Why study dental hygiene and therapy

Dental hygienists and dental therapists play an important role in preventative oral healthcare, helping patients understand their dental needs and encouraging them to take greater responsibility for their oral health.

Why study dental hygiene and dental therapy?

Dental hygiene and dental therapy offer rewarding careers for people who want to improve oral health and make a difference to patients’ lives. Dental hygienists and dental therapists work directly with patients in a range of settings. Their work combines scientific knowledge with practical clinical skills and patient communication.

What is the difference between dental hygiene and dental therapy?

Dental hygienists focus on the prevention and management of oral disease. Their work includes helping patients maintain healthy teeth and gums, providing periodontal care and supporting patients to improve their oral hygiene.

Dental therapists undertake dental hygiene work as well as a wider range of clinical treatments within their scope of practice. Depending on their training and registration, this can include placing fillings, treating tooth decay and carrying out certain other restorative procedures.

Both professions are important members of the dental team. They work closely with dentists and other dental care professionals to provide care that meets patients’ needs.

More about Dental Hygienists More about Dental Therapists

How do I become a dental hygienist and/or therapist?

To become a dental hygiene and/or therapist, you will need to complete one of the following courses at a dental school:

a diploma of higher education in dental hygiene, or dental hygiene and dental therapy
a degree in oral health science, or dental therapy and dental hygiene

You can also train as a dental hygienist by completing a Foundation degree in oral health science.

Entry requirements differ between each dental school but courses normally require a minimum of two A levels or equivalent, with one in a science subject. You can explore courses using our entry requirements tool.

Entry requirements

Explore the entry requirements for UK dental school courses starting Autumn 2027.

Work experience

Dental schools will want you to show that you are making an informed choice to study to become a Dental Care Professional (DCP). To do this, you should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the role and be able to explain what has attracted you to the profession. You should be clear about the possible career opportunities and how these compare to other healthcare professions.

While formal work experience in a dental clinic is not mandatory, if possible, you should try to gain work experience in a caring environment. If this isn’t possible, experience in a customer-facing role can also be valuable. How you reflect on your experiences is often more useful than the location itself.

Admission tests

Some dental schools may require you to complete an admission test as part of your application. The Casper test (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics), an online situational judgement test, is the most common.

Find out more about Casper

Application deadline

Applications are made via UCAS. The deadline for UCAS applications for these courses is usually 15 January every year. As part of your UCAS application, you will also need to complete a personal statement. You can find more advice on the UCAS website.

More about UCAS Writing your personal statement

Why study dentistry

Dentists play an important role in diagnosing and treating oral health conditions while supporting patients to feel more confident in their everyday lives.

Find out more

Fees and finance

As you get ready to apply to university, it’s important to understand your funding options. From student loans and grants to NHS bursaries and scholarships, there are various ways to help cover your costs. Please note this information applies to Home students only.