Am I too old to become a Dentist?

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I am doing an Access to Health Sciences course at the minute, and I was informed by Newcastle that they do accept Access but require Distinction grades in every module (distinction is generally 70% or above).

Interestingly, the course I am doing has only one exam (Applied Human Biology) and this does not actually count towards your final grade (not sure why this is?) although my course does not have a chemistry element in it and so I have been advised to do a summer course in it at the local university.

Thanks for the info! Good luck with your application :smile:

Reply 21

Kimberleyy1

Hi
I am new to this site and have found all of your comments interesting and helpful.
I am 21 years old and didn't really do well at my alevels. I picked media,film studies and English, none of which are relevant to getting on to a dentistry course. How did everyone get around this as I have rang around a couple of Unis, and they don't accept higher education!! Has anyone else had this problem? If not, what Uni accepts higher education??

Reply 22

UnbreakableDimmy

Original post by Kimberleyy1

Kimberly, you'd be better off starting you own thread. This one is over 2 years old. The "30 years old" OP is 33 now!

Reply 23

brahinmanc

Original post by Kimberleyy1

A few places do accept the 'Access to Medicine and Dentistry' 1 year courses (I know Manchester and Newcastle do).

Also you will be apply to Peninsula, but you will have to sit the GAMSAT (5.5 hour exam around £220) and they will ONLY look at the scores of the GAMSAT and will not look at any previous qualifications (i.e. degrees, alevels and GCSEs). You only have to sit the GAMSAT if you have been out of education for 2 years post A-level.

So you already have 3 which you could potentially apply to. :smile:

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 24

Dragonfly07

You will never be too old to do anything unless you're so old that you die halfway through the course.

Reply 25

brahinmanc

Original post by Dragonfly07

You will never be too old to do anything unless you're so old that you die halfway through the course.

Let's hope it's not whilst she is half way through drilling a tooth. :colone:

Reply 26

brahinmanc

Original post by Kimberleyy1

Also look at Sheffield's ''alternative entry requirements'' section on the dental school website.

Reply 27

RayWebs

Hey, guess what, I'm 40 years old, studying at the OU on a Natural Science degree and intend to take the GAMSAT next year. Old - never, I have friends too that think I'm crazy, but life is not a rehearsal and it beats watching naff TV when you have kids in the house you need to look after when they're asleep.

Good luck and keep knocking down those doors.

Ray

Reply 28

muchomungo

To all those on this forum. You are certainly NOT too old to study dentistry. Indeed there were 2 people in my uni that I knew of that were in their 40s. So that is by no means an impediment. But...

Please consider this. I've written extensively about the major problems young dental graduates are now facing. For those who want to know the truth, please read my posts over the last year or so. There's also contributions from other dentists. The tuition fees they now charge are exorbitant. It's extremely unlikely you will ever pay that money off..especially if you have a shortened career through starting later. Plus factor in the distinct possibility you will need to do very expensive post grad qualifications to stand a chance of a good job. But if you genuinely want to do dental work, consider hygiene and therapy. Why?

1. You can do about 60% of the work dentists do. I predict that will increase. Check out the GDC scope of practice document if you don't believe me.

2. In March this year direct access was approved. A patient doesn't' need to see a dentist first any more before they come and see you. You could potentially start your own practice.

3. The fees are often funded by the NHS (check specific details).

4. The course lasts just over 2 years rather than 5.

5. The entrance requirements are MUCH MUCH lower than dentistry.

6. The new NHS contract due in 2016 will make use of "skill mix" much more. What that means is that hygienists and therapists will do much of the work that is now done by NHS dentists. I.e you will be in demand. Dentists much less so.

7. Good (very fast) therapists can now make as much and more than dentists.

Reply 29

Kartace

Original post by Monty HD

Hi everyone! This is my first post, so do please do excuse me if I come across as a bit dumb!

I am 30 years old and wish to become a dentist. I don't have any A-levels, so am going to study Biology, Chemistry and 1 other (I am thinking of doing Psychology).

I would like to know if I have a realistic chance of being accepted into Dental School should I achieve the appropriate grades. I will have to do my A-Levels by home study and hope to take all necessary exams in June.

Is anyone else in a similar predicament to me? Do you think it will be possible to complete 3 A-Levels within this time frame? Also, does anyone have a link to any information which could help me out?

Thanks everyone

Anthony

Absolutely not, we have a number of mature students in our year, the eldest being in his mid-forties. As long as you have the grades and the drives to succeed. Then you will have as much chance as anyone else!

As for the A levels, my friend Nazim, who is a mature student, completed his A levels in that time frame, without too much difficulty.

Best of luck!
Ryan.

Reply 30

Cueboy99

Hi to one and all,

I am 42. A qualified Chartered Accountant ACCA who hasnt really worked in the profession since 2005 when i left a £50k Financial Controller job to take an extensive break. Travelled to various countries, got married, had kids and then tried my hand at property developing which didnt really really work out and was then over the last few years followed by various business ideas, network marketing schemes etc which also havent really worked out. Don't feel confident enough to get back into accountancy after such a long break. Was thinking about maybe a fresh start and studying to be a dentist and then saw this post about training to be a dental hygeinist/therapist and the lesser requirements which i found very appealing. I would need to do either a Higher Access course or Biology GCSE and A Level.

So my question is with this background and further pre entry requirements needed do i have any chance of getting on such a course as since reading through a lot of relevant threads herein i have realised that the competition for places is immense? I wouldnt want to undertake the Higher Access course or GCSE/A Level biology only to find i cant get a place. Also for family reasons my options would be limited to like Leeds and nearby areas?

Any advice appreciated.

Reply 31

SummerSummer

Original post by Cueboy99

Hi, I am in the same situation as you , after 7months from you last posted it, I really wish if you have some experience to share. Many thanks!

Reply 32

Sha31

Hi there, I am 31 and studying MSc dental technology at the university of Sheffield. I have completed BSc dental technology from Cardiff university, now I am desperately looking for the way to access to the BDS dentistry course. But the problem is my A level was not from science and my GCSE equivalent course was science with low grade.
Is there any foundation course for bds entry?
Or should I take GCSE science for 2 years and then A level for another 2 years?
I have worked as a dental assistant for 7 years where I did work on patients under supervision of a dentist in Bangladesh. I have performed some clinical tasks such as , periodontal scaling, tooth polishing, tooth extraction, filling, root canal and abscess dressing and advising oral hygiene.
Please give me some advice to fulfill my dream as i was always wanting to be a qualified dentist.
Thanks
Sha

Reply 33

toothfairy1

Not at all, I came straight from school to study and am very much in the minority, a lot have done previous degrees, and in the case of 2 people, they went back to school and did their a levels, and are 28 and 36 years old

Reply 34

Amberooney

Original post by Sha31

I hope you are not too old. I'm about to start a 6 year dentistry course I won't graduate till I'm nearly 35 from! You would have to pay a lot in fees as you already have a degree unless you got onto a graduate entry course. Student loans only fund your first undergraduate degree.

If I was you I'd email each of the 15 dental schools and see if they will consider your application or what you can do to be considered. Getting into dentistry can be competitive but the best thing you can do is make sure you don't waste a ucas option on a university that won't consider you. You say you worked in Bangladesh. Maybe you have qualifications from their they could consider?

As you are at Sheffield go and talk to the dentistry admissions tutor and see what they say

Good luck

Reply 35

michf72

If you have 5 grade B GCSEs you can do a foundation course. Type in Google n Foundation to Health and Veterinary Studies and it will bring up the page for Liverpool University. Good luck!