Newcastle University

Dental Hygiene and Therapy Diploma
(27 months)

• Course Overview
• Course Content
• Entry Requirements
• Careers
• Finance

This diploma is for students wishing to become dental hygienists/therapists. As a hygienist/therapist, you work independently on patients, but in close liaison with the dental surgeon and under their direction.

The duties of a hygienist/therapist include:

• scaling and polishing of teeth
• placing fillings
• extracting deciduous teeth
• the application to teeth and gums of certain medicaments such as fluoride and fissure sealants
• teaching of oral hygiene methods
• the giving of dietary advice to individuals and groups of all ages

Quality and ranking

Dentistry at Newcastle achieved an overall student satisfaction score of 90% in the 2012 National Student Survey.

We are also ranked in the top 6 UK universities for Dentistry in The Times Good University Guide 2013.

Professional accreditation

Our Diploma in Dental Hygiene and Therapy covers both the practical and theoretical aspects of dental hygiene/therapy for a qualification which meets the General Dental Council’s requirements for professions complementary to dentistry.

Teaching and assessment

The course lasts for 27 months ending with final examinations in December. Attendance is expected daily from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday. As well as bank holidays and statutory holidays, the Dental School will be closed for nine weeks during the year. The course is very demanding and you must be prepared for sustained hard work and effort throughout the year.

You will undergo regular progress tests during the course. There are also two major examinations. Any candidate repeatedly failing to meet the expected standards may be asked to withdraw from the course.

Facilities

You will learn in some of the most modern and best-equipped facilities in the country, including:

• A high-tech Clinical Simulation Unit
• Dental Learning Resource Centre

School of Dental Sciences

The School of Dental Sciences at Newcastle is in the same building as the Dental Hospital. Together with the adjacent Medical School and Royal Victoria Infirmary teaching hospital, it forms one of the largest integrated teaching and hospital complexes in the country.

The School is home to almost 500 undergraduate students and a vibrant postgraduate community. It’s big but it’s far from impersonal with plenty of opportunities to get to know people across all years, helped by the activities of our student-led society Dentsoc.

Visit the School's website, where you can:

• Read about a day in the life of one of our dental students
• Take a virtual tour of our dental teaching and learning facilities