Applying for Dentistry? Frequently Asked Questions
I'm a year 4 dental student here to help.
There are a lot of threads being made and questions being asked over and over again leading up to submission.
It's understandable that applicants may be stressed and want to make sure they stand the best chance possible in being invited for interviews and subsequently being offered a place to study Dentistry.
I thought i'd make this thread to contain answers to a lot of commonly asked questions by applicants. This thread can also be used as a discussion thread, so feel free to ask each other questions, or even quote me for a more detailed response to your questions.
1. "Do I stand a chance of applying for dentistry ?"
Most of the time the answer is yes. You know your self you wouldn't be asking if you weren't good enough, as I'm sure you've done your own research on what the general requirements for Dentistry are. However, make sure you read the entry requirements for each dental school you plan on applying to, as some schools have varying requirements, so you may stand a better chance at being accepted by some schools compared to others.
2. "Why did I get rejected last year with A*A*A*A* and 700+ UCAT, is there a point in me reapplying?"
I got 3 interviews for dentistry back when I applied in 2012, with 'meh' GCSE's, below average UCAT, and bare minimum predicted grades. What does this mean ? Your personal statement and extra curricular activities are important too. You'll be surprised how many applicants overlook this aspect of their application. Good grades are obviously good, but most of the time they're just a checklist. Most of what you learn at A-level is not relevant to Dentistry, you only need to know the basics of human biology and chemistry to help you get started. However, if you do happen to achieve a high UCAT score, apply to the schools that favor this, such as KCL and QMUL, as you're more likely to get in. Just make sure your EC activities and personal statement is up to scratch ( more on Personal statement later on this post)
3. "Got a really low UCAT score, should I apply ?"
Again, your application is not all about UCAT. Some schools just use it as a checklist, wanting students to achieve a certain score only. Use google, it's your friend. Read on the universities websites, ring up and ask them if you have to, how important UCAT is to them. Your chances wont be lower if you ask. They wont even know it's you anyway.
4. "Which university is the best for Dentistry?"
In my opinion, this is a silly question. Yes, there is a ranking table everywhere, but all universities that offer Dentistry are exceptionally good in this course. Dentistry is something that is taught with close moderation by the General Dental Council to ensure everything being taught is up to scratch, so when you graduate you are ready for the real world. However, it is true that some schools vary in course structure. For example, some schools offer very early clinical exposure, whereas others don't allow you to even use dental equipment until the end of year 2 or beginning of year 3, and focus on teaching you the theory first instead. Depending on what style of teaching you prefer, apply accordingly. Read the info on each universities website on Dentistry to know what to expect from their course.
5. "How do I prepare for the interview?"
(You can find more Dentistry Interview advice here)
Be confident, practice being interviewed by someone you don't know well, don't speak like you're talking from a memorized script, speak clearly, smile, look at everyone on the panel, greet the panel at the start formally. 9/10 you wont be asked anything about Dentistry in particular, but rather the interview panels will be trying to explore your strengths and weaknesses as a person, to judge whether you are suitable for the role of a dentist. However, some schools tend to throw in a question to see who reads the dental journals, or even throw in a cheeky question related to something you learn on the course. Only a small fraction of applicants answer these correctly, so it isn't something to worry about too much. I can't tell you what questions I was asked in my interviews, but what I can tell you is, there are several questions which you can almost expect to always be asked, such as "Why Dentistry?". Also, be prepared to be asked a few questions to test your ethics, and make sure you impress them with your answers.
6. "What should I write in my personal statement / is my personal statement good?"
So many people overlook their personal statement, when in reality it's a very important aspect of your application for Dentistry. There are countless amounts of applicants who achieve insanely good grades and UCAT scores but fail to even receive a single interview. Why? because they get cocky and think they can write any old personal statement with their grades and scores. Now in terms of what makes a good personal statement, it varies depending on you as a person. However, the things you should be exploring about yourself are your skills that will make you a good dentist, it's as simple as that. Don't just say "I am good at working in a team", prove it ! Show you have experience, prove everything! Your personal statement should flow, it should have meaning, and structure. Make your opening paragraph unique but relevant. Try to avoid being cliché! Talk about your achievements and how they will help you in Dentistry. Use this as a basic checklist when reading through your PS: You have done a vast amount of work experience and have spoken in way such as to show that you know what you're talking about rather than just pretend you learnt something. You have shown great interest in modern dentistry and it is clear you have done research. You have highlighted the importance of various skills that a dentist should possess, and demonstrated how you have these skills.
