The event, which took place at the School of Clinical Dentistry, gave students a taste of our BDS Dental Surgery degree content.
Professor Chris Stokes began the day with an engaging tooth morphology lecture, complete with large-scale 3D printed teeth. Students were then able to try out our state-of-the-art Virtual Reality Simulation Suite, which gave them the chance to practise drilling and filling a set of virtual teeth.
The hands-on experience didn’t stop there, as the students were also able to practise cutting, heating and moulding pink dental wax - the kind used to make dentures - to make a pyramid they could take home at the end of the day.
Finally, Lara Lawrence, Widening Participation and Access Project Manager, hosted a personal statement and interview skills workshop to help demystify the application process.
One student who attended the day said: “Everyone was so friendly and the staff were absolutely amazing. They really gave me a whole idea on what dentistry offers and what the facilities are like not only at the University of Sheffield but also other dental schools in general.”
The practical sessions in the Dental Technology Unit and VR Suite were also well received, with students explaining how the technology helped their patience and precision skills.
Using virtual reality was really interesting and allowed me to see the dental school from a new perspective. It was a much more active and hands-on way of studying.
Dentistry Insight Day attendee
The Dentistry Insight Day is just one of a number of initiatives designed to encourage students from under-represented backgrounds to apply to university. Details of our other outreach activities can be found here. You can also fill out this Google form to hear about upcoming events and activities taking place in the School of Clinical Dentistry.
Year 11, 12 and 13 pupils who meet our Widening Participation criteria and are interested in attending our next Dentistry Insight Day should email accessdental@sheffield.ac.uk with a short personal statement, their CV and a teacher reference. We will mail-out to applicants regarding upcoming Insight Days as they are scheduled.