Dental Surgery BChD

Course overview

Our Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BChD) course integrates clinical dentistry, science and professional development. You will graduate from Leeds as a highly qualified, well-equipped and insightful dental professional, who can think critically and work independently. You will be able to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to practise as a General Dental Council defined Safe Practitioner Dentist.

You will engage in clinical learning from an early stage so that you can apply your academic theoretical knowledge to the clinical environment. Your time on the course will develop your reasoning, communication, leadership skills, operative skills, and your ability to work as part of a dental team. You will develop your skills using the latest simulation technology, and gain experience on real patients within a range of clinical environments.

Your learning will integrate key cultural and societal themes such as equality, diversity and inclusion, and environmental sustainability. You will learn about how to be a socially accountable practitioner with an understanding of population needs, including inequalities in the provision of dental care. You will also explore how research and service development advance our understanding of dental science and the improvement of patient care by undertaking a Capstone Project as a senior student. By engaging in these areas, you will help to develop future innovations within the profession.

Becoming an effective and ethical professional is a key part of your experience on the course. You will learn to become resilient and adaptable, and to better identify your ongoing development needs. As a dental student you will be expected to demonstrate the highest standards of professional behaviours that will continue into your career.

Course highlights

The School of Dentistry, in partnership with Leeds Dental Institute, is one of a few dental schools in the UK where the whole dental team (dentists, dental therapists, hygienists, technicians and dental nurses) are educated together.

The first two years of the BChD Dental Surgery course are co-taught with the first two years of the BSc Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy course. This encourages a community of learning and will prepare you to work as a member of the dental team, sharing experiences and sharing the care of patients.

You will benefit from early clinical experiences from the first year onwards. Throughout your course, you will have access to our recently refurbished School of Dentistry Clinical Skills Classroom and Dental Haptic Simulator Classroom. We use the latest digital scanning and printing technology to give you high-fidelity simulated learning experiences. You’ll also be able to experience the School’s Medical Emergency simulation room, where you will learn (with video feedback) and be assessed on the management of simulated dental emergencies.

We integrate our simulated clinical skills teaching with your experience in the real patient environment. You will learn to manage the comprehensive dental care of child and adult patients in a range of environments, both within the Leeds Dental Institute and at our outreach centres. You will have access to a diversity of patient populations with varied dental care needs.

We work in partnership with the University of Leeds Interdisciplinary Ethics Applied Centre to engage you in key professional and ethical issues. You will be challenged to think critically, and to understand how to apply the standards expected of all dental professionals in your everyday practice. This teaching is integrated alongside your growing clinical experiences.

The School is also at the forefront of scientific and clinical research, which directly benefits our patients and informs our research-led teaching. We are active in oral biological science, dental public health, digital dentistry and translational clinical science, as well as educational research. Students are encouraged to explore their areas of interest and work with leading researchers and clinicians in the School as part of their Capstone project.

We feel that it is important that all our students feel a sense of belonging in our School. We are especially proud of the School’s friendly and supportive atmosphere and our active, effective student-staff partnership work. Students are encouraged to give regular feedback on the course and to contribute to its development; there are multiple opportunities, both formal and informal, to do this.

As a dental student, you will have the opportunity to be a member of the Leeds University Dental Student Society (DentSoc), which organises social and sports events, visits and talks throughout the year.

We are committed to supporting our students throughout the course. We have dedicated DenStudy and Student Support Teams, who provide study and academic skills advice and pastoral care to Dentistry students. These dedicated teams can give tailored support and are easily accessible to our students.

All students have an academic personal tutor to guide and support them through the course, and there is also a student-led support network that we call the ‘dental family’ approach. We want all our students to fulfil their potential, to thrive and to be successful.

Facilities

Throughout the course you will have access to our recently refurbished School of Dentistry Clinical Skills Classroom and Dental Haptic Simulator Classroom. We use the latest digital scanning and printing technology to give you high-fidelity simulated learning experiences. You’ll also be able to experience the School’s Medical Emergency simulation room, where you will learn (with video feedback) and be assessed on the management of simulated dental emergencies.

A student common room, a faith room and a café are all situated within the Dental School for the benefit of our students.

The University of Leeds Health Science library is in the same building as the School of Dentistry, giving easy access to a range of learning resources and study spaces.

