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The Official "Which Dental School Should I Apply To?" Thread

This is a thread for all prospective dental students and hopeful applicants to post their academic + UCAT stats if unsure or confused about where to apply and want some advice.

Ask any questions you might have about applying to dental schools here. Please give details about your GCSE grades, UCAT score with SJT band and A Level predictions.

Click here for details on standard dentistry entry requirements.

Click here for graduate dentistry entry requirements.
Click here for pre-dental/ gateway entry requirements.
Click here for alternative dentistry entry requirements.
Click here to read a useful dentistry applicant FAQ.

The 2021 interim UCAT test statistics can be accessed here.


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(edited 2 years ago)

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I’m a graduate considering to apply to pure undergrad courses.

I got 648 average and band 2 SJ, predicted 1st in my degree.

Can I apply to undergrad Dundee, Newcastle, Queen Mary, Cardiff and KCL?

And is grad entry not viable if UCAT is below 700?
Original post by GotAQQuestion
I’m a graduate considering to apply to pure undergrad courses.

I got 648 average and band 2 SJ, predicted 1st in my degree.

Can I apply to undergrad Dundee, Newcastle, Queen Mary, Cardiff and KCL?

And is grad entry not viable if UCAT is below 700?

- Barts: yes you can apply, but your ucat score might weaken you application because Barts rank graduates against each other (not against undergrads) and there aren't much places granted to graduates per year (there are <10 grads in my year out of 64 and some have postgrad qualifications too)

- KCL: Yes, make sure you have grade B in bio or chem in your 1st subject and B in bio/chem/physics/maths in 2nd subject at A Level.

- Cardiff: yes, but they also take into account pre-university qualifications too (GCSEs, A Levels) so bear this mind

- Newcastle: they use a UCAT cut off which typically has been 637-650 so this could be a risky choice if the cut-off is 650 this year or higher

- Dundee: yes

As for graduates needing 700 or more in UCAT, I have never personally heard of this. Don't base what you've heard about medicine entry to dentistry as the admissions process varies, even within the same universities. You could possibly email and ask, but be prepared to not have any responses as some universities specify they don't respond to these types of requests.
I think you just apply and see how it goes - there isn't any harm in doing so.
Original post by Mesopotamian.
- Barts: yes you can apply, but your ucat score might weaken you application because Barts rank graduates against each other (not against undergrads) and there aren't much places granted to graduates per year (there are <10 grads in my year out of 64 and some have postgrad qualifications too)

- KCL: Yes, make sure you have grade B in bio or chem in your 1st subject and B in bio/chem/physics/maths in 2nd subject at A Level.

- Cardiff: yes, but they also take into account pre-university qualifications too (GCSEs, A Levels) so bear this mind

- Newcastle: they use a UCAT cut off which typically has been 637-650 so this could be a risky choice if the cut-off is 650 this year or higher

- Dundee: yes

As for graduates needing 700 or more in UCAT, I have never personally heard of this. Don't base what you've heard about medicine entry to dentistry as the admissions process varies, even within the same universities. You could possibly email and ask, but be prepared to not have any responses as some universities specify they don't respond to these types of requests.
I think you just apply and see how it goes - there isn't any harm in doing so.


I reckon I'm just gonna apply to those 5 then, as grad entry has less spaces and is more comp.

Barts will be the most risky as I'm based off to other graduates. I do meet KCL requirements, cardiff may weaken me since i only got BBB at a level and 4 A 6B at GCSE. And newcastle, I will have to pray it's not above 650 aha.

Dundee, Newcastle and KCL are my best hopes :smile: also can you PM me to read my personal statement please?
Original post by GotAQQuestion
I reckon I'm just gonna apply to those 5 then, as grad entry has less spaces and is more comp.

Barts will be the most risky as I'm based off to other graduates. I do meet KCL requirements, cardiff may weaken me since i only got BBB at a level and 4 A 6B at GCSE. And newcastle, I will have to pray it's not above 650 aha.

Dundee, Newcastle and KCL are my best hopes :smile: also can you PM me to read my personal statement please?

Are graduates allowed to apply to 5 dental schools? Undergrads can only have 4 dentistry options, not sure if it's the same for grads...

Sure, you can PM me your personal statement, but I'm a little busy at the moment so I might not get back to you for a few days
Also, if you want a second opinion, TSR review personal statements for free here - you need to click start new discussion and copy+paste your PS into the box (the forum looks empty to you intentionally).
Original post by Mesopotamian.
Are graduates allowed to apply to 5 dental schools? Undergrads can only have 4 dentistry options, not sure if it's the same for grads...

Sure, you can PM me your personal statement, but I'm a little busy at the moment so I might not get back to you for a few days
Also, if you want a second opinion, TSR review personal statements for free here - you need to click start new discussion and copy+paste your PS into the box (the forum looks empty to you intentionally).


Honestly, I don't know whether it's 5 or 4? I guessed it would be 5 but do you know where I can find it out?

Oh yeah I heard about that free service, i'll PM you it now though :smile:
Original post by GotAQQuestion
Honestly, I don't know whether it's 5 or 4? I guessed it would be 5 but do you know where I can find it out?

Oh yeah I heard about that free service, i'll PM you it now though :smile:

This link (scroll to the bottom) says 4 dental schools but doesn’t specify between undergrad/ grad applicants so I assume it’s the same.
Original post by Mesopotamian.
This link (scroll to the bottom) says 4 dental schools but doesn’t specify between undergrad/ grad applicants so I assume it’s the same.

