A dental school (or dental college) is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches dentistry. Upon successful completion, the graduate receives a degree in Dentistry, which, depending upon the jurisdiction, might be a bachelor's degree, master's degree, a professional degree, or a doctorate. Schools can also offer postgraduate training in general dentistry, and/or training in endodontics,oral surgery, dental pathology, dental radiography, orthodontics, pedodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, or dental public health.
A dental school may also train dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental nurses, dental technicians, dental therapists, or other member of the dental auxiliary.
Sometimes dental education is done within medical schools, as in Pakistan; the separation between medical and dental educations is also blurred within certain sub-specialties, such as oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Dentistry as an undergraudate degree course is offered at sixteen UK dental schools. The course is usually five years of full time study for school leavers, leading to a Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree (BDS).
It is advisable to find out as much as you can about the dentistry profession before making your application. There are many sources of useful information including;
Careers officers
Careers fairs
Observational experience - contact your local dental hospital or practice to arrange a visit
Profession specific websites:
The exact entry requirements differ between schools with most requiring three good A level grades or equivalent. For further details please contact the individual schools directly or look at the UCAS website.
UK dental schools are providing sound training for the dentists of tomorrow, a new report from the General Dental Council (GDC) confirms.
Around 700 new dentists graduate from UK dental schools every year. This month, the GDC has published the General Report on its latest round of quality assurance visits to the schools. The report highlights the GDC's key findings and provides a unique snapshot of the current state of UK undergraduate dental education. It identifies examples of good educational practice at the UK's 13 dental schools and also makes recommendations for further developing the delivery of dental education.
"High quality dental education is vital in ensuring that patients in the UK receive high quality dental care. The first five years are crucial in determining a dentist's knowledge, skills and attitudes for a lifetime in practice. That is why the GDC invests substantial resources in inspecting dental education centres and why we have the power to intervene if standards are unsatisfactory. The General Report on the GDC visitation programme provides an important overview of the UK dental education system and is essential reading for all those who have an interest in the training of the dentists of the future."
