u/captain_stig

Hi everyone,

Recently I’ve been looking into studying dentistry in the UK. Unfortunately, my situation isn’t ideal and therefore, entry onto dentistry courses are very limited to me. For some context:

I am 23 years old. I have 8 GCSEs at 77666555 and 1 iGCSE at grade 6 (achieved in 2020). I have A-Level Business, Biology, and Maths at Grades BDD respectively (achieved in 2022). I then studied a BSc degree in business management and achieved a 2:1 grade (achieved in 2025).

I’ve sat the Gamsat previously to give it a go. I didn’t do enourmous prep and achieved an overall of 58. I didn’t think that was too bad. I sat this less than 2 years ago.

Unfortunately, my mental health suffered through my studies and therefore, my grades fell. I also wasn’t focused on exploring career options at the time and therefore, I didn’t focus on my studies at all. It is no excuse, but unfortunately it’s too late.

In terms of work experience:

I have worked as a management consultant for almost 2 years (I worked one year part time alongside my degree).

Interestingly, during my first 2 years at university, I was desperate for a job and applied to anything that was available. So I secured a part time role in the NHS as a healthcare assistant, and also a bank role as a mental health support worker.

It was after leaving these two roles during the end of my second year at university that I realised I really enjoyed the healthcare industry. But since I was already 2 years into my degree, and had secured a role within management consulting, I decided to stick with my current degree and completed my business management studies.

Since around 6 months in working as a management consultant, I’ve been dreading work. I miss my roles within health & social care. The jobs were much more difficult than my current job, less flexibility, and less pay. But I enjoyed them more than my current role. I liked interacting with several people, I found the science interesting (whenever I saw procedures going on), I liked dealing with incidents, I liked seeing odd things, etc.

I decided to take some action. I looked into healthcare roles and I felt that medicine or dentistry would be best suited to me. I’d be able to work in a clinical environment, do a job that I’d enjoy, be paid well, and would have a job that I could take around the world and still be paid okay.

As a healthcare assistant, I had been able to shadow doctors on wards and emergency department (A&E) on several occasions so I had an understanding of the job role. I also spoke to dozens of doctors about their perspective of medicine as a career; the benefits, the drawbacks, the challenges, and their tips.

I only needed work experience in dentistry to compare both. I decided that I’d spend a week shadowing a dentist. I shadowed a general dentist for a week and it was quite nice. Some mouths were 🤢 but I’ve seen worse at the hospital. After that week, I pondered over dentistry as a career. So I decided I’d shadow an emergency dentist. I quite enjoyed this experience as well.

Between medicine and dentistry, I felt dentistry aligned more with my requirements for a job. Although it was less interesting than medicine, it definitely has benefits that outweigh this whilst still remaining interesting enough for me.

I’ve made the decision that I’d like to apply for dentistry. But my situation makes this very difficult and I’m conflicted on which route to take. Do I sit the Gamsat and hope that I get into Plymouth (the only university that will take me on considering my situation and Gamsat result), do I resit my GCSEs and A-Levels?, or do I do an access course?

I’m really not sure what route to take and would appreciate any advice

Thank you

Hi everyone,

Recently I’ve been looking into studying dentistry in the UK. Unfortunately, my situation isn’t ideal and therefore, entry onto dentistry courses are very limited to me. For some context:

I am 23 years old. I have 8 GCSEs at 77666555 and 1 iGCSE at grade 6 (achieved in 2020). I have A-Level Business, Biology, and Maths at Grades BDD respectively (achieved in 2022). I then studied a BSc degree in business management and achieved a 2:1 grade (achieved in 2025).

I’ve sat the Gamsat previously to give it a go. I didn’t do enourmous prep and achieved an overall of 58. I didn’t think that was too bad. I sat this less than 2 years ago.

Unfortunately, my mental health suffered through my studies and therefore, my grades fell. I also wasn’t focused on exploring career options at the time and therefore, I didn’t focus on my studies at all. It is no excuse, but unfortunately it’s too late.

In terms of work experience:

I have worked as a management consultant for almost 2 years (I worked one year part time alongside my degree).

Interestingly, during my first 2 years at university, I was desperate for a job and applied to anything that was available. So I secured a part time role in the NHS as a healthcare assistant, and also a bank role as a mental health support worker.

It was after leaving these two roles during the end of my second year at university that I realised I really enjoyed the healthcare industry. But since I was already 2 years into my degree, and had secured a role within management consulting, I decided to stick with my current degree and completed my business management studies.