Yeah I asked a medic and they said it's only 4 too.

I'm most likely going not going to apply to Barts since they don't accept many graduates but i'm awaiting a response from KCL and Cardiff too :smile:
Hi my GCSEs are 4A*5A 6, a levels AAA, ucat 2820 band 1. I was thinking of newcastle, manchester, sheffield and glasgow. Would these be good choices for my stats? x
Original post by m.melville
Hi my GCSEs are 4A*5A 6, a levels AAA, ucat 2820 band 1. I was thinking of newcastle, manchester, sheffield and glasgow. Would these be good choices for my stats? x

You're stats are good enough for all those universities. Just to double check, have you resat any GCSEs or A Levels and is this your first time applying for dentistry or are you reapplying?
Original post by Mesopotamian.
You're stats are good enough for all those universities. Just to double check, have you resat any GCSEs or A Levels and is this your first time applying for dentistry or are you reapplying?

Yeah it's my first time applying and I haven't resat anything, got my results this summer
Original post by m.melville
Yeah it's my first time applying and I haven't resat anything, got my results this summer

Great, you’re good to apply to those schools then
AAA A-Level Grades plus A in EPQ 9999988A*A*A* GCSE grades 2530 UCAT with band 1 sjt. can i apply to cardiff, manchester and plymouth? are these good choices given my low ucat. i’m applying to kings again cos i’m doing the autumn exam to get an A* so i don’t need the ucat for kings but for the other three?
Hello,

I'm in year 13 this year and hoping to apply to dentistry this year.

GCSES:

Maths - 8
Biology - 9
Chemistry - 9
Physics - 9
English lit - 7
English language - 7
History - 9
RE - 9
computer science - 8
Geography - 7
French - 3 lol

UCAT:

2810 and Band 2


I will be predicted AAA

I'm not sure where to apply any advice would be helpful

Thanks in advance
Original post by user2105
AAA A-Level Grades plus A in EPQ 9999988A*A*A* GCSE grades 2530 UCAT with band 1 sjt. can i apply to cardiff, manchester and plymouth? are these good choices given my low ucat. i’m applying to kings again cos i’m doing the autumn exam to get an A* so i don’t need the ucat for kings but for the other three?

What do you mean by the bit in bold? KCL will use your new UCAT score, not the one you had last year. Also they require A*AA and you've only got AAA so you'll be rejected instantly.

Plymouth also require A*AA so you can't apply there.
Cardiff and Manchester are okay.
Original post by examjunk22
where should I apply with 2810 band 2 ucat
gcse 8888777777B5
and aab ucas grades (which I am working on increasing:frown: ) so I'm looking at aaa maximum requirements
and my careers advisor said my personal statement is 'good to go'

What is your GCSE B and 5 in?
Unless you can get AAA predicted, you won't meet the A Level requirements for any dental school, unless you are eligible for contextual offers.
If you can get it to AAA and assuming the B and 5 are not in the science/maths/English, you can apply to any dental school except those asking for A*AA (which is KCL, Barts and Plymouth)
Original post by Josh burns
Hello,

I'm in year 13 this year and hoping to apply to dentistry this year.

GCSES:

Maths - 8
Biology - 9
Chemistry - 9
Physics - 9
English lit - 7
English language - 7
History - 9
RE - 9
computer science - 8
Geography - 7
French - 3 lol

UCAT:

2810 and Band 2


I will be predicted AAA

I'm not sure where to apply any advice would be helpful

Thanks in advance

Your stats are good and you have a strong UCAT too so you could apply anywhere you wanted really except those asking for A*AA (KCL, Barts, Plymouth). Are then any dental schools which interest you, or particular cities you'd like to study in? Maybe have a look around dental school websites and read up about how they teach their courses - you might like the style of teaching better in certain schools over others
Original post by Mesopotamian.
Your stats are good and you have a strong UCAT too so you could apply anywhere you wanted really except those asking for A*AA (KCL, Barts, Plymouth). Are then any dental schools which interest you, or particular cities you'd like to study in? Maybe have a look around dental school websites and read up about how they teach their courses - you might like the style of teaching better in certain schools over others

i wanted to go birmingham but the thing is ive lost the contextual scores already so im not sure if i should apply to somewhere where its easier or not
Original post by Josh burns
i wanted to go birmingham but the thing is ive lost the contextual scores already so im not sure if i should apply to somewhere where its easier or not

What do you mean you’ve “lost the contextual scores”?
No place will be “easier” - dentistry is highly competitive and therefore highly unpredictable so if you’ve got stable statistics (which you do) my advice is to just apply to dental schools you’d feel happy being a student of for 5 years.
Original post by Mesopotamian.
What do you mean you’ve “lost the contextual scores”?
No place will be “easier” - dentistry is highly competitive and therefore highly unpredictable so if you’ve got stable statistics (which you do) my advice is to just apply to dental schools you’d feel happy being a student of for 5 years.

Like for medicine to be selected for UOBs interview 20 percent is contexual so i thought it would be the same for dentistry.

Also i thought unis like newcastle and bristol is ucat heavy which would mean itll be more strategic to apply there. ( I'm sorry this statement is on the assumption that its the same for both medicine and dentistry)

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