7. "How much work experience / voluntary work do I need, and in what fields?"
The more, the better. It's pretty obvious that the more experience you have in something, the better you will be at it, and the schools your applying to will think the same. Now don't give up too much of your time and start stressing that someone in your college is applying and has 10 years worth of work experience in a GDP and 15 years worth of voluntary work in their mums basement. Let work experience be something for you to know if dentistry is the right career for you too. You definitely don't want to apply for dentistry if you're just money motivated, because trust me, you will struggle if you don't enjoy clinical dentistry. Now, in terms of how much work experience you might want to consider having, most unis ask for a minimum of two weeks - if they specify it at all. It's always best to check a university's website because each will have slightly different things they're looking for in your work experience. Volunteering shows you are dedicated to helping, so make sure you have a good amount of volunteering under your belt, in anything to be honest.
8. "Why haven't I heard back from the universities yet but others have?"
Now I know this is a pre-submission help thread, but this question is bound to be asked several times a few weeks after submission. Do not worry. Most universities send out invitations for interviews in batches, meaning some will receive their invites sooner than others. Don't spend the coming months stressing about why you are yet to receive any invites yet. Focus on your A-levels, because remember you need the grades too.
9. "I'm having second thoughts because I heard Dentistry is really hard?"
It definitely isn't easy for most. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't just about teeth. You will enjoy learning about the entire human anatomy in years 1 and 2, very similar to what Medical students learn.
A lot of things are related in Dentistry, and as Dentists it is your responsibility to make appropriate referrals to specialists when you suspect something is up. I don't want to go in to too much detail here in this post about what you learn, you can read the course details for Dentistry on the websites for each university you plan on applying to for a brief overview of what to expect in Dentistry. However, you have all the resources you need for you to pass with ease. It isn't as hard as some make it out to be, you have long summer holidays, and a decent amount of spare time at university for you to enjoy time out from Dentistry. Not many people drop out / fail, but expect it to be slightly more stressful than A-levels at times but in my honest opinion, overall A-levels is more stressful.
I can't stress this enough, only do dentistry if you actually enjoy it, don't force yourself in to doing all this for the money. There are plenty of other courses out there that can get you wealthy with less stress, even if you don't enjoy them. Dentistry is definitely not a game, and definitely doesn't pay as well as you think it does unless you're willing to put in the hard work.
Hope this helps.
Useful Links for Dentistry:
TSR Dentistry Hub
Dentistry Interview Help
Ask a Dental Student
Dentistry Work Experience Megathread
Am I good enough for Dentistry? Superthread
Writing a Dentistry Personal Statement
There are a lot of threads being made and questions being asked over and over again leading up to submission.
It's understandable that applicants may be stressed and want to make sure they stand the best chance possible in being invited for interviews and subsequently being offered a place to study Dentistry.
I thought i'd make this thread to contain answers to a lot of commonly asked questions by applicants. This thread can also be used as a discussion thread, so feel free to ask each other questions, or even quote me for a more detailed response to your questions.
1. "Do I stand a chance of applying for dentistry ?"
Most of the time the answer is yes. You know your self you wouldn't be asking if you weren't good enough, as I'm sure you've done your own research on what the general requirements for Dentistry are. However, make sure you read the entry requirements for each dental school you plan on applying to, as some schools have varying requirements, so you may stand a better chance at being accepted by some schools compared to others.
2. "Why did I get rejected last year with A*A*A*A* and 700+ UCAT, is there a point in me reapplying?"
I got 3 interviews for dentistry back when I applied in 2012, with 'meh' GCSE's, below average UCAT, and bare minimum predicted grades. What does this mean ? Your personal statement and extra curricular activities are important too. You'll be surprised how many applicants overlook this aspect of their application. Good grades are obviously good, but most of the time they're just a checklist. Most of what you learn at A-level is not relevant to Dentistry, you only need to know the basics of human biology and chemistry to help you get started. However, if you do happen to achieve a high UCAT score, apply to the schools that favor this, such as KCL and QMUL, as you're more likely to get in. Just make sure your EC activities and personal statement is up to scratch ( more on Personal statement later on this post)
3. "Got a really low UCAT score, should I apply ?"
