BDS in Dentistry (Full Time)  BDS in Dentistry (Full Time) University of Manchester ../webroot/files/Institutions/cover_photo/1564115975University-of-Manchester1.jpg

Our Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) course will prepare you for a dentistry career through a combination of clinical study and basic and advanced dental sciences.

Once you have mastered basic competencies in the University's skills facilities , you will move on to treating patients in both the University Dental Hospital of Manchester and local outreach clinics early in the course.

You will learn to work within a dental team to take a patient-centred approach to clinical care, practicing in a professional, safe and ethical manner.

Our students are also trained to become reflective practitioners who are committed to lifelong learning.

A-level

Our standard A-level offer is AAA including Chemistry and Biology/Human Biology. You must also meet the GCSE requirements.

A combination of three sciences is equally acceptable at A-level. However, our offer will not include combinations of very similar subjects, for example, Biology and Human Biology or Maths and Further Maths together.

Achieved A-level grades

If you have already achieved your A-level grades (and these meet the above requirements) but do not have the required GCSE grades you may still be considered.

To be considered you must have a minimum of grade B in GCSE English Language and Mathematics. Dual Award Science must be offered at minimum BB or the sciences at minimum grade C at GCSE or AS-level.

This is not an automatic right and you should contact the admissions team prior to application to determine your eligibility to apply.Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore there will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken.

Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offers you will receive.

Duration of A-level study

If you have studied an advanced curriculum, where the examinations are spread over three years, consideration for an offer will be at the discretion of the admissions tutor. We may also require further information, to make an informed judgment on your application.

AS-level

We have no specific requirements at AS-level. However, we would normally expect students to demonstrate a commitment towards achieving a broad and balanced education. Most applicants will therefore be studying beyond the 'bare minimum' in order to make the most competitive application possible.

You may wish to evidence this on your application in a number of ways, for example:

• studying four A-level subjects;
• studying for an additional AS level or BTEC qualification in addition to your three main subjects;
• taking General Studies, Key Skills or the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) in addition to your three main subjects.

We are aware that you may not be able to take the above qualifications at school or college and therefore we allow applicants to provide evidence of participating in other activities aimed at increasing social responsibility, for example, National Citizen Service (NCS) or the Duke of Edinburgh award in lieu of a formal qualification. A list of other suggested activities is provided on our FAQ page. If in doubt, please contact us.

Please note that if your school is unable to offer any of the above, they should state this in the UCAS reference and you will not be disadvantaged as a result.

Applicants with a WP/WP Plus flag are exempt.

Subjects welcomed but not normally included as part of the standard offer

Although we warmly welcome applicants with Critical Thinking, Citizenship, EPQ, Key Skills or General Studies qualifications, these will not usually form part of the formal AAA offer.

Unit grade information

The University of Manchester welcomes the provision of unit information where available.  Like all other information provided by applicants this may be taken into consideration when assessing your application.  Unit grades will not normally form part of an offer conditions.

GCSE

We require at least seven GCSEs at grade A (7) or A* (8+).

English Language and Mathematics are required at GCSE minimum grade B. At least two science subjects are required at GCSE minimum grade C if not taken to AS/A2-level. If Dual Award Science or Core and Additional Science are offered, the minimum required is BB.

If you are resitting any GCSE subjects, you must explain the circumstances that prompted this.

We do not currently accept short courses; however, Level 2 BTEC qualifications are acceptable (at distinction grade or above) in lieu of one GCSE.

Due to the phased introduction of GCSE reform in England, we will accept a mixture of GCSE grading scales. We can confirm our position in terms of equivalencies:

• A* = 8
• A = 7
• B = 6
• C = 4

English language

In most cases, we expect applicants to satisfy our English Language requirement by offering English language at GCSE grade B(6) or above (or a score of 5 in the International Baccalaureate diploma).

Applicants from outside the UK (including non-native speakers) need to meet specific English language requirements to study at Manchester. We accept:

• IGCSE English at grade B;
• International English Language Testing Service (IELTS): A minimum average score of 7.0 and with not less than 6.5 in any one component taken at the same sitting;
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic: An overall score of 73 with no less than 73 in each of the communicative skills domains taken at the same sitting;
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE), or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE): An overall score of 185 with no less than 185 in each of the scoring domains taken at the same sitting;
• a score of 5 at Standard or Higher level as part of the International Baccalaureate diploma.

You must declare your English qualification (including those which are pending) on the UCAS form.

If you hold English as a second language qualification, we will also require you to offer one of the Secure English Language Tests listed above.

Please contact us prior to application if you are unsure how to satisfy these language requirements.

Graduates: Graduates who have completed a degree conducted entirely in English at a UK institution may be exempt from the English language requirements. Please contact us if you are unsure.

At interview, if we have any concerns about your English language capability regardless of your origin, country of upbringing or existing qualifications, we may require you to take an additional English language test as a condition of any offer we make to you.

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

The course has been carefully designed to ensure that assessment is appropriate in terms of both timing and quantity, and that there is consistency of assessment methods throughout the course. These include:

• multiple choice questions
• short answer written papers
• assessed projects
• presentation of completed cases with companion oral examinations (sometimes known as vivas)
• objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) incorporating clinical competency tests
• peer assessment
• reflective journal writing.

A 100% attendance record is expected for all teaching elements unless there are valid reasons for absence. If you have poor attendance records, you may not be signed up to sit the end of year exams in any year of the course.