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Dentistry (BDS first-year entry)

Course details
  • BDS
  • 5 Years
  • Full-time
  • 21/09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Main Site

Course summary

Our Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) course will prepare you for a dentistry career through a combination of clinical study and basic and advanced dental sciences.

Once you have mastered basic competencies in the University's skills facilities, you will move on to treating patients in both the University Dental Hospital of Manchester and local outreach clinics early in the course.

You will learn to work within a dental team to take a patient-centred approach to clinical care, practicing in a professional, safe and ethical manner.

Our students are also trained to become reflective practitioners who are committed to lifelong learning.

This course is currently being reviewed and teaching and learning may differ for 2024 entry. Offer holders will be informed and the website will be updated when any changes are confirmed.

How to apply

This course is not accepting applications at this time. Please contact the provider to find out more.

Apply by
15 October

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
A206
Institution code:
M20
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Open days

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - Not accepted

A level - AAA

AAA, including Chemistry and Biology/Human Biology. A combination of three sciences is equally acceptable at A-level. However, our offer will not include combinations of very similar subjects, for example, Biology and Human Biology or Maths and Further Maths together. Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive. Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels. Typical Contextual A-level offer: AAB including Chemistry and Biology/Human Biology. A combination of three sciences is equally acceptable at A-level. However, our offer will not include combinations of very similar subjects, for example, Biology and Human Biology or Maths and Further Maths together. Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive. Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

Please contact the admissions for advice on if we consider this qualification.

Access to HE Diploma

We welcome applications from those taking Access qualifications if you have not previously studied at University. We do not accept Access courses to `top-up' A-level grades that do not meet the normal entry requirements at the first attempt. We also expect applicants to have had at least 3 years out of education prior to starting the Access course. If you have spent 3 or more years out of education but have previously studied A-levels or other post-16 qualifications you must contact us before applying in order to determine the suitability of an application. Your Access course must be science-based and you must have 60 credits overall with 45 credits at Level 3. We require a minimum of 15 graded credits each in Biology and Chemistry. We require Distinctions in all Level 3 credits. Applicants are also required to meet the English language requirements listed above and must offer GCSE Mathematics at grade 6 (B). We require students to have taken the practical element of the access programme when this is offered.

Scottish Higher

We require 4 Highers at grades AAAA by the end of Secondary 5. Grades should be achieved in the same sitting at first attempt. English Language and any science subject (Maths, Chemistry or Biology) not taken at Higher/Advanced Higher must have been achieved at SCQF level 5 (National 5, Intermediate II or Standard Grade Credit level grade 2 or above). Applicants also need Scottish Advanced Highers in addition to Scottish Highers.

AS

We have no specific requirements at AS-level. However, we would normally expect students to demonstrate a commitment towards achieving a broad and balanced education. Most applicants will therefore be studying beyond the 'bare minimum' in order to make the most competitive application possible. You may wish to evidence this on your application in a number of ways, for example: studying four A-level subjects; studying for an additional AS level or BTEC qualification in addition to your three main subjects; taking General Studies, Key Skills or the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) in addition to your three main subjects. We are aware that you may not be able to take the above qualifications at school or college and therefore we allow applicants to provide evidence of participating in other activities aimed at increasing social responsibility, for example, National Citizen Service (NCS) or the Duke of Edinburgh award in lieu of a formal qualification. A list of other suggested activities is provided on our FAQ page. If in doubt, please contact us. Please note that if your school is unable to offer any of the above, they should state this in the UCAS reference and you will not be disadvantaged as a result. Applicants with a WP/WP Plus flag are exempt.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

Please contact the admissions for advice on if we consider this qualification.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

Please contact the admissions for advice on if we consider this qualification.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

Please contact the admissions for advice on if we consider this qualification.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (first teaching from September 2016) - Not accepted

Scottish Advanced Higher

We require at least two Advanced Highers at grades AA by the end of Secondary 6. Any of the following combinations are acceptable: three Advanced Highers at AAA, including Chemistry and Biology plus one other subject; two Advanced Highers at grades AA, plus one A2-level subject at grade A (subjects as above); two Advanced Highers at grades AA, plus one new Higher at grade A (subjects to include Chemistry and Biology at Advanced Higher). You will also need Scottish Highers in addition to Scottish Advanced Highers.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 36 points

