University of Leeds Dental School Interview Questions – Complete Guide for 2026 Entry
The University of Leeds School of Dentistry is one of the UK’s most established dental schools, based in the Worsley Building and Leeds Dental Institute in the heart of campus. It offers the five‑year Dental Surgery BChD (A200), accredited by the General Dental Council (GDC).
For 2026 entry, Leeds has confirmed that all Dental Surgery interviews will be held online and in a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format, focusing on your non‑academic qualities rather than just your grades.
This guide pulls together information from:
The official University of Leeds Dental Surgery BChD course page
The University of Leeds “Understanding UCAT” guide
The Dental Schools Council entry requirements booklet
Official Freedom of Information (FOI) data from the University of Leeds on dentistry admissions
Leeds’ own interview preparation and student experience pages
Reputable preparation providers and applicant reports for extra context.
How does Leeds decide who to invite to a Dentistry interview?
Leeds uses a multi‑step selection process for the Dental Surgery BChD (A200). The outline below is based primarily on the official course page and Leeds’ UCAT guidance.
1. Academic requirements ✅
You must first meet the minimum academic criteria:
A‑level: AAA including Biology and Chemistry (with science practical passes).
GCSE: At least six GCSEs at grade 6/B or above, including Biology, Chemistry (or Dual Science), Maths and English.
Alternative qualifications (Scottish Highers, IB, BTEC, etc.) are also listed on the Leeds course page and summarised in the Dental Schools Council booklet.
Leeds is quite GCSE‑heavy compared with some other schools, so strong GCSEs really help your application.
2. UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) 🎯
From 2024 entry onwards, all Leeds dentistry applicants must sit the UCAT in the year of application; BMAT and GAMSAT are not accepted.
Key points:
Leeds states that it does not use a fixed UCAT cut‑off; instead, UCAT is combined with your academic profile to shortlist for interview.
The “Understanding UCAT” page explains that academic criteria and UCAT are combined into a total score used to rank applicants. A high academic score can compensate for a slightly lower UCAT, and vice versa.
Thresholds vary every year, depending on applicant performance.
External analyses of Leeds UCAT data suggest that, for recent cycles, successful interviewees often have UCAT scores above ~2500, with lower thresholds for widening participation (WP) applicants, but this is not an official cut‑off.
What UCAT is (in simple terms):
UCAT is a two‑hour computer‑based test used by UK medical and dental schools. It assesses things like verbal reasoning, problem‑solving and decision‑making – plus a situational judgement test (SJT) that looks at professional behaviour.
3. Personal statement – must be dentistry‑focused ✍️
Leeds is unusually strict about the personal statement:
The School of Dentistry will only consider applications where the personal statement is clearly focused on dentistry. If your statement is mainly about medicine or another course, you can be rejected without further consideration.
The statement is used to assess your motivation, insight into dentistry, work experience/reflection and contribution to society, according to the Dental Schools Council.
4. Reference and professionalism
Your UCAS reference is read carefully, especially for predicted grades, evidence of reliability and professionalism, and any mitigating circumstances (which must be included at the time of application).
5. Contextual admissions – Access to Leeds
Leeds runs a contextual admissions scheme called Access to Leeds, aimed at applicants from backgrounds under‑represented in higher education (for example, low‑income households, first in family to attend university, disrupted education, or low‑participation postcodes).
If you’re eligible:
You may receive a lower contextual offer (e.g. ABB instead of AAA), and
Your UCAT/academic scores may be interpreted with some additional flexibility at the shortlisting stage.
How does Leeds interview for Dentistry in 2026?
On the official Dental Surgery BChD course page for 2026 entry, Leeds states:
For students applying for 2026 entry, interviews will be carried out online, using a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format to further assess applicants’ non‑academic qualities.
