HELP- Should I do dental hygiene or take a gap year?

Hey guys, this is for a friend.

Due to some circumstances, she was unable to take the UCAT this year and wants to do dentistry. Would it be better for her to take a gap year, or apply to dental hygiene instead, then enter into dentistry through graduate entry? She is predicted A*AB as of currently.

She has also been looking into universities that allow a transfer in the first year from dental therapy and dental hygiene into dentistry, however according to stats, not many people make it through this way as there are limited spaces on the course (Leeds, Liverpool and Newcastle offer this).

What should she do???

Please help guys x

Reply 1

sarahussa1n

It would be better if she took a gap year first. If she tries and gets minimum AAA in her alevels and then completes the UCAT. Graduate entry dentistry is alot harder than undergrad entry as more people apply for it with less places and higher UCAT requirements. She should definitely take a gap year first and reapply and can always put dental hygiene and therapy as her 5th option.

Reply 2

alli_27

Yes I would agree, taking a gap year is so much worth it in the long run. Graduate entry is so competitive with only a limited amount of spaces available. But again its all up to her!!

Reply 3

sed.sa

Original post by mxchelleaa

Hey guys, this is for a friend.
Due to some circumstances, she was unable to take the UCAT this year and wants to do dentistry. Would it be better for her to take a gap year, or apply to dental hygiene instead, then enter into dentistry through graduate entry? She is predicted A*AB as of currently.
She has also been looking into universities that allow a transfer in the first year from dental therapy and dental hygiene into dentistry, however according to stats, not many people make it through this way as there are limited spaces on the course (Leeds, Liverpool and Newcastle offer this).
What should she do???
Please help guys x

take a gap year, and get some experience which will massively help u build up ur personal statement and also u would have more time practicing for interviews, which will increase ur chances of getting into dentistry. Also getting into dentistry through graduate entry is so much harder
-gap yr student trying to apply to dentistry

(edited 8 months ago)

Reply 4

ru1998

I think take a gap year and make sure they are in a good position when applying next year! In my opinion, it’s only worth doing dental hygiene or dental therapy as a route to dentistry if you do not have the entry requirements for dentistry, and then apply as a graduate.