Dentistry — including predental year

The Dentistry undergraduate program at the University of Dundee offers a comprehensive and innovative education designed to prepare students for a successful career in oral health care. Our curriculum combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills, enabling students to become competent, compassionate, and evidence-based dental professionals. The program spans several years, beginning with a pre-dental foundation year that provides essential grounding in biomedical sciences, communication skills, and professional practice. This preparatory year ensures students are well-equipped to undertake the demanding dental coursework ahead.

Throughout the course, students engage in a wide range of laboratory, clinical, and community-based learning experiences. Under the guidance of experienced academic and clinical staff, they gain hands-on training in dental anatomy, physiology, pathology, and patient management. The integration of research-led teaching ensures that students stay updated with the latest developments in dentistry and healthcare sciences. Additionally, emphasis is placed on developing interpersonal skills, ethical judgment, and cultural competence to address diverse patient needs effectively.

The university's state-of-the-art dental simulation facilities and clinical environment provide a realistic setting for students to refine their technical skills before working with actual patients. The program also encourages participation in outreach and interprofessional activities, fostering teamwork and community engagement. Graduates of the Dundee Dentistry program are well-prepared for professional practice in the UK and internationally, with the necessary knowledge, skills, and ethical outlook to provide high-quality dental care. The University of Dundee remains committed to excellence in dental education, research, and service, striving to shape the future leaders in oral health.

Detailed Course Facts

Fee category

Fees for students starting September 2015

Scottish students

£1,820 per year of study (for Sept 2014 entry). Fees for September 2015 will be confirmed by the Scottish Government in early 2015.

Rest of UK students

£9,000 per year of study. See our scholarships for rest of UK applicants.

EU students

£1,820 per year of study (for Sept 2014 entry). Fees for September 2015 will be confirmed by the Scottish Government in early 2015.

Overseas students (non-EU)

£18,600 for Level 1, then £50,000 per year for each of the remaining four years. £18,600 for the Pre-Dental year.

• English

Course Content

BDS Dentistry is taught by staff in the Dental School & Hospital, and is located on the University's city campus. The Dental School, which was inaugurated in 1916, is at the forefront of research, teaching and clinical dental practice and benefits from being an integral part of the College of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing.

The dental curriculum is under continuing development and review. Therefore, although all the content indicated below will be covered, how this is arranged across the years may be subject to change by 2014/5. This page will be updated to reflect any changes.

Year 1

• The early years focus on the pre- and para-clinical sciences, knowledge of which is vital for a full understanding of your patients' problems and the reasoning behind the treatments you will provide.
• In Year 1, the focus is on the basic biomedical sciences of anatomy, physiology and biochemistry, with the addition of the para-clinical dental sciences of oral biology, cell biology, microbiology, pathology and dental materials science.
• The clinical relevance of these subjects is highlighted in integrated clinically relevant activities (ICRAs).
• You will also undertake a basic emergency care module and basic clinical infection control measures will be introduced in the Cleanliness Champion programme.

Year 2

• Year 2 is a continuation of your studies from Year 1 but with the emphasis moving to the dental and para-clinical sciences. There will be further ICRAs and you will complete the Cleanliness Champion programme.
• You will also begin to develop your clinical skills, with introductory skills courses in periodontology and the management of dental caries.
• At the end of Year 2, you will undertake the Introduction to Clinical Skills course, where you will learn a range of basic clinical skills in preparation for entering the clinical phase of the curriculum.
• These skills will be assessed in a degree examination to ensure that you are ready to go on to provide dental care for patients in Year 3.

Year 3

• You will begin your clinical attachments in Year 3, providing care for patients in a range of dental disciplines within the Dental Hospital.
• You will also study the theoretical background of these different disciplines and will continue to develop your skills with further clinical skills courses.
• In Year 3 you will also study human disease, in order to appreciate the potential impact of a patient's general health on their dental treatment.
• This teaching takes place at Ninewells Hospital and there is a separate degree examination in this subject.

Year 4

• In Year 4 you will continue your clinical attachments with the addition of further disciplines such as orthodontics, oral medicine and treatment of the dentally-anxious.
• You will continue to build your theoretical knowledge and undertake advanced clinical skills courses
• At the end of Year 4 you will have your first outreach attachments, at centres both local and distant from Dundee
• You will also undertake your period of elective study.

Year 5

• The emphasis in Year 5 is on holistic patient care.
• You will have sessions in the Integrated Oral Care clinic in the Dental Hospital, providing total dental care for your patients.
• You will also have attachments to a range of specialist consultant clinics.
• A significant proportion of your time will be spent in outreach clinics, both longitudinal attachments to local clinics and week-long attachments at distant centres in Aberdeen and Inverness.

Assessment in each year of the curriculum combines continuous assessment and an end-of-year examination.

Years 1 and 2

• In Years 1 and 2, your continuous assessment grade is derived from integrated class examinations at the end of each semester and contributes 30% towards your overall grade for the year.
• The end-of-year examination is also integrated, with written and practical elements, and contributes 70%.

Years 3 and 4

From Year 3, continuous assessment has academic and clinical components. You will continue to be assessed academically by examinations and your clinical activity will be graded at each clinical session. This helps us identify students who may require extra support and put such help in place for them.

In Years 3 and 4, continuous assessment forms 25% and 20% respectively of your overall grade.

Year 5

In year 5, continuous assessment contributes 30% to the assessment of knowledge component of the final examination.

In addition

In addition, the Dental School is keen that you develop the attributes of a professional practitioner from the outset, therefore your professionalism will be monitored at every compulsory teaching and/or clinical activity throughout the curriculum.

Requirements

See Course homepage for Full Details

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Dundee.

Accreditation

Professional Accreditation:

This programme is registrable with the professional governing body for dentistry in the UK, the General Dental Council (GDC)