Gap year for Dentistry BDS

Gap years will never put you at a disadvantage for any uni otherwise it'll be vile and horrid.

Not everyone was to go straight into university (e.g me) Gap years is a great chance to relax and rewind or either to find employment since uni is expensive and not everyone can afford it. Also to better prepare you for University since A Levels is really draining and Uni only gets harder lol (so rewinding will help)

However, during the application process if you're in year 12 you can apply for deferred entry (e.g, applying for 2025 instead of 2024) this means that you can see if you get accepted into your dream uni and if you dont, you can have a 2nd chance on applying again during a gap year (you would need a reference) and then see if you get accepted

however you have to include in your personal statement about your gap year and what you've learnt (e.g your experiences )

hope this helps

Hi, this defo helps.
With gap year do you know the exact process or rough timeline? As i have heard opposite opinions on when they give out interviews ... but most of my friends told me they will offer interviews during the gap year.
is this true?
did you took a gap year?

Does anyone know if every UK dental school accept gap year reapplication to dentistry?

I'm planning to take a gap year but not sure if dental schools will likely to accept it.
Would I be less successful if I do take the year out??
Many thanks in advance

Hi, this defo helps.
With gap year do you know the exact process or rough timeline? As i have heard opposite opinions on when they give out interviews ... but most of my friends told me they will offer interviews during the gap year.
is this true?
did you took a gap year?

I applied to dentistry this year on a gap year and the thought that some unis dont accept gap year applicants didnt even cross my mind. You can always check the unis webstie before however I doubt that any uni prevents gap year applicants. You wouldn't be less successful as long as you've shown you've utilised your gap year. In my 3 interviews this year only Manchester talked about my gap year and that as well very briefly.

The timeline is identical to as if you were still in school.

So for example I would mostly likely to apply using my actual results to apply for the 2024 cycle and start the programe in 2025 academic year if i got offers. When do the unis start giving out offers is it same as a normal application process (so in Dec - Jan), but this means I need to sit interviews during my gap year

I applied to dentistry this year on a gap year and the thought that some unis dont accept gap year applicants didnt even cross my mind. You can always check the unis webstie before however I doubt that any uni prevents gap year applicants. You wouldn't be less successful as long as you've shown you've utilised your gap year. In my 3 interviews this year only Manchester talked about my gap year and that as well very briefly.

The timeline is identical to as if you were still in school.

Yeh u use actual results. Unis start giving out offers from dec - may. And yeh u do interviews in ur gap year

What work experience did you do and have you got any offers yet?

Much appreciated your advice.
But @drdent, if you are happy to share which unis did you receive your offers from after you applied through a gap year?

Most of what i talked about was kinda unconventional. I mentioned interviewing a dentist and online MOOC. However I did have some prior experience shadowing a dentist. Also talked about things I did and how the skills i developed are transferrable into dentistry for example tutoring.
I got interviews from Manchester, Newcastle and Kings. Rejected pre-interview from Bristol.
Got 2 offers from Newcastle and Kings and I rejected Manchester because I firmed Kings as soon as I got the offer