So for 2026 entry you should assume:
Location: Online (video‑based) rather than on campus
Format: Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)
Focus: Professional values, communication, ethics, insight into dentistry, teamwork and resilience – not extra science content
What is an MMI (in plain English)? 💬
An MMI is a series of short, structured stations (mini‑interviews). Instead of one long panel, you move around several “mini” interviews, each with a different task or question. MMIs typically:
Include 4–10 stations, each lasting about 5–7 minutes
Involve different styles – traditional Q&A, role‑play, ethical scenarios, data interpretation, problem‑solving or practical tasks
Are designed to test non‑academic qualities such as empathy, teamwork, integrity and communication.
What is the Leeds Dentistry interview style like?
Although exact details can change slightly each cycle, multiple sources give a consistent picture of the Leeds dental MMI:
Number of stations: Usually around 6–8 stations
Timing:
~1–2 minutes reading time outside the station
~5–6 minutes of interaction with the interviewer/actor
Format:
A mix of scenario‑based questions, role‑play, data/graph interpretation, ethics and professionalism
Often a pre‑prepared presentation station where you talk briefly on a topic you’ve chosen in advance (e.g. a dental innovation or health issue).
Leeds also emphasises values‑based recruitment across healthcare programmes – in other words, they are trying to see whether your values match those expected of a future dentist (e.g. integrity, compassion, respect, social responsibility).
Many students actually prefer MMIs. As one Leeds dentistry student (Priscilla, now in 5th year) explains, she liked how MMIs gave her a fresh start at each station and time beforehand to read the brief, even though the pace felt fast.
When are Leeds Dentistry interviews held?
The UCAS deadline for Dentistry is 15 October in the year before entry.
Recent cycles suggest this rough timeline:
December – early January: Many applicants report receiving Leeds interview invitations around mid‑December (often via email)
January–February: External interview guides and applicant reports indicate that Leeds Dentistry MMIs are typically held in February, sometimes with a small number in late January or early March.
For 2026 entry, the exact dates will be confirmed in your invitation email, and you’ll receive a detailed information booklet from Leeds outlining the schedule and online platform.
What does the Leeds Dentistry interview assess?
Based on:
The official Leeds course description (which heavily emphasises ethics, equality, diversity, sustainability, professionalism and communication)
Leeds’ own MMI videos and student advice
Reputable interview prep sources for Leeds Dentistry
…you can expect stations broadly to cover these “colours” of your skill set 🔴🟠🟢🔵:
Motivation & insight into Dentistry
Why dentistry (and why Leeds specifically)?
Evidence that you understand the realities of dental training and practice.
Knowledge of the Leeds course
Awareness of the MChD/BChD integrated degree, early clinical exposure, use of haptic simulators and outreach placements.
Ethics & professionalism
Applying core ethical principles (e.g. autonomy, beneficence, non‑maleficence, justice) to common dental scenarios.
Professional behaviour, confidentiality, consent and fitness to practise.
Communication and empathy
How you speak with patients, parents and team members, especially in role‑play stations.
Listening, explaining clearly in lay (simple) language, and showing genuine empathy.
Teamwork, leadership & responsibility
Working within the wider dental team (hygienists, therapists, nurses, reception staff) and taking appropriate responsibility as a future clinician.
Awareness of NHS and dental hot topics
Access to NHS dentistry, inequalities in oral health, sugar consumption, fluoride, digital dentistry, and sustainability in healthcare.
Resilience, wellbeing & reflection
Coping with stress, managing time and workload, and reflecting on mistakes or feedback.
Numeracy & data interpretation
Reading tables, charts or graphs (e.g. decay rates, sugar intake trends) and drawing sensible conclusions.
Manual dexterity or observation
Tasks that show fine motor skills, attention to detail or pattern recognition (not usually clinical, but simple practical or visual tasks).
Values, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
How you would support patients from diverse backgrounds and deal sensitively with cultural or communication barriers.
How many applicants get a Leeds Dentistry interview and offer?
We can now answer this with official FOI data. For 2024 entry, the University of Leeds reported:
Number of applications (A200 Dental Surgery): 2,202
Number of interviews offered: 520
Number of places (offers of a place): 70
That means, roughly:
About 24% of applicants were invited to interview
About 13–14% of interviewed applicants received an offer
Overall, around 3% of applicants gained a place
Older analyses (from third‑party sites, using earlier FOI requests) show similar patterns: several hundred interviews and a relatively small offer pool.
