The University of Johannesburg does not have a dental school. Dentistry in South Africa is offered at a small number of universities, and UJ is not among them, so applications for dentistry must be directed elsewhere.
UJ does offer oral health related programmes within its health sciences faculty, and these are separate professions with their own registration categories rather than routes into dentistry. Establish which you actually want before applying.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
Applications are generally assessed on the following.
- For dentistry: a bachelor pass with very high results in Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences
- An APS comparable to medicine, which is among the highest of any programme
- Application to one of the universities that actually offers dentistry
- Selection criteria beyond marks, which differ by dental school
- Health screening and a police clearance certificate
- Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa after qualifying
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
Dental schools in South Africa 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 professions with their own registration categories and shorter training exist, including oral hygiene and dental therapy. These are separate professions rather than lesser versions of dentistry.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences are required at high levels at every dental school. Mathematical Literacy is not accepted.
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.
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
Apply to every dental school offering the programme, since each runs its own selection process with different criteria and an application that fails at one may succeed elsewhere.
If dentistry is not achievable, oral hygiene and dental therapy are genuine professions with defined scopes of practice, and at some institutions strong performance can support a later application. Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa is required before you may practise, and only a qualification from an accredited programme leads to registration. Confirm accreditation with the council before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does UJ offer dentistry?
No. UJ does not have a dental school. Dentistry is offered at a small number of other South African universities.
What does UJ offer instead?
Oral health related programmes within its health sciences faculty, which are separate professions with their own registration categories.
What do I need for dentistry?
A bachelor pass with very high results in Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences, and an APS comparable to medicine.
What are the alternatives?
Oral hygiene and dental therapy are separate professions with their own scopes of practice and shorter training.
Confirm which universities currently offer dentistry and their selection criteria directly. Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa is required before you may practise, and only a qualification from an accredited programme leads to registration. Confirm accreditation with the council before enrolling. See dentistry requirements. See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.