BlogUQPros and Cons of a Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours) at UQ

Pros and Cons of a Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours) at UQ

You’ve now heard all about what a Dentistry degree at UQ is really like, but you may still have questions! What will you enjoy, and what will be challenging?

We are going to unpack all of this with the help of Vivian, a Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours) student! She’s been involved in clinics, societies and extracurricular activities and has plenty of insight to share with us.

Keep reading to find out what you can expect daily out of this degree.  

Why should you study a Dentistry degree at UQ?
Top 3 Pros of a Dentistry Degree
Top 3 Cons of a Dentistry Degree
Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make
Things to Know Before Starting UQ Dentistry
What Makes this Degree Different
Motivations for Studying UQ Dentistry
Potential Career Paths

Why should you study a Dentistry degree at UQ?

I think the best part of UQ is the study-life balance. Because a lot of your courses are online, especially in first year, you actually have liberty to do a lot of things outside of Dentistry… We have so many resources and things to do that if you don’t take all of that opportunity, you’re essentially wasting your time,” Vivian shared. 

I’ve been able to do a lot more with my life… Despite being a full-time Dental student, I think it’s because of that,” she said. “It really enriches [your uni experience].” 

Top 3 Pros of a Dentistry degree

#1: Work-life balance 

As we just discussed, UQ allows students the time to do a lot outside of uni, despite studying a hefty degree. This makes a huge difference to student wellbeing and overall positivity towards study. 

It also makes you more well-rounded and employable upon graduating. 

“Because UQ is such a good, resourceful school with so many opportunities outside of Dentistry, I was able to find myself in other things as well, and because I had recorded lectures… I was less stressed,” Vivian noted. 

#2: The events and social aspect

The University of Queensland Dental Student Association (UQDSA) is definitely a society worth getting around. They hold trivia, board games and networking events. They also help you mingle with other year groups, which is a huge plus. 

I love the events that UQDSA holds to unite the program, because you’ll find that you’re seeing the same cohort all the time and the only time you’d talk to a different year is through UQDSA. The social aspect of Dentistry, if you’re willing to go to events, is really good,” Vivian told us. 

And there’s academic benefits to this socialisation too! 

“You’ll find that a lot of people have friends in other years and you can actually ask the friends for help in different things,” she added.

#3: A sharing culture 

Vivian explained that because Dentistry is a gruelling course to get into, most students have a great sense of camaraderie after being accepted to the course. 

You’re not really competing for your marks anymore,” she explained. 

Because of this, students are generally very willing to share things they have learnt, or tips on study. People even post openings for job positions with the hope that classmates will apply! 

“You’ll find that we often share notes… although we are competing for the same jobs, we’re still very friendly and sharing opportunities,” Vivian pointed out.

However, this pro also comes with a word of warning. 

If you can go into Dentistry with that approach, I think that’ll help sustain the current helping culture. If you’re going in and you’re really selfish about your marks, you’re probably not a good fit for UQ Dent because we are very helping,” she said.

#4: Approach to student feedback 

Bonus round! Vivian also said UQ is really great at taking on student feedback. This is important for a few reasons.

First, it shows a good culture between students and those in charge. It also fosters a learning environment where students can take ownership over their studies and excel. 

“UQ are super, super receptive to [student] feedback and they actually make changes within the year or by the next year. I really appreciate that as a student,” Vivian highlighted.

This is certainly something to keep in mind if you are looking for a degree that will really value your opinion!

Top 3 Cons of a Dentistry degree

#1: Large work volume  

This is a highly specialised degree with a huge amount of work, which can be overwhelming. 

“There’s just so much. The thing with Dentistry is you’ll never learn everything. It’s so vast,” Vivian said. 

“I think you’ll experience it with any degree, but I found it hard when the material difficulty jumped. Third and fourth year are difficult because you start seeing a lot of patients… so you have to learn a lot really, really fast in a practical sense. 

I think second year is the hardest jump in terms of theory. The volume of content that you learn increases exponentially, I think,” she added. 

However, Vivian does think UQ has a good structure in introducing prac early and taking students through the content gradually. She also said that good study techniques will make a huge difference. 

#2: It’s a highly specialised degree

Because this is such a specialised degree, students sometimes have a hard time branching out from Dentistry, or feeling fulfilled in just their study. 

If you’re doing the thing day in and day out, and there isn’t much else in your life other than Dentistry, you can get really consumed in it… Some people love it, but personally I think the first year was hard because all I was doing was dentistry,” Vivian said. 

