Dentistry in South Africa requires a bachelor pass with very high results in Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences, and an APS comparable to medicine. It is offered at only a handful of universities, which makes it one of the most competitive programmes in the country.
The Bachelor of Dental Surgery is typically a five-year degree, followed by community service before independent practice. Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa is required throughout.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
Entry is assessed on the following.
- A bachelor pass with a very high APS, comparable to medicine
- Mathematics at a high level, with Mathematical Literacy not accepted
- Physical Sciences at a high level
- Life Sciences at the level required
- Selection criteria beyond marks, which differ by school
- Health screening and a police clearance certificate
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
Dental schools are few and intakes are small, so places are capped nationally rather than merely at each institution. Meeting every published requirement and still not being admitted is a common outcome.
Related qualifications exist with their own registration categories and shorter training: oral hygiene and dental therapy are separate professions rather than lesser versions of dentistry, and both are registered with the council.
Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa is required before you may practise, and community service applies to most health science professions after qualifying. Only a qualification from an accredited programme leads to registration, so confirm accreditation before enrolling.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
Physical Sciences and Life Sciences carry the chemistry, materials and anatomy content. Mathematics is required at all dental schools.
Manual dexterity matters in practice but is not assessed through school subjects. Some schools consider it at interview or through practical assessment, where these form part of selection.
Points are calculated by each institution own method, and because intakes are limited by clinical placement capacity, the score that actually secures a place is set by competition rather than by the published minimum.
Documents and Application Requirements
Applications normally require the following.
- A certified copy of your identity document
- Your National Senior Certificate or latest statement of results
- Proof of the application fee, where one is charged
- Your final matric results, used to confirm any conditional offer
- A medical or health screening report and a police clearance certificate, required before clinical placement
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Each dental school runs its own selection process, which may include an admissions test, a questionnaire or an interview alongside academic results. Read each school published criteria separately.
If you are not admitted, oral hygiene and dental therapy are genuine professions with their own scopes of practice, and at some institutions strong performance can support a later application to dentistry.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dental schools are there in South Africa?
Only a handful, which is why places are capped nationally and competition is severe.
What APS do I need for dentistry?
Comparable to medicine and among the highest of any programme. It differs by school, and meeting it does not secure a place.
What is the difference between dentistry and oral hygiene?
They are separate professions with separate registration categories and scopes of practice. Oral hygiene and dental therapy have shorter training paths.
Is manual dexterity assessed?
Not through school subjects. Some schools consider it at interview or through practical assessment where these form part of selection.
Confirm each dental school selection criteria separately, since they differ substantially. Confirm programme accreditation and registration requirements with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Confirm the exact APS, subject levels and closing dates with each institution for your intake year. See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.