Dentistry

Dentistry is one of the most well-paid, young (more than half of all dentists are in their 20s and 30s) and progressive professions in the UK. Even in the NHS, net earnings are around £60,000 a year, with private practitioners able to set their own fees. So although it's not a licence to print money (most dentistry graduates emerge with a huge debt burden, for one thing), it is a hugely popular course to choose.

There are 13 dentistry schools and departments in the country, with around 4,000 places available annually, and the competition is hot. You'll be expected to have excellent A-levels - chemistry is a requirement, and while biology is sometimes not specified, it is usually preferred. In any case, a second science A-level is required and usually an AS in biology as a minimum. It would also help if you had some work experience too - your school or college might run or know of a scheme whereby you can do some observing and low-key work experience at a local practice. It would also be a great help if you could demonstrate signs of wider interests. A lot of students are interviewed, so that's the time to make sure you have a personality at the ready.

The usual form of a degree is determined by the General Dental Council which also sets the minimum standard a dental student should reach upon graduation. After that, what divergence there is is up to the individual dentistry school. Typically, the course will involve five years of academic work - two years of pre-clinical study, often taken with other medical students, and three years of clinical work. In that five years of study; you should gain a thorough scientific knowledge and understanding and the necessary clinical and practical skills to care for and treat your patients and run a practice (you'll also need communication, management, teamwork, manual dexterity and information handling skills). There may also be the option of an intercalated year, in which you will be encouraged to take a science-related course before returning to dentistry.

Teaching can include a range of methods from lectures to tutorials, from computer-assisted learning to practical classes to the problem-based learning approach favoured by some courses, with the option to study some dental subjects in more depth in the final year, possibilities including oral pathology, restorative dentistry, haematology or sedation. Examinations are generally held at the end of every year, and a percentage of the marks for each examination is derived from in-course assessment, which may take the form of essays, practical tests or project work.

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