Dental Surgery

Dental surgery is one of the most skilled and directly patient-facing healthcare professions, concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and conditions affecting the teeth, mouth, and associated structures. Dentists provide routine care including fillings, extractions, and preventive advice, as well as more complex treatments in areas such as oral surgery, restorative dentistry, periodontics, and orthodontics. They work closely with patients across all age groups, often over many years, and the ability to combine clinical skill with clear communication and sensitivity to patient anxiety is central to good dental practice.

At the University of Sheffield this five-year full-time programme takes you from the foundational theory of dental science and evidence-based dentistry through to the practical skills needed for clinical work. You will develop your clinical competence through supervised patient contact, working in Sheffield's dental hospital and community dental services across the programme. The degree includes a sandwich year and a year abroad, giving you professional experience and an international perspective on dental practice, and work placements are integrated into the clinical training throughout.

The combination of rigorous scientific education and extensive hands-on clinical experience prepares you for the full scope of independent dental practice.

Graduates from Sheffield's BDS programme are eligible to register with the General Dental Council and enter the UK foundation dentist programme, which provides a further year of supervised practice in primary care before independent registration. From there, many dentists enter general practice, working in NHS and private settings across the UK. Others go on to specialty training in areas including oral surgery, orthodontics, paediatric dentistry, periodontics, and restorative dentistry.

Academic dentistry and research are further paths for those interested in advancing the science and practice of the profession. Dentistry offers strong employment security and the opportunity for lifelong professional development.