Dental Therapy and Dental Hygiene BSc (Hons)
Cardiff University
Student rating
This is the overall rating calculated by averaging all live reviews for this uni on Whatuni.
( 4.3) View reviews

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Different course options
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Qualification

Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

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Location

Main Site - Cardiff

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Study mode

Full Time

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Start date

SEP-25

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Duration

3 Years

Course info

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Qualification

Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Location

Main Site - Cardiff

Study mode

Full Time

Start date

SEP-25

Duration

3 Years

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Subjects

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Dentistry
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Exam type

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A level
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Extended Project
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International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
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Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
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T Level
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Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)
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Location

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England
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Scotland
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Wales
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Northern Ireland
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Channel Islands
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Course info

Our aim is to educate professional Dental Hygienists and Dental Hygiene/Therapists eligible for unsupervised clinical practice (under the prescription of a Dentist) integrated within dental teams. The course has been re-validated by the General Dental Council as recently as 2015.As a member of a team directed by a dentist, you will be equipped with all the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to prepare you for the working environment of dental hygiene and therapy. On graduation, you will be ...Read more

Our aim is to educate professional Dental Hygienists and Dental Hygiene/Therapists eligible for unsupervised clinical practice (under the prescription of a Dentist) integrated within dental teams. The course has been re-validated by the General Dental Council as recently as 2015.As a member of a team directed by a dentist, you will be equipped with all the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to prepare you for the working environment of dental hygiene and therapy. On graduation, you will be registered with the General Dental Council.The School of Dentistry is located in the University Dental Hospital on Cardiff University’s Heath Park campus, a 53-acre site shared with the University Hospital of Wales. This is where the majority of clinical teaching takes place on our undergraduate programmes. With around 100 undergraduate students per year, we are still a relatively small dental school. We believe that this facilitates a friendly and supportive sense of community that helps ensure that our students succeed. As evidence of such the NSS 2015 found that 97% of our students agreed that staff were good at explaining things.Studying at the only dental hospital in Wales you will have the opportunity to serve and manage patients of diverse ages and backgrounds with a wide range of dental disease.Dental hygienists and therapists work closely with other members of the dental team. A dental hygienist can carry out treatments such as scaling and polishing, oral health promotion and preventative fissure sealants for both adults and children.In addition to the duties described for dental hygienists, therapists are able to carry out a variety of restorative treatments (fillings) on patients. They may also extract deciduous (baby) teeth, undertake pulpotomies (nerve treatments) and place preformed crowns on badly decayed children’s teeth.Clinical skills are developed in the School’s recently refurbished £2.2M clinical skills laboratory, a facility that closely simulates the real clinical experience, allowing you to prepare and practice for patient care. You will have the opportunity to train alongside dental therapists, dental hygienists and dentists learning the same skills. This will support your understanding of how your role fits the dental team environment in preparation for when you qualify.The dedicated dental library houses an extensive collection of books and journals to aid your learning. You will also have access to an undergraduate IT suite and to a new £1.5M redevelopment of lecture theatres and student social spaces on the Heath Park campus.You will be taught by a dedicated team of academic clinical staff and consultants within the dental hospital as well as clinical staff working in the primary care environment. The quality of the teaching you will receive has recently been ranked the best in the UK for dentistry (Guardian’s University Guide 2016). The School's courses were given a maximum 100 out of 100 score.Our students have one the best employability records amongst the UK dental schools. In 2015, 99% of our undergraduate students secured a UK position 6-months post qualification. Key destinations include primary dental practice, hospital dental practice, academic or research posts.


Distinctive features

- Cardiff University School of Dentistry was ranked 1st in the Guardian University Guide 2016 and the Times Good University Guide 2016, making it the best place to study as a dental care professional in the UK.- The BSc course is delivered in the only dental school in Wales.- We offer integrated theoretical and practical components of learning, teaching and assessment.- Students benefit from early clinical exposure in year one.This course does not currently accept students from outside the UK/EU.