Accreditation

Accredited by the General Dental Council

The course is accredited by the General Dental Council (GDC).

The GDC is the regulatory body for dental professionals in the UK. All dentists must be registered with the GDC to practice in the UK.

Successful completion of the course allows graduates to apply for GDC registration as a dentist.

The GDC quality assures all courses which lead to registration as a dental professional. All graduates must have demonstrated they have met all GDC Safe Practitioner learning outcomes and behaviours. This includes all academic and clinical experience requirements. In addition, the GDC must be assured that all graduates are fit to practise in relation to health and professional conduct.

Our School has processes to ensure all graduates have met these requirements through academic and clinical assessments, as well as the continual monitoring of professional behaviours and conduct.

Code of Professional Conduct

Our School has a Code of Professional Conduct which it expects all students to sign-up to each year. It is important that students have awareness of the standards expected by the School and the General Dental Council. For example, there are standards expected in engagement with learning and attendance, as well as the use of social media. The General Dental Council has published guidance on professionalism (“Student Fitness to Practise” and “Standards for Dental Professionals”) which you can find on the GDC website.

Dress and Personal Appearance

The School of Dentistry has a dress policy to promote a clinical and professional appearance within our School and clinical placement facilities. Your dress and personal appearance must meet public expectations of a professional person and there are clinical dress requirements which need to be followed.

Course details

The Dental Surgery course is structured in curriculum themes which build throughout the course, and are delivered in sequential modules. We integrate learning across these themes: when you are learning about environmental sustainability, for example, you will consider how this area relates to your everyday clinical practice, the underpinning ethical principles and the latest scientific research – as well as the wider societal responsibilities that you will have as a dental professional.

The curriculum themes are:

Clinical Skills and Practice

This theme will focus on the development of your clinical knowledge, skills and behaviours. You will gain early exposure to the clinical environment and learn how to apply the latest evidence-based knowledge, operative skills and professional behaviours to real patient care. This culminates in the opportunity to provide comprehensive care of your own patients, demonstrating the skills required of a Safe Practitioner.

Your clinical operative skills will be developed throughout this theme, starting with sessions delivered in clinical skills classrooms. These are equipped with the latest dental haptic simulator facilities, using high-fidelity simulation techniques.

You will gain clinical reasoning capabilities, which will allow you to carry out the comprehensive assessment of adult and child patients, diagnosis, and treatment planning of care. You will develop your understanding of the importance of patient education and preventive care. You will also experience the management of patients across a range of clinical areas (restorative dentistry, oral surgery, children’s dentistry, oral radiography and radiology and oral medicine), in a range of clinical settings including outreach placements.

The practice of professional behaviours is integral to this theme, and you will be expected to communicate with patients and work within the dental team in clinical environments. You will develop your cultural competence, learning from a diverse population of patients. You will also consider how the everyday practice of dentistry has an environmental sustainability impact and link this with your learning across the other three curriculum themes.

You will develop your skills as a reflective practitioner, and be able to demonstrate insight into your own capabilities and development needs.

Dental and Biomedical Science

This theme will focus on developing your understanding of the underpinning science and health factors which will inform your clinical dental practice. You will be taught by scientists who specialise in oral biology, pathology and dental materials, as well as by specialist clinicians.

You will learn about underlying oral and systemic health and disease, including how the health of the mouth and body are connected. This ranges from the molecular level to the entire organism and includes topics such as cell biology, genetics, microbiology, infection and immunity and the structure and development of tissues in the mouth and face.

Your studies will give you a deep understanding of the pathology of the head and neck. This understanding will develop as you progress through this curriculum theme.

You will be exposed to the latest scientific findings which are informing developments in areas such as disease mechanisms, antimicrobial resistance, immunotherapy and tissue engineering.

Personal and Professional Development

This theme will focus on your development as an accountable professional who is able to understand the behaviours expected of a safe practitioner. This theme aims to prepare you as an insightful and effective learner, not only as a student but going forward into the rest of your career. You will develop active learning approaches, reflecting on your experiences and taking ownership of your ongoing development. You will develop your self-management; being able to organise your time and knowing how to manage your resilience through wellbeing techniques and knowing when to seek support. Being an effective and supportive member of the dental team will focus on your leadership and followership skills.

