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How to pursue a career in dentistry?

I am a Cheshire student studying for my A levels in Biology, Maths and Chemistry and want to become a dentist. My question is what do I need to do to get in? Do I need loads of work experience (I've done a little)? How many years do I need to study for? How much will this cost? Should I study dentistry straight away or opt for a university course in Biology first? Any help appreciated, cheers
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Kartace
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Original post by DanCheshire
I am a Cheshire student studying for my A levels in Biology, Maths and Chemistry and want to become a dentist. My question is what do I need to do to get in? Do I need loads of work experience (I've done a little)? How many years do I need to study for? How much will this cost? Should I study dentistry straight away or opt for a university course in Biology first? Any help appreciated, cheers


Generally speaking you need at least 3 A's at A level including Chemistry and (i think) one other lab based science, for some unis.

Lots of work experience is always good, you can never have too much. But don't worry if you can't get more than the compulsory 2 weeks, it's about quality not quantity.

The degree is 5 years long but there is another 1/2 years (paid) foundation after this. However, learning doesn't stop there. When you start a career in dentistry you commit to a lifetime of learning - it's actually a legal requirement to stay up to date with modern techniques and attend courses etc. It's called CPD (continuing professional development) and you need to complete (i think) 125 hours over every 5 years.

If you can get into dentistry straight away then i would opt for that, if you study another degree first, not only are you delaying your earning by 3 years but also you won't be eligible for a student loan when it comes to dentistry meaning that on top of the debt from the first degree, you will need to fork out 9,000 a year in tuition fees and 4-9000ish a year for living expenses (depending where you live).

So in tuition fees alone dentistry is 45,000 with an estimated 30,000 in living expenses (Personally my rent alone is about 6,500 a year, but i live in central london)

You can make an impact on these costs by working during uni or by winning scholarships/bursaries.

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