School of Dentistry

Welcome to the School of Dentistry! Here you’ll find everything you need to know about starting and returning to your studies.

Make sure you read the ‘All students’ info first – this covers things like tasks you need to complete before the start of term, safety procedures on your course and where to go for more information or support.

Then scroll to the section that applies to you – ‘New undergraduate student’ or ‘New taught postgraduate student’. We’ve also included some helpful links at the bottom to direct you to anything else you might need.

If you’re a postgraduate researcher, find your faculty welcome and induction information to help you get started.

All students

What do I need to do before I arrive?

You will need to complete registration, whether you’re a new or returning student.

How will I have my say on my programme and school?

A Student-Staff Partnership Forum is held four times a year and if you have any issues or general queries, they can be sent via your Year Rep (who are elected by students) to speak on your behalf on the Forum. You can also contact the Programme Lead at any time.

Where can I go for support? 

School Student Education Services

Dental Surgery Co-Programme Leads 

Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy Co-Programme Leads 

MSc Dental Materials Programme Lead

Email Nigel Bubb: N.L.Bubb@leeds.ac.uk

MSc Dental Public Health Co-Programme Leads

MSc Oral Surgery 

Email Alasdair McKechnie: A.McKechnie@leeds.ac.uk 

University Wellbeing Support

School Study Support

Email the Dentistry study support team: denstudy@leeds.ac.uk

You can also contact your academic personal tutor.

University Study Support  – Skills@Library website

I’m a new undergraduate student 

What does my induction timetable look like? 

Welcome Week begins on Monday 25th September and you will be sent an email with information about Welcome Week with your timetable prior to this.

What do I need to do before I arrive?

You need to activate your University IT account and complete your registration. 

How will I meet my academic personal tutor? How will academic personal tutoring work? 

You will get a welcome email from your academic personal tutor within your couple of weeks at the University and they will arrange to meet with you. You will be invited to meet your academic personal tutor three times in your first year and twice a year in the other years of your programme. Your academic personal tutor is there to support your general academic and personal development. 

How will I find out more about my programme? 

During Welcome Week there are lots of sessions that will introduce you to the School and your programme, you will also have the opportunity to ask your Year Lead any questions that you have about being a first year Dental student.

How will I get to know other students? 

Leeds University Dental Society (DentSoc) is arranging a social session during Welcome Week and this will be listed on your timetable. There will also be activities in Welcome Week that will give you the opportunity to meet other students in your group and on the programme.

Are there any specialist software or systems that I need for my programme and where do I find out information about it?

It’s really useful for you to have your own PC or laptop so you can access all of the University’s resources and online learning programs (you’ll receive more information on these systems during your induction). They include:

  • MINERVA –  a virtual learning environment where individual programme modules can be found by name or code number
  • Office 365 – where you can access your email account and Microsoft Teams, as well as other MS Office programs. Teams is particularly useful to have, as it may be used during induction, teaching and personal tutor meetings.  It can be downloaded as an app on your phone or tablet and can also be accessed on a web browser.
  • MS Teams – We use MS Teams for meetings/seminars. It can be downloaded on your phone and/or laptop. 

What is the role of course representatives and how do I volunteer?

Course Representatives are elected by the student body to represent the views on their course. It's their job to represent the views of their course mates at course rep meetings on different academic matters, such as the curriculum and timetabling. Please contact denstudentsupport@leeds.ac.uk for information on how to apply to be a course representative. Your School Reps for 2023/24 are:

  • Dental Surgery Years 1 to 3 – Sonica Khan & Alexandra Wilkinson
  • Dental Surgery Years 4 to 5 – Sher Khan & Niamh Dillon
  • Dental Hygiene and Therapy – Shaakirah Khan

Are there any societies I can join for the school/programme? 

Yes, the Leeds University Dental Society (known as DentSoc) is open to all and will be sending out information before you arrive with everything you need to know about the committee members and membership. You can also find out about other societies on the LUU website.

Are there any peer mentoring schemes operating in my school? 

There is a Dental Parent Scheme. You will get more information about this scheme before you join us for Welcome Week.

How will I be able to provide feedback on the delivery of my modules? 

You will be asked for feedback at the end of year module review and you can contact a Module Lead, Programme Lead or Year Lead at any point throughout the year. You can also speak with your Year Rep to raise anything that’s concerning you at the Student Staff Partnership Forum.

How does assessment work on my programme and what support is provided with academic skills? 

Your programme will be made up of a number of modules and each module will have its own assessment. These assessments will assess different skill sets, for example, knowledge tests by short answer questions and/or multiple choice questions, practical tests such clinical skills test, medical emergency simulation scenarios, and presentations to assess your communication skills.

You will have access to an assessment timetable at the start of the year via MINERVA so you know what to expect.   

Denstudy is available for support with academic skills, as well as Skills@Library, which can help with information on academic integrity, referencing styles and many more academic skills.

You will also receive feedback as you progress through the programmes modules which will help you focus on your development needs.

I’m a new taught postgraduate student

There is a wealth of information available on the For Students website for you to start looking at and it is worthwhile spending a little time orientating yourself with this, as we appreciate coming to study at a new University can be initially overwhelming. We hope the following information will be helpful.

What can I do before I arrive?

You’ll need to Activate your IT account. By clicking the link, you will find more information on how to complete this. 

What should I expect from the Welcome Week?

There are many activities for you join, some to show you the University and others are specifically for the School of Dentistry. Emails will be sent to your University email account and it is important to activate this as soon as possible to avoid missing important information. Please aim to check your University email address daily.

The Welcome Week will support you to settle in and familarise yourself with the University, the campus and the School of Dentistry. Some of your studies may be off campus and additional details will be given to you during the introduction to your specific taught postgraduate programme of study.

Module enrolment

All modules on the Taught Postgraduate Programmes are compulsory and you will automatically be enrolled. There are no optional modules available.

More information on accessing your timetable.

Will I have an academic personal tutor?

Each of our Taught Postgraduate Students will be allocated an Academic Personal Tutor and you will be informed who this is during the Welcome Week. During your year of study, you can expect to meet your academic personal tutor each term and you can engage with the academic personal tutoring system. Your academic personal tutor is there to support your general academic and personal development.

The Leeds Partnership and Student Voice

As a student at the School of Dentistry, your experience is important to us. Your voice is valued in sharing your experience and suggestions on how to continue to develop and deliver to meet your needs and expectations. You can contribute to the educational experience in the School for Taught Postgraduate Students and if you would like to be involved, please consider becoming a Student Representative, more information can be found via the Student Voice and Leeds University Union. 

Links to additional School resources 

Other useful links