36 points overall. 6,6,6 in Higher Level subjects. If Maths and English Language are not offered as part of the Diploma, they should be offered at GCSE or IGCSE at grade 6 (B) or above. Major subjects must include Chemistry and Biology, plus one further subject at higher level. We accept both Maths options as part of the Diploma. Applicants studying the International Baccalaureate Career Related Programme (IBCP) should contact the admissions team prior to applying so that their academic profile can be considered.

WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales

We welcome and recognise the value of the Baccalaureate Wales and accept the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (replacing the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate from September 2023) The minimum grade required will normally be the same as the lowest grade listed in the A-level entry requirements. Students will be required to have Chemistry and Biology / Human Biology at A-level and have achieved grade AA.

Extended Project

The University recognises the benefits of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and the opportunities it provides for applicants to develop independent study and research skills. Although the Extended Project will not be included in the conditions of your offer, we strongly encourage you to provide information about the EPQ in your personal statement and at interview. A number of our academic Schools may also choose to take your performance in the EPQ into account should places be available in August for applicants who narrowly miss the entry grades for their chosen course.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

We require at least seven GCSEs at grade 7 (A) or above. Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education, including GCSE/IGCSE English Language, Mathematics and at least two science subjects, at a minimum of grade 6 (B). GCSE/IGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/IGCSE English Language. If Dual Award Science or Core and Additional Science are offered, the minimum required is 66 (BB). For applicants whose status has been confirmed as WP+ or WP++ using the University's Contextual Data Eligibility tool, we will accept 6 GCSEs at Grade 7 (A) or above. We permit GCSE resits. If you are resitting any GCSEs at the point of application, we require you to list it as a pending qualification on your UCAS form. We do not currently accept short courses; however, Level 2 BTEC qualifications are acceptable (at distinction grade or above) in lieu of one GCSE. Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of  our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications  or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the admissions team in your academic School/Department for clarification.

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma - Not accepted

OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma - Not accepted

OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma - Not accepted

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate - Not accepted

T Level - Not accepted

Additional entry requirements

Admission tests
Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)
Health checks
Interview
Other
Institutions Own Test Non-Academic Information Form. For entry in 2019, every applicant for A204 and A206 must complete an online information form with respect to non-academic activities. The information required will include details of work experience roles undertaken, main hobbies, interests and/or extracurricular activities, team working and motivation to pursue a career in dentistry. Access to this form will be provided by email once we have received your UCAS form.
University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)
All applicants for the BDS programme(A204 and A206) will be required to sit the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT). See the UKCAT website for more details and exemptions.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)77.0 with no less than 6.5 in an component
In most cases, we expect applicants to satisfy our English Language requirement by offering English language at GCSE grade B (6) or above (or a score of 5 in the International Baccalaureate diploma). Applicants from outside the UK (including non-native speakers) need to meet specific English language requirements to study at Manchester. We accept: GCSE/IGCSE English Language grade 6/B, or; IELTS 7.0 with no less than 6.5 in an component, or; An acceptable equivalent qualification. You must declare your English qualification (including those which are pending) on the UCAS form. Please contact us prior to application if you are unsure how to satisfy these language requirements. Graduates: Graduates who have completed a degree conducted entirely in English at a UK institution may be exempt from the English language requirements. Please contact us if you are unsure. At interview, if we have any concerns about your English language capability regardless of your origin, country of upbringing or existing qualifications, we may require you to take an additional English language test as a condition of any offer we make to you.

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

We operate contextual admissions meaning many applicants receive an offer and are admitted at least one grade below standard entry requirements. Entry requirements for applicants meeting contextual admissions criteria are listed next to the standard entry requirements on course profiles.

Contextual admissions means we consider your application in context helping us to ensure everyone has a fair chance of getting into Manchester. The data we use is automatically provided on your UCAS form.

Learn more on the University of Manchester website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.

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