So Leeds Dentistry is:
Highly competitive, even after you get an interview
But the interview performance is decisive – the course page states that offers are made purely on interview performance, not on predicted grades once you reach that stage.
Example Leeds Dentistry MMI stations and practice questions 🧠🦷
⚠️ Important:
Leeds changes its stations regularly. These are not real questions from any particular year, but realistic examples based on Leeds’ published values and reputable interview guides. Use them for practice, not as a “leaked” question bank.
1. Motivation for Dentistry & “Why Leeds?”
Station style: Traditional mini‑interview (Q&A)
Possible questions:
“What experiences convinced you that Dentistry is the right profession for you and not Medicine or another healthcare career?”
“What attracts you specifically to studying Dentistry at the University of Leeds?”
“How do you think our MChD/BChD dual qualification and BSc in Oral Science will benefit your long‑term career?”
“What do you think will be the most challenging part of dental school for you personally?”
2. Understanding the Leeds course & early clinical exposure
Station style: Q&A / mini‑presentation
“Leeds students start seeing patients early in the course. What are the advantages and potential challenges of this, and how would you prepare?”
“Our programme emphasises outreach and community placements. Why is community dentistry important, and what might you learn from it?”
“We make extensive use of haptic simulators and digital dental technology. How do you think simulation prepares you for treating real patients?”
3. Ethical scenario – consent & best interests
Station style: Ethical discussion
Scenario: An adult patient with mild learning difficulties is anxious about a tooth extraction. Their carer insists they “just sign and get it over with”, but the patient seems confused.
Questions:
“How would you assess whether this patient has the capacity to consent to treatment?”
“If you felt they did not fully understand, what steps would you take to support them?”
“How would you balance respecting the carer with prioritising the patient’s autonomy?”
4. Professionalism – social media & confidentiality
Station style: Ethics / professionalism
“You see a fellow dental student posting a photo from clinic on social media where a patient’s face is partially visible. What concerns does this raise and how would you respond?”
“A friend asks you to look at a picture of their tooth at a party and give advice. What are your responsibilities as a dental student?”
5. Communication role‑play – anxious patient
Station style: Role‑play with actor
Scenario: A patient is terrified of injections and is considering cancelling necessary treatment.
Tasks/questions:
Reassure the patient and explain the procedure in simple language.
Explore their concerns and agree a plan to help them cope with their anxiety.
Reflect afterwards: “What communication strategies did you use and why?”
6. Communication role‑play – unhappy parent
Scenario: A parent is angry that their child has been waiting a long time for an appointment at the dental hospital.
“As the student dentist, speak to the parent, de‑escalate the situation and maintain professionalism.”
Afterwards: “How did you show empathy while still being honest about waiting times and resource limits?”
7. Teamwork & resolving conflict in the dental team
Station style: Discussion
“Describe a time you worked in a team where not everyone pulled their weight. What did you do?”
“In a busy dental practice, which members of the team are essential and how should responsibilities be shared?”
“Imagine you disagreed with a senior dentist’s treatment plan but believed it was not in the patient’s best interests. How would you approach this?”
8. Manual dexterity & observation task
Station style: Practical / reflective
The interviewer asks you to:
Copy a simple pattern, build a small structure (e.g. from paper clips or blocks), or describe how you practise fine motor skills.
Questions:
“What hobbies or activities demonstrate your manual dexterity?” (e.g. drawing, music, crafts)
“Why is manual dexterity important in Dentistry, and is it the only thing that matters?”
9. Data interpretation – dental public health
Station style: Graph / table analysis
You are given a graph showing, for example, rates of dental caries in children across different regions and income levels.
Questions:
“What trends can you see in this graph?”
“Why might children in more deprived areas have higher decay rates?”
“What public health measures could help reduce these inequalities?”