Since around 6 months in working as a management consultant, I’ve been dreading work. I miss my roles within health & social care. The jobs were much more difficult than my current job, less flexibility, and less pay. But I enjoyed them more than my current role. I liked interacting with several people, I found the science interesting (whenever I saw procedures going on), I liked dealing with incidents, I liked seeing odd things, etc.

I decided to take some action. I looked into healthcare roles and I felt that medicine or dentistry would be best suited to me. I’d be able to work in a clinical environment, do a job that I’d enjoy, be paid well, and would have a job that I could take around the world and still be paid okay.

As a healthcare assistant, I had been able to shadow doctors on wards and emergency department (A&E) on several occasions so I had an understanding of the job role. I also spoke to dozens of doctors about their perspective of medicine as a career; the benefits, the drawbacks, the challenges, and their tips.

I only needed work experience in dentistry to compare both. I decided that I’d spend a week shadowing a dentist. I shadowed a general dentist for a week and it was quite nice. Some mouths were 🤢 but I’ve seen worse at the hospital. After that week, I pondered over dentistry as a career. So I decided I’d shadow an emergency dentist. I quite enjoyed this experience as well.

Between medicine and dentistry, I felt dentistry aligned more with my requirements for a job. Although it was less interesting than medicine, it definitely has benefits that outweigh this whilst still remaining interesting enough for me.

I’ve made the decision that I’d like to apply for dentistry. But my situation makes this very difficult and I’m conflicted on which route to take. Do I sit the Gamsat and hope that I get into Plymouth (the only university that will take me on considering my situation and Gamsat result), do I resit my GCSEs and A-Levels?, or do I do an access course?

I’m really not sure what route to take and would appreciate any advice

Thank you

Hi everyone,

Recently I’ve been looking into studying dentistry in the UK. Unfortunately, my situation isn’t ideal and therefore, entry onto dentistry courses are very limited to me. For some context:

I am 23 years old. I have 8 GCSEs at 77666555 and 1 iGCSE at grade 6 (achieved in 2020). I have A-Level Business, Biology, and Maths at Grades BDD respectively (achieved in 2022). I then studied a BSc degree in business management and achieved a 2:1 grade (achieved in 2025).

I’ve sat the Gamsat previously to give it a go. I didn’t do enourmous prep and achieved an overall of 58. I didn’t think that was too bad. I sat this less than 2 years ago.

Unfortunately, my mental health suffered through my studies and therefore, my grades fell. I also wasn’t focused on exploring career options at the time and therefore, I didn’t focus on my studies at all. It is no excuse, but unfortunately it’s too late.

In terms of work experience:

I have worked as a management consultant for almost 2 years (I worked one year part time alongside my degree).

Interestingly, during my first 2 years at university, I was desperate for a job and applied to anything that was available. So I secured a part time role in the NHS as a healthcare assistant, and also a bank role as a mental health support worker.

It was after leaving these two roles during the end of my second year at university that I realised I really enjoyed the healthcare industry. But since I was already 2 years into my degree, and had secured a role within management consulting, I decided to stick with my current degree and completed my business management studies.

Since around 6 months in working as a management consultant, I’ve been dreading work. I miss my roles within health & social care. The jobs were much more difficult than my current job, less flexibility, and less pay. But I enjoyed them more than my current role. I liked interacting with several people, I found the science interesting (whenever I saw procedures going on), I liked dealing with incidents, I liked seeing odd things, etc.

I decided to take some action. I looked into healthcare roles and I felt that medicine or dentistry would be best suited to me. I’d be able to work in a clinical environment, do a job that I’d enjoy, be paid well, and would have a job that I could take around the world and still be paid okay.

As a healthcare assistant, I had been able to shadow doctors on wards and emergency department (A&E) on several occasions so I had an understanding of the job role. I also spoke to dozens of doctors about their perspective of medicine as a career; the benefits, the drawbacks, the challenges, and their tips.

I only needed work experience in dentistry to compare both. I decided that I’d spend a week shadowing a dentist. I shadowed a general dentist for a week and it was quite nice. Some mouths were 🤢 but I’ve seen worse at the hospital. After that week, I pondered over dentistry as a career. So I decided I’d shadow an emergency dentist. I quite enjoyed this experience as well.

Between medicine and dentistry, I felt dentistry aligned more with my requirements for a job. Although it was less interesting than medicine, it definitely has benefits that outweigh this whilst still remaining interesting enough for me.

I’ve made the decision that I’d like to apply for dentistry. But my situation makes this very difficult and I’m conflicted on which route to take. Do I sit the Gamsat and hope that I get into Plymouth (the only university that will take me on considering my situation and Gamsat result), do I resit my GCSEs and A-Levels?, or do I do an access course?

I’m really not sure what route to take and would appreciate any advice.

Thank you