Dental School in the UK

[ppflow]

Hello

This is my story. I came to the States from South America and graduated with a bachelors in science. I started w a 2.2 my freshman year but the last 2 years I worked really hard and raised my GPA to a 3.1. I have applied twice to dental school here in the states an both years I got interviewed but not accepted.

I am looking now at possibly attending dental school in the UK for a change, but I do not know the process over there. I have found couple threads and things online, but they have been insufficient. The grading scale is different and the courses description is different. I know I have to apply through UCAS but it says that the applications are closed.

How does this work ? When can I start applying. I know that some schools offer a year of pre dental. The terms in the applications and in general in the website are quite confusing and different than what we use here in the states. Could anyone please enlighten me and help me through this process ? I don't want to give up my dreams of going to dental school and I really want to go to the UK , but I feel stuck.

Thank you.

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[UEFA]

Check out the Atlantic Bridge Progam. Dental schools in Ireland (three of them), which admit college graduates from the US and Canada.

 

[mid]

I may be wrong but I believe the UK dental schools follow a different path with dental school being six years of school following sixth form (roughly equivalent to HS in the states) and leads to the BDS. With limited "accelerated" programs for those who have already earned a college degree.

 

[ppflow]

Thank you all for your responses. I appreciate em. I am looking into the bridge program. Thank you

 

[rpatel104]

Are there other programs that are recognized by Canada or US besides the Atlantic Bridge Program?

 

[Yachi]

Are there other programs that are recognized by Canada or US besides the Atlantic Bridge Program?

The Atlantic Bridge Program is recognized by Canada only. http://www.dentalcouncil.ie/mutual_recognition.php

US recognizes Canada degrees, but that doesn't mean US also recognizes degrees recognized by Canada.

 

[Yachi]

Hello

This is my story. I came to the States from South America and graduated with a bachelors in science. I started w a 2.2 my freshman year but the last 2 years I worked really hard and raised my GPA to a 3.1. I have applied twice to dental school here in the states an both years I got interviewed but not accepted.

I am looking now at possibly attending dental school in the UK for a change, but I do not know the process over there. I have found couple threads and things online, but they have been insufficient. The grading scale is different and the courses description is different. I know I have to apply through UCAS but it says that the applications are closed.

How does this work ? When can I start applying. I know that some schools offer a year of pre dental. The terms in the applications and in general in the website are quite confusing and different than what we use here in the states. Could anyone please enlighten me and help me through this process ? I don't want to give up my dreams of going to dental school and I really want to go to the UK , but I feel stuck.

Thank you.

ppflow, I was contemplating on the same idea last year when I was dating a Briton. After some thorough research, it just seems so much more sensible to get DDS/DMD in the US then move to the UK.

There are a handful of dental colleges in the UK, usually 4-6 years to complete a BDS degree. You need to work under supervision of another dentist for 1-2 years called vocational training before you can work on your own. Most dental students in the UK start dental school around 18. You might also need to take the UKCAT (kinda like SAT for college) for med/dental school. http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Dentistry_Entry_Requirements As an international student, you are required to pay international student tuition, which sometimes works out to be even more expensive than some private US dental schools.
After you finish your trainings in the UK, you can practice in almost, if not all, EU countries. However, if you ever want to return to the US, you will need to apply to US dental school and finish at least 2 more years of training. (Now, a few dental schools, e.g. NYU, are requiring 4 years US dental schooling for international dentist). So if you ever want to come back to the US, you will need to take at least 9-12 years of schooling!

Now, if you decide to complete DDS/DMD in the US. You will be able to practice in the US after 4 years of dental school with a few states requiring 1 year additional post grad training. If you'd like to move to the UK after graduation, all you need to do is to pass ORE and register with their dental board. http://www.gdc-uk.org/Dentalprofessionals/ORE/Pages/default.aspx Now, if you are already a member of the EU or EEA, you don't even need to take ORE. You can just take your US degree and register!

I hope this helps. I studied abroad in the UK for a year, and loved the idea of practicing dentistry there. However, the pay is not nearly as good as the pay in the US, especially if you go work for NHS. You will pay so much more income tax in the UK to support NHS, social security, and many other benefits. UK also will be opening its borders to millions of Polish, Romanian, and Bulgarian immigrants this year, so more freeloaders from Eastern Europe to feed. ummm... by comparison the idea of staying in the US seems quite nice.

 

[KittySquared]

Work on Isle of Man and cater to rich people lol

 

[ppflow]

Yachi thank you for your great post. It's nice to hear about the not so pretty side of it. This sux because I wanna go study there but now I have doubts. Sigh. It's not about the money , but u sure that I would have to practice for one or two extra years with a dentist by my side ?