Again, your application is not all about UCAT. Some schools just use it as a checklist, wanting students to achieve a certain score only. Use google, it's your friend. Read on the universities websites, ring up and ask them if you have to, how important UCAT is to them. Your chances wont be lower if you ask. They wont even know it's you anyway.
4. "Which university is the best for Dentistry?"
In my opinion, this is a silly question. Yes, there is a ranking table everywhere, but all universities that offer Dentistry are exceptionally good in this course. Dentistry is something that is taught with close moderation by the General Dental Council to ensure everything being taught is up to scratch, so when you graduate you are ready for the real world. However, it is true that some schools vary in course structure. For example, some schools offer very early clinical exposure, whereas others don't allow you to even use dental equipment until the end of year 2 or beginning of year 3, and focus on teaching you the theory first instead. Depending on what style of teaching you prefer, apply accordingly. Read the info on each universities website on Dentistry to know what to expect from their course.
5. "How do I prepare for the interview?"
(You can find more Dentistry Interview advice here)
Be confident, practice being interviewed by someone you don't know well, don't speak like you're talking from a memorized script, speak clearly, smile, look at everyone on the panel, greet the panel at the start formally. 9/10 you wont be asked anything about Dentistry in particular, but rather the interview panels will be trying to explore your strengths and weaknesses as a person, to judge whether you are suitable for the role of a dentist. However, some schools tend to throw in a question to see who reads the dental journals, or even throw in a cheeky question related to something you learn on the course. Only a small fraction of applicants answer these correctly, so it isn't something to worry about too much. I can't tell you what questions I was asked in my interviews, but what I can tell you is, there are several questions which you can almost expect to always be asked, such as "Why Dentistry?". Also, be prepared to be asked a few questions to test your ethics, and make sure you impress them with your answers.
6. "What should I write in my personal statement / is my personal statement good?"
So many people overlook their personal statement, when in reality it's a very important aspect of your application for Dentistry. There are countless amounts of applicants who achieve insanely good grades and UCAT scores but fail to even receive a single interview. Why? because they get cocky and think they can write any old personal statement with their grades and scores. Now in terms of what makes a good personal statement, it varies depending on you as a person. However, the things you should be exploring about yourself are your skills that will make you a good dentist, it's as simple as that. Don't just say "I am good at working in a team", prove it ! Show you have experience, prove everything! Your personal statement should flow, it should have meaning, and structure. Make your opening paragraph unique but relevant. Try to avoid being cliché! Talk about your achievements and how they will help you in Dentistry. Use this as a basic checklist when reading through your PS: You have done a vast amount of work experience and have spoken in way such as to show that you know what you're talking about rather than just pretend you learnt something. You have shown great interest in modern dentistry and it is clear you have done research. You have highlighted the importance of various skills that a dentist should possess, and demonstrated how you have these skills.
7. "How much work experience / voluntary work do I need, and in what fields?"
The more, the better. It's pretty obvious that the more experience you have in something, the better you will be at it, and the schools your applying to will think the same. Now don't give up too much of your time and start stressing that someone in your college is applying and has 10 years worth of work experience in a GDP and 15 years worth of voluntary work in their mums basement. Let work experience be something for you to know if dentistry is the right career for you too. You definitely don't want to apply for dentistry if you're just money motivated, because trust me, you will struggle if you don't enjoy clinical dentistry. Now, in terms of how much work experience you might want to consider having, most unis ask for a minimum of two weeks - if they specify it at all. It's always best to check a university's website because each will have slightly different things they're looking for in your work experience. Volunteering shows you are dedicated to helping, so make sure you have a good amount of volunteering under your belt, in anything to be honest.
8. "Why haven't I heard back from the universities yet but others have?"
Now I know this is a pre-submission help thread, but this question is bound to be asked several times a few weeks after submission. Do not worry. Most universities send out invitations for interviews in batches, meaning some will receive their invites sooner than others. Don't spend the coming months stressing about why you are yet to receive any invites yet. Focus on your A-levels, because remember you need the grades too.
