King's College London

The aim is to prepare registrable and adaptable dental professionals, through a university education that integrates the knowledge, skills, attitudes, ethics and behaviour relating to clinical, professionalism, communication and management and leadership domains. The intention is to produce dental professionals who are fit to practise as a safe beginner at the end of the programme. They will be able to recognise and accept professional responsibilities for the provision of high quality, effective and safe contemporary person-centred care, reflecting on their practice and appreciate the need for continuing professional development. The programme also aims to develop and equip students with a range of professional leadership, teamworking and management skills so they can work as part of an oral healthcare team in primary and secondary care.

The programmes aspire to be world-class and recognised internationally by meeting and exceeding the necessary educational standards and quality benchmarks. As a research-enhanced institute, the programme benefits from the institutional research and offers the opportunity for students to be involved in, and appreciate, the breadth of research in the faculty and the wider university.

The curriculum is formulated around the General Dental Council (GDC) Safe Practitioner Framework (2025). This is the framework for all UK education and training programmes that lead to registration with the General Dental Council (GDC) as a dental professional. The descriptions under the four domains in the framework together summarise the GDC’s expectations for new dental professionals, or ‘safe practitioners’.

Clinical Knowledge and Skills

Possesses the skills and underpinning knowledge to undertake routine clinical and technical procedures and tasks. This includes the ability to apply that knowledge and those skills to specific contexts and situations, patients, and stages of treatment including, where relevant, assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning and onward referral

Interpersonal skills

Uses interpersonal skills and emotional awareness to enable effective communication with all patients and colleagues which is underpinned by behaving in a caring, compassionate, empathic, and respectful way. Demonstrates effective teamwork and helps foster wellbeing of others.

Professionalism

Demonstrates professionalism and integrity by behaving ethically, shows leadership and social accountability. Is committed to advocating for oral health, promoting good oral health and understands the importance of sustainable service provision in the population and across communities, and addressing priority health needs for the communities.

Self-management

Can self-manage, adapt, and respond to different situations using insight and reflection. Plans and manages their time and keeps up to date with continued learning and development.

By the end of the programme, students will be expected to be able to:

• Practise safely and effectively, making the high-quality long-term care of patients the first concern

• Recognise the role and responsibility of being a registrant and demonstrate professionalism through their education, training and practice in accordance with GDC guidance

• Demonstrate effective clinical decision making

• Describe the principles of good research, how to access research and interpret it for use as part of an evidence-based approach to practice

• Apply an evidence-based approach to learning, practice, clinical judgment and decision making and utilise critical thinking and problem-solving skills

• Accurately assess their own capabilities and limitations, demonstrating reflective practice, in the interest of high-quality patient care and act within these boundaries

• Recognise the importance of lifelong learning and apply it to practice.

The programme employs the following teaching/learning methods and strategies:

• Lectures:

- BDS 1: All Face-to-Face Teaching and digital technology (e.g. digital and online resources)

- BDS 2-5 Mixed-mode or blended learning combining face-to-face and digital technology (e.g. digital and online resources).

• Participation in seminars, practical laboratory classes, workshops, which require prior preparation, High and Low fidelity simulation.

• Clinical observation to supplement, consolidate and broaden what has been taught

• Participation in clinics to develop principles of thinking and reasoning inpatient management; identification of health at the level of the patient, as well as comparison of normal with diseased and/or treated tissues.

• Self-directed learning: Narrated presentations, recorded online tutorials, online formative assessment

• Student-led peer teaching

• Assessment: Examinations, coursework. Assessment will be formative and summative. Formative assessments will, as far as possible, be designed to include dialogic feedback, peer-assessment and self-assessment linked to reflective practice.

Course Stage	% time in scheduled learning & teaching activities	% time in guided independent study	% time on placements	Credit Value
Year 1	30%	66%	4%	120
Year 2	34%	56%	10%	120
Year 3	11%	34%	55%	120
Year 4	16%	27%	57%	120
Year 5	31%	7%	62%	120

The timings detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they may change if course modules change. Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work. 

 

Assessment

The assessments may include:

Formative:

• E-Portfolio

Summative:

• Computer-based assessments (e.g.: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), Situational Judgement tests (SJTs), Ranking Questions)
• Short Answer Questions Examinations
• Tutor Marked Assessments
• Written (Typed) Essays
• Case Based Poster presentation
• Structured Clinical Reasoning Examination
• Clinical OSCE’s (Objective Structured Clinical Examination)
• Unseen Clinical scenarios & Structured Oral Test

DISCLAIMER

The information on this webpage represents the new curriculum BDS programme that was introduced by the faculty in 2025/26. Whilst there are no plans to further modify the structure of the programme (as described above), please be aware that some changes may be required in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on this webpage for updates.