In preparing for my interviews, I used many of the medicine MMIs questions, particularly those related to ethical scenarios. Surprisingly, ethics didn't feature as prominently in the dental interviews as I had anticipated - there was just one on wrong tooth extraction.

The Medic Portal's questions were beneficial, but I found that memorising responses to the most likely questions, such as why dentistry, why this university, and why not medicine, proved highly effective.

One resource I found immensely helpful was the blue MMI dentistry book by Marian Coll. A first-year dental student recommended it to me, and it covers almost all the dental questions likely to arise. I highly recommend getting it, and in hindsight, I wish I had purchased it sooner!

While many medical and dental questions overlap, dental interviews tend to emphasise manual dexterity. Be prepared for questions about how you've developed manual dexterity or stations that demonstrate your manual dexterity.

Throughout the academic year, we engaged in PPD (Personal and Professional Development) sessions, focusing on honing communication and empathy skills. Additionally, we participate in ICSP (Introduction to Clinical Skills and Practice), delving into clinical skills, anaesthesia, and infection control. To provide context, our assessments are varied. I completed EBL (Evidence-Based Learning), where our class collaboratively developed a learning agenda for a medical case, covering general anatomy, clinical skills, and dental public health/prevention practices. 

 

The assessment breakdown comprised EBL accounting for 10% of the grade, Anatomy Spotter for 30%, a Short Answer Paper reflecting clinical skills for 30%, and an MCQ based on lectures for the remaining 30%.

In a nutshell, no, there aren't any dentistry apprenticeships available at the moment. But fret not! While dental degree apprenticeships aren't currently on the table, there's hope for the future. In the meantime, there are other apprenticeship opportunities within the dental industry, such as:

 

Level 3: Dental Laboratory Assistant

• Typical duration: 18 months

Level 3: Dental Nurse

• Typical duration: 18 months

Level 4: Dental Practice Manager

• Typical duration: 24 months

Level 5: Dental Technician

• Typical duration: 36 months

 

To provide clarification, the dental nursing apprenticeship qualifies you to provide essential support to dentists, dental hygienists, and dental therapists, but you won't perform treatments yourself. Your role involves assisting during procedures, offering aspiration, protecting soft tissues, providing materials, and chaperoning. While dental hygienists/therapists require university education, as a dental nurse, you can pursue postgraduate qualifications in areas like oral health education, radiography, and more. Although you can enter university without the apprenticeship, the hands-on experience as a dental nurse solidifies your career choice and builds a foundational understanding of dentistry.