And btw I wouldn't mind so much not practicing in America , because I kind of want to live there. And I understand that they don't make as much money there , but I am not doing it for the money but for the profession mainly. Hopefully things will work out cuz I'm already 23 and I wouldn't start for another 2 to 3 years

Thank you

 

[Yachi]

. see below

 

[Yachi]

Yachi thank you for your great post. It's nice to hear about the not so pretty side of it. This sux because I wanna go study there but now I have doubts. Sigh. It's not about the money , but u sure that I would have to practice for one or two extra years with a dentist by my side ?

And btw I wouldn't mind so much not practicing in America , because I kind of want to live there. And I understand that they don't make as much money there , but I am not doing it for the money but for the profession mainly. Hopefully things will work out cuz I'm already 23 and I wouldn't start for another 2 to 3 years

Thank you

pplow, I'm quite sure you have to undergo vocational training (aka foundation training). Here is the link from NHS for new dental grads.
http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explor...ion/starting-your-career-after-dental-school/

You can choose between NHS and private practice, but it's very difficult to find a private practice dentist willing to train a trainee. Apparently, even for NHS there are not enough vocational training spots. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8975061/Trainee-dentists-left-with-no-job-in-NHS.html

If you are lucky and get into a 4 year program, e.x. King's College London, you will need at least 6 more years before you can practice on your own without the supervision of another dentist. UK dental colleges sent out interviews via UCAS starting from November to March (very similar interview/admissions process to the US) and have already notified the ones admitted to their schools for 2013-2014. Your best bet is to apply this coming September and hope to be accepted and start dental school in the fall of next year. Good luck!!

 

[ppflow]

Is the vocational training paid ?

 

[Zelrond]

Is the vocational training paid ?

Hi, second year dental student in the UK here. Ye vocational training is paid. Fixed salary of £32k. If you want to specialize you need to do a second vocational year at a hospital which is paid £36k. Starting salary after vocational training is pretty high though in my opinion 60-70k

 

[Zelrond]

ppflow, I was contemplating on the same idea last year when I was dating a Briton. After some thorough research, it just seems so much more sensible to get DDS/DMD in the US then move to the UK.

There are a handful of dental colleges in the UK, usually 4-6 years to complete a BDS degree. You need to work under supervision of another dentist for 1-2 years called vocational training before you can work on your own. Most dental students in the UK start dental school around 18. You might also need to take the UKCAT (kinda like SAT for college) for med/dental school. http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Dentistry_Entry_Requirements As an international student, you are required to pay international student tuition, which sometimes works out to be even more expensive than some private US dental schools.
After you finish your trainings in the UK, you can practice in almost, if not all, EU countries. However, if you ever want to return to the US, you will need to apply to US dental school and finish at least 2 more years of training. (Now, a few dental schools, e.g. NYU, are requiring 4 years US dental schooling for international dentist). So if you ever want to come back to the US, you will need to take at least 9-12 years of schooling!

Now, if you decide to complete DDS/DMD in the US. You will be able to practice in the US after 4 years of dental school with a few states requiring 1 year additional post grad training. If you'd like to move to the UK after graduation, all you need to do is to pass ORE and register with their dental board. http://www.gdc-uk.org/Dentalprofessionals/ORE/Pages/default.aspx Now, if you are already a member of the EU or EEA, you don't even need to take ORE. You can just take your US degree and register!

I hope this helps. I studied abroad in the UK for a year, and loved the idea of practicing dentistry there. However, the pay is not nearly as good as the pay in the US, especially if you go work for NHS. You will pay so much more income tax in the UK to support NHS, social security, and many other benefits. UK also will be opening its borders to millions of Polish, Romanian, and Bulgarian immigrants this year, so more freeloaders from Eastern Europe to feed. ummm... by comparison the idea of staying in the US seems quite nice.

Lol that made me laugh. Im a bulgarian thats studying in england and so many of my bulgarian graduated dental friends are migrating to england now : p

 

[ppflow]

Hi, second year dental student in the UK here. Ye vocational training is paid. Fixed salary of £32k. If you want to specialize you need to do a second vocational year at a hospital which is paid £36k. Starting salary after vocational training is pretty high though in my opinion 60-70k

Hey 60-70k pounds is not bad at all indeed, cuz that's like 90-100k US dollars . Is that private or NHS? And i have couple more questions. Is there an advantage of practicing in the country side vs the city ? I heard that it was really difficult to find a job practicing private right out of school , and that most recent graduates go to NHS.