9. "I'm having second thoughts because I heard Dentistry is really hard?"
It definitely isn't easy for most. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't just about teeth. You will enjoy learning about the entire human anatomy in years 1 and 2, very similar to what Medical students learn.
A lot of things are related in Dentistry, and as Dentists it is your responsibility to make appropriate referrals to specialists when you suspect something is up. I don't want to go in to too much detail here in this post about what you learn, you can read the course details for Dentistry on the websites for each university you plan on applying to for a brief overview of what to expect in Dentistry. However, you have all the resources you need for you to pass with ease. It isn't as hard as some make it out to be, you have long summer holidays, and a decent amount of spare time at university for you to enjoy time out from Dentistry. Not many people drop out / fail, but expect it to be slightly more stressful than A-levels at times but in my honest opinion, overall A-levels is more stressful.
I can't stress this enough, only do dentistry if you actually enjoy it, don't force yourself in to doing all this for the money. There are plenty of other courses out there that can get you wealthy with less stress, even if you don't enjoy them. Dentistry is definitely not a game, and definitely doesn't pay as well as you think it does unless you're willing to put in the hard work.
Hope this helps.
Useful Links for Dentistry:
TSR Dentistry Hub
Dentistry Interview Help
Ask a Dental Student
Dentistry Work Experience Megathread
Am I good enough for Dentistry? Superthread
Writing a Dentistry Personal Statement
(edited 3 years ago)
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What would be classed as a high or low UKCAT score? I got 655, with that and A*AA predicted, whereabouts do you think I should apply?😁
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Original post by amedey97
What would be classed as a high or low UKCAT score? I got 655, with that and A*AA predicted, whereabouts do you think I should apply?😁
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Average UKCAT scores vary from year to year.
The average score in 2013 was 660 whereas the average score in 2014 was 626.
Based on this information, a score of 655 would be a modest score.
If course structure and location isn't a problem for you, then I would say QMUL, Plymouth, Sheffield and Glasgow are all good schools, you may be able to squeeze an offer out of KCL. I received an interview from KCL with a score of 630 back when the average was 660. Nothing is impossible.
Make sure your personal statement and EC activities are up to scratch.
Hope this helps !
I'm not applying for Dentistry but it's lovely that you're helping out prospective dental students. 
Original post by thecatwithnohat
I'm not applying for Dentistry but it's lovely that you're helping out prospective dental students.
That helps loads thanks! Some I can't apply to because I got a B at English language GCSE :/ but that's great thanks 😊 where are you studying?
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Original post by amedey97
That helps loads thanks! Some I can't apply to because I got a B at English language GCSE :/ but that's great thanks 😊 where are you studying?
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No problem. Plymouth.
Original post by iAre Teh Lejend
No problem. Plymouth.
Nice I am applying there. What's it like?
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Original post by amedey97
I really like it, the staff are great, the course structure is ideal.
Here's more on it
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/bds-dental-surgery
Although I think you need an A in English language to apply there, not sure if they changed that to a B recently though ?
Original post by iAre Teh Lejend
I really like it, the staff are great, the course structure is ideal.
Here's more on it
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/bds-dental-surgery
Although I think you need an A in English language to apply there, not sure if they changed that to a B recently though ?
Here's more on it
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/bds-dental-surgery
Although I think you need an A in English language to apply there, not sure if they changed that to a B recently though ?
Yeah sounds good, and when did you start treating/contacting patients?
And I looked and it says:
"GCSEs
You are required to achieve seven GCSE passes at grades A-C which must include English Language, Mathematics, and either GCSE Single and Additional Science or GCSE Biology."
I got 7A*s in sciences maths and other stuff just not English language haha.
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Original post by amedey97
Yeah sounds good, and when did you start treating/contacting patients?
And I looked and it says:
"GCSEs
You are required to achieve seven GCSE passes at grades A-C which must include English Language, Mathematics, and either GCSE Single and Additional Science or GCSE Biology."
I got 7A*s in sciences maths and other stuff just not English language haha.
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And I looked and it says:
"GCSEs
You are required to achieve seven GCSE passes at grades A-C which must include English Language, Mathematics, and either GCSE Single and Additional Science or GCSE Biology."
