Qualifications to be a dentist

lavandergirl_2

Macavity, the mystery cat.

brook2jack

Dentistry is ,after vet medicine, the most competitive degree to get into post a level. It is even more difficult after a first degree.

The initial degree will have to be something relevant, it will have to be a first or possibly a 2.1 and the relevant work experience in a dental surgery will have to be carried out. The person will also have to take and get a high score in UKCAT exam for many dental schools (UK clinical aptitude test which is verbal and non verbal reasoning tests etc) and pass a demanding interview.

It is a five year initial degree (the four year shortened course for people with a relevant first degree is no longer available) and as a second degree the first few years will have to be self funded there is no student loan available for fees and subsistence.

At the moment you have to spend a year vocational training after and this is likely to be expanded to two years soon.

If you want to specialise then you will have to study and pass the relevant qualifications which may take anything up to a further twelve years. Even without this as a dentist you have to undergo lifelong learning and training.

It is highly competitive and demanding so your acquaintance would be well advised to speak to dental schools admissions to see if they have any chance with their current degree of getting into dentistry and they need to get going on the work experience, voluntary work etc that are part of the requirements for entry.

zagubov

PlutoinCapricorn wrote: »

There is no fast track through dental school. Most want three As or two As and a B in relevant subjects.

Here is some useful information:

"There isn't an overall easier dental school to get into. It depends on the institution as some place emphasis on the UKCAT score, others have high GCSE requirements, some ask for AAA, or AAB with AA in chem and bio and a few that allow AAB in any order. You will have to do some research yourself, have a look on the university webpages.

UCAS - Dentistry search:
http://search.ucas.co.uk/cgi-bin/hsr...word=DENTISTRY

AdmissionsForum: great forum for medical/dental applicants:
http://www.admissionsforum.net/

Entrance Tests:
UKCAT – http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/home/

University of Belfast – no test, AAA
University of Birmingham – no test, AAB, AA in chem and bio
University of Bristol - no test, AAB, AA in chem and bio
University of Cardiff - UKCAT, AAB
University of Dundee - UKCAT, AAA (i think they want 3 sciences)
University of Glasgow – UKCAT + portfolio, AAB
University of Leeds – no test, AAB with AA in chem and bio
University of Liverpool – no test, AAB with AA in chem and bio
University of Guy’s, King’s, St Thomas’ - UKCAT, AAB
Queen Mary University of London - UKCAT, AAB
University of Manchester - UKCAT, AAB with AA in chem and bio
University of Newcastle - UKCAT, AAB
University of Sheffield - UKCAT, AAB with AA in chem and bio"

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=657205

Plus there's three more (Aberdeen, Plymouth , Barts).

Questions might be asked why he's only just formed an interest. They've got a queue of highly-motivated applicants who've been keen for years.

You may wish to find out which schools are the most competitive (receive the most applications per place) and avoid wasting your choices.

Some of the London ones could be over-competitive. That's the only sense in which some may be "easier".

Some may have restrictions.

I seem to recall some new med schools may need you to be a British national (Peninsula may be like that).

PlutoinCapricorn

"Plus there's three more (Aberdeen, Plymouth , Barts).

Questions might be asked why he's only just formed an interest. They've got a queue of highly-motivated applicants who've been keen for years."

Right: the Edinburgh dental school closed years ago.

And don't forget foreign students with rich parents... they take some of the places.

Yes, people prepare for interviews and exchange information about what it was like. It often comes down to:

"Why do you want to be a dentist?"
"How long have you wanted to be a dentist?"
"Why did you apply to this particular school?"

People who are attracted primarily by the high earnings need to understand what is involved in getting in to a school, the training and the prospects at the end of it.

My friend started by working in a Boots pharmacy, then moved to work for a dentist. This gave her suitable work experience: it is what someone who is genuinely interested in dentistry would do. They asked her for the names and addresses of the places she had worked.

M.Johnson_2

I am hearing about some short cuts, if you can do the degree abroad or even these days home learning then you have to find a dentist to do the Apprenticeship with and if you do not mind moving abroad then you can get the qualifications easier.

There are always easier ways.

I hear more and more it is possible to qualify abroad a lot easier and cheaper. Depending on which country though and if the qualification is recognised in the UK and other countries.

There are some practicing dentists in this country that have practised for years and they qualified in Africa or Asia or somewhere decades ago.

jacques_chirac

M.Johnson wrote: »

I am hearing about some short cuts, if you can do the degree abroad or even these days home learning then you have to find a dentist to do the Apprenticeship with and if you do not mind moving abroad then you can get the qualifications easier.

There are always easier ways.

I hear more and more it is possible to qualify abroad a lot easier and cheaper. Depending on which country though and if the qualification is recognised in the UK and other countries.

There are some practicing dentists in this country that have practised for years and they qualified in Africa or Asia or somewhere decades ago.

Dentistry apprenticeships only cover nursing.

I'm beginning to smell a spammer, trying to build your post count up to post links.

M.Johnson_2

I can post links already so nope.

http://astarfuture.co.uk/study_dentistry_abroad.html

M.Johnson_2

Will my degree be recognised?
This is a highly important consideration when choosing to study dentistry abroad. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information that we give you in this respect and so would advise you to check with General Dental Council about the suitability of any particular university's dentistry qualifications.

-

This is the important question, what use is an quick easy dentistry qualification if the law is changed and you can no longer practise in the UK?

jacques_chirac

M.Johnson wrote: »

Will my degree be recognised?
This is a highly important consideration when choosing to study dentistry abroad. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information that we give you in this respect and so would advise you to check with General Dental Council about the suitability of any particular university's dentistry qualifications.

-

This is the important question, what use is an quick easy dentistry qualification if the law is changed and you can no longer practise in the UK?

Then it is polite to acknowledge all those that have taken the time to offer you advice.

M.Johnson_2

Thank you very much all those who affered advise.

I would be especially grateful if anyone has experience or knows about studying dentistry abroad in English.