You will develop your understanding of the standards expected of a dental professional, learning the underpinning ethical principles that these standards are built on. In doing this you will have the opportunity to engage in discussion of scenarios with both teacher clinicians and ethicists within the Interdisciplinary Ethics Applied Centre here at the University of Leeds. They will encourage you to challenge your assumptions and thinking. Ethical principles encompass key societal and cultural transformation issues such as equality, diversity and inclusion, and environmental sustainability. You will consider how these issues will inform your practice as a dental professional.

This theme will culminate in your preparation for the next stage of your professional development following University, and for registration with the General Dental Council as a Safe Practitioner.

Enquire

This theme will focus on developing your ability to explore the wider population and societal aspects of dentistry, giving you the opportunity to develop your enquiry and research skills.

You will develop an understanding of your role and responsibilities as a dental professional in society, gaining insight into population-scale dental health and the inequalities that exist locally, nationally, and internationally. You will explore the areas of psychology and sociology, to understand how patient behaviours, and determinants of health inform effective population health improvement strategies.

You will develop your enquiry and research skills, being able to search for and identify high quality evidence, as well as producing your own evidence through a Capstone project in the final stages of this theme. Throughout this experience you will explore how research and service improvement advance our understanding of dental science improve of patient care.

There are opportunities within the Dental Surgery course to intercalate for a year (following Year 2 or 3) to undertake an additional course of study.

There is an opportunity to undertake an optional Professional Development Elective module in the summer break following the end of Year 4.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Clinical Skills & Practice 1 (20 credits) - In this first module of the Clinical Skills & Practice theme you will be introduced to evidence-based clinical knowledge, basic clinical skills such as oral hygiene instruction, and professional behaviours which will help you learn safely and effectively. Key experiences include clinical observations, clinical skills classroom sessions, haptic simulation and small group clinical activities. You will be encouraged to develop your reflective skills, which you will use as you progress within this theme.

Dental & Biomedical Sciences 1 (60 credits) - In this first module of the dental and biomedical science theme, you will gain an introduction to the scientific knowledge required to support your understanding of health and disease. You will learn about the structure and function of cells, tissue and organs of the mouth and body, the basic principles of microbial infection and our defences against it. You will also learn about the introductory science of dental materials and mineralised tissues, and the basic principles of the regulated and appropriate use of oral diagnostic tools. 

Personal and Professional Development 1 (20 credits) - In this first module of the PPD theme you will be introduced to key topics, which will develop your understanding of expected professional behaviours and the standards expected of dental professionals. You’ll be introduced to active learning skills, which will equip you for your studies on the course.

Enquire 1 (20 credits) - In this first module of the Enquire theme, you will be introduced to the basic principles of population health. You will explore the foundations of psychology and sociology, which allow us to understand how best to deliver health gain. You’ll be introduced to key enquiry skills as you advance through this theme.

Year 2

Compulsory modules

Clinical Skills & Practice 2 (40 credits) - In this module you will build on your understanding of common dental diseases (such as dental caries and periodontal disease) and be able to apply this to the clinical management of adult patients. You will develop your basic patient assessment and management skills, including patient examination and provision of preventive advice along with core operative skills. These include the control of dental handpieces and the manipulation of dental materials. You will build your communication skills for effective interactions with patients and the dental team. You will gain clinical experience through observation by assisting senior students (and in the basic dental care of your own patients) under close supervision, where your professional behaviours and reflective learning practices will be applied.

Dental & Biomedical Sciences 2 (40 credits) - This theme will focus on developing your understanding of the underpinning science and health factors which will inform your clinical dental practice. You will be taught by scientists who specialise in oral biology, pathology and dental materials, as well as by specialist clinicians.

You will learn about underlying oral and systemic health and disease, including how the health of the mouth and body are connected. This ranges from the molecular level to the entire organism and includes topics such as cell biology, genetics, microbiology, infection and immunity and the structure and development of tissues in the mouth and face.

Your studies will give you a deep understanding of the pathology of the head and neck. This understanding will develop as you progress through this curriculum theme.

You will be exposed to the latest scientific findings which are informing developments in areas such as disease mechanisms, antimicrobial resistance, immunotherapy and tissue engineering.

Personal and Professional Development 2 (20 credits) - You will focus on exploring and understanding key ethical concepts, as well as continuing to develop your self-management and team working skills.  You will focus on developing your interpersonal communication skills to support your development of working collaboratively within the dental team. You will also develop your understanding of the principles of equality, inclusion, and diversity.

