Applying to Dental School Strategically Part 2: Where to Apply With a Medium UCAT Score
Posted: October 02, 2026 by Chris
With the UCAS October 15th deadline approaching, narrowing the UK's dental schools down to four choices is a difficult decision. To improve your chances of securing a place, it is important to use your UCAT score, predicted or achieved A-Level grades and GCSE results strategically, applying to dental schools where you are most likely to be invited to interview.
In this blog series, we explore how your UCAT score should guide which dental schools you apply to. This second part covers the dental schools to consider with a medium UCAT score.
Older figures are shown as originally published on the pre-2025 four-subtest scale (out of 3600). Unmarked figures are displayed on the current three-subtest scale (out of 2700).
What does my UCAT score mean?
A medium UCAT score generally means placing around the 6th to 7th decile of that year's cohort. Decile and percentile boundaries are published after the UCAT testing period ends each cycle and shift slightly year to year. See Part 1 of our medicine series for score thresholds by decile across recent years.
This is generally too low for the dental schools covered in our high UCAT score blog, but it can be sufficient at dental schools that weigh academic performance alongside the test.
Combined with strong predicted A-Level grades and GCSE results, a UCAT score around the 6th to 7th decile can still secure an interview, so long as your dental school choices are made strategically.
Where should I apply with a medium UCAT score?
Here are some dental schools where you should consider applying with a medium UCAT score. Tap a university to see its full breakdown:
University of Glasgow Dental School
| Typical grades | AAA |
| Required subjects |
A-Level resits are not accepted. |
| GCSE requirements | Six GCSEs at grade 7/A, including Mathematics and Physics. English Language or Literature is accepted at grade 6/B if all other GCSEs are at 7/A |
| How UCAT is used | Applicants who meet the academic requirements are shortlisted on UCAT score alone. |
| UCAT threshold |
2025 entry, UCAT cut-off:
|
| Situational Judgement | Not used. |
| Work experience | Strongly recommended, including any volunteering or work that involves caring for people. Glasgow also runs an online FutureLearn course to help applicants decide whether dentistry is right for them. |
University of Liverpool School of Dentistry
| Typical grades | AAA (contextual offers considered case by case) |
| Required subjects |
A-Level resits are not accepted. |
| GCSE requirements | Eight GCSEs, including five at grade 7/A and three at grade 6/B. English Language, Mathematics and Science are required at grade 6/B or above (Biology if Double Award Science is not taken) |
| How UCAT is used | UCAT (including SJT) and GCSE results are combined to select applicants for interview. The non-academic questionnaire is no longer used before interview. |
| UCAT threshold |
No published cut-off. 2024 entry: average UCAT of interviewees 2542/3600 |
| Situational Judgement | Band 4 leads to automatic rejection. |
| Work experience | Dental or hospital-based work experience is recommended, ideally in more than one setting. The personal statement is reviewed at interview. |
University of Sheffield School of Clinical Dentistry
| Typical grades |
AAA (AAB via Access to Sheffield) AAB plus a B in a dentistry or health-related EPQ if Sheffield is Firm choice (AA in Chemistry and Biology) |
| Required subjects |
A pass in the practical element is required for science A-Levels. A fourth A-Level or extra AS-Levels give no advantage. For the EPQ offer, the EPQ and A-Levels must be taken in the same sitting. A-Level resits are accepted if at least a B was achieved in each subject at the first sitting; otherwise, AAA must be achieved before applying. |
| GCSE requirements | Six GCSEs at grade 7/A or above, including English, Mathematics and Science (Chemistry and Biology, or Double Award Science) |
| How UCAT is used | Applicants who meet the academic requirements and achieve SJT Band 1 or 2 are shortlisted on UCAT score. |
| UCAT threshold |
2025 entry: 2690/3600 |
| Situational Judgement | Band 1 or 2 required. Bands 3 and 4 are excluded. |
| Work experience | Aim for at least two weeks in total, ideally across more than one setting (for example NHS practice, private practice, hospital or dental laboratory). |
University of Aberdeen Institute of Dentistry (A201, Graduate Entry)
| Typical grades | Minimum 2:1 degree |
| Required subjects | A medical or health-related science degree, such as biomedical sciences, anatomy or pharmacy. Medicine is also accepted |
| GCSE requirements | No specific GCSE requirements |
| How UCAT is used | UCAT and academic record are combined at a 40:60 weighting to select applicants for interview. |
| UCAT threshold |
2026 entry, average UCAT invited to interview:
|
| Situational Judgement | Not published. |
King's College London Faculty of Dentistry (A206, Enhanced Support)
| Typical grades | AAB |
| Required subjects |
A first A-Level resit is accepted; a second resit is only accepted with mitigating circumstances. |
| GCSE requirements | GCSE grade 6/B in English Language and Mathematics |
| How UCAT is used | GCSEs, UCAT score and contextual information are combined to shortlist applicants for interview. |
| UCAT threshold | No fixed threshold. King's has not published UCAT data on the current scale. |
| Situational Judgement | Taken into account when shortlisting. |
| Work experience | Some work experience in a caring environment and/or observation in a clinical setting is normally expected. |
University of East Anglia Dental Surgery (new for 2027 entry)
| Typical grades | AAA |
| Required subjects |
A-Level resits are accepted if ABB or AAC was achieved at the first sitting, with at least one A* required in the resat subject or subjects. |
| GCSE requirements | Six GCSEs at grade 6/B, including English Language, Mathematics and two sciences or Double Science (Triple, Additional and Further Science also accepted) |
| How UCAT is used |
UCAT is used to shortlist applicants for interview. After interview, total UCAT score and SJT band are also used in the final ranking. |
| UCAT threshold | No data yet. 2027 entry is the first intake. |
| Situational Judgement | Used after interview as part of the final score. |
University of Bristol Dental School (A208, Gateway to Dentistry)
| Typical grades | BBC |
| Required subjects |
A-Level resits are accepted. |
| GCSE requirements | GCSE grade 4/C in Mathematics and English |
| How UCAT is used | Applicants who meet the academic requirements are shortlisted on UCAT score. |
| UCAT threshold | 2026 entry: 1990 |
| Situational Judgement | Not used. |
| Work experience | Encouraged but not required. Bristol runs its own three-day work experience placements that students can apply for. |
Note: UCAT score thresholds do change year-to-year and are impossible to predict with certainty until after the UCAS October 15th deadline.
Check out other blogs in this series:
Last updated: October 2026
