Dental Specialty Fellowship Exams (DSFE)

Mock Viva Courses

Our Mock Viva Courses are designed to prepare candidates for oral examinations by simulating the high-pressure environment of real viva scenarios. These courses are especially beneficial for those undertaking specialty exams where critical appraisal and clinical management are assessed verbally—such as FRCS, ISFE, FRCEM, and various Royal College final exams.

Each session offers structured, examiner-style questioning across two key domains:

• Critical Appraisal Viva: Candidates are presented with clinical papers in advance or on the day and are guided through in-depth discussion of methodology, validity, statistical interpretation, and clinical relevance. The sessions mimic real exam conditions and provide immediate feedback on both content and communication style.
• Clinical Management Viva: Candidates respond to case-based scenarios that test their ability to apply evidence to patient management, justify decision-making, and prioritise safe and effective care. These discussions often integrate EBM principles, audit, guidelines, and real-world challenges in healthcare delivery.

Key benefits include:

• Realistic exam-style questioning from experienced faculty
• Personalised, constructive feedback on performance and structure
• Opportunities to practise answering under timed, pressured conditions
• Tips on communication, structuring responses, and avoiding common pitfalls
• Optional integration of specialty-specific content and past paper themes

Whether you're aiming to pass a high-stakes exam or simply strengthen your verbal reasoning and confidence under pressure, these courses offer targeted, high-impact preparation tailored to your training level and specialty.

Dental Critical Appraisal Workshops

Specialised Training for Dental Specialties – Tailored to Your Needs

Our Dental Critical Appraisal Workshops are designed specifically for dental professionals preparing for the Intercollegiate Specialty Fellowship Examination (ISFE). We offer bespoke, in-depth training for all dental specialties, ensuring that participants develop the critical appraisal skills needed to excel in their exams and apply evidence-based dentistry in everyday practice.

Comprehensive Coverage Across Dental Specialties

We offer customised workshops covering all dental specialties, including:

• Orthodontics
• Restorative Dentistry
• Oral Surgery
• Oral Medicine
• Paediatric Dentistry
• Dental Public Health

These workshops focus on the interpretation and application of specialty-specific research, helping participants to build strong foundations in evidence-based dentistry (EBD). Whether you are preparing for the current ISFE critical appraisal component or gearing up for the new format of the DSFE, our training is structured to meet the evolving needs of dental professionals.

Key Areas of Focus

• Critical Appraisal of Clinical Research: Participants will critically assess peer-reviewed dental clinical papers—tailored to their specialty—focusing on methodology, statistical validity, bias, and clinical applicability.
• Evidence-Based Dentistry: We will guide participants in integrating evidence-based practices into their clinical decision-making, helping them to translate research findings into practical, real-world applications in their dental practice.
• Exam-Specific Preparation: Workshops are directly aligned with the ISFE requirements, ensuring that trainees are fully prepared for the critical appraisal sections of their exams. The sessions will also equip participants with the tools needed to assess clinical evidence effectively, regardless of the examination format in 2026.

Bespoke, Flexible Training Delivery

Customisable Content: We collaborate closely with you to tailor each session to your specific needs, ensuring that content is directly relevant to the clinical context of your specialty and the expected exam content. You may also select the clinical papers you want to focus on, ensuring the training is as applicable as possible to your day-to-day practice.

Focus on Clinical Relevance: We ensure that every workshop is practically applied, using clinical papers from real-world dental research to ensure participants gain hands-on experience in evaluating evidence relevant to their specialty.

1:1 intensive exam preparation

This personalised coaching service is designed for individuals who want tailored, focused support in developing their critical appraisal skills—whether for exams, professional development, academic work, or clinical decision-making. Ideal for trainees, early-career academics, or experienced clinicians, this one-to-one format allows for in-depth exploration of concepts at a pace and level suited entirely to you.

Each session is customised to your specific goals. Whether you're preparing for a structured exam (e.g. ISFE, FRCEM, FRCS), tackling appraisal of literature for a dissertation or research project, or simply aiming to feel more confident reading clinical papers, we adjust the content and approach to meet your exact needs. You can choose the papers you'd like to work on, or we can provide relevant examples aligned to your specialty.

Key features include:

• Personalised instruction on understanding study design, statistics, bias, and applicability
• Focused exam-style questions and mock practice tailored to your exam format
• In-depth walkthroughs of published clinical studies of your choice
• Flexible scheduling to fit around clinical or academic commitments
• Support with structuring written critical appraisals or academic assignments

This format is ideal for anyone seeking high-impact, efficient learning with immediate relevance to their professional goals.