Enquire 2 (20 credits) - You will have the opportunity to develop your understanding of health and illness at an individual and population level. You will explore epidemiological health trends and apply the psychological, sociological and public health principles taught in Year 1. You will continue to develop your enquiry skills and understand how research principles support the development of evidence-based practice.

Year 3

Compulsory modules

Clinical Skills & Practice 3 BChD (60 credits) - You will continue to develop your clinical application of science in relation to the management of dental disease, at this stage considering more complex aspects of the restoration of teeth and tooth loss in adults. You will also be introduced to the assessment and dental management of child patients.  You will build on your operative skills within the simulated environment, as well as regularly undertaking patient assessment and basic holistic dental care in the real patient environment. You will develop your communication skills and be able to work effectively as a clinical team member, as well as an operator and an assistor. You will be practising professional behaviours in the clinical environment and reflecting on your progress routinely.

Dental & Biomedical Sciences 3 (20 credits) - You will expand your understanding of the dental sciences that directly underpin your clinical practice using an evidence-based approach. You will study the head and neck, the complexities of human microbiology, the immune system as a contributing factor to disease, specialist dental materials and digital dental technologies. 

Personal and Professional Development 3 BChD (20 credits) - You will focus on the application of professional behaviours to your academic and clinical development, while continuing to develop your self-management skills through engagement in wellbeing strategies. You will develop your cultural competence and social accountability, and reflect on how personal assumptions can impact upon patient care. You will also consider the professional standards that apply to dentistry, and have the opportunity to explore these through discussion of case studies.

Enquire 3 BChD (40 credits) - You will consolidate your learning of the principles of psychology, sociology and population health through exploring the theories and models of health behaviour and the interventions that have a real-world application. You will reach a key stage in the Enquire theme, starting phase 1 of your Capstone project where you will put into practice the enquiry skills you have already learned to develop and plan your own project. This project can be based on an area of your interest; it might be a science-based research study, a clinical audit project, or the development of a patient education resource.

Year 4

Compulsory modules

Clinical Skills & Practice 4  (60 credits) - You will develop your confidence in the clinical environment and progress to a more advanced level of clinical practice, applying evidence-based knowledge to the management of more complex situations in both adult and child patients. You will be introduced to the clinical areas of orthodontics and oral surgery, and gain experience of tooth extraction. You will continue to integrate your operative skills learning, both in the simulated environment and then into the real clinical environment. You will apply these skills to your own patients across a range of dental specialty areas and outreach settings. You will be developing your clinical leadership skills, and be able to manage yourself effectively and the dental team who work with you. You will take ownership of your clinical development needs through engagement in regular feedback and reflection.

Dental & Biomedical Sciences 4 (20 credits) - In the final module of the dental sciences theme, you will gain insight into advanced and recent dental science developments and cutting-edge research to equip you for your future careers in the rapidly evolving world of clinical practice. You will explore emerging technologies and concepts relating to mechanisms of disease, tissue repair and regeneration, emerging antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial and immunotherapies, the association of oral and systemic diseases, and advanced and future dental materials.

Personal and Professional Development 4 (20 credits) - You will consider your academic and clinical progress by reflecting on feedback from a range of sources, including your peers and patients. Your learning will inform your development of ongoing improvements through action plans. You will consider and reflect on how your behaviour, health and wellbeing can impact on your fitness to practise, as well as strategies to manage any issues. You will develop effective management and leadership skills and behaviours in a range of contexts, and explore how you can be an environmentally sustainable and socially accountable practitioner.

Enquire 4 (20 credits) - In this final Enquire module you will develop an understanding of your role and accountability as a dental professional in society. You will also learn how dentistry positively contributes to the healthcare system and healthcare landscape. The module will culminate the completion of phase 2 of your Capstone project, where you will have produced your own evidence through enquiry.

Year 5

Compulsory modules

Clinical Skills & Practice 5  (100 credits) - In this final module in the Clinical Skills and Practice theme you will continue to develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to perform the safe, reflective, and independent practice of clinical dentistry, in readiness for being a qualified dental professional. You will provide comprehensive care for adults and children within the Leeds Dental Institute and outreach centres, exposing you to a diverse range of patients and dental care needs. You will take greater ownership of clinical decisions and responsibility for coordinating care. You will also present patient case reports, demonstrating the culmination of your clinical development.

