Choose Dentistry
Dentistry at Manchester
Research excellence and close NHS links make Manchester a great place to start or progress your dentistry career.
Train to be a dentist or dental hygienist at one of the largest dental schools in the UK.
We are also a top ten university for dentistry in the UK (QS World Rankings 2025).
Get clinical experience from Year 1, work with the community, and develop the skills you need for a successful career in dentistry.
On this page:
Outreach
Helping the community
Take the skills you learn in the classroom and practice them in local community outreach clinics – helping those most in need.
Manchester is a university with social responsibility at its heart. We were the first dental school in the UK to incorporate clinical outreach teaching into our curriculum, and it’s still a big part of how we teach today.
Service learning in dentistry
Work in collaboration with community groups, organisations and schools to expand your skills and knowledge through service learning.
My paediatric outreach placement
BDS Dentistry student Anna-Maria talks about treating under-16s at a dental practice in Oldham.
Read the blog : My paediatric outreach placement on the BDS Dentistry course
Dental care for refugees and other minority groups
Dr Joanne Cunliffe works with a team of student volunteers to deliver dental care to refugees and other minority groups in Manchester.
Read the story : Dental care for refugees and other minority groups.
My outreach placement
Year 3 BDS student Jeena talks about her outreach placement at a health centre in Bolton.
Read the blog : What does outreach placement look like for a third-year dental student?.
Making a difference through dentistry
Dr Raj Ariyaratnam uses his experiences to train Sri Lanka’s dentists and address dental health inequalities closer to home.
Connecting with Tamil schoolchildren
Dentistry students Teresa and Warshika tell us about a service learning project at a Tamil school.
Read the blog : Connecting with Tamil schoolchildren through service learning in dentistry.
How you learn
A range of methods
We combine the study of dental sciences with extensive clinical experience from early in Year 1.
You’ll learn in small groups and follow an enquiry‑based learning programme, supported by peer mentors.
Once you’ve mastered basic competencies in our facilities, you’ll quickly move on to treating patients in the dental hospital.
Intercalation
Enhance your BDS degree by taking a year to study another subject for one year between Years 2 and 3.
Choose from BSc courses in a range of relevant bioscience and healthcare subjects, and explore your research interests.
From our students
Breaking stereotypes: why I'm studying dentistry
BDS student Jessica explains why she's keen to banish the 'demon dentist' stereotype once she has qualified.
Read the blog : Breaking stereotypes of the ‘demon dentist’: why I’m studying dentistry.
My first semester as a dentistry student
Zahra discusses her first semester on the BDS Dentistry course, and what she’s looking forward to.
Read the blog : Getting to grips with dentistry: my first semester as a dentistry student.
My intercalation experience
Jaisy talks about intercalating on the BSc in Global Health during her dentistry studies.
Read the blog : My intercalation experience on the BDS Dentistry course
Why I chose dentistry
Jeena talks about her path to the Dentistry with a Foundation Year course with unconventional A-levels.
Read the blog : Why I chose dentistry despite having the wrong A-levels.
Why study dental hygiene and therapy?
Aisha gives the lowdown on the role of dental hygiene therapists and the Manchester BSc.
Applying for dentistry
Read blogs from our students about the dentistry application process.
Our facilities
Take a tour of our facilities
Final year Dentistry student Edward gives a tour of the University's dentistry facilities, where you’ll develop your dentistry knowledge while gaining practical experience in a range of environments.
Courses
Dentistry degrees
There are options available to you if you want to study a dental course at Manchester.
Making an application
Apply for dentistry
If you have any questions, email us at ug.dentistry@manchester.ac.uk.
If you’re ready to apply to a dentistry degree at Manchester, here’s what you need to know.
Contact us
Have any questions? Get in touch.
In the Biosciences section
In the Dentistry section
More information in this section for you to explore:
Undergraduate information
There's more to discover about becoming an undergraduate on our Faculty and main University websites. Here are some links to get you started.