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Applying to University, Uncategorized, Why University?

Introduction to my blogs

1 December 2024
Sophie Robinson

Sophie Robinson

Hi guys, I’m Sophie. I am currently in my third year of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (DHT) at Cardiff University. When I first applied for the course, I felt lost. I was the first in my family to attend university and found there wasn’t much information out there specifically catered to preparing for DHT. Because of this I have decided to create this mini series of blogs to walk you through my experiences and tips for personal statements, interviews and even daily life at university!

What is Dental Hygiene and Therapy?

Before I begin let’s clarify what a Dental Hygiene Therapist actually is – similarly to your normal dentist we carry out check-up exams, fillings and hygiene appointments. We are also able to carry out extractions, preformed metal crowns and pulpotomies on the primary dentition (baby teeth). You can find the full scope of practice using the link bellow.

 

Here’s a little bit about me- finding the right career for me

Over my A-levels I was very unsure of what I wanted to do with my life, whether I wanted to do an apprenticeship, university or just go straight into work. It wasn’t that I didn’t fancy anything it was more that I liked the idea of too many things. I’ve always been hands on, so I knew I wanted to do something practical, but I also liked the idea of having a meaningful career which is what gravitated my search towards health professions. I eventually found Dental Therapy which I thought would be a good fit for me as it ticked the boxes of practical, creative and involved helping others.

To ensure I’d like the career I did two weeks of work experience in a local dental practice, while this is not essential to get in, I highly recommend this as it gives you an idea if you’d actually enjoy the profession. Also, it helped me out when it came to my personal statement and interviews as I could speak more on my experiences.

Once I knew I fancied the course I applied for Dental Hygiene and Therapy in 2022 whilst in my second year of A-levels. I was studying maths, chemistry and biology but there are a few pathways you can take to get onto the course which you can check out using the link below. Going through the application process was tricky at times but come September I began the course and by march I was treating real patients.

Why I chose Cardiff University

I applied for universities during covid so I didn’t have the chance to visit universities in person. Because of this I did online open days. With many dental courses offering similar modules and equipment I found it hard to judge what each university would be like without seeing what was available in person so what really called to me about Cardiff open day was their information about the city. To sum up here are a few of my favourite things:

  • Cardiff university is a Russell group
  • One of the cheapest cities to live as a student in the UK
  • Very walkable which makes travel easy, quick and cheap!
  • Beautiful city- multiple parks, may activities and great architecture

 

If you have any further questions on anything to do with the university, course or city feel free to send me a message on Unibuddy!

Useful links-

Dental Therapy and Dental Hygiene (BSc) – Study – Cardiff University