10. NHS dentistry & current hot topics
Station style: Discussion
“What challenges does NHS dentistry currently face?”
“What are the pros and cons of water fluoridation or sugar taxes as tools to improve oral health?”
“How could digital dentistry (e.g. scanners, 3D printing) change patient care over the next decade?”
11. Resilience, wellbeing & dealing with failure
Station style: Reflective questions
“Tell us about a time you made a mistake. What did you learn, and what would you do differently?”
“Dental training can be stressful. How will you look after your mental health during the course?”
“How would you respond if you failed an exam or received negative feedback from a supervisor?”
12. Equality, diversity & inclusion
Station style: Scenario / reflection
Scenario: A patient with limited English struggles to understand post‑operative instructions.
“What steps would you take to ensure they understand and feel supported?”
“Why is cultural competence important in Dentistry?”
“How might unconscious bias affect the care patients receive?”
Leeds explicitly highlights equality, diversity and inclusion as a core theme in its curriculum, so these ideas may appear in interviews.
13. Pre‑prepared presentation station 🎤
Station style: Short, timed presentation (often 2–3 minutes) plus questions
You may be asked in advance to prepare a brief talk on any topic you care about – often something linked to Dentistry, healthcare, ethics, or a wider interest.
Possible prompts:
“Describe a recent development in Dentistry or oral health that you find exciting or concerning.”
“Teach the interviewer something non‑scientific that you are passionate about, in three minutes.”
“Choose a dental public health campaign (real or imaginary) and explain how you would design and promote it.”
The interviewer might then ask:
“Why did you choose this topic?”
“What skills does your presentation demonstrate that are relevant to Dentistry?”
14. Personal statement & work experience reflection
Station style: Q&A linked to your UCAS application
“Tell us about a shadowing or volunteering experience that confirmed your interest in Dentistry.”
“What did you learn from your work experience beyond simply observing procedures?”
“Is there anything in your personal statement you would like to expand upon or update?”
Remember that Leeds can and will pick up specific phrases from your statement – so know it inside‑out before interview.
When are offers for Leeds Dentistry released?
The exact timing varies each year, but putting together:
The Leeds course page (which mentions that waitlisted applicants hear after the UCAS decision deadline in June)
Applicant reports from recent cycles (which describe “batches” of offers around mid‑to‑late March, followed by rejections and waitlist emails)
…a realistic pattern is:
Main bulk of offers: Often in March (sometimes in 1–2 batches)
Rejections & waitlist decisions: Around the same time or slightly later
Waitlist movement: Can continue into May/June, depending on how many applicants firm their offers
Leeds explicitly notes that they operate a waitlist for strong applicants who narrowly miss out at interview, and they do not usually go into Clearing for Dentistry.
Top tips for the Leeds Dentistry interview 🎯
Here are practical, Leeds‑specific tips, backed up by advice from current Leeds students and the university’s own outreach team:
1. Learn the MMI format and practise under timed conditions
Practise 5–6 minute answers with 1–2 minutes of reading time beforehand.
Rotate through stations: ethics, role‑play, data, motivation, and presentation.
Simulate the online format using whatever video platform you’ll be using – camera on, timer visible, distractions minimised.
2. Know Leeds and its course inside‑out
At minimum, be able to talk confidently about:
Early clinical experience and outreach clinics
Haptic simulator and digital dentistry facilities
The MChD/BChD with BSc Oral Science structure and why that appeals to you
Leeds’ emphasis on ethics, sustainability, equality and community dental health.
3. Build a strong foundation in dental ethics
Final‑year dental student Priscilla explicitly recommends revising medical/dental ethics for MMIs.
Learn a simple framework (e.g. four principles: autonomy, beneficence, non‑maleficence, justice).
Practise applying it to dental situations: consent, confidentiality, missed appointments, limited resources, treating children, etc.
4. Stay up‑to‑date with dentistry and NHS issues
Spend a little time each week reading:
British Dental Journal (BDJ) news pieces
Reputable dental news websites (e.g. dentistryonline, Faculty of General Dental Practice)
Mainstream news stories on NHS dentistry access, sugar policy and oral health inequality
Be ready to talk about one or two current issues you find interesting – and to explain them clearly.
