The UK's dental schools have been recognised for their high standard of dental research. All fourteen institutions - whose staff were subject to the assessment - were recognised for the world-leading originality, significance and rigour of their work.

The Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) provides an independent assessment and measure of the quality and volume of research in a range of subjects conducted in Universities and other higher education institutions in the UK against international standards of excellence.

It enables the higher education funding bodies to distribute, on the basis of research quality, significant public funds for future research.

The Exercise found that at least 90% of staff at each of the institutions assessed were undertaking research of an international standard. No research activity at any of the institutions fell below the standard required to be recognised nationally.

The assessment of the University of Manchester's School of Dentistry found that 30% of the School's researchers were deemed to carry out research that was internationally leading, attracting the top 4* grade, while a further 45% carried out research that was world class (3*). The remaining 25% published research of international significance (2*).

Head of School Dr Nick Grey said, 'Our strategy allows staff to address clear goals that relate to both excellence in research and excellence in teaching and learning.'

Kings College Dental Institute's RAE profile includes 70% activity recognised as internationally excellent (30% at 4*, 40% at 3*) with 95% of the activity overall having been rated international from a total of 74 members of staff returned. Young academics, recruited since the last RAE in 2001 make up over 20% of the return and illustrate the continued investment of the Institute in developing new talent and expertise in oral and dental research.

The British Dental Association (BDA) welcomed the recognition, and Dr Ross Hobson, Chair of the BDA's Central Committee for Dental Academic Staff, commented, 'What makes this success even more remarkable is that it has been achieved against a background of pressures on dental academic staff from a 25% increase in student numbers and the opening of a number of new institutions.