Graduate Entry Dentistry
As a graduate, entry to dentistry is slightly different. Given you have had more time to consider the career, and potentially more opportunities to distinguish yourself as the right person for the course and the role, universities will expect more of you than for an undergraduate.
Learn more about what current and former graduate entry students have to say about their experience
Graduate entry pathways
If your are considering entering Dentistry as a graduate, there will be several considerations you need to make when determining the route to take.
In the UK, there are 4 year, 5 year and even a 3 year course for those graduates wishing to embark on a career in Dentistry. Pathways can be further categorised based upon those Universities which formally accept graduates into their undergraduate BDS pathway via a ‘formal’ graduate only entry pathway and those which ‘informally’ accept graduates onto their singular BDS teaching programme along with undergraduates (typically those applying directly from college).
The key difference between those University courses who formally accept graduates is that these courses are exclusively open for graduate entrants only, as such have set guaranteed vacancies for graduates. Schools that may accept graduates via an informal route, will be accepting both undergraduate applications and graduates for the same course cohort. As such, graduates will be competing for entry alongside other undergraduates. Certain schools may also open intake for graduates and undergraduates via two separate course codes for the same academic year, meaning graduates and undergraduates will not directly compete but would end up in the same year group.
Although this may sound a little confusing, we will explain this in more detail below.
What entry pathways are available?
Graduate entry pathways can be divided into:
- Formally accepting graduates (Fast-track 3years)
- Formally accepting graduates (Fast-track 4years)
- Accepting graduates ( 5 years)