5. Practise talking about yourself – but don’t memorise scripts
Interviewers can tell when you’re reciting an essay. Aim instead for:
Bullet‑point plans for key questions (“Why Dentistry?”, “Why Leeds?”, “Tell me about a time you showed teamwork.”)
Short, clear examples using structures like STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
Natural, conversational delivery.
6. Use your work experience reflectively
Don’t just list what you saw:
Focus on what you learned about the profession, teamwork, patient care and your own strengths and weaknesses.
Think about challenges you observed – long waiting times, anxious patients, complex treatment decisions – and what they taught you.
This reflective style is exactly what Leeds’ students recommend in their interview tips.
7. Prepare a flexible mini‑presentation
Because Leeds is known to use a prepared presentation station:
Choose a topic you can talk about enthusiastically for 2–3 minutes.
Structure it clearly: introduction → main points → conclusion.
Practise speaking without reading from notes, while looking at the camera.
8. Treat online interviews as seriously as in‑person ones
Priscilla advises practising with the actual platform and checking your setup.
Neutral background, good lighting, stable internet
Device plugged in or fully charged
Camera at eye level; practice making “eye contact” by looking at the webcam
Test your microphone and speakers in advance
9. Think, then speak – short pauses are your friend
Leeds’ own students emphasise taking a moment before answering:
Take a breath, quickly plan your key points, then answer.
If you start waffling, stop, re‑state the question and refocus.
This makes you sound more mature and considered than rushing straight in.
10. Look after yourself – performance, not perfection
Finally:
MMIs are not about being perfect at every station – each station is a fresh chance.
If one station goes badly, park it mentally and move on; the next examiner won’t know.
Sleep, eat and move well in the days before; nerves feel much worse when you’re exhausted.
What do current Leeds Dentistry students say about the interview? 💬
Leeds has published detailed reflections from current Medicine and Dentistry students about their interview experiences.
From Priscilla (5th year Dentistry):
She first heard about interviews around Christmas, then spent several weeks preparing.
She researched common MMI stations and practised with family, friends and school.
She found that having strong examples from volunteering and work experience made answers feel more natural.
She particularly recommends:
Building a good understanding of medical ethics
Reading dental news (BDJ, dentistryonline, FGDP) ahead of interview
Using deep breaths and “mini pep‑talks” before each station to manage nerves
Practising the online format, including background and camera position
Overall, she says she liked the MMI style, as it felt fast‑paced but fair, with a chance to reset at every station.
Applicants posting on forums also report that Leeds:
Sends interview invitations by email (sometimes to school email addresses – so make sure these are up to date).
Releases offers in batches, typically in March, with some candidates placed on a small waitlist.
Final thoughts
Leeds Dentistry is competitive but fair. Once you’ve been shortlisted, your interview performance is the main deciding factor, not just your raw grades. If you:
Understand the online MMI format,
Know the Leeds course and values,
Can reflect clearly on your experiences and motivations, and
Show yourself to be ethical, compassionate and resilient…
…you’ll give yourself a genuinely strong chance of joining the School of Dentistry in 2026. 🦷✨
References
Official / authoritative sources
University of Leeds – Dental Surgery BChD (A200) 2026 entry course page (entry requirements, selection process, online MMIs, offers, waitlist).University of Leeds Courses
University of Leeds – Undergraduate Dentistry overview & facilities.University of Leeds Courses
University of Leeds – Understanding UCAT (how UCAT is used in shortlisting for Medicine and Dentistry).medicinehealth.leeds.ac.uk
Dental Schools Council – Entry Requirements for UK Dental Schools (2025 entry) – University of Leeds Dental Surgery BChD profile.Dental Schools Council
University of Leeds – Interview Preparation for Applicants (MMI advice) & Student Experiences and Interview Tips (Priscilla, 5th year Dentistry).healthsciences.leeds.ac.uk