Personal and Professional Development 5 (20 credits) - This final module of the Personal and Professional Development theme will complete your preparation for registration with the General Dental Council as a Safe Practitioner.  You will reflect on your capabilities as a self-led practitioner, integrating your development in the Clinical Skills and Practice 5 module. You will further develop your responsibilities as a leader and understand how you are accountable to patients, the General Dental Council and the law, the dental team and the wider community.  You will discuss of emerging ethical topics in dentistry and explore how to debate constructively.

Learning and teaching

The School of Dentistry uses a range of learning and teaching methods which are designed to be student-centred, active, engaging and inclusive. We will encourage you to take ownership of your learning, and to learn as part of a community of learners across the School. We strive to be inclusive in our learning and teaching approaches, so that all students feel a sense of belonging in the School.

We have a hybrid approach to teaching methods, so that the most appropriate method is chosen to align with the content or subject being taught. We use face-to-face large-group lectures which are recorded, as well as online live and pre-recorded lectures. There are opportunities for discussion and exploration of topics in smaller group face-to-face seminars and tutorial discussions with tutors and fellow students.

Our lecture theatre is designed to facilitate engaging and interactive learning sessions with lecture capture technology and a pod style seating arrangement. We also use a digital learning platform, which will give you easy access to learning resources and to help guide you through your learning. Each module has its own area, and you will be able to access lecture presentations, engage in discussions and communicate with staff and other students.

Clinical learning takes place in the clinical skills classrooms, using both haptic simulation technology and traditional phantom head activities. Our clinical skills classrooms have been recently refurbished and are equipped with the latest technology and dental handpieces. We will introduce you to clinics and the management of real patients gradually, ensuring that you have developed and demonstrated the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours at each stage.

Sector-leading digital 3D-printed teeth and arches of teeth – developed within the School – make simulation sessions more relatable to the real patient situation. You will engage in communication skills teaching with simulated patients; these help you to practise your skills and gain feedback from other students, tutors and highly trained simulated patients.

Your own academic personal tutor will help guide and support you through the course. A dedicated online personal development tool encourages you to engage in reflective learning and action planning.

You will undertake clinical sessions, supervised by highly qualified dental educators, and treat patients in the Leeds Dental Hospital and outreach centres across the region. This will expose you to a diverse range of patients and clinical needs, which will prepare you well for your future career.

On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

The course uses a variety of different academic, clinical and professional assessments which are designed to ensure students can demonstrate they have met the General Dental Council learning outcomes and behaviours required for registration as a dentist. Our assessments are relevant and authentic to the work of your future career as a practising dentist.

Assessments are designed to test your knowledge, understanding, application and critical thinking. You will experience a variety of selected response formats such as multiple-choice type questions, and open response formats such as short answer questions and assignments. We also encourage teamwork between students by assessing group work, for example, group presentations. Where applicable, practice or formative assessments will be provided.

Clinical assessments test and monitor your clinical reasoning, clinical operative skills, communication skills and professional behaviours throughout your clinical education. We use clinical scenarios, clinical skills gateway operative assessments, real patient case presentations and oral assessments.

We continually monitor and record your clinical progress through the course using our electronic Clinical Assessment and Feedback System (CAFS). This is a web-based system used to record your clinical experience, receive written feedback from clinical tutors and record your own reflections on your progress.

We encourage student reflection as a key skill throughout the course and you will be asked to demonstrate your reflective skills in assessments. Our School of Dentistry Clinical Progress Committee monitors individual students’ clinical activity and progress throughout the course.

Assessments are designed to be inclusive and fair. We take great care to ensure that examination questions are clear and we explain our marking approach and the use of marking descriptors to ensure that the required standards are maintained. Any approved disability allowances are taken into account in assessments.

By the end of the course, you will need to demonstrate competence to practice dentistry independently at the level of a GDC defined safe practitioner.

Entry requirements

A-level: AAA Including Biology and Chemistry, excluding General Studies and Critical Thinking. You must achieve a Pass in the practical element of any science A-levels

GCSE: A minimum of 6 GCSEs at Grade 6/B or higher including Chemistry, Biology (or Dual Science), English and Maths.

