2026/27 Undergraduate Programme Catalogue

Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BChD) (For students entering September 2025 onwards)

Programme overview

Programme code: BDS-DENT-25
UCAS code: A200
Duration: 5 Years
Method of Attendance: Full Time
Programme manager: Dr Jane Wardman
Contact address: m.j.wardman@leeds.ac.uk
Total credits: 600
School/Unit responsible for the parenting of students and programme: School of Dentistry
Examination board through which the programme will be considered: School of Dentistry
Relevant QAA Subject Benchmark Groups: QAA Subject Benchmark: Dentistry

Last updated in February 2002. This benchmark statement recognises the primacy of General Dental Council requirements for registration.
Professional Body Offering Accreditation: The General Dental Council (GDC)

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

The Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BChD) programme integrates clinical dentistry, science and professional development. There is a focus on developing students as insightful dental professionals who are able to think critically and be prepared to work independently. By the end of the programme, students will be able to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to register and practice as a General Dental Council defined Safe Practitioner Dentist.

The first two years of the BChD Dental Surgery programme are co-taught with the first two years of the BSc Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy programme. This encourages a community of learning and will prepare students to work as a member of the dental team, sharing experiences and sharing the care of patients.

The programme is structured in curriculum themes:
- Clinical Skills and Practice
- Dental and Biomedical Science
- Personal and Professional Development
- Enquire

These themes build through the programme and are delivered in sequential modules. There is an integration of learning across themes, where appropriate. For example, when learning about environmental sustainability, there is consideration as to how this area relates to everyday clinical practice, the underpinning ethical principles, and the latest scientific research, as well as the wider societal responsibilities of a dental professional.

Clinical Skills and Practice:
This theme focuses on the development of clinical knowledge, skills and behaviours. There is early exposure to the clinical environment, introducing how to apply evidence-based knowledge, operative skills and professional behaviours to real patient care. This theme will culminate in the opportunity to provide comprehensive care of patients, demonstrating the range of skills required of a General Dental Council defined Safe Practitioner.

Clinical operative skills will be developed throughout this theme, starting with sessions delivered in clinical skills classrooms including dental haptic simulator facilities using high fidelity simulation techniques. Students will experience the School's Medical Emergency simulation room where they will learn (with video feedback) and be assessed on the management of simulated dental emergencies.

Students will gain clinical reasoning capabilities allowing them to carry out the comprehensive assessment of adult and child patients, diagnosis, and treatment planning of care. Students will develop an understanding of the importance of patient education and preventive care. Students will experience the management of patients across a range of clinical areas (restorative dentistry, oral surgery, children's dentistry, oral radiography and radiology and oral medicine), in a range of clinical settings including outreach placements. Clinical placements take place in the Leeds Dental Institute and at outreach centres in Leeds and further afield across the Yorkshire and Humber region. There will be opportunities to undertake the clinical management of a wide diversity of patients and patient needs across these centres.

The practice of professional behaviours is integral to this theme, and students will be expected to communicate with patients, practice leadership and work within the dental team effectively in the clinical environment. Students will develop their cultural competence, learning from a diverse population of patients. Students will consider how the everyday practice of dentistry has an environmental sustainability impact and link this with their learning across the other three curriculum themes. Students will develop their skills as a reflective practitioner and be able to demonstrate insight into their own capabilities and development needs.

Dental and Biomedical Science:
This theme will focus on developing an understanding of the underpinning science and health factors which will inform clinical dental practice. Teaching will be led by scientists who specialise in oral biology, p athology and dental materials, and by specialist clinicians.
Learning will focus on underlying oral and systemic health and disease, including how the health of the mouth and body are interrelated. This will range from the molecular to whole organism level and will include cell biology, genetics, microbiology, infection and immunity and the structure and development of orofacial tissues culminating in an understanding of the pathology of the head and neck.

Students will be exposed to the latest scientific findings which are informing developments in areas such as disease mechanisms, antimicrobial resistance, immunotherapy, tissue engineering, biomineralisation and materials science.

Personal and Professional Development:
This theme will focus on development as an accountable professional who is able to understand the behaviours expected of a safe practitioner. This theme aims to prepare students as insightful and effective learners, not only as students but going forward into their later careers. Students will develop active learning approaches, reflecting on individual and team experiences and taking ownership of their ongoing development. Students will develop their self-management skills; being able to organise time and knowing how to manage resilience through wellbeing techniques and knowing when to seek support. Being an effective and supportive member of the dental team will focus on leadership and followership skills.

Students will develop their understanding of the standards expected of a dental professional, learning the underpinning ethical principles that these standards are built on. In doing this they will have the opportunity to engage in discussion of scenarios with both teacher clinicians and ethicists within the Interdisciplinary Ethics Applied Centre at the University of Leeds. Students will be encouraged to challenge their assumptions and thinking. Ethical principles encompass key societal and cultural transformation issues such as equality, diversity and inclusion, and environmental sustainability. Students will consider how these issues will inform their practice as a dental professional.

This theme will culminate in preparation for the next stage of professional development following University, and for registration with the General Dental Council as a Safe Practitioner.

Enquire:
This theme will focus on developing the ability to explore wider population and societal aspects of dentistry, giving students the opportunity to develop enquiry and research skills.

Students will develop an understanding of their role and responsibilities as a dental professional in society, gaining insight into population scale dental health and the inequalities that exist locally, nationally, and internationally. The areas of psychology and sociology will be explored to understand how patient behaviours, and determinants of health inform effective population health improvement strategies.

Community engagement will be a core thread through the Enquire theme. Through organised activities, students will have the opportunity to actively connect with various community groups, such as care homes and schools. They will also reflect on how dental professionals can best engage with and support these communities.

Students will develop enquiry and research skills, being able to search for and identify high quality evidence, as well as producing a Capstone project in the final stages of this theme. Through this experience there will be opportunities to explore how research and service improvement advance our understanding of dental science and the improvement of patient care.

Additional Opportunities (in addition to the required curriculum):
There are opportunities within the Dental Surgery programme to intercalate for a year (following year 2 or 3) to undertake an additional programme of study. There is an opportunity to undertake an optional Professional Development Elective module in the end of Yr 4 break.