Apply for Dentistry
Competitive Entry for Getting into Dental School
According to recently published statistics on dental school applications, it is apparent that entry to dentistry is fiercely competitive.
Data from Leeds Dental Institute* indicate that for every one place, there were over eight applicants, whilst data from Manchester University** suggest that the number of applicants to places was 15 to 1.
References:
Bar chart showing numbers of applicants related to those who gained interviews, offers and a confirmed place to study dentistry at Leeds Dental Institute 2015
Step 1. UCAS Application
In order to study dentistry in the UK, the first step will be for you to make an application via UCAS.
What is UCAS?
UCAS stands for “The University and Colleges Admissions Service”. UCAS is a gateway and portal for your application to be sent to your chosen dental school. UCAS forms the online intermediary between yourself and your chosen university.
Your UCAS application plays a crucial role for selection.
It is critical for you to understand the entry requirements for each dental school. Learn more about the university entry requirements via ucas.
*We strongly advise all those interested in dentistry, fully research the career to ensure that this is a suitable choice for you. As part of this, we advise learning more about the role of a dentist in society and seeking dental work experience to learn more about this career option. Find out more about dentistry work experience here.
Work experienced cancelled due to COVID-19 visit our FREE ‘Dentistry Experience Course’
Step 2. UCAT and/or BMAT Assessment Test
UCAT University Clinical Aptitude Test
UCAT is an admissions test used by a number of UK dentistry degree programmes as part of their criteria for selection. The UCAT is a two-hour computer-based test consisting of five, timed multiple choice assessments. Find out more about how to master UCAT with tips and free tutorials here.
BMAT BioMedical Admissions Test
The BioMedical Admissions Test is an aptitude test used as part of the admissions process for Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and, at current, Leeds Dental School.
The test results are intended to be used as a component of the selection decision in conjunction with other information available to admissions tutors.
BMAT is a different format to the UCAT, learn more about how to ace the BMAT here.
We offer an online mastery course and one-to-one tuition for the BMAT using top ranked tutors.
Step 3. Create A Personal Statement
As part of your UCAS application you will need to create a dentistry personal statement. The personal statement is a written document consisting of a maximum of 4000 characters in 47 lines of text which equates to about 500 words. This is submitted to the dental schools and forms part of your overall application. The statement allows universities to get to know you better and understand your reasoning and desire for choosing dentistry as a career choice, before you are invited for interview.
The personal statement should ultimately be genuine and well structured. There is further advice on writing the perfect personal statement here.
Have you written your statement and want our team of dental students and former interviews to review this? Find out more here
Step 4. Invitation For The Dental School Interview
Due to obvious advantages of dentistry as a career, and due to government capping on the numbers of training places in dentistry (to prevent oversupply of dentists) there is a great demand for each position. Recent statistics suggest that for every one place there are over ten applicants. As such, entry to study dentistry is facilitated by competitive selection rather than recruitment.
Maximising your chances of gaining a Dental School Interview.
Each dental school will have its own process for selecting individuals for interviews. This is why it is critical to create an outstanding personal statement, master the UCAT &/or BMAT and have the necessary academic requirements to be selected for interviews.
Once you have been invited for an interview, you then can start your preparation. The format of the interviews can be divided into traditional panel interview and MMI ( multiple mini interviews). We cover dental school interviews in detail here.
Due to the interview processes changing regularly, applicants should familiarise themselves with their respective universities via their official website.
Frequently Asked Questions
What GCSE’s & A-Levels do I need to study dentistry?
Universities all have the own individual selection criteria. We’ve worked hard to make this useful table as a guide to the 2021 Dentistry entry requirements.
However, be aware that if you are entering as a graduate, this table should also be used. Remember some Universities will also have minimum A-levels or GCSE’s so you must factor this in.
Entry requirements can also be unique for those entering via widening participation and non-conventional entry routes. In all cases, it is advised to always check the official universities and UCAS for the most up to date entry requirements.