Other course specific tests:

UCAT

All applicants for the Dental Surgery course will be required to take UCAT for 2024 entry onwards. This test must be taken in the year of application. We do not accept other aptitude tests instead, eg BMAT or GAMSAT.

UCAT is a computer-based admissions test used by a consortium of UK and international universities to help select applicants for their medical and dental degree programmes. We strongly recommend you prepare for the test. There are many materials to help you, including on the UCAT website. https://www.ucat.ac.uk/

Health and disclosure and barring screening

All successful applicants will also need to pass health and disclosure and barring screening.

The University has a policy statement on students with criminal records. For the vast majority of students who are resident in the UK the record will be checked via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

The DBS check can only include background checks on your time in the UK. A criminal record check from other countries in addition to the UK DBS check may be required. Abroad this may be referred to as a "Certificate of Good Conduct" (CoGC), but the name varies.

To ensure a safe and professional environment for patients, you’ll also need to meet other requirements, including screening for communicable disease - read "Professional requirements" section.

Alternative qualification

Alternative entry

We’re committed to identifying the best possible applicants, regardless of personal circumstances or background.

Access to Leeds is a contextual admissions scheme which accepts applications from individuals who might be from low income households, in the first generation of their immediate family to apply to higher education, or have had their studies disrupted.

Find out more about Access to Leeds and contextual admissions.

English language requirements

IELTS 7.0 overall, with no less than 7.5 in listening and speaking and no less than 6.0 in writing and reading. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English
If you're an international student and you don't meet the English language requirements for this programme, you may be able to study our undergraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

Fees

UK: To be confirmed

International: £51,750 (per year)

Detail of additional costs

Students will incur a direct cost for the following items:

• Sensible shoes (for use in clinical skills labs and clinics) - Approximately £40. These should be plain, non-slip, low heeled, wipeable and soft soled with enclosed toes and heels. Wipeable dark leather trainers are acceptable. Non-wipeable trainers, canvas shoes, open backed or open toed footwear, crocs, ‘ballet’-type slippers are not permitted.
• DentSoc (School of Dentistry's social society) - Approximately £90 (5 year membership) for Dental Surgery (optional)
• Travel expenses for external placements - Students in Year 4 will be paid £50 as a contribution towards their travel expenses.
• The School’s travel policy provides further details.
• Year 4/5 Outreach placements - students are expected to pay their own travel costs to Beeston, Bradford and Chapel Allerton centres.
• Exam resits -There will be a charge if you need to resit any examinations. Please see the additional costs webpage on the University website for more details.
• Uniforms - You may incur additional costs cleaning your uniforms as they will need to be washed at a higher temperature and separately to other items.
• If you lose or damage an item of uniform, or require additional items, you will be charged for a replacement, £10 per item.
• Intercalation and Elective modules - There are opportunities within the Dental Surgery course to intercalate for a year (following year 2 or 3) to undertake an additional course of study and also to undertake a professional development elective module in Year 4.
• These options may incur additional costs, information regarding this will be made available during the course.
• Costs associated with Dental Foundation Training (DFT)
• Within your final year of study, you will need to pay costs in order to commence DFT Training. These will include GDC registration, DBS checks and occupational health clearance.

School Funding Information

The School will fund the following:

• Four sets of uniforms for clinical use
• A name badge
• Disclosure & Barring Service Checks in year 1 & year 3
• Locker padlock
• USB encrypted memory stick
• Full Library access
• Occupational health clearance (for entry to your course)
• Occupational Health support throughout your course if needed
• Disability services support throughout your course if needed. Please note, whilst the School strives to be as inclusive as possible, there may be some medical conditions or disabilities that preclude study of a clinical dental course.
• Handbooks: currently, School, course and module information is provided online. Clinical skills handbooks are provided individually to students.

Students may incur costs for the following items:

Locker padlock
-You will not be charged for a padlock but if you lose it or fail to return at the end of your course then you will be charged £25.

USB Encrypted Memory Stick (Year 3 onwards)
-You will not be charged for a USB stick but if you lose it or fail to return at the end of your course then you will be charged £25.

Student name badges
-If you lose your name badge you will be charged £5 for a replacement.

Occupational Health Checks
-Non-attendance at an occupational health appointment - £50 per missed appointment.

