Dentistry

Applications must reach UCAS by 15 October 2013. A maximum of four choices on the UCAS form may be made for courses which lead to a professional qualification in dentistry. You may add one of the following alternative non-health programmes to your UCAS application: Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics, Pharmacology, Pharmacology & Molecular Genetics, Physiology, Neuroscience, Human Sciences and Biomedical Science. Please be assured that you will be considered as having a full commitment to dentistry whether you include a non-health programme choice or not. If you would like to discuss your options regarding programme choice, including adding a programme which does not appear on this list, please contact the Admissions Office (contact details can be found on the 'Further information' tab).

The UKCAT aptitude test

Please note that all applicants applying in 2013 for 2014 (or deferred 2015 entry) are required to sit the UKCAT aptitude test in the summer of 2013, prior to applying to the BDS degree. Please refer to the UKCAT website for details on registration at http://www.ukcat.ac.uk 

Selection for interview

The Dental Institute aims to select the most able and appropriate students, not only in terms of academic ability, but also in relation to other interests and talents you may have which will contribute to the vitality of the Institute and College and with regard to your suitability as a future member of the dental profession. All UCAS applications received by 15 October are given equal consideration and scrutinised very carefully by the selection panels. Approximately 30 per cent of dental applicants are invited to interview after the initial consideration of UCAS forms.

Academic achievement

You should carefully check that you will meet the Dental Institute's minimum academic standards before making an application. Please note that many applicants meet the minimum requirements and so all applications are considered within a competitive environment.

In line with the recommendations of the report Fair Admissions to Higher Education: Recommendations for Good Practice produced by the Admissions to Higher Education Review in 2004, King's will endeavour to consider other factors in addition to examination results, including the educational context of an applicant's formal achievement. As well as achievement at formal examination, King's will look for other indicators of potential and capability. In line with these policies, for 2014 entry our standard academic requirements for the five-year BDS are AAA/A. We are keen to ensure we are selecting the very best students. Therefore, if you are performing exceptionally well within your peer group, and have achieved good scores in the UKCAT, we may consider predictions or achieved grades down to BBB/C. International Baccalaureate, Irish Leaving Certificate, Scottish Highers and international qualifications have equivalent grade boundaries. 

Personal statement and reference

Your personal statement is one of the many factors in the overall assessment of your application. We are looking particularly for evidence of appropriate commitment to, and realistic appreciation of, the academic, physical and emotional demands of a dental degree programme and career. We would normally expect that you will have undertaken some work experience in a caring environment and/or observation in a dental clinical setting.

If this is not possible, we look for evidence that you have worked in a setting where you can interact with the general public, eg in a pharmacy or restaurant. Communication skills and the ability to work successfully in a team are of great importance. Your interests, achievements and contribution to your community are taken into account in addition to academic ability. We aim to ensure that all of our students can cope with the heavy academic workload of the programme and display those professional qualities, skills and attitudes that help to make competent and caring dentists. We would expect your application to be strongly supported by your referee both in terms of academic achievements/potential and in terms of your character and suitability for dentistry.

Your UKCAT scores will be considered in our selection for interview. They will not be the sole indicator for selection, but will be balanced against achievement in other areas, in particular your academic performance to date.

All indicators will be considered together in deciding who will be selected for interview. It is therefore important to understand that there is no universal 'cut off' score for the UKCAT when applying for 2013 entry. For example, if an applicant has an excellent academic background then the test scores will not play such a significant part in selection. For those with weaker academic backgrounds (relative to our overall applicant pool), the scores will become more important. An applicant who may not normally be considered on academic grounds could be invited to interview on the strength of strong UKCAT scores that may indicate potential. Also, if applicants are very similar in all other ways, the scores may be the determining factor in selection for interview. 

The interview

No offers are made without an interview. If you are selected for interview you will be sent information via myApplication. The A205 interviews will follow the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) system. Interviewees circulate from one timed station to another. At each station candidates meet one or two interviewers who ask structured questions and mark the responses to the questions independently. The MMI interviews will take place between December and March and applicants should ensure they are free to attend an interview at this time as alternative dates cannot always be offered. The aim of the interview is to assess your personal qualities and to find out whether you have the potential to become a successful member of the dental profession. In this context, strong interpersonal and communication skills are most important, particularly when you consider the relationships, which dentists need to build with their patients. If you are made an offer for dentistry you will be invited to attend one of our post-offer open days. 

EU and international applicants

There is no quota on the number of EU students who may be admitted. For international applicants, the UK government places a restriction on the number of entrants. 

Graduate applicants to dentistry

We encourage graduate applicants to apply to study dentistry. Graduate applicants do not normally have to satisfy the usual A/AS-level or other entry requirements (eg you are not expected to have AAA at A-level at the first attempt). The minimum entry requirement is a pass at A/AS-level Chemistry and Biology plus an upper second class honours degree. Alternatively, a lower second class honours degree is acceptable combined with a master's degree (with at least a merit). For 2012 entry, approximately 10 per cent of our five-year programme dental students were graduates.   

Criminal conviction disclosure

All offers of a place, and continued enrolment, are made subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly Criminal Records Bureau) check.  All applicants are required to declare on their UCAS application if they have any spent or unspent convictions, cautions or reprimands.

Examination 're-mark' policy

Conditional offer holders must supply to the College all complete examination results (including final grades) by 1 September of the year of entry. For example, conditional offer holders who initially do not meet their offer may apply for an A-level re-mark. If official notification of any change to the final grade is supplied to the College no later than 1 September and this change meets the initial offer, the offer holder can begin the programme that academic year. Without exception, if the improved re-marked examination result is supplied to the Student Admissions Office after 1 September, a deferred offer of a place will be made.

Further information

There is also a PDF of frequently asked questions which can be accessed from the 'further information' tab.