| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-09-19 | - |
Program Overview
Gateway to Dentistry is aimed at students who have the potential to become dentists but do not meet the academic entry criteria to apply directly to our five-year undergraduate BDS Dentistry course. Our Gateway courses are widening participation initiatives for UK students who fulfil specific criteria and wish to apply for a clinical course in dentistry, medicine or veterinary science.
During the Gateway year, students will learn alongside each other, benefiting from shared interprofessional insight and the unique community of Bristol's medical, dental and veterinary schools. Students will be taught by academic teachers who are scientists and clinicians.
The Gateway course builds on core basic sciences underpinning clinical subjects (chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, anatomy and physiology). It encourages reflection and places emphasis on personal and professional development; strengthens practical, statistics, research and library skills; and considers attributes and behaviours that enable successful transition to university study. Successful completion of the Gateway year allows automatic progression onto BDS Dentistry.
Eligibility
This course is open to applicants from specific schools and colleges in the UK only and/or to those who have spent three months or more in care.
For further information, visit contextual offers.
International students may be eligible for the International Foundation Programme for Dentistry.
The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT, formerly UKCAT) is required for admission to this course. You may be eligible for a UCAT bursary to cover the cost of taking the test; please visit www.ucat.ac.uk for more information. The course admissions statement will provide full details and will be available online by September 2023.
Health and Disclosure and Barring Service check
Certain health conditions may be incompatible with careers in dentistry. Before starting your degree you will need to complete a health assessment questionnaire and pre-course screening for blood-borne viruses; find out more about pre-course occupational health information.
In accordance with General Dental Council guidelines on fitness to practice, all dental students are required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, in line with other health-related courses in the UK.
Please note that as part of your training you will come into contact with human and animal cadaveric material.
Program Outline
Please note:
It is possible that the information shown for future academic years may change due to developments in the relevant academic field. Optional unit availability varies depending on both staffing, student choice and timetabling constraints.
This section describes which Units you will take in which year of study. It indicates which units are mandatory and where you will be able to choose. The overall pass marks you will need to achieve in order to progress or achieve an award are shown. The full regulations concerning progression and completion are held in the University's Regulations and Code of Practice. Any particular aspects of your programme that are unusual will be highlighted. If any Units are must pass this will be shown below. The linked unit specifications detail any additional requirements.
Year 1 (2024/25 entry cohort)
This is a six year programme. The first year is as described and then the following five years are as outlined in the BDS programme specification.
| Unit name | Unit code | Credit points | Status | Teaching Block |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundations in Bioscience I: Molecules to Cells | ANAT10003 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
| Foundations in Bioscience II: Tissues to Organisms | ANAT10004 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
| Personal and Professional Development | ANAT10007 | 40 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
| Foundation Chemistry | CHEM10017 | 40 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
| Gateway to Dentistry (BDS) | 120 |
Progression/award requirements
Unit Pass Mark for Professional Programmes (MBChB, BDS, BVSc): 50 out of 100
For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
Please refer to the specific progression/award requirements for Gateway programmes.
Exit awards
All undergraduate degree programmes allow the opportunity for a student to exit from a programme with a Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education.
Integrated Master's degrees may also allow the opportunity for a student to exit from the programme with an equivalent Bachelor's degree where a student has achieved 360 credit points, of which 90 must be at level 6, and has successfully met any additional criteria as described in the programme specification.
The opportunities for a student to exit from one of the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry with an Award is outlined in the relevant Programme Regulations (which are available as an annex in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes).
Degree classifications:
The pass mark for the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine and Dentistry is 50 out of 100. The classification of a degree in the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry is provided in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
Additional progress information
A student who has completed the first year of one of the Gateway programmes by passing all the requisite units, but does not proceed onto the next year of study, will be eligible for the award of a Certificate of Higher Education in Gateway to Dentistry.
Course structure
Your studies will include:
