Our History

The first dental school and clinic had its early beginnings in 1929 at Norris Block of General Hospital at Sepoy Lines, today known as Singapore General Hospital (SGH). As the demand for dental treatment increased, a new building was constructed.

In 1938, the dental school and clinic was relocated and renamed Singapore General Hospital Dental Clinic. It provided training to dental students and dental treatment. When the dental school was relocated to Kent Ridge in 1986, the clinic continued operating and was renamed Government Dental Clinic.

Turning Vision to Reality

As demand for public dentistry increased, the need for better dental facilities and clinical expertise spawned the vision of a national dental centre. Between 1989- 1995, architectural plans were drawn up for a complex to house three institutions – Pegu Road Dental Clinic, Institute of Dental Health and Government Dental Clinic, which led to the establishment of National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS).

Timeline

1997

• NDCS is set up to provide multidisciplinary and specialist care for complex dental cases
• The Centre is the clinical teaching partner for endodontics, prosthodontics, orthodontics, periodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery postgraduate residency programmes with National University of Singapore
  

2000

• A team from SGH and NDCS perform the world's first modified jaw advancement technique for obstructive sleep apnoea in Asians
• NDCS comes under the management of SingHealth, the largest public healthcare cluster in Singapore
  

2002

• The dental assisting and dental technology training programmes are launched in collaboration with Institute of Technical Education
  

2003

• The Ocular Prosthetic Clinic opens at Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) to treat patients requiring prosthetic eye replacements
• The Prosthetic, Speech and Swallowing Clinic is launched with SGH to rehabilitate patients with speech, swallowing impairment and prosthetic needs
  

2004

• The first osteo-odonto keratoprosthesis (OOKP) "tooth-in-eye" surgery to restore sight in Southeast Asia is successfully carried out by SNEC and NDCS surgeons
  

2005

• The Diploma in Dental Hygiene and Therapy is launched in collaboration with Nanyang Polytechnic
  

2006

• NDCS receives Singapore's Excellent Service Award (EXSA), a national award for outstanding patient services
  

2007

• NDCS celebrates its 10^th anniversary
• Tooth Fairy Fund is established for needy patients
  

2008

• NDCS launches 3D imaging and printing technology for diagnosis and treatment planning
• Digital radiography is deployed to replace X-ray films
• Academic Centre for Oral Healthcare Research (ACORN) is established to coordinate education and research programmes and activities
  

2010

• NDCS becomes the first dental specialty centre in Southeast Asia to achieve Joint Commission International accreditation
  

2011

• Electronic Dental Records system is deployed for better patient care and coordination in clinics
  

2013

• Dental models are digitised to enhance diagnosis and orthodontics treatment planning
• NDCS receives a National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Centre grant of S$3 million
• The 3D Simulation Unit is set up for complex implant, orthognathic and craniofacial surgical treatment planning
  

2014

• NDCS signs a Memorandum of Understanding with Nanyang Technological University to translate bioengineering innovations into dental applications
• SingHealth Duke-NUS Oral Health Academic Clinical Programme is launched to integrate clinical practice, research and education to improve quality of care and patients' lives
  

2015

• Geriatric Special Care Dentistry Clinic is launched
  

2016

• NDCS signs a MOU with NUS FoD to deliver the Master of Dental Surgery residency training programmes in Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics, Periodontology, Prosthodontics and Paediatric Dentistry
  

2017

• Regional health system (RHS) framework is established
• NDCS signs a MOU with Nanyang Technological University and Karolinska Institutet for a tripartite research collaboration
  

2018

• NDCS signs a MOU with Khoo Teck Puat Hospital for clinical care load balancing and rationalising of dental services and resources at the national level
• NDCS signs a MOU with Changi General Hospital to set up the satellite NDCS Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic @ CGH. The clinic serves hospital-based specialist oral healthcare needs in the East and is staffed by specialists from NDCS

2023

2024

2025