Overview

Dentistry combines scientific precision with genuine care, asking practitioners to safeguard oral health while building trust with every patient they treat. The BDS (Hons) Dentistry course at the University of Dundee prepares students to prevent, diagnose and treat conditions affecting the teeth, gums and soft tissues of the mouth, while promoting healthier lifestyles more broadly. The curriculum is designed around interactive, creative learning in a supportive environment, beginning with the scientific fundamentals that underpin dental practice before applying them directly to clinical situations. By the end of the first semester, students are already meeting patients and preparing for simple clinical procedures, and the course offers distinctive opportunities such as working with Thiel-embalmed cadavers, which retain lifelike flexibility and tissue quality, alongside research internships, involvement in the Dental Wiki project, and an annual Discovery Week for independent study that can extend into an elective placement abroad. The course suits those with a caring attitude, strong scientific grounding and good communication skills, and graduates emerge with the technical expertise and clinical experience needed to practise as skilled, confident dentists.

What You'll Learn

The scientific fundamentals underpinning dentistry and their clinical application

Professional communication with patients and understanding of their health issues

Simple and advanced clinical dental procedures, developed progressively from the first year

Diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the teeth, gums and soft tissues of the mouth

Hands-on technique using innovative methods such as Thiel-embalmed cadavers

Independent research through summer internships and the Dental Wiki project

Self-directed study during Discovery Week, with the option to extend this through an international elective

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to diagnose and treat a broad range of oral health conditions, applying strong scientific knowledge to real clinical situations encountered in a dental hospital setting. They will have developed the technical skills needed to carry out dental procedures with confidence and precision, alongside the professional communication skills required to understand patients' health issues and build trusting clinical relationships. Hands-on experience, including work with Thiel-embalmed cadavers and treatment of real patients, will have built practical competence that complements a strong theoretical foundation. Opportunities such as research internships, the Dental Wiki project and Discovery Week allow students to critically evaluate dental practice and pursue areas of specialist interest, including through an elective placed in a different cultural context. Together, these outcomes prepare graduates to enter clinical practice as capable, caring dentists equipped to treat patients across the full range of dental disciplines.