Career Suggestion

Dentist

Dentists diagnose and treat teeth and gum problems and help prevent dental disease. They also promote good oral hygiene.

Average salary (a year)

£55000.0 to £117000.0 (starter to experienced)

Typical hours (a week)

37.0 to 40.0

You could work

as a contractor / self-employed managing your own hours

You can get into this job through a university course.

University

Your first step is to complete a 5-year degree course at one of several dental schools located around the country. The schools are approved by the General Dental Council.

This is followed by 2 years of supervised postgraduate dental training in different workplace settings.

You might be able to do a 4-year degree course if you already have a degree in a related subject, for example:

  • biomedical science
  • human biology
  • biochemistry

When you apply for a course in dentistry, you may be asked to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) .

It tests for skills you'll need on the course, such as:

  • critical thinking
  • problem solving
  • data analysis
  • decision making

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 3 A levels, or equivalent, including biology and chemistry

More Information

  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
  • university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/
  • University Clinical Aptitude Test|https://www.ucat.ac.uk/

More Information

Registrations

you'll need to register with the General Dental Council

Career Tips

Dentistry is a very popular career choice and there is a lot of competition for places at dental schools.

Once qualified, you can work in many different areas, including:

  • general practice
  • hospital dentistry
  • forensics
  • the armed forces

Further Information

You can find out more about becoming a dentist from the British Dental Association and Health Careers .

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • knowledge of medicine and dentistry
  • knowledge of biology
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
  • the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
  • customer service skills
  • complex problem-solving skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

Day-to-day tasks

As a dentist, you could:

  • see patients for routine checkups and cleaning
  • examine teeth and gums to check for problems
  • use X-rays and scans to build a picture of a patient's teeth, gums and jaw
  • plan a course of treatment with the patient
  • carry out procedures like fillings, crowns and extractions
  • take impressions to fit dentures, implants and bridges
  • apply cosmetic treatments like teeth whitening and veneers
  • work closely with a dental team of nurses, hygienists and therapists
  • provide advice to patients on good dental care

Working environment

You could work at a dental practice, at a health centre or in an NHS or private hospital.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

As a dentist in the NHS or private practice, you could go on to become a partner or set up your own clinic.

In hospital dental services, you could follow the same career structure and training pathway as a hospital doctor. For example, you could specialise in implants, child dentistry or orthodontics. You could also become a dental consultant and manage a dental unit or department.

Other options include going into clinical teaching, or serving in the armed forces:

Related careers

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