Clinical Director,
Specialist Division,
T32 Dental Centre

Dental Specialist in Prosthodontics
BDS (S’pore), Cert. Prosthodontics (Northwestern, USA), MS (Northwestern, USA), FAMS (Prosthodontics) Practice Restricted to Prosthodontics

Dr. Tay graduated from the University of Singapore in 1979 and later pursued postgraduate training from 1981-1984 at Northwestern University, Chicago, where he received a Certificate in Prosthodontics and a Master of Science degree. He was one of the first Asians to be inducted as a Fellow of the prestigious Academy of Dental Materials(USA) in 1983. He attained his specialist certification in Prosthodontics from the Academy of Medicine, Singapore, in 1988, and is currently registered on the Dental Specialist Register (MOH).

He was a tenured full-time faculty member in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, NUS, from 1984 till 1993. He was involved in both the undergraduate and postgraduate prosthodontic teaching programmes and was instrumental in setting up the Dental School’s Integrated Core Curriculum in Occlusion and the Faculty’s Orofacial Pain Unit. His past appointments include: Senior Lecturer & Consultant in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, NUS/NUH(until April 1993), Visiting Consultant in Orofacial Pain & Prosthodontics for the Singapore Armed Forces (until August 2007), and Consultant Prosthodontist, MD Specialist Healthcare (until November 2007).

He founded Dr. David K. L. Tay & Associates in 1993 and continues to be the only educationally qualified prosthodontist in Singapore, according to MOH, to officially limit his dental practice to the specialty of prosthodontics. He is widely known in the prosthodontic world for his expertise in full-mouth occlusal rehabilitation using the N.U.S. treatment philosophy which he originated in 1992. He has built a strong clinical reputation for the diagnosis and successful management of patients with Temporomandibular Disorders(TMD) and Chronic Orofacial Pain. Locally, he is known to his medical colleagues as the pioneer in Dental Sleep Medicine and Oral Appliance Therapy in Sleep-Disordered Breathing(SDB) which he manages in close collaboration with a team of sleep professionals. He continues to hold a Visiting Consultant appointment at the multidisciplinary Pacific Sleep Centre, Singapore and is an Advisor to the International Sleep Academy.

He has published widely in scientific journals, served on their editorial boards, contributed to prosthodontic textbooks and given many presentations and courses on Occlusion, Prosthodontics and Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD), both locally and overseas. He holds membership in several organizations including the International College of Prosthodontists, American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, Academy of Osseointegration(USA), American Equilibration Society, Asian Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders, ASEAN Sleep Surgical Society and is a life member of the Pain Association of Singapore. He has held positions for numerous national and international professional organizations and was previously, the President of the Prosthodontic Society of Singapore; Chairman of the Chapter of Dental Surgeons, AM (S’pore); Chairman, Specialist Certification Subcommittee on Dental Specialties and Convenor, Committee for Advanced Training in Prosthodontics, AM (S’pore). His continued participation in academia has been as an external examiner for PhD and Masters Research Projects conducted in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, National University of Singapore. He was also chairperson for the recent 8^th NUS-SDA Distinguished Speaker Programme and workshops on TMD/ Orofacial Pain held in April 2009.

Dr. Tay has long been a vocal advocate for the establishment of a Dental Specialist Register and continues to serve on the Ministry of Health’s Dental Specialists Accreditation Board (DSAB). His new role as Clinical Director of the T32 Specialist Division, is but the logical extension of his personal commitment to the development of evidence-based dentistry in Singapore and the region.

Dr. David K. L. Tay
BDS (S’pore), Cert. Prosthodontics (Northwestern, USA), MS (Northwestern, USA), FAMS (Prosthodontics)
Practice Restricted to Prosthodontics
Dental Specialist in Prosthodontics

Qualifications

          1979 Bachelor of Dental Surgery, University of Singapore
          1983 Fellow, Academy of Dental Materials, USA
          1984 Certificate in Prosthodontics, Northwestern University Dental School, USA
          1984 Master of Science, Northwestern University, USA
          1988 Fellow, Academy of Medicine, Singapore (Prosthodontics)

Membership in Professional Bodies

          Member, International College of Prosthodontists
          Member, Academy of Osseointegration (USA)
          Member, American Equilibration Society
          Member, Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (USA)
          Member, ASEAN Sleep Surgical Society
          Member, Asian Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders
          Member, Prosthodontic Society of Singapore
          Member, Singapore Dental Association
          Life Member, Pain Association of Singapore

Current appointments

          Clinical Director, Specialist Division, T32 Dental Centre
          Member, Dental Specialist Accreditation Board, Ministry of Health
          Visiting Consultant, Pacific Sleep Centre
          Advisor, International Sleep Academy

Past appointments

          Senior Lecturer, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, NUS
          Internal examiner, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Final BDS Examinations, NUS
          External examiner, Final BDS Examinations, University of Malaya
          Internal examiner, MDS (Prosthodontics) Examinations, NUS
          Coordinator, Orofacial Pain Unit, Faculty of Dentistry, NUS
          Consultant, Department of Restorative Dentistry, National University Hospital
          Vice-Chairman, Committee for Prosthodontics, School of Postgraduate Dental Studies, NUS
          Chairman, Specialist Certification Subcommittee on Dental Specialties, AM S’pore
          Convenor, Committee for Advanced Specialty Training in Prosthodontics,
          AM S’pore Member, Board of the Graduate School of Dental Studies, NUS
          Chairman, Chapter of Dental Surgeons, Academy of Medicine, Singapore
          President, Prosthodontic Society of Singapore
          Country Representative & General Secretary, Asian Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders
          Member, Editorial Board, Asian Journal of Aesthetic Dentistry
          Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Craniomandibular Disorders (USA)
          Guest Editor, Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore
          Visiting Consultant in Prosthodontics & Orofacial Pain, Singapore Armed Forces
          Consultant Prosthodontist, MD Specialist Healthcare / Pacific Healthcare
          External examiner, MS Thesis, NUS (Dr Hoe Kah Eng: “A computerized tool for on-line diagnosis for temporomandibular disorders.”)
          External examiner, PhD Thesis, NUS (Dr Khoo Suan Phaik: “Biopsychosocial characteristics as predictors of treatment outcome of TMD patients with symptoms of pain.”)