Dentistry students who got in without chem

Your options are limited but I can't give you further advice without knowing your full qualifications. Newcastle, Bristol, Glasgow, QUB, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Dundee, Birmingham and Liverpool are off the table without biology and chemistry. The only dental schools that you can apply to on top of my head are KCL and QUML (both A*AA) and Plymouth (all assuming that you have biology and another science/maths). Also, why apply to 2 dental schools when you have 4 options?

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 2

OP

thankyou for your reply!

yeah KCL and Plymouth, and Queen's is off limits because they want applicants to sit the required a levels all at the same time. KCL might be the same but I need to ask. I've confimed with the other unis you've listed whether or not they'd accept me if I sat required a levels in different sittings and most said they would.

And in relation to ur last questionnn - yeahh, that's what I thought too, I was just wondering if anyone had actually done it and been successful. People ik have just been saying doing chemistry in a gap year alone could be risky. My only major concern with it is practicals though - I have no idea how I'll get my practical skill endorsed because I'll be doing the course online. I need to contact the online college I'm thinking of doing it with. Do you have any ideas though?

my qualifications so far: all 8's in the sciences maths; geography; re; English lang. 9's in English lit, Latin, history. (a 6 in pe). And my predictions meet the grade requirement (all a*; I do biology, maths, English lit and psych)

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 3

Original post by blueham1

thankyou for your reply!

yeah KCL and Plymouth, and Queen's is off limits because they want applicants to sit the required a levels all at the same time. KCL might be the same but I need to ask. I've confimed with the other unis you've listed whether or not they'd accept me if I sat required a levels in different sittings and most said they would.

And in relation to ur last questionnn - yeahh, that's what I thought too, I was just wondering if anyone had actually done it and been successful. People ik have just been saying doing chemistry in a gap year alone could be risky. My only major concern with it is practicals though - I have no idea how I'll get my practical skill endorsed because I'll be doing the course online. I need to contact the online college I'm thinking of doing it with. Do you have any ideas though?

my qualifications so far: all 8's in the sciences maths; geography; re; English lang. 9's in English lit, Latin, history. (a 6 in pe). And my predictions meet the grade requirement (all a*; I do biology, maths, English lit and psych)

Sorry, I don't know anything about being a private candidate as I got into dentistry with 3 science A-levels and all my peers have biology and chemistry, you'll get better answers on the A-level or UCAS forums. You'll always have a 5th choice on UCAS that you can use if you're happy with not doing dentistry, the 5th choice courses usually give out offers like candy (assuming you didn't put Oxbridge, imperial or UCL). Your GCSE's are good for any dental school, you could just apply to KCL, QMUL and Plymouth as you meet their A-level requirements.

Reply 4

Honey57

You could do the dentistry with a foundation year at Manchester. They don’t mind if you don’t have chem and have done different alevels.

Reply 5

OP

Original post by hungrysalamander

you could just apply to KCL, QMUL and Plymouth as you meet their A-level requirements.

I think I might do that if doing chemistry privately proves to be inefficient. Thankyou for telling me about QMUL, I didn't know they didn't need both bio and chemistry! 3 unis rather than 2 gives me a much better chance if I choose not to do chem.

In terms of how chem has helped your dental studies though - has it?? How much of it do you think was necessary to helping you understand some parts of the course??

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 6

OP

Original post by Honey57

You could do the dentistry with a foundation year at Manchester. They don’t mind if you don’t have chem and have done different alevels.

Quick question - applying for foundation year courses means you apply for the whole Dentistry BDS and complete a foundation year before it?? so you're applying for 6 years of study? That could be a potential 4th option, thankyou!!

Reply 7

Honey57

Original post by blueham1

Quick question - applying for foundation year courses means you apply for the whole Dentistry BDS and complete a foundation year before it?? so you're applying for 6 years of study? That could be a potential 4th option, thankyou!!

Yep that’s right :smile:

Reply 8

Original post by blueham1

I think I might do that if doing chemistry privately proves to be inefficient. Thankyou for telling me about QMUL, I didn't know they didn't need both bio and chemistry! 3 unis rather than 2 gives me a much better chance if I choose not to do chem.

In terms of how chem has helped your dental studies though - has it?? How much of it do you think was necessary to helping you understand some parts of the course??

No idea; I'm just a first year but we haven't used any chemistry so far.

Original post by blueham1

Quick question - applying for foundation year courses means you apply for the whole Dentistry BDS and complete a foundation year before it?? so you're applying for 6 years of study? That could be a potential 4th option, thankyou!!

You do have to meet widening participation criteria for manchester foundation year.

Reply 9

Honey57

Original post by hungrysalamander

No idea; I'm just a first year but we haven't used any chemistry so far.

You do have to meet widening participation criteria for manchester foundation year.

Where does it say for the widening participation criteria?

Reply 10

Original post by Honey57

Where does it say for the widening participation criteria?

nvm I just assumed that it's required

Reply 11

one_two_three

I would advise applying for the universities listed and then if you get in then you don't need to bother with Chemistry a-level, and if you don't then do the A-level in your gap year. I think if you cover it in your application that you decided to take Chemistry in your gap year because you decided you wanted to be a dentist then most universities would not be concerned you had not sat them all together (most places will be aware that at 16 it is hard to know what you want to do for the rest of your life).

Reply 12

Medic Mind

11

Original post by blueham1

I think I might do that if doing chemistry privately proves to be inefficient. Thankyou for telling me about QMUL, I didn't know they didn't need both bio and chemistry! 3 unis rather than 2 gives me a much better chance if I choose not to do chem.

In terms of how chem has helped your dental studies though - has it?? How much of it do you think was necessary to helping you understand some parts of the course??

Hiya,
Chemistry has definitely helped during my 3.5 years at dental school however I wouldn't say the course is chemistry heavy at all. It just sets a good base for you to build on but I wouldn't say it majorly effects your studies. It's been particularly relevant in the following modules: Biochemistry (Year 1), Dental biomaterials (year 2) and then in some other modules here and there. You are definitely limiting your options by not doing Chemistry A Level but it's possible to still get into a university that allows it and do well on the course :smile:

Numra
Year 4 Dental Student
Medic Mind

Reply 13

OP

Original post by one_two_three

I would advise applying for the universities listed and then if you get in then you don't need to bother with Chemistry a-level, and if you don't then do the A-level in your gap year. I think if you cover it in your application that you decided to take Chemistry in your gap year because you decided you wanted to be a dentist then most universities would not be concerned you had not sat them all together (most places will be aware that at 16 it is hard to know what you want to do for the rest of your life).

I might have understood your point (sorry if so!), but I can't apply this year, Im in year 13 rn, I'll have to apply next year during my gap year (for 2023 entry). If I apply during my gap year without having taken chem, get rejected, then take another year out for chem, I don't think that'd be too great as I'll be applying for 2024 entry (if that makes sense)??

I only want to take one gap year hopefully

Reply 14

one_two_three

Original post by blueham1

I might have understood your point (sorry if so!), but I can't apply this year, Im in year 13 rn, I'll have to apply next year during my gap year (for 2023 entry). If I apply during my gap year without having taken chem, get rejected, then take another year out for chem, I don't think that'd be too great as I'll be applying for 2024 entry (if that makes sense)??

I only want to take one gap year hopefully

I am not certain on dentistry requirements but can you not apply apply for 2023 entry at the moment because you can defer it for a year? So you guarantee your place and get to complete the application whilst in education (which is easier) and then relax on your gap year?

Reply 15

OP