Study dentistry at the University of Sydney School of Dentistry
About us
The University is ranked first in Australia and fourth in the world for graduate employability in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020.
Find out moreThe University has been providing education, training and research to oral health and dentistry students for over 100 years.
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In response to COVID-19, the University of Sydney has reviewed the availability of courses to be delivered remotely for students commencing their studies in Semester 1, 2021.
Students commencing this course in Semester 1, 2021 are required to commence their studies in-person on campus. Remote study is not available for this course.
Note: The University intends to offer as many units of study as possible in a remote as well as face-to-face learning method of delivery in Semester 1, 2021 and subject to ongoing border closures and public health orders impacting attendance on campus, in Semester 2, 2021. However, some units of study and courses require students to study in-person at the relevant University of Sydney campus/es and host locations for placements and will not be available remotely.
The Doctor of Dental Medicine will teach you to be a confident, ethical and qualified dentist. You will build skills through practice-based learning, in a four-year dentistry degree developed to meet the changing oral health needs of the community.
The Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) is a graduate-entry course that will allow you to have a rewarding career as a dentist, eligible for registration with the Dental Board of Australia.
When you study the Doctor of Dental Medicine at the Sydney Dental School, you will:
Postgraduates from any discipline who are interested in becoming a dentist, with a passion for healthcare and improving people’s lives through oral health.
There are no specialisations for this course.
For academic requirements check the ‘Admission criteria’ section on this page.
There are three separate components to making an application to the Doctor of Dental Medicine:
NOTE:
Applications for the DMD will not be processed if an applicant fails to complete one or more of these components.
Applications open: 28 April 2020 at 10am
Applications close: 11 June 2020 at 10am
Semester 1 (Early February 2021)
There are two ways to submit an international application:
NOTE:
Applications for the DMD will not be processed if an applicant fails to complete one or more of these components.
Applications open: 28 April 2020 at 10am
Applications close: 23 July 2020 at 10am
Semester 1 (Early February 2021)
Students complete the equivalent of 24 credit points, or four units of study per semester for the entire duration of the course.
The Doctor of Dental Medicine is made up of 192 credit points and consists of 4 years of full-time study. You will undertake four core units of study to qualify for the award of the course.
Explore the Medicine and Health Postgraduate Handbook to learn more about
Mandatory work component = 1,350 hours.
This translates to 45 hours per week.
This mandatory work component must be completed as part of the award requirements for the course.
A capstone experience comprises of one or more units of study designed to provide an opportunity to draw together the learning that has taken place during the course, synthesise this with prior learning and experience, and draw conclusions that will form the basis for further investigation, and intellectual and/or professional growth.
Applying for admission
Due to the rapidly-evolving situation of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the University of Sydney has reviewed its admissions process and application timeline for Doctor of Dental Medicine 2021 entry. These changes apply only to 2021 entry. Please revisit this website on a regular basis for any updates.
Admission requirements
To be eligible for admission to the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) in 2021, applicants must meet the following three criteria:
The University reserves the right to ask some applicants to participate in further assessment using another selection tool. The University will give these candidates due notice of any additional requirements.
*Satisfactory performance is defined in the relevant Admissions Guide.
Please click on the links below for the Admissions Guide (Version 2: 26 May 2020):
Important dates for the 2021 intake are available below:
Timeline for the application process (pdf, 76 KB)
You will be ineligible to apply if:
If you have previously accepted an offer of a place in the DMD at the University of Sydney, and have:
(a) failed to submit any outstanding documentation to proceed with an unconditional offer or to enrol; or
(b) enrolled in and subsequently withdrawn from or discontinued the DMD without prior approval from the Head of School and Dean;
you will be ineligible for admission to the DMD for a period of two years from the date of application or enrolment, as relevant.
Facilitated admission pathways
Facilitated admission pathways are available to the following applicants:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people:
- Australian citizens of rural origin as defined by the Australian government.
Please refer to the MD and DMD Domestic Admissions Guide (pdf, 1.1MB) for definitions and information on facilitated admission pathways.
