Dental Schools Council series of Summer Schools 2024

The Peninsula Dental School will be hosting a residential and online summer schools based around dentistry
One of the Summer Mix youngsters having a go at being a dentist
As part of a Dental Schools Council initiative the University of Plymouth Peninsula Dental School is offering the opportunity to take part in a residential or online summer school.
The Residential Summer School is open to 20 young people from the South West and the Online Summer School is open to 20 young people in England, who are interested in studying dentistry.
Funded by NHS England, the programme is aimed at young people who are from under-represented backgrounds, and targets areas of England that have limited outreach engagement with medical or dental schools. 
 

Residential Summer School

The University of Plymouth will focus on supporting the students’ journey into dental education, and hopes to break down barriers; ensuring that the least likely but most able of students who might not otherwise have considered, or felt able to access, a dental career understand how they can enter the profession.
Peninsula Dental School will welcome 20 Year 11, 12 and 13 students from across the South West onto the main university campus with the aim of looking at the whole life cycle of a dental student, from the admissions and selection process to life beyond dental school, showing the range of careers within the oral healthcare profession.
The dates for the three-night, four-day programme are from Monday 8 July to Thursday 11 July 2024.
The Summer School is free to attend and travel, accommodation and catering costs will be covered by NHS funding/Peninsula Dental School.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the programme students must be currently studying at a state school from the South West region (Devon/Cornwall/Bristol/Dorset/Gloucestershire/Somerset/Wiltshire) and either be:
  • In, or been in local authority care
  • An estranged student who is studying without the support and approval of a family network (estranged from both parents or guardians)
  • An asylum seeker or refugee
Or hold a minimum of two of the following:
  • Studying in a state school that achieved below the national average Attainment 8 score at GCSE (Attainment 8 below 46.2%). If this is not available for applicant's previous school information can be used where they had attended to the age of 16
  • Studying in a state school that achieved below or well below the national average Progress 8 score (this will be any school that gets below 0 (zero) as its Progress 8 score). If this is not available for applicant's previous school information can be used where they had attended to the age of 16
  • From a school with a high percentage of students (23.8% or more) receiving free school meals. If this information is not available for their current school (i.e, your now attending a college), we will accept the school the free school meal data for the school attended at age 16
  • Living in a geographical area with low levels of progression onto higher education (POLAR4 quintile 1 or 2 meet this criteria – view the POLAR4 postcode search tool)
  • Are a young carer aged under 18 who helps to look after someone in their family or a friend, who is ill, disabled or misuses drugs or alcohol. To qualify as a young carer they must be caring above and beyond what is normally expected, there is no time limit on the amount of care they provide for their dependents
  • From a family where the parents do not have a university degree from the UK or abroad
  • In receipt of or eligible for free school meals or the 16-19 Bursary Fund or Discretionary Learner Support or Means Tested Benefit or Pupil Premium

Additional criteria

Students must have the potential to study dentistry and be capable of achieving the minimum grades required for entry (whether that is for standard entry programmes or programmes with a gateway year).
An interest in STEM subjects and be considering studying science in their post-16 studies and medicine post-18.
For students that studied outside the UK, and took their GCSEs/equivalent overseas they would still need to meet two of the eligibility criteria (school criteria would be excluded).
For students attending colleges and sixth forms where there is no FSM data, we will accept their previous school (in which they took their GCSEs).
If students have moved school in Year 12 then it is acceptable to use the participants school where they took their GCSE’s, or current school (all students must be within a state school or college).
The closing date for applications is Friday 26 April 2024.

How to apply

Applications are handled directly by Peninsula Dental School.
The form requires completion from the young person, from the teacher and consent from the parent/guardian.
The closing date for applications is Friday 26 April 2024.
 

Online Summer School

Peninsula Dental School will welcome 20 Year 11,12 & 13 students in England to take part in the online programme, with the aim of looking at the whole life cycle of a dental student, from the admissions and selection process to life beyond dental school, showing the range of careers within the oral healthcare profession.
The dates for the 3-day programme are Monday 1 July to Wednesday 3 July 2024.
Find out more and apply

Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry holding the Dental Summer Mix. A group of 14-19 year olds who are taking part in the Dental Summer Mix because they want to know more about becoming a dentist.