What does a dentist do?
Dentists educate people on how to care for their mouth and teeth, and provide treatment for any problems that occur. Services provided might include:
- dental treatments like fillings, extractions and fitting dentures and bridges
- teeth whitening
- taking X-rays and giving local anaesthetics
- referring patients to a dental hygienist or dental therapist
What do I need to do to become a dentist?
You can get into this job through a university course.
You’ll need to complete a 5-year degree in dentistry approved by the General Dental Council, followed by 1 to 2 years of postgraduate dental training.
When you apply for a dentistry course, you could be asked to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test or BioMedical Admissions Test. They test the skills you’ll need on the course, like critical thinking, problem solving, data analysis, communication and scientific knowledge. You’ll also need to have good hand-eye coordination, and excellent communication skills to explain treatments to patients.
You may be able to apply for a 4-year dental degree course if you’ve already got at least an upper second class degree in biology, chemistry or a biomedical subject.
There’s a lot of competition for places at dental schools.
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- 3 A levels, usually at grades AAA to ABB, including chemistry and biology