The trick is to find other things you enjoy outside of uni. Perhaps you will pick up an old sport, or consider a skill you haven’t tried before. Because of the work-life balance, this should be achievable.  

“It wasn’t until I opened up and found [other hobbies] that I accepted you don’t have to just be one thing in life,” she shared.

#3: That’s all!

Vivian didn’t have a third con to add, which is a great review for UQ. It’s important to remember that each student will have a different experience, and you may experience cons (or pros) that are not the same as what Vivian has shared.

Make sure you do your research and consider which degree is right for you. 

Any regrets? 

“I think in first year, when I was pretty consumed with Dentistry and I just really wanted to get high grades… I had completely estranged the creative side of me, and also the business side. 

“I did a lot of that in high school, but I thought, ‘Let’s just focus on Dentistry,’ and then I ended up just suffocating because I forgot who I was,” Vivian shared.

Vivian’s regret really echoes that of many students. It’s so important to engage in things you love while studying! 

Dentistry UQ - Quote

If you don’t lose sight of who you are, you’ll find you’re more fulfilled,” she added. 

Vivian also pointed out a very practical regret, which is great to keep in mind for every student!

I also regret not making a version of my notes to actually review for after uni… now I’m in fifth year, I have nothing to refer back to…

“Before you even get into Dental school, you have to think, ‘What is my plan, what is my note-taking strategy, how am I going to make it readable for when I go out into the world, and how do I make it so I can add to it?’”

What do you wish you had known before starting UQ Dentistry? 

I think really understanding what a dentist does. It’s funny because my mum’s a dentist and you’d think I’d have a very good idea because I’d shadow her.

“It wasn’t until I started studying and seeing patients regularly that I realised what dentistry is really about, and it’s not what I thought it was,” she said.

Vivian thought Dentistry was simply about popping a filling in or doing a clean, but she’s discovered that it’s so much more. You need to understand complex medical issues, including what medication a client may take and how that affects your treatment plan.

There are many factors which contribute to oral health status and you must identify all of these. 

Ultimately, Vivian has learnt how to go from diagnosis to treatment, which she has found is far more detailed than she expected. 

“I thought I could just go to Dental school and come out as a fully functioning dentist, like I didn’t need to do anything after that. It’s truly life-long learning,” she noted. 

What makes this degree different from the ones offered at other universities? 

It’s helpful to add here that Dental Science isn’t an overly common degree and it’s a very challenging one to get into! It’s great to weigh up all the options available to you. 

One big difference to some other Queensland universities (for example, Griffith) is that prac starts early on. You will be in pre-clinic, practicing on dummies from first year and seeing real patients in clinic as early as second semester of second year. 

I think prac starts early, you actually have less contact in the later years,” Vivian said. “Because we start earlier there isn’t as much [mandatory work later in the degree], which is why we get the work-life balance.”

Another thing that makes UQ stand out is the high calibre and variety of extracurricular activities offered to students. This will really enhance your uni experience. 

The other distinction is the clubs and societies at UQ. There are so many resources, so many things to do,” Vivian said.

Also thinking about studying Dentistry at Griffith? Check out our article here, as well as the pros and cons of the degree!

What inspired you to choose UQ Dentistry?

I have always been very creative… so I wanted to find something [that had that] as well as science and health. Dentistry kind of brought all of that together somehow,” Vivian said. 

With Dentistry, I like to say it’s entrepreneurship, it is art (you need to know how to sculpt well and colour fillings correctly!), and it’s also kind of like engineering… I like to say Dentistry is making little bridges in the mouth!”

Vivian also likes that Dentistry is a career that lets you determine your own work hours. 

What are the possible career paths?

Dentistry UQ - Careers

As we talked about in the last article, Dental Science is a highly specialised degree so there isn’t a huge scope for varied employment. However, your work will really be determined by the kind of practice you go into. 

There are a couple of different jobs you can choose from, including: 

  • Dentist 
  • Oral health therapist 
  • Community health officer
  • Researcher

We’ve reached the end, friends! Now you have a plethora of information at your fingertips when deciding if you’d like to apply for UQ.

Each person will have a different study experience, but we hope this has been an incredibly comprehensive guide to understand what you’re getting yourself into. Make sure you continue to research and check back for more articles! 


Lucinda Garbutt-Young hopes to one day be writing for a big-shot newspaper… or maybe just for a friendly magazine in the arts sector. Right now, she is enjoying studying a Bachelor of Public Communication (Public Relations and Journalism) at UTS while she writes on the side. She also loves making coffees for people in her job as a barista, and loves nothing more than a sun shower.

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