Annual Salary
£51,000 to £108,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Dentists promote good oral hygiene, diagnose and treat teeth and mouth problems and help prevent dental disease
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: as a contractor / self-employed; managing your own hours
There will be
3.8% more Dentist jobs in 2027.
You will:
You may need to wear a uniform and protective clothing.
You could work at a dental practice, at a health centre or in an NHS or private hospital.
You can get into this job through a university course.
You'll need to complete a 5-year degree in dentistry approved by the General Dental Council, followed by 1 to 2 years of postgraduate dental training.
You might be able to do a 4-year degree course if you already have a degree in a relevant subject, for example biomedical sciences.
When you apply for a course in dentistry, you may be asked to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT).
It tests the skills you'll need on the course, like critical thinking, problem solving, data analysis, communication and scientific knowledge.
You might be able to apply for a 4-year dental degree course if you've already got at least an upper second class degree (2:1) in biology, chemistry or a biomedical subject.
There's a lot of competition for places at dental schools.
You'll usually need:
You'll need to:
You can find out more about becoming a dentist from the British Dental Association and Health Careers.
As a dentist in general practice you could go on to become a partner in the practice or set up your own practice.
In hospital dental services, you can follow the same career structure and training pathway as a hospital doctor. For example, you could also specialise in implant or paediatric dentistry.
You could serve as a dentist in the armed forces. You can find more information on dentistry in the military from the:British Army | https://apply.army.mod.uk/roles/army-medical-service/dentist]; [Royal Air Force; Royal Navy
As a consultant, you'll often find work opportunities in the private sector.
With experience, you could lead a team, or manage a unit or department.
You could also progress to teaching and training student dentists and other healthcare professionals.
You'll need: