Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy, BSc (Hons), University of Portsmouth

the United Kingdom

Study options for this course

The award	How you will study	Study duration	Course start	Domestic course fees	International course fees
BSc (Hons)	Full-time	3 years	September	-	-

About Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy, BSc (Hons) - at University of Portsmouth

Overview

Both dental hygienists and dental therapists help people maintain good oral health by providing treatments, carrying out procedures and giving dietary and hygiene advice.

The role of dental therapist is the same as a dental hygienist, however they can also carry out some of the restorative work dentists do, such as fillings and extractions.

This dual role BSc (Hons) Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy course, accredited by the General Dental Council (GDC), gives you the theory and practical skills required to register as both a dental hygienist and dental therapist with the GDC.

Course highlights

Practise your skills in our Dental Academy model clinical practice, with dental treatment bays and simulation technology, including our Phantom Head skill lab, new haptics suite and radiography equipment
Work in a dental team alongside practising dentists, dental nurses and other students, giving you a taste of your future work environment
Build your experience working as part of a dental team, studying alongside dental hygiene, dental nursing and dental students as well as qualified professionals
Work with the public through our community healthcare projects, providing additional patient-focused work experience such as working with the homeless community and our Brush Up programme.

Careers and opportunities

Both dental hygienists and dental therapists provide oral care that helps patients maintain a healthy mouth, gums and teeth, but there's much more to the role than this alone. The treatments and procedures they carry out – such as scaling and polishing, and taking dental X-rays – are designed to support good oral health and prevent dental problems before they develop.

In addition to this, dental therapists are also trained to do some of the same work as dentists, including fillings, and extracting and placing preformed crowns on 'baby' teeth.

On adult patients, dental therapists can provide any dental work that doesn't require treatment to the nerve of a tooth, which makes them an essential support to dentists and a versatile and multi-skilled member of a dental team.

On this BSc (Hons) Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy degree, you'll develop the knowledge, skills and professionalism you need to take on either of these roles, both of which are in high demand throughout the UK, in the NHS and in the private healthcare sector.

After you complete this course, you’ll be able to register with the General Dental Council (GDC) as a dental hygienist and a dental therapist and embark on your dental career straight away.

Looking to study just dental hygiene? Take a look at our BSc (Hons) Dental Hygiene degree.

What areas can you work in with a dental hygiene and dental therapy degree?

When you complete the course, you'll be qualified to work in areas such as:

general dental practice
hospital dental services
the Armed Forces
the NHS
health promotion
owning and managing a dental business of your own

What jobs can you do with a dental hygiene and dental therapy degree?

Roles our graduates have taken on include:

dental hygienist
dental therapist
oral health educator
practice manager
practice owner

You could also continue your dental studies or do research at postgraduate level.

Ongoing career support – up to 5 years after you graduate

Get experience while you study, with support to find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, and work experience.

Towards the end of your degree and for up to five years after graduation, you’ll receive one-to-one support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy to help you find your perfect role.

Work experience with patients in the community

To help you gain professional experience, you'll help to provide free dental health services to the public at the Dental Academy and work with patients in local community settings.

You'll have the chance to offer preventative and educational dental support within institutions such as school clinics and hostels for homeless people, enabling you to gain a better understanding of the social impact of good dental care.

Our community work experience projects include:

outreach activity in community surgeries and maxillofacial departments in local hospitals
oral health promotion
supervised tooth brushing in infant schools
helping staff to develop oral care plans in residential homes
providing dental screening to offenders in the probation service
providing dental check ups to elite athletes, including first team players from Portsmouth Football Club

Notes about fees for this course

https://www.port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance

Entry requirements

120-128 points from 3 A levels, or equivalent, including 40 points from a pure Science subject. For A levels which include a separate science practical component, a pass is desirable and may strengthen an application.

All shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview in support of their application.

Applicants must pass Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Occupational Health checks before starting the course. This includes screening to exclude infectivity with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV.

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 7.0 with no component score below 6.5.