6114
Email: annemcmillan@hku.hk

Orthodontics:
Experimental studies of bone generation; growth modifications and understanding growth factors regulating jaw growth; epidemiological studies of orofacial form; clinical and experimental evaluation of orthodontic treatment approaches; long-term follow up of correction of class II malocclusion in young people as well as adults; correction of pseudo-class III malocclusion.

RPG Advisor
Professor A.B.M. Rabie
Tel: 2859 0260
Fax: 2559 3803
Email: rabie@hkusua.hku.hk

Paediatric Dentistry:
Epidemiological studies of early childhood caries; dental anomalies and developmental defects; cleft lip and palate; clinical studies of dental materials; laboratory and clinical studies on remineralization of enamel and bonding agents.

RPG Advisor
Professor N.M. King
Tel: 2859 0253
Fax: 2559 3803
Email: profnigelking@mac.com

Periodontology:
Epidemiological; behavioural and clinical research on periodontal diseases and their prevention and management; basic research of periodontal microflora and host response in the local population.

RPG Advisor
Dr E.F. Corbet
Tel: 2859 0301
Fax: 2858 7874
Email: efcorbet@hkusua.hku.hk