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Dentistry degree personal statement example (1m) with review

This is a real Dentistry personal statement written by a student for their university application. It has been carefully edited into the new three-question format, with all of the original wording kept. It may have strengths and weaknesses, but it can be used as inspiration for writing your own UCAS personal statement. Ensure your personal statement is entirely your own work, copying from this example or other sources is considered plagiarism and can affect your application. There are lots more examples in our collection of sample personal statements.

This statement has been reviewed by one of The Student Room's personal statement reviewers, and their feedback is included below.

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

I became interested in dentistry because I have always wanted to be involved in a profession where I am helping people and I am very interested in the human biology. I want to study dentistry over the obvious choice of medicine because as a doctor you are constantly passing a patient along a chain of other doctors, whereas a dentist can treat a patient straight after diagnosing a problem. Also I like that a patient will be your patient for quite some time, building a good relationships with that person.

My work experience took place at Cambray Dental Cheltenham, which I found helped me greatly in choosing my course. I found out that as a dentist you have to deal with patients from all walks of life, which I would find very interesting. I saw many treatments from a simple filling to implants which helped me see the work that I would be doing from day to day, and the responsibilities that would be placed upon me, which I feel suit me very well. From talking with the dentists I found out it is a very stressful profession and that some patients are very difficult to deal with. However I have always been very good at dealing with stress, and past experience shows I could help the most agitated patients.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

When choosing my AS level subjects initially I wasn't certain of the course I would take at university, this is the reason I do not have chemistry already. However when it became apparent to me that dentistry was the course for me, I decided to drop PE and take chemistry as an AS level, while carrying on my other subjects at A2 level. I hope this demonstrates my dedication to get onto this course.

The hard work I put into my AS levels paid off and I feel I can repeat the success for both my A2 levels and the chemistry AS level, as do my teachers who have predicted the same. I have always enjoyed the rewards of education, and I intend to carry on this through and beyond university, specialising in a field as orthodontics or dental implants.

Aside from academic achievement I feel there are a number of other things I can bring to the course. I have always been a hands on person, and I find any thing with practical work rewarding. I got an A in GCSE art and I feel that creativity and hand eye co-ordination is essential in dentistry.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

I did hold a part-time job as a sales assistant, which meant that I had to put agitated customers at ease and had to work to deadlines set by the manager. The reason I am no longer in the job is because I feel my education takes priority over part-time work and so I left to concentrate on my AS levels. I now referee children's games at weekends, this has helped me develop the ability to calm children down whilst getting them to follow my instructions. I have always been 'good with children', and I think refereeing has helped me relate to them further, this is one reason I would like to specialise in orthodontics.

I am a keen sportsman, I have colours for the school football team, I play for a team outside school, I am a part of the school table tennis club, and play many other sports for leisure. Music is also a big part of my life, I listen to all types of music, from rock to soul music, which I find helps me to relax. My other hobbies include films (anything from comedy to thrillers), reading (crime and sports books) and socialising with friends.

In short I feel that dentistry is a course suited very well to me, and that I can be an asset to the dental profession.

Expert feedback from The Student Room personal statement reviewer

General Comments: This personal statement needs a lot of work. The reasons for applying for dentistry are vague and experiences aren’t related to dentistry enough, to show their knowledge of it and what dentists need to be like, why the profession interests them, or how they are well suited to being one. The things mentioned need to be personal to the applicant and not applicable to the vast majority of the other applicants, as those things waste space unnecessarily. Avoid anything remotely negative in your personal statement – if there are things that you feel need to be explained, ask the referee to do that. This personal statement doesn’t imply that the applicant has got to grips either with what the statement is meant to do/contain or with what dentistry actually entails. They have not really explained at all why they want to study the subject, there is too little focus on work experience (which is absolutely essential) and they haven't discussed what they learnt from their experiences or how it relates to dentistry. All in all, a lot of work required here.

Comments on the statement:

The opening sentence "I became interested in dentistry because I have always..." is a common mistake and can’t be true literally, so it lacks authenticity.
The introduction is not specific enough about dentistry and lacks a compelling hook.
Comparing dentistry with medicine unfavorably and calling medicine the "obvious choice" might alienate dental admissions tutors.
The discussion of patients needs more nuance and less repetition.
Mention of uncertainty about university course choices and changing AS level subjects sounds negative and flippant.
Discussion of academic progress and predicted grades is redundant.
Practical skills and creativity related to dentistry need more depth and explicit links.
Part-time job experience is mentioned without linking its relevance to dentistry.
Leaving the job to prioritise education could raise concerns about coping with degree demands.
Refereeing and interaction with children are good experiences but lack explicit connections to dentistry.
Work experience section is too brief, lacks detail and reflection, and should be moved up.
Stressful nature of the profession is mentioned without explaining applicant’s resilience convincingly.
Hobbies are generic and not linked to skills relevant to dentistry.
The conclusion is weak and does not effectively summarize motivation and suitability for the course.

AI generated feedback

This feedback is AI-generated, based on the text of this personal statement:

This personal statement shows genuine interest in dentistry and includes relevant experiences such as work experience at a dental practice and refereeing children’s games. However, it could be improved by providing more specific and reflective content. The applicant should clearly articulate why they want to study dentistry, emphasizing unique aspects that attract them and reflecting on what they learned from their work experience. Academic qualifications should be linked directly to skills and knowledge needed for the course, especially chemistry and practical work. Outside experiences like the sales assistant job and refereeing should be explicitly connected to skills useful in dentistry, such as communication, patience, and managing pressure. Additionally, the applicant should avoid vague statements, unsupported claims, and negative phrasing. Enhancing coherence and detail while preserving the student's authentic voice will strengthen the personal statement in line with the expectations of the new Ucas personal statement format for 2026 and beyond.

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

Need help with your personal statement? You can ask a question or get feedback from The Student Room community (and our trained personal statement experts) on the personal statement advice forum.

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