Course summary

Our BDS degree in Dental Surgery is professionally accredited by the General Dental Council and entitles graduates to practise dentistry anywhere in the UK and in many other countries. It is designed to give you both the scientific background and the practical skills you need throughout your career, enabling you to provide for the complete oral health of patients.

How to apply

16Oct

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:: A206

Institution code:: N21

Campus name:: Main Site (Newcastle)

Campus code:: -

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - Not accepted

A level - AAA

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - Not accepted

Access to HE Diploma - D: 45 credits

Scottish Higher - AAAAA

Normally including Chemistry and Biology. Two Advanced Highers also normally required (minimum A/B) to include Biology and/or Chemistry. If only one out of Biology and Chemistry is offered at Advanced Higher, a grade A is required in that science. Candidates offering only one out of Higher Chemistry and Biology will be required to take the other in their final year along with Advanced Higher in the first, and achieve A grades in both the Advanced Higher and the Higher. English and Mathematics required at grade 2 Standard Grade (or Intermediate 2 equivalent). Scottish qualifications can be taken in more than one sitting.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 37 points

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) - H1, H1, H1, H2, H2, H3

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal - D3, D3, D3

BSc Honours Degree: Graduates are accepted onto the full 5-year course. An upper-second-class degree is required in an appropriate subject which should contain sufficient Biology and Chemistry in line with school leaver and other mature student requirements. Work experience: All applicants are required to have undertaken a minimum of two weeks' dental work experience prior to submitting their UCAS application. This should be carried out in a General Dental Practice, but other types of dental work experience may be considered. Resits: We would normally expect applicants to have achieved their A levels (or equivalent) on their first attempt. Academic achievement: Once the academic screening criteria have been met, academic achievement is not considered further in subsequent parts of the application process, i.e. additional A levels or A* results do not give further advantage. Please note that we do not consider applications from candidates who have previously commenced a dental degree at another institution and failed to progress for any reason.

Additional entry requirements

Admission tests

Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)

All dental schools are required to ensure that their students, who will have a high level of unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced check to ensure students are ‘fit to practise.’ The Dental School reserves the right to discontinue your studies on receipt of an unsatisfactory disclosure. The University is aware that the Independent Safeguarding Authority requirement has been halted and is presently under review by the government. This position may change at any time, please see the Disclosure and Barring Service for updates.

Health checks

We have an overriding duty of care to the public with whom students come into close contact. All students are required to comply with the Department of Health’s guidance on health clearance for healthcare workers. Early clinical contact means that students will be asked to provide proof of their immunisation status by completing an Occupational Health Questionnaire on entry. Immunity against the following is required: polio; tetanus; varicella (chicken pox); diphtheria; measles; mumps; rubella; TB. Newcastle University follow the Dental School Council protocol on blood-borne viruses. Early in the course students will be required to be screened for hepatitis B; hepatitis C and HIV. All aspects of a student’s medical record will be bound by the same duty of confidentiality as for any doctor-patient interaction and informed by the same ethical guidance. Students commencing the programme will be immunised against hepatitis B by our Occupational Health provider, the cost will be covered by the School.

Interview

University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

All applicants are required to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) in the year of application.

Student Outcomes

Degree level: Undergraduate

Dentistry

Course options