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UCAS code: A900

Duration: 4 years

Delivery: Full-time

School: Dental Institute

College: Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

Accreditation

Study abroad

Placements

Introducing BSc Oral Health Sciences

This BSc (Hons) in Oral Health Sciences is the only four-year honours degree in this subject in Scotland. Graduating from this programme earns you a qualification in dental therapy.

This degree programme offers a broad scientific and clinical base plus prepares you to practise as a dental therapist. Professionals in this field have skills in preventive, periodontal and restorative therapy. They provide 70% of routine dentistry for the UK adult and child population.

You will be based in the Edinburgh Dental Institute (EDI) which has an excellent reputation as a provider of first-class dental education. Our academic staff bring a wealth of research-based knowledge and expertise to their teaching and supervision. Together, this forms an outstanding learning environment.

This is a programme that encourages and nurtures each student's individual aspirations.

Curriculum

Our curriculum is modern and innovative with a substantial clinical component.

Your learning is split into the following four themes, which form the core of your education:

Health & Disease
Clinical Practice
Personal & Professional Development
Preparation for Practice

You will expand upon these as your knowledge and skills progress.

You will begin to undertake dental treatments for patients in your first year.

You will have opportunities to explore dental services in a number of locations. You will also be encouraged to develop your skills in subject areas you may wish to focus your final dissertation on.

Reflective learning is essential throughout this programme, particularly in areas of clinical practice. You will build a personal portfolio of work that will contribute to the continual assessment of your progress.

Accreditation

This BSc OHS programme is PSRB accredited by the General Dental Council (GDC). This accreditation is reviewed every 5 years and was last renewed in January 2020.

The programme's curriculum is based on the learning outcomes set out by the GDC. After graduation, you will need to register with the GDC before you can practise as a dental hygiene-therapist.

What you will study

Year 1

You will study:

general histology
anatomy and physiology
microbiology
oral biology
infection control
preventative dentistry
human disease
behavioural science
periodontal clinical skills

During semester 1, you will begin to develop your clinical skills in the laboratory.

You will begin treating patients in semester 2.

Year 2

Some of the subjects you will study include:

general pathology
dental caries
pharmacology
periodontal disease
evidence-based dentistry
oral health promotion
dental public health
dental materials

You will develop your skills in many aspects of clinical treatment, and continue to expand on these in the clinical laboratory.

Year 3

You will build on your knowledge from previous courses and will study:

oral medicine and pathology
oral surgery
special care dentistry
radiology and radiography

Year 4

You will be examined on the theoretical elements of the three main areas of your clinical activity for your final exam:

periodontal therapy
restorative care
paediatric dentistry

This is in addition to your dissertation.

You will also have the opportunity to work and observe in a number of different dental care settings.

Programme structure

Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.

To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme structure (2023/24)

Where you will study

Our facilities

Most of your teaching and clinics will take place at the Edinburgh Dental Institute in the University's Central Area. We deliver a blend of digital and on-campus learning.

Clinical teaching in Year 4 takes place in a number of outreach centres.

Placements

You will have the opportunity to work and observe in a number of different areas of dentistry. These include:

oral surgery
dental laboratory
general anaesthesia

You will also have opportunities to explore areas within oral health improvement teams.

In Year 4, you will attend dental outreach centres in the public dental service.

Study abroad

We are delighted to be working with the University of Oslo to offer you the opportunity to study with their Dental Team.

Exchanges typically take place in semester 2 of Year 3, however, nothing has been confirmed yet for 2023/24 entry so is subject to funding and further confirmation.

What are my options for going abroad?

Learning and assessment

How will I learn?

Teaching includes:

lectures
seminars
demonstrations
TopHat classroom
flipped classroom
reflective practice
peer assisted learning
case-based learning
journal clubs
student-led learning

After receiving positive student feedback, we will continue to deliver a blend of on-campus and digital learning.

How will I be assessed?

We will assess your academic progress at the end of each semester through:

written examinations
simulated clinical cases
assignments
student-led individually centred courses (SLICC)

We will assess your clinical progress throughout the programme through:

objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs)
direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS)

Career opportunities

Career opportunities in the UK exist within:

the NHS
private practice
research
academia

On graduating, you must register with the General Dental Council before you can enter employment.

Entry requirements

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

SQA Highers: BBBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
A Levels: BBB in one set of exams.
IB: 32 points with 555 at HL.

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

SQA Highers: BBBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
A Levels: BBB.
IB: 32 points with 555 at HL.

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

SQA: Highers: Biology at B. National 5s: English at C.
A Levels: Biology at B. GCSEs: English at C or 4.
IB: HL: Biology at 5. SL: English at 5.

Additional requirements

Interviews

Successful shortlisted applicants will be invited for interview.

Fitness to practise

The University has a responsibility to ensure that students studying on a degree that involves practical training in a clinical environment, and that leads to a professional registerable qualification, are fit to practise.

This is assessed according to the requirements and standards of the profession the student wishes to enter. Students will be provided with further information on admission.

Health clearance checks

Students entering programmes in dental hygiene and therapy will be involved in undertaking what are known as exposure prone procedures (EPP) from an early stage of their undergraduate training. You will require evidence of full MMR vaccination as one of the conditions of your offer. Before you are able to begin your studies, you must also show that you have been immunised against hepatitis B. On beginning your studies with us we will arrange an Occupational Health Blood-Borne Virus Screening appointment, which will include any outstanding vaccinations for hepatitis B, as well as checking you are non-infectious for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. A positive result in any test will not necessarily preclude entry to the degree programme.

It is the responsibility of each individual to ensure they familiarise themselves with the most recent vaccination requirements. Please read the General Dental Council's guidance on standards for the dental team (section 1.5.2):

GDC Standards for the dental team

Disability

Applicants are encouraged to declare any disabilities or learning difficulties prior to commencing the programme, so we can ensure we have the right support in place and that you are able to complete your programme of study.

Find out more about entry requirements

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

SQA National 5 at C
GCSE at C or 4
Level 2 Certificate at C
IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component.
TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition) total 92 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
PTE Academic: total 62 with at least 59 in each component.

(Revised 29 August 2023 to remove PTE Academic Online)

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

English language qualifications must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the degree you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

English language requirements

Applying

The intake for this degree is 10 places per year so entry is very competitive.

We do not ordinarily consider EU/Overseas fee rate applicants for this degree.

Protecting Vulnerable Groups

All successful applicants will be required to join Disclosure Scotland's Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme before starting the programme. In addition, all applicants who don't live in the UK, or who have spent more than a year abroad, will need to provide equivalent verification from the relevant national authority.