VUB launches new dentistry programme as a lever for better care in the Flemish periphery and Brussels

With this new programme, VUB aims to address the acute shortage of Dutch-speaking dentists in Flanders and Brussels. By 2030, an estimated half of the current dentists will be over sixty years old. The outflow from existing programmes is insufficient to fill this gap.

Innovative and practice-oriented education

Twenty years after discontinuing its dentistry programme, VUB is once again seizing the opportunity to build a bridge between science, care and society. At the request of former Flemish Minister for Education Ben Weyts, the university explored the creation of a third dentistry programme. This initiative received broad support from the Flemish Government, the Flemish Parliament and various stakeholders, with the aim of tackling the growing shortage of dentists.

Following a positive accreditation, based on the strong quality of the submitted dossier, the Flemish Government had already given the green light for the programme’s launch. In the meantime, VUB’s Board of Governors, on the advice of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, has also granted its approval. With a targeted investment, despite a challenging budgetary context, the Flemish Government now confirms its commitment to investing in the health and well-being of its citizens.

The dentistry programme will place a strong emphasis on clinical training and innovative teaching methods. Students will engage with patients from the first year and work with advanced simulation and training equipment, enabling realistic treatment experience in a safe learning environment. Full use will be made of the existing expertise within the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, the university hospital UZ Brussel and the University Dental Centre.

A driving force for the healthcare system in the Flemish periphery and Brussels

The new programme is a key element in strengthening the healthcare system in the Flemish periphery and Brussels. VUB, UZ Brussel and the University Dental Centre are working together on an integrated ecosystem that brings together education, research, care, innovation and entrepreneurship. VUB aims to further develop its current Health Campus into a dynamic Health Valley, stretching from the campus in Jette to the Research Park in Zellik. Within this ecosystem, the university, hospital, university college and innovation partners work closely together on the healthcare of the future.

In this context, a new 7 Tesla MRI scanner was recently installed in Zellik. Together with the Flemish supercomputer SOFIA and the sustainable data centre PENTA, this infrastructure forms the high-tech core of the science park of the future in the Brussels metropolitan area.

The dentistry programme reinforces this ambition by promoting interdisciplinary education and collaboration between healthcare professions. It also enables new research initiatives, including in the fields of oral health and technology, and strengthens the link between clinical practice, scientific research and innovation.

Investing in the care of tomorrow

The Flemish Government provides, subject to approval by the Flemish Parliament, an initial investment of €20 million for the launch of the programme. The total cost is estimated at €40 million over ten years. Given the project’s broad societal relevance, there is strong support for this investment.

The launch of the programme fits within VUB’s ambition to remain a leading player in healthcare, education and innovation in the Brussels region and beyond. With the development of a full ecosystem and the relaunch of dentistry, VUB reaffirms its role as a driver of societal progress and a partner in the care of tomorrow.