Despite my daughter attaining more than 600 points, she was unable to secure a place to study dentistry this year. Considering the recent declaration by Minister of Education to curb grade inflation by 2025, are there chances that point requirements for the dentistry courses at Trinity and Cork will drop below 600 within the next couple of years?
Regrettably, I predict that the Minister’s decision to gradually curb grade inflation won’t cause a notable decrease in the points for sought-after courses. That being said, the future seems brighter with the announcement of a third dental programme at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) University of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Given the evident scarcity of dental course slots in Ireland, the launch of this new degree choice in 2025 should lead to some decrease in points requirements. Coupled with gradual decline in inflated grades, this hopeful situation could enable your daughter to land a place in either 2025 or 2026.
Your daughter could also explore the option of applying to UK or European dental schools that offer courses taught in English. This presents a valuable alternative if she would rather not have all her hopes in one option.
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The dentistry programme at RCSI will be the first in Ireland to be predominantly community-based. This is in response to the evolving global trend in dentistry and healthcare professions to conduct clinical training in the community rather than traditional hospital environments.
Community experience carries significant relevance for dental graduates who will majorly operate within primary care. It ensures RCSI-trained dentists are equipped with the understanding of various community groups’ needs and capable of effectively interacting with future healthcare colleagues.
Structured as a five-year full-time course, students gain real-world, contextually relevant learning experiences. From their first year, students will engage with patients, enabling them to hone their clinical and interpersonal skills from the get-go.
The initial pair of years are designed to establish the scientific and technical groundwork, forming the basis for the subsequent clinically focused years of the curriculum. From the second to the fifth year, students will acquire exposure to a broad spectrum of oral and general dental ailments, whilst persistently referring to the scientific knowledge that supports dental practices.
The closing years of the course will assist students in gaining insight into the patient’s experience through primary, secondary, and specialist dental care. The final year is devised to prepare students for modern practice. This is achieved by ensuring that they acquire the necessary abilities to operate as a general dentist immediately after graduating.
The RCSI Simulated Dental Learning Environment, sited in Sandyford, offers students the opportunity to develop and refine their clinical abilities before safely tending to patients. An additional dental education facility is scheduled to be established at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, serving as a base for RCSI’s graduate-level medicine scholars.