Dentistry at the University of East Anglia (UEA) Dental School

The University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich is creating a new dental school for the East of England. Following the Department of Health and Social Care's June 2026 expansion of dental training, the Office for Students allocated UEA 25 new dental places, with the first students due to start the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) in September 2027.

Until now the East of England has been the only English region without a dental school, and the government has highlighted Norfolk as one of the country's worst 'dental deserts' for NHS access. UEA's School of Oral Health is being developed on the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital campus, including a new anatomy suite in an extension to the Edith Cavell Building, supported by £1.5m from the Greater Norwich Growth Board.

The BDS is progressing through General Dental Council (GDC) approval: the programme has been provisionally accepted and is moving through the final stages of the GDC's process, which quality-assures dental education in the UK. You can compare UEA with the other UK dental schools in our directory.

This is a brand-new course, and UEA has now confirmed the key details below, including the AAA A level offer, the A200 UCAS code, fees, and how the UCAT and interview are used. As the first cohort approaches, always check UEA's official course page for any updates.

A few things set UEA apart as a new dental school:

• The first dental school in the East of England, a region with some of the lowest NHS dental access rates in the country.
• Based in Norwich on the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital campus, with a new anatomy suite in the Edith Cavell Building.
• Backed by £1.5m from the Greater Norwich Growth Board to develop the Norwich Dental School and School of Oral Health.
• 25 OfS-allocated training places, with the first students starting in September 2027.

The five-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS, UCAS course code A200) combines dental science with hands-on clinical training and takes a patient-centred approach from day one. It leads to the Degree of Bachelor of Dental Surgery, and the first cohort begins in September 2027.

Teaching is integrated, blending scientific knowledge, clinical skills and professional development through lectures, small-group teaching, simulation and supervised clinical experience, with early patient contact building confidence from the start.

The course builds year on year: scientific foundations and early clinical and communication skills in year one; more simulation and supervised patient interaction in year two; greater real-world clinical exposure in year three; advanced clinical skills with increasing responsibility in year four; and consolidation and preparation for independent practice and Dental Foundation Training in year five.

Teaching is based in Norwich, with clinical facilities developed on the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital campus. Assessment is continuous, using written assessments, clinical examinations and workplace-based assessments.

Note for 2027/28 entry onwards: the UK Government has announced plans (in the 10 Year Health Plan for England) to require newly qualified dentists to work in the NHS for a minimum period. UEA expects this to apply to students starting from 2027/28, with further detail to follow from the Department of Health and Social Care.

UEA interviews for the BDS use the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format and are held on campus in Norwich.

You move through a series of stations, each with a different interviewer, spending five minutes at each station with one and a half minutes of preparation beforehand. UEA can only interview you in the format set out in your invitation.

Our qualified dentists can help you prepare for MMI dental interviews with a free mock interview and structured 1-1 coaching.