Following A level results day, the number of applicants accepted onto dentistry and medicine courses through clearing has increased by 5%.
In total, 11,450 students have accepted clearing places to study dentistry and medicine in 2024. This is the highest number since 2021, when 11,810 applicants were accepted through the clearing process. The lowest levels of clearing places were awarded in 2019, at 9,830.
Almost 7,000 of the 2024 clearing cohort are 18 years old, an increase of 16% from 2023. More than 10,000 places went to applicants from the UK, with the remaining 1,120 awarded to international students.
A high proportion of the dentistry and medicine places went to female applicants, at 7,240 compared to 4,140 who are male. A further 70 are neither male nor female or did not disclose their gender.
Best universities for dentistry in 2024
In the 2024 Good University Guide, the highest ranking university for dentistry was Queen’s University, Belfast. The course was in first place for the second year in a row with a score of 100. Factors that contribute to this score are teaching quality, student experience, research quality, entry standards and graduate prospects.
The top 10 dentistry courses for 2024 were as follows:
| Ranking | University | Score |
| 1 | Queen’s University, Belfast | 100 |
| 2 | University of Glasgow | 97.9 |
| 3 | University of Dundee | 96.9 |
| 4 | Newcastle University | 96.1 |
| 5 | University of Bristol | 95.3 |
| 6 | University of Sheffield | 94.1 |
| 7 | Cardiff University | 93.6 |
| 8 | King’s College London | 93.1 |
| 9 | Queen Mary University, London | 92.8 |
| 10 | University of Birmingham and University of Plymouth | 92.4 |
Changes to dental higher education in the UK
In December, the University of Portsmouth unveiled upgraded training facilities for dental education. The five million pound redevelopment includes new training equipment such as phantom heads and virtual and mixed reality simulators. It also provides new digital dentistry equipment and upgraded patient clinics.
The University of Portsmouth Dental Academy trains dental nurses, hygienists and therapists for GDC registration as dental professionals. It provides dental care to the public, largely delivered by its students.
A new Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree programme was also announced in April at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences. Launched in collaboration with Plymouth’s Peninsula Dental School, the course will be the first community-based undergraduate dentistry degree programme in Ireland.
The first cohort will be registered for 2025, graduating from the five-year course in 2030. The Dental Council has provided regulatory support for the new programme.
Paul Lyons, head of education at the Dental Council, said: ‘RCSI is to be congratulated on the work that has been completed to date on this emerging programme. The Dental Council looks forward to continuing to engage with RCSI for the duration of the programme’s further development and roll-out.’
‘Record numbers’ of students accepted
Overall, more than 425,000 students across all ages and domiciles were accepted onto higher education courses in 2024. This is an increase of 3% on 2023 numbers.
Of these, nearly 380,000 were accepted into their first-choice institution. This represents 82% of those who held an offer and received a decision on results day.
Almost one in three UK 18-year-olds (31.7%) have accepted a higher education place, 6% more than the previous year. Around 27,500 UK 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds were accepted, beating 2021’s record of 26,650.
UCAS chief executive Jo Saxton said: ‘I’m particularly thrilled to see free school meals students securing a place at university or college in record numbers. I know how important it is to everyone working in education that every student, no matter their background, has the opportunity to reach their full potential.’
‘Highly trusted qualifications’
A level grading continued as normal this year, following a return to pre-pandemic procedures in 2023.
Nationwide, A level results were similar to those awarded in 2023, though the proportion of top grades was slightly higher. Outcomes at grade A and above were 27.6% compared with 26.5% in 2023. Outcomes at grade C and above were 76%, up from 75.4% in 2023.
Ian Bauckham, chief regulator of Ofqual, said: ‘Congratulations to all students receiving their results today. This is the culmination of a lot of hard work for them and everyone who supported them on the way.
‘A levels are highly trusted qualifications. Students can be confident their results will be valued and understood by employers and universities for years to come.’
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