Dental Surgery BDS

Program Overview

The BDS program at the University of Liverpool offers a research-connected learning environment that develops students' clinical, team working, and leadership skills. Through a collaborative learning core, students gain a holistic understanding of dental care and prepare for careers in general dental practice, hospital specialities, or other areas within the profession. The program emphasizes continuous personal development, preparing graduates for the demands of both the profession and life beyond university.

Program Outline

Dental Surgery BDS - University of Liverpool

Degree Overview:

The University of Liverpool School of Dentistry offers a unique research-connected learning environment focused on developing each individual to realize their personal potential and qualify as a professional capable of providing compassionate, evidence-based, holistic dental care to patients.

Objectives:

• Develop real-world clinical, team working, and leadership skills.
• Gain an in-depth understanding of clinical governance.
• Develop communication skills, professionalism, ethics, and clinical safety.
• Provide holistic patient care in the context of primary care services.
• Provide compassionate, evidence-based, holistic dental care to patients.

Program in Detail:

• This innovative program is designed to facilitate the development of real-world clinical, team working, and leadership skills, along with essential personal growth.
• The BDS program embraces the University's hallmarks of active learning, confidence, authentic assessment, and research-connected teaching.
• The program shares a three-year Collaborative Learning Core (CLC) with dental therapy students, where learning and collaborating in teams builds mutual respect and understanding of the varied roles of the dental team.
• The remaining two years of the program prepare students to undertake the scope of practice of a dentist.
• Components within the program are closely integrated and provide clear steps for students to develop, integrate, and demonstrate their skills before building to the next level of clinical capability.
• Clinical experience commences in the first year of the program and is underpinned by aligned medical and anatomical knowledge; communication skills; professionalism; ethics, and clinical safety.
• Students have opportunities to experience and develop their skills in primary and secondary care settings and engage with the local community.
• Quality improvement projects are included in the program to ensure an in-depth understanding of clinical governance.
• Learning and assessment are supported by state-of-the-art technology to provide a personalized mechanism for monitoring progress and allowing students to take control of their own learning.
• Through embedding continuous personal development within the curriculum, students will understand the importance of self-reflection, goal setting, and ongoing professional development, an ethos aimed at ensuring they are prepared for the demands of both the profession and life after University.

Assessment:

• The curriculum is built on milestones, which build in complexity each year.
• Students are assessed based on the milestones for that year of study, which spirally build on the knowledge they have gained in previous years.
• All summative assessments are preceded by formative assessments, after which students will receive detailed feedback.
• With regards to clinical activity, students must pass an assessment of basic clinical competence before being allowed to use these newly acquired skills on a patient.
• From this point, clinical activity is continually monitored using a computerized data gathering tool.
• Outreach reports are also used to contextualize clinical monitoring.
• An important aspect of these assessments is their integrated nature, and their use in multiple clinics.
• The system ensures that all Liverpool graduates are in the advantageous position of being able to take their activity portfolio into the workplace to aid their ongoing development.
• Technology is used to facilitate online marking and feedback of assignments, deliver online tests, and collate and deliver OSCE data, providing students with more useful feedback as a result.

Teaching:

• Theoretical teaching on the program is employed via a combination of blended learning approaches, such as problem-based learning (PBL), research skills development, personal development and wellbeing, communication skills, and flipped classrooms, all of which are supported by lectures.
• Practical teaching approaches include peer observation and assist, management of medical emergencies, attendance to the human anatomy resource centre, placements in primary and secondary care, simulated patients, and the supervised treatment of patients on clinic.
• The School is at the forefront of technology-enhanced learning.
• The School uses virtual learning environments to support small group and didactic learning, a digital feedback platform, and simulation of restorative and surgical techniques to provide students with the best possible experience, whilst preparing them for the technological developments that will shape their future careers in healthcare.
• The School values the personal and professional development of its student colleagues.
• Each student is assigned an Academic Advisor to support their leadership development, self-reflection skills, and their ability to set achievable goals.
• The School has a novel personal development and wellbeing module to further support this learning.
• Many of the School's staff have received awards in recognition of their approach to teaching.

Careers:

• There are a wide range of career opportunities within the profession.
• The majority of graduates will choose general dental practice within the NHS and in the private sector, whilst others might choose one of the hospital specialities, the community dental service, university teaching, or the armed forces.
• Studying to become a dental professional encourages students to develop valuable, transferable skills which provide a strong foundation for their careers and their continuing professional development.
• Key skills students will develop include:
• Communication skills (both oral and written)
• Critical reasoning skills
• Clinical skills
• Professionalism
• Team working
• Lifelong learning.

Other:

• The University of Liverpool School of Dentistry is one of the largest dental schools in the UK.
• The School has state-of-the-art facilities with a recent £6 million investment.
• The School provides specialist clinical training with taught and research components.
• The School offers internationally recognized qualifications with a wide range of programs.
• The School is committed to technologically innovative teaching.
• The School has an active research environment.

UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland) Full-time place, per year £9,250 Year in industry fee £1,850 Year abroad fee £1,385 International fees Full-time place, per year £44,550 Year abroad fee £22,275 Fees shown are for the academic year 2024/25. Please note that the Year Abroad fee also applies to the Year in China. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support.