Key stats

WUSCA ranking:
WUSCA student ranking
These are the 2024 rankings, based on ratings given by past and current students.
22/101
CUG Subject Ranking
CUG Subject Ranking
Source: Complete University Guide 2025
4th
CUG Ranking
CUG Ranking
Source: Complete University Guide 2025
27th
Dental Nursing
Drop-out rate
Drop-out rate
The percentage of students who didn't finish the course.
Calculated by 100% - (% of students continuing course + % of students completed course)
100 - 89 = 11% Drop-out rate Source: UNISTATS, 2019
11%
Employment rate
Employment rate
The percentage of students in full-time work 6 months after finishing their course.
Source: UNISTATS, 2019
98%
Average salary
Average salary
Source: UNISTATS, 2019
Dental Nursing graduate salary at this uni
£22,000
UK Dental Nursing graduate salary
£22,000
What students say
Z
Z
25 Feb 24

Great place to study because everything is so accessible and there’s always something going on. It could be improved by updating some of the buildings to ensure they have modern..Read more

R
Romy
23 Feb 24

Although I’m on the health campus this year (not the main cathays campus). I was on cathays campus last year and thought it was brilliant. Lots of recourses, places to socialise,..Read more

Entry requirements

Exam type

A level

A level:

BBC - BBB Grades / Points required

Extended Project:

A Grades / Points required

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme:

31 - 29 Grades / Points required

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016):

DDM - DMM Grades / Points required

T Level:

Not currently available, please contact university for up to date information.

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015):

Not currently available, please contact university for up to date information.

Must include grade B in Biology or Human Biology.

For applicants taking the EPQ qualification, an A in the EPQ can be recognised to lower the entry requirements by a single grade. For example, an AAB offer would be "AAB from 3 A-levels or ABB from 3 A-levels and a grade A in the EPQ". Please note that any subject specific requirements must be met.

31-29 overall or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects. Must include grade 6 in HL Biology.

DDM - DMM in a BTEC Extended Diploma in Applied Medical Science.

Acceptance of T Levels for this programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Academic School. Consideration will be given to the T Level grade/subject and grades/subjects achieved at GCSE/Level 2.

The Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted in lieu of one A Level at the A Level grades specified, excluding any subject specific requirements.

Popular A-level subjects

Dental Nursing

Top 5 A-levels taken by students who study this subject at uni.

Psychology
32%
Biology
28%
Religious Studies & Theology
26%
Health & Social Care
20%
English Literature
19%
HESA

Tuition fees

Students living in

England

£9,000 per year

This information comes from UCAS, or in some cases the institution directly.
Please note: fees do vary so please make sure you contact the institution for up to date information.

Students from England

This is the fee you pay if you live within England. Please note, this fee has been confirmed.

This is the fee you pay if you live within England. Please note, this fee has been confirmed.

£9,000 per year

This information comes from UCAS, or in some cases the institution directly.
Please note: fees do vary so please make sure you contact the institution for up to date information.

Students from Scotland

This is the fee you pay if you live within Scotland. Please note, this fee has been confirmed.

This is the fee you pay if you live within Scotland. Please note, this fee has been confirmed.

£9,000 per year

This information comes from UCAS, or in some cases the institution directly.
Please note: fees do vary so please make sure you contact the institution for up to date information.

Students from Wales

This is the fee you pay if you live within Wales. Please note, this fee has been confirmed.

This is the fee you pay if you live within Wales. Please note, this fee has been confirmed.

£9,000 per year

This information comes from UCAS, or in some cases the institution directly.
Please note: fees do vary so please make sure you contact the institution for up to date information.

Students from Northern Ireland

This is the fee you pay if you live within Northern Ireland. Please note, this fee has been confirmed.

This is the fee you pay if you live within Northern Ireland. Please note, this fee has been confirmed.

£9,000 per year

This information comes from UCAS, or in some cases the institution directly.
Please note: fees do vary so please make sure you contact the institution for up to date information.

Students from Channel Islands

This is the fee you pay if you live within Channel Islands. Please note, this fee has been confirmed.

This is the fee you pay if you live within Channel Islands. Please note, this fee has been confirmed.

UCAS/IDP Connect

Latest reviews

Latest Dentistry reviews

Dentistry
Dentistry
Dental Hygiene
Z
Z
25 Feb 24
Dentistry (PhD/MPhil)
Great place to study because everything is so accessible and there’s always something going on. It could be improved by updating some of the buildings to ensure they have modern...
Read more
R
Romy
23 Feb 24
Dentistry (PhD/MPhil)
Although I’m on the health campus this year (not the main cathays campus). I was on cathays campus last year and thought it was brilliant. Lots of recourses, places to socialise,...
Read more
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How Dentistry students rated:

Student rating
( 4.2) 21 reviews
5 star
53%
4 stars
24%
3 stars
19%
2 stars
0%
1 star
4%

How all students rated:

Student rating
( 4.3) 2,678 reviews
5 star
45%
4 stars
47%
3 stars
8%
2 stars
0%
1 star
0%
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Uni info

Cardiff University
30-36 Newport Road Cardiff CF24 0DE United Kingdom
Nearest train station: Cardiff Queen Street  0.1 miles away
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