I got 7A*s in sciences maths and other stuff just not English language haha.
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You're good to go then
You start practicing your dental skills on phantom heads from the beginning of the course
Year 1 in February in when you start treating patients.
Original post by iAre Teh Lejend
You're good to go then
You start practicing your dental skills on phantom heads from the beginning of the course
Year 1 in February in when you start treating patients.
You start practicing your dental skills on phantom heads from the beginning of the course
Year 1 in February in when you start treating patients.
Sounds good😝 thanks for all the answers. And sorry about all the questions haha
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Original post by amedey97
Sounds good😝 thanks for all the answers. And sorry about all the questions haha
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No need to be sorry, I made this thread to answer questions
Thank you for this
Do you mind if I send you my personal statement intro? I'm so paranoid that its cheesy
a second opinion would be useful
Do you mind if I send you my personal statement intro? I'm so paranoid that its cheesy
a second opinion would be usefulHi, thanks for making this thread do you think I have a chance of obtaining an interview at these dental schools with these stats:
KCL, QM, Plymouth and Manchester
GCSEs - 9A*AB
AS AAAA
A2 predicted - A*A*A*
Ukcat - 690
Thanks in advance!
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KCL, QM, Plymouth and Manchester
GCSEs - 9A*AB
AS AAAA
A2 predicted - A*A*A*
Ukcat - 690
Thanks in advance!
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Original post by urteeththo
Thank you for this
Do you mind if I send you my personal statement intro? I'm so paranoid that its cheesy a second opinion would be useful
Do you mind if I send you my personal statement intro? I'm so paranoid that its cheesy
a second opinion would be usefulI don't mind at all ! I'm here to help
Original post by Pikki1234
Hi, thanks for making this thread do you think I have a chance of obtaining an interview at these dental schools with these stats:
KCL, QM, Plymouth and Manchester
GCSEs - 9A*AB
AS AAAA
A2 predicted - A*A*A*
Ukcat - 690
Thanks in advance!
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KCL, QM, Plymouth and Manchester
GCSEs - 9A*AB
AS AAAA
A2 predicted - A*A*A*
Ukcat - 690
Thanks in advance!
Posted from TSR Mobile
1. "Do I stand a chance of applying for dentistry ?"
Most of the time the answer is yes. You know your self you wouldn't be asking if you weren't good enough, as I'm sure you've done your own research on what the general requirements for Dentistry are. However, make sure you read the entry requirements for each dental school you plan on applying to, as some schools have varying requirements, so you may stand a better chance at being accepted by some schools compared to others.
With that academic profile you've pretty much secured interviews at all places you have listed, considering your EC activities , work experience, and PS are good.
Original post by iAre Teh Lejend
1. "Do I stand a chance of applying for dentistry ?"
Most of the time the answer is yes. You know your self you wouldn't be asking if you weren't good enough, as I'm sure you've done your own research on what the general requirements for Dentistry are. However, make sure you read the entry requirements for each dental school you plan on applying to, as some schools have varying requirements, so you may stand a better chance at being accepted by some schools compared to others.
With that academic profile you've pretty much secured interviews at all places you have listed, considering your EC activities , work experience, and PS are good.
Most of the time the answer is yes. You know your self you wouldn't be asking if you weren't good enough, as I'm sure you've done your own research on what the general requirements for Dentistry are. However, make sure you read the entry requirements for each dental school you plan on applying to, as some schools have varying requirements, so you may stand a better chance at being accepted by some schools compared to others.
With that academic profile you've pretty much secured interviews at all places you have listed, considering your EC activities , work experience, and PS are good.
Thank you very much! How are you finding dental school?
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Original post by Pikki1234
No problem.
Dental school is fun. I really enjoy it. However it has to be said, the work load at times can get a bit worrying, but I feel like that's only been the case once or twice so far.
Original post by iAre Teh Lejend
No problem.
Dental school is fun. I really enjoy it. However it has to be said, the work load at times can get a bit worrying, but I feel like that's only been the case once or twice so far.
Dental school is fun. I really enjoy it. However it has to be said, the work load at times can get a bit worrying, but I feel like that's only been the case once or twice so far.
Yeah I can imagine that, which dental school do you go to, and how is it all assessed?
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