University of Zagreb School of Dental Medicine (Stomatoloski fakultet Sveucilista u Zagrebu, SFZG) is Croatia's principal academic institution for dental education, clinical research, and specialist training. The faculty is part of the University of Zagreb, the oldest and largest university in Croatia and Southeast Europe. SFZG educates dental professionals at undergraduate, doctoral, and postgraduate specialist levels, and its clinical departments provide hands-on patient care as an integral part of the educational program. The faculty is located in Zagreb and serves both the academic dental community and the general public through its teaching clinics.
Undergraduate Dental Education
The core program at SFZG is the integrated undergraduate and graduate study of Dental Medicine, a six-year program that awards the degree of Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD). This program covers the full breadth of dental science, combining preclinical laboratory training with supervised clinical practice in the faculty's patient departments. The curriculum encompasses both the biological and clinical sciences underpinning dentistry, from anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry through to all clinical dental specialties.
An English-language track of the same integrated dental medicine program is available for international students, making SFZG one of the few institutions in the region offering a full undergraduate dental program in English. This track attracts students from across Europe and beyond, contributing to the international character of the faculty.
Specialist Postgraduate Programs
SFZG offers a range of postgraduate specialist studies for qualified dentists seeking advanced clinical training in specific disciplines. Current specialist programs cover endodontics and restorative dental medicine, dental prosthetics, aesthetics of the orofacial region, dental implantology, dental-medical tourism, and dental medicine. These programs combine intensive theoretical coursework with supervised clinical practice and culminate in a specialist examination and defended thesis project.
Doctoral Program
The doctoral study program in Dental Medicine at SFZG trains researchers and academics in scientific methodology and advanced dental science. Doctoral candidates work under faculty supervision on original research projects, with access to the faculty's scientific laboratories, capital equipment, and research infrastructure. The program leads to the academic degree of Doctor of Science in the field of Dental Medicine and prepares graduates for careers in academic research, university teaching, and clinical science.
Clinical Departments
SFZG operates a full range of specialist clinical departments through which students conduct supervised patient treatment. These departments cover pediatric dentistry, endodontics and restorative dentistry, fixed prosthodontics, removable prosthodontics, oral surgery, oral medicine, orthodontics, periodontology, and dental anthropology. Each department is led by academic staff who combine teaching and research responsibilities with direct clinical practice. Patients treated at SFZG clinics receive care supervised by specialist dental academics, providing access to expert-level clinical attention in a university environment.
International Cooperation
SFZG participates actively in European and international academic exchange programs, including Erasmus+ mobility for both staff and students. The faculty maintains partnerships with universities and dental schools across Europe and hosts visiting professors and guest lecturers. An international summer school provides short-term educational opportunities for international participants, and the faculty publishes information on student mobility experiences to support prospective applicants.
Continuing Education
Beyond its formal degree programs, SFZG runs a continuing education and lifelong learning program providing professional development courses for qualified dentists. These courses cover clinical topics across dental specialties and are available for registration via the faculty's website at sfzg.unizg.hr, where prospective participants can find the current program, schedule, and registration information.
Research and Scientific Activity
Research is a central pillar of SFZG's academic mission. The faculty conducts scientific and research projects through its specialist laboratories and uses capital scientific equipment to support advanced study in dental biomaterials, clinical techniques, and oral health sciences. A Center for the Popularization of Science communicates research findings and scientific literacy to the broader public. The faculty recognizes outstanding research contributions through the Rector's Award and other academic prizes, and its doctoral graduates contribute to the body of original dental science literature through published dissertations and journal articles.
SFZG's research programs are closely integrated with clinical practice, meaning that findings from laboratory and clinical studies inform the teaching curriculum and the treatment approaches used in patient care departments. This integration of research and clinical education is characteristic of the university dental school model and helps maintain standards of care aligned with the current state of dental science.
Patient Access and Appointments
Patients wishing to access clinical services at the University of Zagreb School of Dental Medicine can make appointments through the faculty's dedicated patient booking system. Because treatments are delivered within a teaching environment, patients may be seen by dental students under close academic supervision, or by specialist academic clinicians depending on the department and the complexity of care required. This model of teaching-clinic care allows patients to receive treatment at a leading academic dental institution. The faculty's full range of clinical services, appointment booking, and patient information is available via its official website at sfzg.unizg.hr.
