What A-levels Do You Need to Study Dentistry?

To study dentistry you'll almost always need Chemistry and Biology at A-level, usually at grade A. Most UK dental schools ask for AAA for 2027 entry, and King's College London asks for A*AA. You'll also need to sit the UCAT in the year you apply. A few schools accept Physics or Maths in place of Biology.

That can sound like a lot, but the rules are clear once you see them side by side. Below you'll find what six dental schools say on their own course pages, what counts as a third subject, and what to do if your grades land a little lower.

What A-levels do dental schools ask for?

Here's what each school's own undergraduate page says for September 2027 entry. All six were checked on 24 September 2026.

Two patterns stand out. First, Chemistry appears at every school, and five of the six name it outright. Second, Biology is expected almost everywhere. Bristol and King's are the flexible ones: Bristol lets Physics or Maths replace Biology, and King's lets you meet its rule with Biology or Chemistry.

If you're choosing your A-levels now, taking both Chemistry and Biology keeps every one of these doors open. Dropping one of them narrows your list quickly.

Do you need both chemistry and biology?

For most schools, yes. Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Dundee all list both as required for 2027 entry.

Birmingham adds a rule worth knowing early: Chemistry and Biology must be taken in one sitting, in the same exam period of the same year. That matters if you were thinking of finishing one science a year early.

Manchester also says it won't build an offer around two very similar subjects together. Biology with Human Biology, or Maths with Further Maths, won't both count in its AAA.

If you're taking Chemistry, Physics and Maths without Biology, Bristol is one of the schools that fits. Its 2027 offer is AAA including Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics, Maths or Further Maths.

What counts as your third A-level?

Once your sciences are sorted, the third subject is often more open than people expect. Sheffield says your third A-level can be in any subject and that it values each subject equally, apart from General Studies or an equivalent.

The exclusions are where you need to be careful:

A humanities or arts subject is fine at these schools, so you don't need a third science. If you enjoy History, English or a language, it can sit happily alongside Chemistry and Biology.

The EPQ can still be worth doing for your own learning, but don't count on it for a dentistry offer. Our guide to the EPQ and UCAS points explains where it does help.

What grades do you need for dentistry, in UCAS points?

Dental schools make offers in grades, not points. A Tariff total won't get you an offer on its own, because the subjects matter as much as the grades. Still, knowing the points value helps when you compare dentistry with your other choices.

The standard offer at most schools checked is AAA:

King's College London asks for one grade higher:

Contextual offers bring the grades down a step, to AAB at Birmingham and Manchester or ABB at Bristol. Our page on UCAS points for dentistry shows how dentistry compares with other competitive courses.

Check your predicted grades in UCAS points

Do dental schools accept A-level resits?

It depends on the school, so read the small print. Birmingham states plainly that A-level resits are not considered for its BDS, and it wants your Chemistry and Biology taken in one sitting.

Not every school says this, but many competitive courses expect your grades first time. If you're thinking about resitting, check the exact wording on each course page before you plan a year around it. Our guide to retaking A-levels covers the wider picture.

Do you need the UCAT for dentistry?

Yes. Every school in the table asks you to sit the UCAT in the same year you apply. The test is the same, but schools read your result in different ways:

This is why a strong UCAT can change which schools you apply to. Once you have your score, compare it with each school's approach before you choose your four dentistry options.

Can you get into dentistry with a foundation or gateway year?

Some schools run a supported route for students from under-represented backgrounds. Two are confirmed for 2027 entry:

• Bristol's Gateway to Dentistry: the A-level offer is BBC, including a B in Biology or Chemistry. Pass the gateway year and you move automatically onto the BDS. Bristol's page says the course is open to applicants from specific UK schools and colleges, care leavers with three months or more in care, and students who've been eligible for free school meals.
• King's Enhanced Support Dentistry Programme: the offer is AAB, with an A in Biology or Chemistry and a B in one of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology. It's for students who have attended only non-selective state schools in a London borough.

These routes have strict eligibility rules, so check the course page before counting on one. Our guide to contextual offers explains how universities decide who qualifies for lower grades.

When is the dentistry deadline for 2027 entry?

Most dentistry courses have the early UCAS deadline: 18:00 UK time on 15 October 2026 for 2027 entry. That's the same date as Oxford, Cambridge, medicine and vet courses.

UCAS also limits you to a maximum of four choices in any one of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or veterinary science. You can have up to five choices in total, so a fifth choice can go on a different course, such as biomedical science. Our UCAS deadlines guide lists every date in the 2027 cycle.

What should you do next?

1. Pick your A-levels with both sciences. Chemistry and Biology keep every dental school open. Your third subject can be something you enjoy.
2. Check your predicted grades. Put them into the UCAS points calculator and compare them with AAA.
3. Book and prepare for the UCAT. You need a result before you finalise your four choices.
4. Read each course page yourself. Requirements change each year, so check the 2027 page of every school on your list. If you're also thinking about medicine, our guide to UCAS points for medicine is a good next read.