To assist students in making informed choices about their study, we have identified and set out the inherent requirements for coursework award courses in dentistry.
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) are available for this course for eligible domestic students. This means that your course fees are subsidised by the Australian Government and you pay a student contribution amount (SCA). CSP places are limited in number and are allocated based on academic merit.
Disclaimer
Please note the Sydney Dental School regularly reviews the admission criteria and application processes for its courses including the Doctor of Dental Medicine. It reserves the right to change these criteria and processes without notice. Information on this website provides advice about the currently applicable criteria and processes, and may not be correct for future application periods. It is possible that GPA scores will, in the future, be incorporated into the ranking of applicants for entry into the DMD. It is also possible that the GPA requirement will be increased. Applicants are advised to consult this website on a regular basis for any changes to entry criteria or program updates.
Additional costs
Additional costs are involved pre-application and during the application process:
All students will need to purchase specific equipment and supplies as part of their course. Find out more.
You can find information on health cover for international students here and the University provides a guide for living away from home costs here.
Other requirements prior to commencement of the DMD
Students who are offered and accept a place in the DMD will be required to provide a current approved First Aid Certificate and meet Clinical Compliance requirements
Post-degree Registration Requirements: Please refer to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) website and the Dental Board of Australia website for further information.
Deferral
Applications for the deferral of enrolment following an offer of a place in the Doctor of Dental Medicine will only be considered under exceptional circumstances, and require the approval of the Faculty of Medicine and Health.
Transfer
Transfer of enrolment between dental schools or from a medical program is not possible due to our unique units of study, continuous long learning and assessment in dentistry at the University of Sydney. All students must apply through the standard admission pathway and commence in year 1 of the DMD program.
Change in immigration status
International applicants and students who change from international to domestic status should refer to clause 39 of the Coursework Policy 2014 and the rules below:
1. An international applicant’s status changes before an offer is made:
International applicants who change to domestic status before an offer is made, will have their application assessed as a domestic applicant.
2. An international applicant’s status changes after an offer is made and prior to enrolling in the DMD:
International applicants who change to domestic status after an offer is made and prior to enrolling in the DMD, will have their offer cancelled and their application assessed as a domestic applicant.
3. A student’s status changes after enrolling in the DMD:
International students who change to domestic status after enrolling in the DMD, will be handled in accordance with sub-clauses 39(8), and 39(9) of the Coursework Policy 2014:
3.1 Sub-clause 39(8)
If an international postgraduate student changes from international to domestic status before the census date for their course, the student will be transferred to a domestic fee-paying place.
3.2 Sub-clause 39(9)
If an international postgraduate student changes from international to domestic status after the census date for their course, the student will continue as an international fee-paying student for that semester and transfer to a domestic fee-paying place in the subsequent semester.
4. The assessment referred to in points 1 and 2 above will be conducted by the Sydney Dental School in accordance with the selection criteria for admission by domestic applicants to the DMD in the year of the application. Applicants must therefore submit Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) results at the time of application to be eligible for admission to the DMD as a domestic student. Please note that MCAT results or other admissions test results cannot be accepted for admission as a domestic applicant.
Impermissible conduct
The Sydney Dental School reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject an application for admission or to vary or cancel an offer of admission if an applicant’s conduct during the admissions process or prior to enrolment causes the Sydney Dental School to form the view that the applicant is unsuitable for admission to the DMD.
Examples of conduct that might make an applicant unsuitable for admission to the DMD include (but are not limited to):
Inherent requirements
To assist students in making informed choices about their study, we have identified and set out the inherent requirements for coursework award courses in dentistry.
Graduates of the Doctor of Dental Medicine are eligible for immediate registration with the Dental Board of Australia, allowing you to go straight in to practice.
Canadian students can undertake the examination of the National Examining Board of Canada, allowing registration and practice in their home country.
You can then work in:
You could also then undertake further study at the Sydney Dental School, and specialise in:
Outstanding graduates may pursue a higher degree by research in the courses of Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Philosophy.
