Can I be a dentist without any science A levels?

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If you’re keen on looking into a career in dentistry, you might be wondering what A levels you should take. As a highly respected and academic career, further education is a must-have in this field. So, what A levels do you need to take? Read on for more information!

What A levels are recommended?

To give yourself the best chance of getting onto a dentistry course at university, there are certain recommended options. The absolute essentials usually include biology and chemistry. As a third A level, maths or physics are commonly the next choices although they’re not essential.

These subjects will keep your options open and keep them as flexible as possible. These subjects give you great skills to help you on your way to becoming a dentist including a basis of scientific knowledge, analytical skills, and knowing how substances react with each other.

Many universities will dismiss your application straight away if you are not studying biology and chemistry at A level. So, be mindful of this if it is your dream to become a dentist.

Do I have to study science A levels?

If you’re unsure about if you want to take science A levels or not, this could be a problem. The science A levels are all incredibly challenging, so you’d want to make sure you actually want to do them in order to get good grades.

Dentistry is dominated by science, and dentists should have a basis of scientific knowledge to do their job properly. However, there may be some possible ways to get around this. You could potentially do completely different A levels and then take a scientific foundation degree to give you the scientific knowledge instead.

Foundation degrees are certainly recognised by universities across the country, putting you in a good position to study dentistry. Furthermore, you could potentially get into some universities with BTEC grades instead of A levels. BTECs are not as respected as A levels, however, they are often considered equivalent to them in some institutions.

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Furthermore, if you do not have the required A levels, some universities might still recognise you if your application stands out. This would require certain things. For example, getting a very high UCAT score (730+) would make you stand out.

Secondly, a great personal statement could get you noticed to show that you deserve a place in dental school, especially if you include the fact that you’ve had experience in this field. This could include shadowing a dentist to show motivation and enthusiasm for work experience in dentistry. It’s recommended that students have at least 6 weeks of work experience to show their dedication to contributing to this field. Furthermore, extracurricular activities and volunteer work can also make your application stand out further.

All in all, it’s highly recommended that you study biology and study chemistry at A level to be accepted into dental school. However, there are other options you could take, the most common one being a foundation year which would cover the necessary scientific knowledge you’ll need to know.

If you, or your parents would like to find out more, please just get in touch via email at info@exam.tips or call us on 0800 689 1272

If you, or your parents would like to find out more, please just get in touch via email at info@exam.tips or call us on 0800 689 1272

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