Dental Surgery

Dental Surgery is one of the most clinically demanding and personally rewarding professional degrees available in healthcare education. Dentists are responsible for diagnosing, preventing, and treating diseases and conditions of the mouth, teeth, and associated structures, and for helping patients maintain oral health throughout their lives. The work requires a combination of scientific knowledge, manual dexterity, clinical judgement, and the interpersonal skills to build trust with patients who may experience anxiety about treatment.

At the University of Leeds, this five-year, full-time programme integrates clinical dentistry, science, and professional development from the outset, ensuring that the knowledge and skills you develop are always connected to the realities of clinical practice. You will study the basic sciences underpinning dentistry, including anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and microbiology, alongside the clinical disciplines of restorative dentistry, oral medicine, periodontology, paediatric dentistry, orthodontics, and oral surgery. Clinical training is built into the programme progressively, allowing you to develop the skills needed to practise safely and confidently under supervision before you qualify.

The programme leads to the Bachelor of Dental Surgery, which is the recognised entry qualification for registration with the General Dental Council as a Safe Practitioner Dentist.

Graduates of Dental Surgery qualify to practise as dentists in NHS and private settings across the UK and, with appropriate registration, internationally. Most spend an initial period in foundation training before establishing careers in general dental practice, hospital dentistry, community dental services, or specialist practice. Many dentists go on to postgraduate training in specialist areas such as orthodontics, oral surgery, restorative dentistry, or paediatric dentistry, or combine clinical practice with teaching and research.