The Bulgarian Dental Association existed until 1949. That year the professional associations of doctors, dentists and pharmacists were integrated in the Trade Union of Health Workers. In 1991 the Bulgarian Stomatological Association was established.
The discussion “for” and “against” opening a higher dental school in Bulgaria took more than 30 years. The idea of opening a School of dentistry was promoted by members of the Bulgarian Dental Association. Opponents of this idea stated that a university would be costly for the state, would create an excess of dental professionals, and there were no well-trained teachers. The unsuccessful wars that Bulgaria led in this period – in 1913, 1919 and the subsequent economic and political crises, also delayed decision making on this issue. On 24 June 1942 at the 4-th Session of the Ordinary National Assembly Decree № 32 for the creation of two departments at the Medical Faculty – in medicine and in dentistry, was adopted. The Department of Dentistry was structured in three sections: Operative Dentistry and Orthodontics, Prosthetic dentistry and Conservative dentistry. Three German alumni were elected heads of the sections – Associate Professors Slavtcho Davidov (graduated in Leipzig), George Stiliyanov (Halle) and Dimitar Svrakov (Freiburg). The same year the first academic course started and the number of students was 79. At the beginning, especially during the war evacuation (1943- 1944), the newly created school faced the need of trained teachers, premises and equipment, materials and instruments. Elected heads of sections recruited as assistant professors dentists who had graduated abroad. They developed their carrier as lecturers and academic teachers, becoming professors and heads of departments. These were Prof. Boyan Boyanov, Prof. Zhecho Koev, Prof. Michail Balabanov, Prof. Dinko Stranski, Prof. Todor Burkov and others. At that time the government decided, young people who had taken part in the Second World War could study without entrance examinations. That led to unexpected results: in 1944 the number of first year students was 941 and in 1945 – 1139 (“cursus magnum”). The high interest in studying dentistry was a sign of the high social prestige of the profession. In 1950 the Dental Department was renamed Stomatological in order to emphasize the improved medical training of students, and in 1951 it was reorganized as a separate Faculty of Stomatology at the Medical Academy.
Today the Faculty of Dental Medicine is a state, autonomous and accredited institution of higher education with distinct mission and goals, devoted to training dental medicine specialists. It is part of the Medical University of Sofia and is the oldest state educational institution for Master’s degree in dental medicine, postgraduate specialization, and a doctoral degree in accredited dental specialties.
With protocol No 11 issued on 09.04.2015, the Accreditation Council of NEAA gives program accreditation to the specialty ”Dental Medicine” of the regulated professions for the educational-qualification degree “Master” at the Faculty of Dental Medicine of MU-Sofia, based on a general evaluation, according to criteria 9.56. The accreditation period is 6 (six) years, following Art. 79, article 4, item 1 of the Law for Higher Education.
The Faculty of Dental Medicine provides training both in Bulgarian and English language for international students. The curricula, the organization of education and the control on acquired knowledge and skills are in line with the EU Directives and preserve the heritage and experience of the faculty in the field of dental education.
The Faculty educational facilities include pre-clinical and clinical rooms, auditoria, classrooms, seminar rooms, a specialized library, an information center, an administrative and economic department, etc.
The training in general medicine is performed in the premises of the Medical University – Sofia – an established center for pre-clinical and clinical education, as well as research development in all medical specialties.
The major objective of the Faculty Management Board is to continuously improve and modernize all areas of its activity – management, education, research, staff, and facilities.
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Тhe Faculty of Dental Medicine is called upon to preserve and develop academic and professional autonomy, to encourage the development of professional knowledge and dental science, to grant decent professional realization of its graduates. To teach them humanity and responsibility, as well as a consistent interest towards further improvement.”
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The Faculty’s mission is:
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To educate dental specialists with a contemporary vision, high professionalism, and moral, with a responsible and human attitude towards oral health of patients of all ages;
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To create highly qualified teaching staff, to develop education according to current international standards through the implementation of all achievements of the world dental science and to research up-to-date scientific problems;
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To integrate into the modern European and world education system, providing free movement of workers and students;
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Maintain academicism and professionalism.
The main goal of the faculty is to create professionals – Doctors of Dental Medicine, Masters, specialists, and P.h.D students, who are able to successfully apply the acquired knowledge and skills in the social environment to protect, restore and strengthen the dental health of the population, i.e.the faculty’s mission is directed to the public needs and expectations.
By its mission and main goal, the Faculty of Dental Medicine – Sofia has the following specific objectives and tasks for the qualitative preparation of the graduating Doctors of Dental Medicine:
1. To have an understanding of the basic, biological, behavioral and medical sciences that construct the contemporary concepts of oral healthcare and its preservation;
2. To practice dental medicine in its entirety – comprehensive care for the patient without harming them or the environment;
3. To understand the ethical and moral responsibilities of dental medicine, both for the individual patient and society as a whole;
4. To treat according to the community’s treatment needs for reduction of oral diseases;
5. To know the etiology and principles of biological processes at the molecular level, the pathogenesis, demographic characteristics, prevention and treatment of diseases in the oral cavity;
6. To be familiar with the pharmacology of related to dental medicine drugs and to understand their use in common diseases and their oral manifestations. To be able to prescribe the proper medication for the treatment of dental diseases;
7. To know biomaterial sciences as required by the dental practice;
8. To practice within the ethical and medical-legal requirements of the professional association;
9. To control cross infections and prevent chemical, physical and biological contamination;
10. To apply the full scope of modern practices for pain and fear management in patients when working at the dental office;
11. To acknowledge the importance of continuing professional education and qualification for making adequate progress in all areas of oral medicine;
12. To actively promote health, with particular responsibilities towards the maintenance of oral health;
13. Upon graduation, to be able to objectively evaluate the quality of their work;
14. To be able to analyze up-to-date scientific literature and implement research findings in the treatment of patients.
