The University of Queensland

Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours)

Undergraduate

Details

University Location Brisbane, Queensland
City Population 2.5 million
Student Population 55,044
Int'l Student Population 21,000
Main Campus St Lucia
Program Campus Herston
Program Duration 5 years
Estimated Annual Tuition $83,654 AUD (2024 fees; subject to increase)
Semester Intake February
Next Available Intake 2025
Application Deadline September 26, 2024*
International Places 40 (40 total)

Overview

The University of Queensland School of Dentistry is recognized nationally and internationally for providing leading-edge dental education and for its contributions to dental research, which have been independently rated as “above world class.”

The school is within the UQ Oral Health Centre (UQOHC), located on the UQ Herston campus in Brisbane, alongside the UQ Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR) and Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

The UQ Oral Health Centre is Australia’s largest and most advanced tertiary oral health facility, combining research, education, training, and specialist expertise in patient care. Teaching facilities include clinical simulation areas, preclinical laboratories, lecture/seminar rooms, and research laboratories.

The OHC is a $134-million facility that houses

  • dental services for public and private patients;
  • university dental teaching facilities;
  • research facilities; and
  • Queensland Health oral health services for hospital and special-needs patients.

Here’s a “Day in the Life” of former OzTREKK student (and now UQ Bachelor of Dental Science Honours graduate) Sean Choi!

Program

As a first-year UQ dental student, you will be introduced to dental practice and oral rehabilitation and undertake courses in oral biosciences and biomedical foundations in oral health. The remaining four years of the program consist of three years of applied dental science and one year (34 weeks) of extramural clinical practice.

Clinical work begins in second year and is broadened in the third and fourth years of study. You will be assigned patients and will be responsible for the dental care of these patients. Clinical work in areas such as general dental practice, operative dentistry, orthodontics, paediatric dentistry, periodontics and prosthodontics is undertaken at the UQ School of Dentistry.

Year 1

  • Simulated clinical practice commences in the first week of the program
  • Complete units in biological science, chemistry and oral biology
  • Introduction to the nature of dental practice

Years 2, 3 and 4

  • Clinical work commences, in areas such as general-practice dentistry, orthodontics, paediatric dentistry, periodontics, prosthodontics, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology, oral surgery and endodontics
  • Advanced studies in biological sciences

Year 5

  • 39 week placement, occurring as a series of rotations through clinics in rural, school, hospital and community-based settings
  • Apply and further develop diagnostic and clinical skills in a relatively independent, supervised environment with access to experienced practitioners

Clinical placements
You will gain experience in the areas of oral medicine and oral and maxillofacial surgery in Brisbane dental teaching hospitals. You will undertake an extended placement (40 weeks) in your final year in a range of clinical settings, including the Oral Health Centre as well as government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island health service clinics throughout Queensland.

Admission Requirements

From high school

1. Completed high school diploma
Must have a high school diploma with completed prerequisite subjects: Grade 12 English and chemistry (biology is also recommended) and have attained an average of 90%.

AB – UQ will assess Alberta students based on their top 5 Grade 12 subjects.
BC – UQ will assess BC students on their Language Arts 12 provincially examined subject plus best 3 Grade 12 subjects with 4 credit points.
ON – UQ will assess Ontario students based on their top 6 Grade 12 subjects.

2. UCAT ANZ
You must complete the UCAT ANZ to apply to the UQ BDS program. For information about how to register, visit the booking page on the UCAT website.

 

From university

1. Completed bachelor’s degree
Must have completed at least one year of full-time studies toward an undergraduate degree; completed prerequisite subjects including Grade 12 English and chemistry, or an equivalent or higher-level course at a university level; and have achieved a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.7 / 4.0 (approximately 80% – 84%) in university studies.

2. UCAT ANZ
You must complete the UCAT ANZ to apply to the UQ BDS program. For information about how to register, visit the booking page on the UCAT website.

Admission Timeline

*Applications for the 2025 intake close September 26, 2024. You are strongly encouraged to apply as early as possible. Only complete applications meeting the minimum entry requirements will be considered for an offer.

1/3

“I like the vibe of the campus”

I like the vibe of the campus and the focus in our university programs. I like the class sizes and materials, but I dislike the organization of the class as it seems my previous university in Canada was much more organized.

Kyrollos G
Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours)
The University of Queensland, 2023

“UQ has a really nice facilities”

UQ has really nice facilities with lots of great, caring professors.

Ting-Yu L
Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours)
The University of Queensland, 2022

“We have amazing, top-class facilities with instructors who are always available to help.”

Studying dentistry at UQ has been such a rewarding experience. I have the pleasure of studying with classmates coming from so many diverse backgrounds. Because of strong emphasis on hands-on clinical activities here at UQ, we have learned to work as a team, with each of us precisely aware of our role, whether that may be assisting, operating, or being a patient. We have amazing, top-class facilities with instructors who are always available to help.... I look forward to spending the next 4–5 years with my amazing cohort.

Sean C.
Bachelor of Dental Science Honours
The University of Queensland, 2018