Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)
Overview
Most graduates in Dentistry enter general practice on their own or in association with others. Some undertake postgraduate study and research training in preparation for an academic career. Others obtain further experience and complete postgraduate clinical qualifications before entering specialist practice.
Programme Requirements
Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)
| Year | Papers | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1st year | Health Sciences First Year Course Notes: (i) Students enrolled in the Health Sciences First Year course will be required to achieve a satisfactory mark in a standard diagnostic English test or another approved measure of achievement. (ii) No student will be permitted to take an examination in a subject of the first year course in which a pass has already been gained. | 126 |
| 2nd year | 33 72 15 | |
| 3rd year | or DENT 364 * | 72 36 12
72 |
| 4th year | 90 18 12 | |
| 5th year | 120 | |
* DENT 364 is available only for approved students admitted under the International Medical University Partnership Programme and having previously passed appropriate courses; students who pass the paper will be credited with the First, Second, and Third Year courses of the programme. |
Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)
1 Admission to the Programme
(a) Admission to the second year course in Dentistry is determined by the Dental Admissions Committee.
(b) The maximum number to be admitted annually to second year classes in Dentistry is 54.
(c) Applications for admission may be made under the following categories:
- Health Sciences First Year
- Second Year of University Study
- Competitive Graduate
- Alternative
(d) The University of Otago supports the participation of the following peoples in the health workforce. Therefore, applicants in any category (see regulation 1(c)) who have fulfilled the requirements as described in 1(e), 1(f), 1(g) or 1(h) may also be considered in one or both of the following sub-categories:
(i) Māori.
(ii) New Zealand Resident Pacific Islander (of Polynesian, Melanesian or Micronesian descent).
An applicant in either or both of these sub-categories must have achieved a minimum academic standard to be determined by the Dental Admissions Committee from year to year in the course of study on which the application for admission is based.
(e) To be considered for entry under the Health Sciences First Year category, an applicant must be in the first year of university study, and
(i) pass all of the papers prescribed for the Health Sciences First Year course, at the first attempt, with a B (70%) grade point average (GPA) or better, with no paper grade less than B– (65%);
(ii) have achieved a valid score in all three of the Undergraduate Medical and Health Sciences Admissions Test (UMAT) Sections at a threshold level determined annually by the Dental Admissions Committee;
(iii) have undertaken an Oral Assessment and achieved a threshold level, determined annually by the Dental Admissions Committee. Applicants will not normally be invited for oral assessments unless they achieve the threshold level in all three of the UMAT Sections.
Applicants who have met all three criteria will be selected based on their GPA.
(f) To be considered for entry under the Second Year of University Study category, an applicant must
(i) have completed two or more years of full-time study at a university in New Zealand and have undertaken approved papers in the biological sciences, including the equivalent of the papers prescribed for the Health Sciences First Year course, with a B grade average (Otago equivalent) or better across all papers;
(ii) have achieved a valid score in all three of the UMAT Sections at a threshold level determined annually by the Dental Admissions Committee;
(iii) have undertaken an Oral Assessment and achieved a threshold level, determined annually by the Dental Admissions Committee. Applicants will not normally be invited for oral assessments unless they achieve the threshold level in all three of the UMAT Sections.
Applicants who have met all three criteria will be selected based on their GPA.
(g) To be considered for entry under the Competitive Graduate category, an applicant must
(i) have completed in the minimum academic time, and within three years of the date of application, the requirements of a first degree awarded by a university in New Zealand, as well as the equivalent of the papers prescribed for the Health Sciences First Year course, with a B grade average (Otago equivalent) or better across all papers;
(ii) have achieved a valid score in all three of the UMAT Sections at a threshold level determined annually by the Dental Admissions Committee;
(iii) have undertaken an Oral Assessment and achieved a threshold level, determined annually by the Dental Admissions Committee. Applicants will not normally be invited for oral assessments unless they achieve the threshold level in all three of the UMAT Sections.
Applicants who have met all three criteria will be selected based on their GPA.
(h) To be considered for entry under the Alternative category, an applicant must
(i) be a graduate of a university in New Zealand who completed the requirements of his or her first degree more than three years previously
or
have a second or higher degree
or
be a New Zealand or Australian citizen or permanent resident who has completed a degree at an overseas university;
(ii) must have passed the equivalent of the papers prescribed for the Health Sciences First Year course, and have achieved a minimum academic standard to be determined by the Dental Admissions Committee in any papers undertaken at university level (usually a B (70%) grade);
(iii) must have achieved a valid score in all three of the UMAT Sections at a threshold level determined annually by the Dental Admissions Committee;
(iv) must have undertaken an Oral Assessment and achieved a threshold level, determined annually by the Dental Admissions Committee. Applicants will not normally be invited for oral assessments unless they achieve the threshold level in all three of the UMAT Sections.
