BSc (Hons) Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy Bachelor's degree at the University of Suffolk
BSc (Hons) Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy at University of Suffolk. You'll develop competence across core theory, research methods, applied clinical practice, specialist options, and professional skills, culminating in an independent project that demonstrates your readiness for practice.
About this course
The decision to study a degree is an investment into your future. Discover available support to fund your tuition fees and living costs while studying with us. From the provider’s course page.
BSc (Hons) Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Suffolk. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Medicine & Dentistry, see the sections below.
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 5 modules
- Introduction to Professional Practice
Module details
This module supports students to develop effective academic skills, build resilience and wellbeing skills to assist them through their programme of study and beyond. As a dental professional, students are required to have an understanding of the law and moral reasoning is an important skill for health care staff.
- Pre-Clinical Dental Sciences
Module details
This module is designed to provide students with foundation knowledge regarding the anatomy and physiology of the head and neck region, considering embryonic development, and the recognition of normal and variations from normal
- Clinical Skills Development 1
Module details
This module focusses on periodontal disease and the diagnosis and management to treat patients.
- Clinical Practice
Module details
This module continues to develop knowledge, clinical and technical skills to manage caries and non-carious tooth surface loss.
- Dental Sciences
Module details
Students will learn about the disease processes that affect a medical history and how this could impact on the provision of oral health.
Year 2 4 modules
- Clinical Skills Development 2
Module details
This module builds upon previous clinical skills development modules and continues to enhance existing technical clinical skills in the dental simulation laboratory.
- Dentistry in Society 1
Module details
Poor oral health is almost entirely preventable and despite good progress over the last few decades, is still prevalent in many communities. This module looks at prevention of oral diseases at the population and community level, and at the individual level are presented and discussed. Strategies will be identified and considered regarding their effectiveness.
- Research Skills for Oral Health
Module details
This module will enable students to identify appropriate literature, understand the research process and methods as a basis for the formulation of a research proposal and continue this in the final year Dissertation module.
- Dentistry in Society 2
Module details
This module builds upon previous knowledge gained in Dentistry in Society 1, where some of the concepts around health education and promotion were introduced. Dental public health at a whole population level will be explored in order to consider current local oral health trends and needs across the East of England.
Year 3 3 modules
- Oral Health Dissertation
Module details
The final year dissertation will build upon the knowledge and skills gained from the Year 2 Research Skills for Oral Health module. It provides the opportunity for students to engage in a rigorous piece of independent study and to present findings through a dissertation.
- Preparing for Professional Practice
Module details
This module will focus on supporting the student to transition from a clinician under supervision to that of a registered autonomous practitioner, working effectively in a team.
- Integrated Clinical Practice
Module details
This module will continue to develop clinical practice skills development in primary and secondary care placements.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
A BSc (Hons) in Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy equips you to support and treat patients under the supervision of a dentist. A course like this typically progresses from foundations in biomedical sciences, anatomy, physiology and pathology, alongside clinical and communication skills developed from the outset. Early on, you'll also study population health and professional ethics. As you advance, you'll undertake clinical placements in settings such as general practice and surgery, apply specialist knowledge at the bedside, and pursue areas of particular interest through student-selected components. The curriculum usually moves towards assistantship and preparation for practice, often including an elective placement. Throughout, you'll develop the clinical and communication competencies essential to working in dental care.
Who it's for
You're drawn to oral healthcare and want to make a tangible difference in patients' wellbeing. You have strong manual dexterity, attention to detail, and the ability to work confidently in clinical environments. You may already work in dentistry or healthcare, or be keen to start while studying part-time. You're organised and self-motivated, the flexibility of part-time study suits you, and you're committed to developing both the scientific knowledge and hands-on skills that dual-qualified practice demands. This course will feel collaborative and practically grounded, with genuine responsibility for patient care as your learning foundation.
Careers & job market
Across Medicine and Dentistry courses nationally, 89% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of qualifying. Of working graduates, 75% are in highly skilled employment or pursuing further qualifications. National graduate earnings data shows starting salaries (at 15 months) ranging from £27,000 to £32,000; after three years, £24,650 to £34,800; after five years, £29,325 to £41,400. A dual qualification opens pathways in primary dental care, specialist practice, community dentistry, and related healthcare roles.
University & format
This BSc (Hons) is offered by the University of Suffolk, a university founded in 2007. The course is delivered part-time in English. The University of Suffolk is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, so degrees are nationally recognised. It holds a Bronze award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at University of Suffolk →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
National funding for this subject
- NHS Learning Support Fund: Eligible nursing, midwifery and allied-health students can receive a non-repayable training grant. Official guidance
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Medicine & Dentistry graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in medicine & dentistry · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Medicine & Dentistry nationally
National figures for Medicine & Dentistry graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
Job market & outlook
How Medicine & Dentistry graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Medicine & Dentistry graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- The NHS
- Private practice
- Research & academia
- Public health
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Medicine & Dentistry graduates.
Medicine-Focused Veterinary Surgeon | Patient Care LeaderMedivet & PartnersMedicine Service Delivery Manager - Operations ImprovementNHSMedicine Occupational Therapist - StaffordshirePulse HealthcarePart-Time Palliative Medicine Consultant | 1-in-5 On-CallEvora Hospice (formerly Southern Area Hospice Services)Consultant Medicine - ElderlyPertemps Medical ProfessionalsSpecialty Doctor in Acute MedicineTriple West MedicalWho studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Suffolk
Medicine and dentistry across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around University of Suffolk
1,566 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Medicine & Dentistry right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Suffolk from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £27,295 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Suffolk’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Suffolk and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Suffolk
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates earn?
What will it cost me?
Request information about BSc (Hons) Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy
Prospectus, key dates, entry and funding, free to your inbox.