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Advanced Dental Nursing Professional Practice (Top-up) at University of Portsmouth - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

University of Portsmouth has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Open days

7Dec
University of Portsmouth Open Day
Undergraduate

Course summary

Overview Whether you’re due to graduate with a GDC accredited CertHE Dental Nursing or other Level 4 Dental Nursing Qualification, or you’re a practising dental nurse and keen to develop your career, this Advanced Dental Nursing Professional Practice degree will boost your prospects. It enables you to top-up your existing qualifications to a BSc (Hons) degree in just 2 years full-time or 4 years part-time.  You'll develop your clinical skills and learn to become more interactive with patient care and to improve skill mix within the dental team. You'll gain graduate skills to help you progress into senior dental nursing roles and practice at a higher level. Employers recognise the part that dental nurses with advanced skills contribute to improving dental care across the UK. As demand for dental care services continues to rise, you’ll be well placed to take advantage of opportunities to grow your role. Course highlights

  • Broaden your clinical skills in areas ranging from impression taking to radiography
  • Get ready for opportunities as a lead dental nurse, clinical coordinator or practice manager by developing knowledge and skills in mentorship and clinical audit
  • Develop demonstrable skills in leadership and decision-making, communication and managing people
  • Build your credibility for senior roles by gaining knowledge and understanding of clinical governance
  • Apply your learning in the community as part of a clinical student team, treating real patients via the University of Portsmouth Dental Academy and its outreach projects
  • Enhance your professional contacts by networking with visiting industry figures and forging links with lecturers who are active in dental practice
Careers and opportunities Now is the ideal time to boost your career potential with this BSc (Hons) Advanced Dental Nursing Professional Practice (Top-Up). Health Education England’s Advancing Dental Care Review 2021 recommends building up the capabilities of dental professionals. It calls for better use of the skills mix and multi-disciplinary teamworking within dental care services. If you’re already working professionally as a dental nurse, you will almost certainly have noticed that demand on dental services is rising. Increasingly, dental nurses will be expected to carry out more direct patient care and senior roles, as well as performing their statutory duties of supporting clinicians and patients. This qualification will equip you to take advantage of those opportunities. It can also open up a range of other professional paths. What areas can you work with in with a BSc (Hons) Advanced Dental Nursing Professional Practice?
  • general dental practice (NHS or private)
  • specialist services such as cosmetic dentistry and dental implants
  • pharmaceutical industry
  • oral care industry
  • dental education
  • supervision of trainee dental nurses
  • What jobs can you do with a BSc (Hons) Advanced Dental Nursing Professional Practice?
  • senior dental nurse
  • clinical coordinator
  • dental practice manager
  • graduate roles in the pharmaceutical industry
  • graduate roles in the oral care industry
You’ll also be a step closer to specialist dental roles such as hygienist or therapist, with further training. Alternatively, you could choose to progress into further study, such as a Master’s in the dental field. Pursuing an academic path may lead you to further advanced career opportunities, or allow you to move into higher educational roles or research.

Modules

Full-time: Year 1 Core modules in this year include:

  • Applied Dental Nursing Professional Practice (40 credits)
  • Communication for the Dental Team (20 credits)
  • Dental Radiography (20 credits)
  • Engaging with Service Improvement (Dental) (20 credits)
  • Evidence Based Decision Making (Dental) (20 credits)
There are no optional modules in this year. Year 2 Core modules in this year include:
  • Evidence Based Decision Making (Dental) (20 credits)
  • Behaviour Management (20 credits)
  • Enhancing Advanced Dental Nursing Professional Practice (40 credits)
  • Leading Safe and Effective Care (Dental) (20 credits)
  • Project (40 credits)
There are no optional modules in this year. Part-time Year 1: Core modules in this year include:
  • Applied Dental Nursing Professional Practice (40 credits)
  • Communication for the Dental Team (20 credits)
There are no optional modules in this year. Year 2: Core modules in this year include:
  • Dental Radiography (20 credits)
  • Engaging with Service Improvement (Dental) (20 credits)
  • Evidence Based Decision Making (Dental) (20 credits)
There are no optional modules in this year. Year 3: Core modules in this year include:
  • Behaviour Management (20 credits)
  • Enhancing Advanced Dental Nursing Professional Practice (40 credits)
There are no optional modules in this year. Year 4: Core modules in this year include:
  • Leading Safe and Effective Care (Dental) (20 credits)
  • Project (40 credits)
There are no optional modules in this year. Changes to course content: We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies. Therefore, course content is revised and regularly reviewed. This may result in changes being made in order to reflect developments in research, learning from practice and changes in policy at both national and local levels.

Assessment method

This is a new course and we’re currently finalising the detailed information for this page. You can still see entry requirements and apply.

How to apply

29Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1
  • Year 2

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

120 HE credits at level 4 (Certificate) in Dental Nursing related subjects. Applicants with Dental Nurse GDC Registration and sufficient level 5 credits from FDSc or DipHE or equivalent Dental Nursing education programmes can apply for direct entry (with advanced standing) to level 6, subject to RPL. All applicants must have a qualification that is recognised by the GDC and allows them to work as a dental nurse in the UK.

Additional entry requirements

Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)

Applicants must pass Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before starting the course.

Health checks

Applicants must pass Occupational Health check before starting the course.

Interview

All shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview in support of their application.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.5English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.
PTE Academic61An overall score of 61 with a minimum of 54 in each skill.
TOEFL (iBT)9191 with a minimum of 20 in Reading, 19 in Listening, 21 in Speaking and 20 in Writing
Cambridge English AdvancedCambridge English: Advanced (CAE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 169.
Cambridge English ProficiencyCambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 169.
Trinity ISETrinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

EU £4625 Year 1
England £4625 Year 1
Northern Ireland £4625 Year 1
Scotland £4625 Year 1
Wales £4625 Year 1
Channel Islands £4625 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £4625 Year 1
International £8600 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice. Fees may also go up in later years, in line with inflation.
Advanced Dental Nursing Professional Practice (Top-up) at University of Portsmouth - UCAS