Applicants who have met all four criteria will be selected based on their GPA.
(i) Admission to the course shall be subject to candidates meeting a specified English language requirement prior to entry to any second year classes.
(j) The Admissions Committee shall have discretion to offer a limited number of additional places in second year classes to applicants sponsored through the New Zealand Government or to full fee-paying privately-sponsored overseas students who meet all necessary prerequisites at a minimum academic standard determined by the Admissions Committee.
(k) All students enrolled for the purpose of gaining entry to second year classes in Dentistry must have their courses of study approved by an Adviser of Studies in Dentistry. Where a student is pursuing a programme leading to another degree, the course of study must also be approved by an Adviser of Studies for that degree.
2 Structure of the Degree
(a) Every programme of study shall satisfy the programme requirements above.
(b) No student may take a paper additional to those prescribed for the second, third, fourth and final years of the programme without the approval of the Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry.
3 Credits
The Faculty of Dentistry may grant such credits as it deems appropriate for work done previously by a candidate.
4 Assessment
(a) Assessment for all papers will usually comprise two components: a theoretical component, and a clinical, practical or technical component.
(b) Both components will have summative internal assessments and may have a final examination.
(c) Summative internal assessments will be complemented by formative assessments and shall consist of such written, clinical, practical and oral assessments, either singly or as part of a group, as the Faculty requires. Students will be advised of the requirements for summative assessment at the commencement of each year of study.
(d) Final examination of the theoretical component shall consist of written papers and may include oral examinations or alternative examination formats as the examiners require. Final examination of the clinical, practical or technical component shall consist of such oral, clinical, practical or technical examinations as the examiners may require.
(e) To pass any paper a mark of 50% or above must be gained in both the theoretical component and the clinical, practical or technical component.
(f) The weighting of theoretical and clinical, practical or technical components to determine the final mark may vary from paper to paper.
(g) If either the theoretical component or the clinical, practical or technical component of a paper is failed, the paper will be deemed to be failed. If a paper has multiple modules, candidates will be required to pass the theoretical and clinical, practical or technical components of each module. On the recommendation of the Board of Examiners and with the approval of the Faculty, a student may be given an opportunity to undertake remedial activity and to be re-assessed in a special examination in the component that has been failed. Special examinations may take the form of such written, clinical, practical and oral assessment as the Faculty requires.
(h) Candidates will be informed whether they are required to undertake remedial activity and sit special examinations when results are submitted to the Examinations Office.
(i) If more than one component is failed, the student may, on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners and with the approval of the Faculty, be required to repeat the paper. A student who repeats a paper must repeat both components of that paper.
(j) Special consideration may be given if a student is unavailable to sit a summative internal assessment or final examination due to health problems or unforeseen personal circumstances. Supporting documentation must be submitted to the Faculty Operations Manager as soon as practicable.
(k) A candidate who in the opinion of the Board of Examiners, has reached an exceptionally high standard in any paper shall be granted a pass with distinction in that paper.
5 Withdrawal from the Programme
(a) A student who withdraws on or before 10 July in the year of admission to second year classes will be required to reapply for admission to second year classes in Dentistry.
(b) A student who withdraws at any other time during the programme will be required to apply for readmission to the Faculty Operations Manager by 1 September of the year prior to that for which readmission is sought. Such a student will be readmitted only on the recommendation of the Faculty.
6 Exclusion from the Programme
Any student who, in two academic years, fails to qualify for admission to, or to pass all papers which constitute a complete year of the programme, may be excluded from further enrolment for the degree by the Board of the Division of Health Sciences on the recommendation of the Faculty of Dentistry.
7 Level of Award of the Degree
The degree may be awarded with distinction or with credit.
8 Variations
On the recommendation of the Faculty, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) may, in exceptional circumstances, approve a course of study which does not comply with these regulations.
Notes:
(1) All the papers prescribed for the University of Otago Health Sciences First Year course must be passed, with a B (70%) GPA or better and with no paper grade less than B-. If an additional optional paper from the approved list is taken, and provided all of the prescribed papers are passed at or above the required minimum standard, the results in the best seven papers will be counted for admission purposes.
(2) An application for admission to the second year course is required; this is separate from the enrolment process. Applications must be received at the Health Sciences Admissions Office no later than 15 September in the year before admission.
(3) Applicants for admission must have valid UMAT results as defined by the Australian Council of Educational Research, which is responsible for the development and administration of UMAT.
(4) Entries for special examinations must reach the Manager, Student Administration, by 10 January.
