ProfAlbert Leung

Albert Leung is Professor of Dentistry and Foundation Head of the School of Dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, University of Medicine and Health Sciences (RCSI). Supported by the Irish government through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science, and the Department of Health, Professor Leung launched the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme for RCSI in September 2025, which became the first community-based undergraduate dentistry degree in Ireland, and the first new undergraduate dentistry programme in Ireland for over a century.

Professor Leung qualified as a dentist from Dundee University (BDS), received an LLM from Cardiff University, an MA from King’s College London and a PhD from Portsmouth University. He holds the Fellowship in General Dental Surgery from RCSI, Fellowship in Dental Surgery from RCS England, Fellowship in Dental Surgery from RCPS Glasgow, Fellowship of the College of General Dentistry, Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, and Fellowship of the International College of Dentists. 

His main pedagogic research is in novel teaching techniques and assessment methodologies. His expertise is in integrated restorative based total patient care, innovations in dental education, standard setting, operating high stake assessments, the development of effective feedback tools to facilitate pedagogy and statutory accreditations. He publishes widely in dental education and restorative dental practice.

Professor Leung is an accomplished international dental educator with notable and consistent pedagogic, curriculum development, assessment  and capacity building successes in three continents. He has an extensive international academic leadership, strategic, innovation and effective change management portfolio in Dentistry. He has a strong track record on successful development and procurement of new dental programmes, liaising with statutory and funding authorities, fostering collaborations across jurisdictions. 

He was Professor of Dental Education, Head of Continuing Professional Development and Director of the Restorative Dental Practice Programme at University College London (UCL) Eastman Dental Institute, having successfully supervised over 100 Masters' Dissertations during his 10 years tenure at UCL. He has been the Academic Lead and Chief Examiner in clinical skills (dental manikin) for the UK General Dental Council's (GDC) Overseas Registration Examination (ORE) since 2016, having been an Examiner since 2004. He Chaired of the ORE2 Board between 2023-2026, and is currently Associate Programme Director

Professor Leung was Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry RCSI between 2020-2023. He guided the Faculty through critical timely innovations and initiatives, which facilitated global remote deliveries of Continuing Professional Development programmes, and uninterrupted novel, Inter-Collegiate and International postgraduate dentistry examinations during and following the pandemic. He was RCSI Vice Chancellor's (VC) Strategic Advisor in Dentistry between 2023-2024 and was instrumental as part of the VC team in successfully gaining Irish Government, the National University of Ireland and regulatory support to launch the new RCSI BDS programme, establishing the RCSI School of Dentistry, and becoming the Foundation Head of School in 2024. 

He has achieved international distinction including receipt of the Association for Dental Education (ADEE) Excellence in Dental Education Mature Career Award in 2017– one of the highest international accolades in dental education. Professor Leung is a Member of the Dental Schools' Council of Great Britain and Ireland. He is an External Examiner for the Peninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth. He is on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Dentistry, and the Editorial Advisory Board of the Jordan Journal of Dentistry.