Program Overview

---

Enhanced Support Dentistry Programme BDS

Key Information

• Course type: Single honours
• Delivery mode: In person
• Study mode: Full time
• Required A-level: AAB
• Full entry requirements, including contextual requirements
• Duration: Five years
• Application status: Closed
• Start date: September 2025
• Application deadline: 15 October 2024

Course Description

The Enhanced Support Dentistry Programme is an opportunity for talented students from non-selective state schools within a London borough to pursue a career in dentistry. Students receive additional academic support whilst following the standard five-year Dentistry BDS course. This combines the very latest thinking in dental education with early clinical experience. You will be taught by internationally-renowned staff and exposed to a rich breadth of skills and knowledge in a diverse clinical environment.

Key Benefits

• Evidence-based and research-led degree course with a high level of clinical experience in all areas
• Global recognition of teaching excellence (Dentistry at King’s is ranked 1st in the UK and 4th in the world - QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025)
• State-of-the-art clinical, simulation (both low fidelity phantom head simulation and high fidelity augmented reality haptic simulation) and technical facilities
• Largest dental school in the UK with partnerships with world-famous Guy's, King's College and St Thomas' Hospitals, graduating around 150 dentists a year
• Taught alongside Dental Therapy & Hygiene students
• Opportunity to intercalate a BSc degree
• Dedicated enhanced support Personal Tutor and additional study skills provided where needed

Course Essentials

Base Campuses

• Guy’s Campus: The Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, and the Institute of Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience are based at the riverside Guy's Campus, next to the Shard.
• Denmark Hill Campus: Home to the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.
• St Thomas’ Campus: Located near Waterloo Campus and home of continuing medical and dental teaching, as well as a museum dedicated to Florence Nightingale.
• Waterloo Campus: Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties
• Strand Campus: Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

Additional Locations

• Clinical placements are currently based at: Guy’s Hospital; University of Portsmouth Dental Academy; King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill and West Norwood Health & Leisure Centre; Queen Mary Hospital (Sidcup); Community Clinics as part of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Entry Requirements

Subject Requirements

• Required subjects: A-level (or equivalent) grade A in Biology or Chemistry, in addition to grade B in one of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology.
• Preferred subjects: None.

A-Levels

• Required grades: AAB
• Must include grade A in Biology or Chemistry, in addition to grade B in one of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

• 35 points overall or an aggregate score of 17 from three Higher Levels.
• Must include grade 6 in Higher Level Biology or Chemistry, in addition to grade 5 in Higher Level in one of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology.

GCSE/IGCSE Requirements

• English Language and Mathematics grade 6/B.

University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

• All applicants are required to sit the UCAT (previously known as UKCAT), prior to applying to this programme, and the UCAT must be taken the same year you apply in order to be valid.

Eligibility for the ESDP

• To be eligible to be considered for the Enhanced Support Dentistry Programme, you must have attended only non-selective state education within a London borough as determined by the UK government’s Department for Education (DfE), since the age of 11.

Alternative Accepted Qualifications

• Access to Higher Education Diploma
• BTEC Nationals/CTECs
• Cambridge Pre-U
• European Baccalaureate
• Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers

International Applicants

• Equivalent International qualifications
• English language requirements: English language band: B

Selection Process

• Applications are ranked based on GCSE/IGCSE performance, UCAT score and contextual information.
• The interview period generally runs from December to March, and we aim to send out invites via King's Apply with at least two weeks notice of an interview date.

Teaching Methods

• Supervised clinical practice
• Classroom-based learning
• Clinical skills simulation
• Independent study

Assessment

• Course Work
• Written/Practical Examinations
• Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations and there are ongoing competence-based simulation or clinical assessments throughout the programme which must be passed prior to progress to the next level.

Structure

• The programme is divided into modules. You will normally take modules totaling 780 credits over 5 years.
• Year one comprises modules totaling 120 credits
• Year two comprises modules totaling 120 credits
• Year three comprises modules totaling 180 credits
• Year four comprises modules totaling 180 credits
• Year five comprises modules totaling 180 credits

Required Modules

• Biomedicine in Relation to Dentistry I (30 credits)
• Biomedicine in Relation to Dentistry II (30 credits)
• Clinical Humanities & Wellbeing I (15 credits)
• Dentistry in Society I (15 credits)
• Simulated Clinical Practice I (15 credits)
• Student Selected Component I (15 credits)

Optional Modules

• There are no optional modules for this year.

Employability

• A variety of career pathways are open to new dental graduates. The career path for many graduates is general practice, with others aiming to be consultants in the hospital dental service, senior clinical academics in a teaching hospital, or specialist practitioners.

Tuition Fees

• Full time tuition fees UK: The UK tuition fee for the academic year is currently £9,535 per year. This is based on the UK Government's cap.
• Additional Costs:
  • Accommodation and subsistence expense
  • Books if you choose to buy your own copies
  • Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
  • Library fees and fines
  • Personal photocopies
  • Printing course handouts
  • Society membership fees
  • Stationery
  • Graduation costs
  • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses

Funding

• To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.