Function and management

The Faculty of Dental Medicine, being a part of the Medical University of Sofia, is an autonomous institution of higher education with legal entity status. The faculty's main activities include:

• providing high quality education - Master's degree in Dental Medicine;
• doctoral training for academic degree Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD);
• providing postgraduate education for dentists in major specialties of the field of dental medicine;
• conducting research in dental medicine;
• dental exprertise and consulting activity;
• international activity in science and education;
• administrative, social, publishing, information and other services.

The faculty's activities are conducted in accordance to the legal and sublegal regulatory framework in the field of education, science and healthcare, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Health, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, The National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency, the National Centre for Information and Documentation, state and municipal authorities, other institutions of higher education, special educational institutions within the country and abroad, scientific, economic, public, charitable organizations, unions and others.

The governing bodies of the Faculty of Dental Medicine are:

• General Assemby;
• Faculty Council;
• Dean.

TEACHING STAFF
The academic staff representatives are habilitated - associate professor and professor and non-habilitated teachers - assistant and chief assistant. For the academic posts assistant, chief assistant, associate professor, and professor are elected candidates following the Academic Staff Development Act - the rules and regulations of its application, as well as the regulation for academic rank attainment and occupation of academic posts in MU-Sofia.
Proposals for academic posts announcements are made to the Faculty Council from the department in demand of a teacher, provided the academic workload of the staff members is affirmed. Decisions for academic posts announcements are taken by the Faculty Council (FC), together with university hospitals agreeing with the manager or the hospital's executive director. Academic posts announcements are held according to the Academic Staff Development Act - the rules and regulations of its application, as well as the regulation for academic rank attainment and occupation of academic posts in MU-Sofia.
The teaching staff at the Medical University-Sofia is appointed in accordance with the Law of Higher Education.
By major units, the scientific contribution of each member of the academic staff is assessed and attested (once every three years for non-habilitated and once every five years for habilitated teachers) by indicators and criteria set out in Rules of Attestation, approved by the Rector of MU - Sofia.

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
The head of the department is habilitated in the field of the department and is elected by documents from the Department Council, consequently approved by the Faculty Council. The Head of Department holds the post for four years on a permanent employment contract with the rector and has the following basic powers and responsibilities:

• manages the activity of the department;
• takes responsibility for the use and protection of the material and technical facilities of the department;
• represents the department before external bodies and organizations within his/her credentials;
• ensures and controls the teaching in the department and the maintenance of discipline. Proposes to the Faculty Council encouragement or punishment of members of the department;
• organizes the curricula and controls their implementation;
• monitors and supports the professional development of the academic and non-academic staff;
• coordinates the development of educational literature;
• evaluates the vacation requests of the department's staff;
• signs or approves the documentation issued by the department;
• the Head of Department of a clinical discipline manages and controls educational and research activities and coordinates the clinical activity of the respective clinic at the university hospital, in alliance with the manager or CEO and the Head of the clinic. The head of a college department can also be a non-habilitated person.

DEPARTMENT COUNCIL
The Department Council consists of all members of the academic staff of the department. It is summoned by and presided by the Head of the department.
The Department Council has the following basic powers:

• elects by secret ballot and proposes to the Faculty Council for approval the Head of Department;
• assigns academic activities to the academic staff, exerts responsibility for the development of the aforementioned, the quality of teaching and the department's facilities;
• develops curricula;
• makes proposals for the publication of textbooks and teaching aids;
• discusses and encourages the scientific activity of the department;
• conducts scientific activities;
• discusses the professional growth of the department and makes proposals to the Faculty Council for the recruitment of new staff members;
• makes proposals for academic announcements, enrollment, and training of PhD students at the department;
• conducts internal defenses of dissertation works; discusses individual plans and reports of PhD students and residents; makes suggestions for the choice of a jury;
• determines the utilization of the financial and material resources provided;
• discusses the discipline and academic ethics of the department's members and, if necessary, considers recommendations;
• adopts internal rules and regulations;
• elects standing and temporary committees and other subsidiary bodies, and appoints their functions;
• makes proposals to the Faculty Council, for the transformation or closure of structural units of the department or specialties and specializations, as well as the continuation of the employment contract of habilitated members under paragraph 11 of the transitional and final provisions of the Higher Education Act;
• the Department Council adopts its decisions by a simple majority (more than 50% of the attendees).

Dean's Council
The Dean of the Faculty is a habilitated individual on a permanent employment contract at the Medical University, elected by the General Assembly of the Faculty and in their activity is assisted by four Vice Deans, elected by the Faculty Council:

• Vice Dean of Academic Affairs;
• Vice Dean of International Cooperation and English Language Education;
• Vice Dean of Research and Postgraduate Education;
• Vice Dean of Clinical Affairs.

The Dean is assisted in their work by the Dean's and Extended Dean's Councils.