Loss or damage to clinical skills models
-Costs will vary, students will be informed of replacement costs for any items damaged through negligence or lost.

Clinical skills locker key
-You will not be charged for a key but if you fail to return the key to the clinical skills department you will be charged £15.

Disclosure and Barring Service
-You will be charged if you lose your DBS certificate and you require a replacement.

Costs are subject to change throughout the course. However, you will be informed if this is the case.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.

As a dental student, you can apply for the standard government loans and support package for the first four years of your course. In year five onwards, you become eligible instead for the NHS student bursary scheme.

Applying

Apply to this course through UCAS. Check the deadline for applications on the UCAS website.

The application closing date for Dental Surgery is earlier than for many other courses. This year the date is Tuesday 15 October 2024 at 6pm. The School of Dentistry will not accept applications after the UCAS closing date. We do not participate in the UCAS Extra scheme or in Clearing.

Read more about applying or contact the Undergraduate Admissions Team for further information

Deferred entry

If it is the right thing for you, you can postpone your start date by 12 months. This won’t affect how we judge your application, but you do need to tell us in advance, in your UCAS application. If you don’t do this, but ask for a deferral later, we may not agree to it.

Equal opportunities

The School of Dentistry operates an equal opportunities policy and supports widening participation. Whilst some health conditions and disabilities may prevent admission, the University takes a positive view and tries to meet the needs of all students. You can find University equality policies on the Equality Service website.

International students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK students. Our network of international representatives can help you with your application. If you’re unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Selection process

The main stages in our selection process are:

1. Evaluation of academic qualifcations
2. Assessment of application, taking into account academic and non-academic criteria, including UCAT results
3. Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)
4. Offer

Interviews

Interviews are scheduled in February for home and international candidates.

We cannot facilitate interviews outside of this period, so if you apply you must make sure you are free to attend in this timeframe.

If you’re unable to attend your allocated interview you should contact us as we may be able to change your appointment to another day or time during the interview period, but this is not guaranteed. We would only agree to this for exceptional circumstances; for example, you cannot attend our interview because you have previously agreed to an interview elsewhere at the same time.

We interview using MMIs instead of traditional panel interviews. In MMIs you move around a series of interview stations. At each station, you undertake a task or answer a few short questions, for which you are scored. The scores at each station are independent of the other scores. Afterwards your scores are computed to give us your overall score and ranking.

The MMIs help us to assess your attitudes, communication skills, empathy, analytic skills and ethical reasoning, attributes that are in accordance with the NHS Constitution values-based recruitment. Some stations may be held in clinics, so you also see our working environment. Most applicants tell us they find the multiple mini interviews a positive experience.

Values-based recruitment

Values-based recruitment is carried out across our vocational programmes. Candidates who apply to more than one vocational course in the School of Dentistry will only be considered for one course. Candidates therefore cannot apply to the Dental Surgery and Dental Hygiene & Dental Therapy programme in the same application cycle. Where possible, candidates who apply for both programmes within the School of Dentistry will be informed that they must choose one course only.

Please note that if a candidate demonstrates motivation and insight for another non-School of Dentistry vocational course (eg Medicine or Nursing) they will be rejected without further consideration.

Admissions policy

School of Dentistry Admissions Policy 2025

This course is taught by

School of Dentistry

Contact us

School of Dentistry Student Education Office

Email: denadmissions@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:

Career opportunities

Employment prospects for dentists are good. After graduating and successfully registering with the General Dental Council (GDC), most UK graduates take up a one- or two-year salaried Dental Foundation training post. This is mandatory if you want a career in the NHS. Dentists must undertake continuing professional education to qualify for GDC registration each year.

As a qualified dentist there are a range of opportunities open to you, including academia (teaching and research) and practising in general dental practice, hospital, community and corporate settings and the armed forces. There are also clinical and non-clinical opportunities at non-governmental organisations worldwide and other international agencies.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. We do this by aligning our course to a set of nationally agreed capability statements which set out the expectations for newly qualified dentists. There is a focus on clinical and non-clinical capabilities which will prepare you for your first role post-qualification: Dental Foundation Training.

We offer support to prepare for the Dental Foundation Training application process.

Our Leeds for Life process which includes academic personal tutoring and personal development will help to prepare you for continued professional development throughout your career.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.