My background and qualification

My name is Karolina and I am a 4th year dental student at Dundee Dental School, University of Dundee. While I am Lithuanian, I finished school in Brussels, Belgium – completing the European Baccalaureate programme.

Universities I applied to

I ended up applying to the University of Dundee, King’s College London, University of Bristol and Cardiff University. I chose these universities based on rankings of the dental schools (especially student satisfaction), average entry requirements and, to some extent, financial implications (as being an EU citizen, I am lucky enough to apply for my tuition fees to be covered in Scotland by SAAS).

The Offers I gained

I interviewed at (University of Dundee, University of Bristol and King’s College London). Following my interviews, I got a conditional offer from University of Dundee and was put on the waitlist for University of Bristol.

Why you choose Dundee

I chose University of Dundee, primarily for its high rankings among UK dental schools. My predicted grades matched up with the entry requirements, I was eligible for free education and I was curious about living in Scotland - so everything seemed to fall into place and made Dundee feel like the most fitting choice for me. In the end, I like to say that Dundee chose me as it was the only offer I received; but I feel I made the right decision coming here, rather than studying dentistry in a different country.

What my year of training entails

I am currently in 4th year of dental school. This is my second clinical year – meaning that I spend a significant amount of time treating patients under staff supervision and further developing my clinical skills. I will work four out of five mornings on different clinical departments of the dental school, and in the afternoon – I will attend lectures and practical sessions. This summer I was also meant to start the outreach programme and complete my elective.

Dentistry Course at Dundee Dental Hospital & School

Dundee Dental school is currently running 2 curriculums. I am part of the current (‘old’) curriculum which is planned to be phased out. The ‘new’ 4D curriculum is currently in its 2nd year. 

The curriculum I am in is mainly lecture-based, and clinical work starts at the end of 2nd year. During my years in dental school, I have spent a lot of time in the dissection room learning anatomy, building up core clinical skills in the phantom head clinic and then using that knowledge on clinic when treating patients.

The 4D curriculum is set on problem-based/self-guided learning techniques and clinical exposure starts as early as the 2nd semester of 1st year. Throughout the year, there are a number of assignments and group projects, among tutorials and practical sessions – all of these contribute to your final year mark, which can take some pressure off of exams.

The years at Dundee Dental School tend to be between 60-70 students, which can be seen as relatively small. Years are further divided into smaller groups for clinics, practicals and tutorials, so students tend to be quite close to one another as the course progresses.

Challenges of being a dental student

The biggest challenge of being a dental student has been maintaining a good work-life balance. Dental school can be very demanding, and while it is important to make sure you are keeping on top of your studies, it is also equally important to still have a good life outside of dental school. Another unique part of being a dental student is that unlike other students – you are expected to be professional from the start as you are treating patients and work in a healthcare environment -  this can mean that sometimes you need to prioritise your studies over how you like to have fun.

What you have gained being a student

While dentistry can seem like a very specific career choice, there are a lot of transferable skills that one can learn. I’ve found that my communication skills have really improved throughout my time at dental school and this is something that is useful on a day-to-day basis.

Your future plans

At the moment I am taking it one year at a time. As I’m graduating next year – I’m starting to think about where I would like to complete my vocational training. This year I had also started to get interested in Public Dental Service and Special Care Dentistry, so I hope to soon have an opportunity to explore that, as this was going to be my elective project for the summer.