Record numbers of students applying for dentistry courses in the UK
Record numbers of students are applying for dental courses in the UK, new figures suggest.
According to UCAS data obtained by dental supplier, Kent Express, the number of applications rose from 95,835 in 2019 to 100,240 in 2021. Dentistry is one of the most popular courses in the UK, with application numbers increasing by over 20% in the last 14 years.
Statistics revealed that applications in under 25s have rocketed in the last 14 years but there has been a decline in applications among mature students. Higher tuition fees are thought to be a major contributor to a fall of over 30% in applications among students aged over 35.
The new figures indicate that dentistry is becoming a much more popular career choice for females. Traditionally a male-dominated industry, the number of female applicants has been rising year-on-year since 2007 and in 2021, there was 72% difference between male and female applicants, with female students accounting for the majority of university offers.
Chris Moffatt, from Kent Express, said that dentistry is now one of very few “gender-balanced industries in the UK” and added that modern dentistry is more “sophisticated” with a focus on preventative and holistic dentistry and a hunger to use technology to develop new treatments, improve outcomes and enhance patient experiences.
Although tuition fees have increased substantially in the last decade, the figures suggest that high fees are not putting students off. This could be due to the job security a career in dentistry provides and the fact that the average salary for a dentist in the UK far exceeds the average national wage.
For more news click here.
Join this Discussion