GAMSAT UK

Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS; four years)

Course outline

The Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme at Peninsula Dental School is a patient-centred course delivered in a supportive and research-rich environment. Clinical training starts in your first week with visits to local dental surgeries and extends throughout the programme’s duration. Having NHS Primary Care Trusts as our partners will ensure that you will be exposed to patients with a wide range of oral health conditions and related community and public health problems.

Effective teamwork is essential to the efficient delivery of dental care. Most of your learning will take place in small groups, which will prepare you for working in a team. Time for private study is built into the timetable, enabling you to take advantage of the wide array of resources and learning support which is available.

Four main teaching themes are vertically integrated across the programme. These are:

1. Life sciences

2. Dental sciences

3. Clinical dentistry

4. Personal and professional development

As you progress through your degree programme your clinical exposure will increase in its intensity. Extensive exposure to patients, who will display a variety of oral diseases, as well as systemic conditions, will underpin the development of your clinical skills. This experience will develop your ability to think and perform like an expert in the clinical environment.

At all stages of the curriculum your learning is supported with on-line systems, activities and materials including state-of-the-art multimedia.

Methods of assessment
Regular assessment enables you to view your progression and development objectively. A range of assessment formats are used including multiple choice question formats, structured clinical examinations, clinical competencies, portfolios, scientific report writing and multiple clinical judgements.

Entry requirements

First Degree
A minimum requirement for entry is normally a First Class or Upper Secton Class honours degree, or equivalent in a biomedically related or health care related subject. Applicants are invited to contact the Admissions Office for advice on which degree subjects may be accepted by the School for consideration for entry. Candidates offering an appropriate degree subject at an acceptable honours level will NOT be required to sit the GAMSAT test.

Professional qualifications not equivalent to degree level
Health care professionals without a degree must provide evidence of past higher education experience, for example to diploma level, in addition to a high level of relevant work experience in a health care setting. Additionally, all candidates without a degree level qualification must sit the Graduate Medical Schools Admissions Test (GAMSAT) to be considered for admission to the four year Bachelor of Dental Surgery programme.

In addition to the academic requirements, applicants must also meet a number of non-academic requirements including a satisfactory Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Enhanced Disclosure, vetting by the Independent Safeguard Authority and a satisfactory health check which will involve mandatory blood tests for Hepatitis B, C and HIV. Students are also expected to sign the Dental School Student Agreement.

Interviews
Interviews for applicants having taken GAMSAT will, under normal circumstances, take place in December each year. The interview process is structured, usually lasting no more than 20 minutes. Each interview panel consists of a minimum of three panel members and on occasions four. The interview attempts to identify whether a candidate has the personal attributes required to become a dentist.

How to apply
All applications for the undergraduate Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree programme must be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). All applications MUST reach UCAS by the 15 October 2010. Applicants should apply to no more than four medical or dental programmes. The remaining choices on the UCAS form may be used for any alternative course. The UCAS code for Peninsula Dental School is P37 PCMD and the course code, A201.

Places
For 2010 entry:

Home/EU - 62

International - 2

Further information about our BDS programme may be found on our website at www.pcmd.ac.uk

Contact details

Admissions Office

The John Bull Building

Tamar Science Park

Research Way

Plymouth

Devon PL6 8BU

UK

Tel: 01752 437333/437444

Fax: 01752 517842

Email: dentistry@pds.ac.uk