Career Suggestion

Dentist

Dentists promote good oral hygiene, diagnose and treat teeth and mouth problems and help prevent dental disease

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

You'll need to complete a 5-year degree in dentistry approved by the General Dental Council , followed by 1 to 2 years of postgraduate dental training.

You might be able to do a 4-year degree course if you already have a degree in a relevant subject, for example biomedical sciences.

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

It tests the skills you'll need on the course, like critical thinking, problem solving, data analysis, communication and scientific knowledge.

You might be able to apply for a 4-year dental degree course if you've already got at least an upper second class degree (2:

  • 1) in biology, chemistry or a biomedical subject.

There's a lot of competition for places at dental schools.

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

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
  • customer service skills
  • physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
  • thinking and reasoning skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • the ability to read English
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

Day-to-day tasks

You will:

  • lead a dental team to diagnose and treat dental problems
  • see patients for routine check ups
  • perform treatments like fillings, extractions and fitting dentures and bridges
  • whiten teeth
  • take X-rays and give local anaesthetics
  • refer patients to a dental hygienist or dental therapist

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 a uniform and protective clothing.

As a dentist in general practice you could go on to become a partner in the practice or set up your own practice.

In hospital dental services, you can follow the same career structure and training pathway as a hospital doctor. For example, you could also specialise in implant or paediatric dentistry.

You could serve as a dentist in the armed forces. You can find more information on dentistry in the military from the:

As a consultant, you'll often find work opportunities in the private sector.

With experience, you could lead a team, or manage a unit or department.

You could also progress to teaching and training student dentists and other healthcare professionals.

Related careers

Back to course details