So you’re a university student currently halfway through your degree and you find research is not really your thing. You start thinking about other career paths such as banking/finance, going into research writing or even studying again! You decide dentistry might be worth applying to but have many thoughts going through your mind.

Previously known as the UKCAT, the UCAT (an abbreviation for University Clinical Aptitude Testis) is an admission test required by many universities offering dentistry or medicine. Applicants must sit this test before submitting their UCAS application. Please note, not all dental schools require this so do check their website for more information.

This is a computer-based test typically allowing students to sit the exam between July and October. Do note, this test can only be taken ONCE an application cycle so it is crucial to be as prepared as you can before your test.

Securing an interview is a great sign as it shows the dental school is interested in offering you a place. Now all you need to do is impress them even more! This can be quite scary since it may even be your very first interview but don’t worry, Geniuson are here to guide you through this to ace that interview!

You should be aware of what type of interview the dental school conducts whether it be MMI (multiple mini interviews) or panel interviews. After receiving your interview offer, carefully read through the instructions you are provided. Get familiar with how things might be on the day of your interview and prepare to your best ability beforehand!

Work experience is an important aspect to focus on when applying to dental school. Showing that you have actively gone to seek out this experience sets you apart from those who have expressed an interest but have not acted on this. It’s great to say you have thought about your decision and supplemented this with actually seeing how a dentist works. It proves to the admissions team that you are serious about potentially pursuing this career path!

As part of the UCAS application process, you are required to write a personal statement in which the admissions team will assess. Essentially, this is a great way to sell yourself and prove to them why you are the perfect candidate for the course!

You don’t get very many words so make sure you use them wisely. (A maximum of 4,000 characters which is roughly 500 words – just over 1 page). Make sure every word counts and adds value to your application.

Deciding what course to study at University can be difficult with so much choice out there! It is great to see what subjects you enjoy the most and is a good idea to do some reading around the potential field you want to become a part of.

Deciding which dental school to choose can be a difficult task especially when there is so much choice out there. In total, there are sixteen dental schools in the UK – each offering something slightly different from one another which can leave you wondering ‘which university is the one for me?’. Look no further as these are some helpful tips that can help the decision process just that little bit easier!