Do I have to sit UCAT / BMAT?
To determine which Universities require the UCAT click here
For 2020 applicants, BMAT is only required by Leeds Dental Institute.
Is there a cutoff score in the UCAT?
For those universities that do request the UCAT to be taken ( see list here), generally they state that they do not have a cutoff score. Familiarise yourself with how universities use UCAT scores, whether they use the SJT component and what weighting is given to the UCAT related to your overall application. Certain universities have defined criteria for UCAT:
Glasgow state ‘UCAT forms an extremely important part of the BDS entry requirements and if your score is deemed to be too low then you will not be selected for interview, regardless of your qualifications.’ 2019 cut off was 2470
QMUL states ‘those who have UCAT scores below third decile will not be offered an interview. Applicants will be ranked according to a 50:50 weighting applied to the UCAT score and academic ability.’
Sheffield states ‘applicants will need to achieve a total score which is average or above in order to be successful in applying. Mature applicants or those students who have achieved their A-level grades are assessed separately and are required to achieve a lower threshold. The Situation Judgement Test (SJT) component of the UCAT is also used during the screening of applicants. In order to be successful, you will need to fall into Band 1, 2 or 3.’
Manchester states ‘Applicants with a SJT band 3 are welcome to apply. However, we will prioritise applicants who are in bands 1 and 2. Please note that we do not consider applicants who achieve Band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) element of the UKCAT. Applicants with a SJT band 3 are welcome to apply. However, we will prioritise applicants who are in bands 1 and 2’.
Plymouth - ‘UCAT test results will be used, alongside the academic information contained on your UCAS form to select direct school leavers for interview. You will be required to meet a minimum overall target score which is set and reviewed annually by the Admissions Advisory Panel. We do not currently include the SJT banding score.’
Bristol - ‘GCSE 15%, A-Level 15%, Personal Statement 35%, UCAT 35%- The SJT score will not be factored in.’
Aberdeen- ‘UCAT is considered alongside actual and predicted academic achievement in deciding who will be selected for interview. A minimum UCAT cut-off score is NOT used. A score is allocated based on the applicant's overall performance in UCAT compared with all other applicants to Aberdeen (Academic - 60%, UCAT - 40%).’
I’m a graduate, what are the requirements?
Graduates will have their own criteria, mainly based upon the degree you are studying and the classification you attain. We advise you to look at this link for more information.
As with anything you are unsure about, the most updated information can be obtained via the official University. Use our guide for contact details.
Do I need to conduct work experience ?
With COVID-19 closing dental clinics, it is very unlikely you will be able to gain traditional dentistry work experience. Some universities have already updated their admissions policy to reflect these changes and have envisaged applicants having their experience cancelled. Dental schools do still, however, expect individuals to understand and appreciate the values, behaviours and attitudes needed as a dentist. In addition, despite work experience being cancelled, there are still ways to gain a deeper understanding of what the career entails and the nature of the profession. Check out our article on ‘maximising your time at home’ and use our new ‘Dentistry Experience Course’ to give you more information about the career and life as a dentist.
I haven’t done A-levels, can I still apply?
Yes, there are still methods of entering into a dentistry degree programme without A-levels. However, it is important that you read the entry criteria very carefully to ensure you are familiar with the exact requirements.
For example, some Universities accept BTEC, and Scottish Highers. Other Universities also accept access courses such as the Higher Education Diploma - this is typical for mature students who have been out of education for some time.
There are also other routes to entering dentistry via foundation degrees and science courses.
See our standard entry table and non conventional entry tables.
We advise anyone unsure to contact the official university for the most updated information.
Gain Additional Support for Getting into Dentistry.
We know that with examinations looming, the process to get into dental school can be quite stressful and at times you may feel unsupported.
But don’t worry, that’s why we have created this platform. Our resources are designed to be a useful supporting framework to help you with your journey to Dental School.
Why not have a look at our services created for you, the dentistry applicant.