ProfPeter Cowan

Professor Peter Cowan qualified in dentistry in 1978 from Trinity College Dublin. He completed the Fellowship in Dental Surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh (FDSRCSEdin) in Oral Surgery and Operative Dentistry in 1981 and the Specialist Fellowship of the Faculty of Dentistry, RCSI (FFDRCSIrel) in Restorative Dentistry in 1984.

 

Prof. Cowan is a Fellow of the International College of Dentists and a Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy.

 

He has published both nationally and internationally in peer reviewed journals mainly on the topics of Oral and Implant Surgery.

 

Prof. Cowan is a Specialist Oral Surgeon and has been in clinical practice in Dublin limited to minor Oral Surgery and Fixed Prosthodontics for over 40 years. Having trained with Prof. Per-Ingvar Branemark, he was an early pioneer in implant dentistry, being the second oral surgeon to place dental implants in Ireland in 1986. Since that time, he has continued to restore missing teeth with implant-based restorations.  

Prof. Cowan was a lecturer and later clinical tutor in the Dublin Dental University School and Hospital from 1981-1991 teaching undergraduate oral surgery and restorative dentistry. 

 

He was the Faculty of Dentistry’s examinations co-ordinator and the chief examiner for the Membership and Fellowship examinations until 2018. He has been a senior lecturer and examiner for the Faculty of Dentistry, RCSI since 1995.

 

He is currently Professor of Oral Surgery and Dental Anatomy at the School of Dentistry, RCSI and is Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) Lead and Integrated Dental Sciences (IDS) Co-lead.

 

Professor Cowan has held a number of significant leadership roles throughout his professional career.

 

He was Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry, RCSI (2001-2004)

 

Director of Dental Affairs, RCSI (2004-2007)

 

Chief Executive Officer of the Faculty of Dentistry, RCSI (2007-2018). 

 

He was appointed Adjunct Visiting Professor, Dept. OMFS, College of Dentistry, New York University in January 2022.

 

In 2024, Prof. Cowan was appointed Professor of Oral Surgery and Dental Anatomy in the School of Dentistry, RCSI. He will deliver the programmes in Head and Neck Anatomy (in conjunction with the Department of Anatomy, RCSI) and Dental Anatomy along with the Oral Surgery Programme as it comes on stream. In addition, he will oversee the Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) teaching programme.