Dentistry Work Experience: Free Dental School Work Experience for Aspiring Dentists
Why Dentistry Work Experience Matters?
Gaining dentistry work experience is about exploring the dental career through observation or volunteering. It helps you confirm your interest in dentistry and shows admissions tutors that you know what being a dentist involves. Any health or caring experience counts – you don’t have to scrub teeth to benefit.
Schools look for evidence of commitment and understanding more than a set number of hours. In fact, official guidance notes that “any activity or life experience that helps you prepare for professional study… is beneficial”. We at The Medic Life specialise in helping aspiring dentists get the most out of the Free dentistry work experience options available. We encourage you to reach out to us, even if you do not know where to start with your dentistry work experience!
Dentistry Work Experience: The Future Goal
-
Understand the role: Shadow dentists, dental nurses or technicians to learn about treatments, patient care and clinic life. You’ll see things textbooks can’t teach – from infection control to how dentists interact with patients.
-
Build your skills: Interacting with patients or helping out in healthcare develops communication, empathy and teamwork – all key in dentistry. Even a weekend in a care home or volunteering at a hospital can improve your people skills.
-
Confirm your choice: By seeing dentists at work (or caring roles), you’ll find out if dentistry really suits you. This first-hand insight strengthens your personal statement and interview answers because you’ll have real examples to discuss.
Free Dentistry Work Experience with The Medic Life
The Medic Life offers a free work experience programme designed to give you valuable insight into healthcare without the usual barriers. We are NHS-aligned and UK-wide, meaning we work with doctors and dental teams across the UK to provide authentic, high-quality experiences. Here’s what you can expect from our program:
-
Online and In-Person Workshops
Attend free workshops (both in-person and virtual) featuring talks from NHS Doctors and Medical Students across various specialties. In these intensive sessions, you’ll hear what a day in the life is like at a private dental clinic, which areas of dentistry each of our dentist speakers specialises in, and many more insightful conversations around the actual working envirnoment at a professional dental practice, & the good, the challenging, and everything in between. Our workshops have been running for over 5 years and are extremely popular (our April 2025 event had over 3,000 students vying for 340 spots – tickets sold out in 60 seconds!), so you know you’re joining a trusted, high-demand experience.
-
Hospital & GP Shadowing
We can connect you with in-person shadowing opportunities at GP clinics and hospitals through our network of mentors. Reach out to Dr. Bakhtar via our UCAT Tutoring page, and ask about work experience. The Medic Life has contacts with dentists across the UK, which means we try to help you find dentistry work experience near you. Whether it’s a day observing dental clinic professional working situations or a week at a local dental practice, we aim to arrange placements that fit your schedule (flexible dates) and location. Note: Formal clinical placements usually require you to be 16 or older, but some places do offer programs for Year 10 and 11 students in a limited capacity (often observational roles). We’ll guide you toward opportunities you qualify for and help with any paperwork or approvals needed. For your note: the above shadowing dentists work experience opportunities do have a cost, we encourage you to reach out to Dr. Bakhtar via our UCAT Tutoring page, and ask about dental specific work experience placements.
-
Virtual Work Experience
If travel or age restrictions are an issue, we’ve got you covered with online dentistry work experience. In partnership with NHS initiatives, we can point you to virtual programs. Our own online workshops also simulate dental scenarios and patient interactions, giving you a taste of hospital life from home. These virtual options are great additions to your CV and help you build insight even if you’re too young for in-person placements or live in a remote area.
-
Expert Mentoring & Reflection
Work experience isn’t just about doing – it’s about learning. That’s why our team (led by experienced dentists) mentors you on how to reflect on your experiences. We’ll teach you how to draw meaningful lessons from what you see – for example, understanding teamwork in a ward, or empathising with a patient’s journey – and then use those insights in your personal statement and interviews. Medical schools love applicants who can articulate what they gained from their experience, not just list it. After each placement or workshop, we provide reflection worksheets and one-on-one feedback to help you crystallize your learning.
-
Nationwide Reach, Free of Charge
The Medic Life’s mission is to make dentistry work experience accessible to all aspiring dental school students. Our services are completely free – aligning with guidance that students shouldn’t have to pay for work placements. We coordinate with NHS trusts and dental clinics across the country, so whether you’re in London, Manchester, Glasgow or anywhere in between, you can find dentistry work experience in the UK through us or our insight knowledge to guide you to the right place. Because our events are free, demand is high; however, we run multiple sessions and maintain waiting lists to ensure as many students as possible get a chance. We’re proud to be value-driven and student-focused, breaking down barriers so you can pursue your dream career in medicine without worrying about costs or connections.
How much experience do I need? - Free Dentistry Work Experience?
Dental schools do not set a strict minimum, but recommend enough to learn. Aim for around two weeks total, if possible. However, quality beats quantity: even 2-3 days in a dental clinic can give you valuable insight if you reflect on it carefully.
It’s more important that you reflect on what you learn - admissions tutors want to know what you took away from the experience, not just how long you stayed.
-
Don’t panic if your placement is short. Focus on what you see and do. Take notes on procedures and conversations, then explain in your personal statement what the experience taught you about dentistry and patient care.
-
If you can, get a variety: for example, a few days in a high-street dental practice and a day in a hospital clinic or lab. Admissions tutors like to see awareness of both NHS dentistry and private practice, or different specialties like orthodontics.
Bottom line
If you are an aspiring dentists in the UK who needs experience – be it Year 12 work experience for dentistry, or earlier exposure in Year 10, or even online dentistry work experience due to scheduling - The Medic Life is here to support you at every stage!
How to Get Started: Join for Free Dentistry Work Experience
Getting involved is simple and free. Here’s how you can kick off your dental school prep work experience journey with us:
-
Register for a Free Workshop
Check our upcoming events (we run them year-round, with both online webinars and in-person sessions across the UK). For example, our Work Experience Workshop 2026 is a full-day event at King’s College London with dentists from various specialties, and clinics - and it’s free to attend. Visit our website’s Free Events section and sign up to reserve your spot. Remember, due to very high demand, we cannot guarantee you a space, unless you book our UCAT Course! For more info, talk to us by filling out your details on the contact page!
-
Join Free Online Sessions
Sign up for live online webinars covering how to get into dental school, UCAT prep, personal statement tips, and more. These often include segments on finding and making the most of work experience. Online sessions are a convenient way to learn from home and still interact with our team (you can ask questions via chat).
-
Fill Out Our Work Experience Form
If you’re interested in in-person placements (dental practice or shadowing), fill out the Work Experience request form on our site. Provide details like your location, age/year group, and the kind of experience you’re seeking. Our team will reach out to discuss options (this is a paid service that we provide). We collaborate with private dental clinics, and dental consultants nationwide; while we can’t guarantee an immediate placement for everyone, we do our best to match students with suitable opportunities. Because safety and quality are our priorities, we ensure any placement is properly supervised and aligns with NHS guidelines.
-
Attend and Engage
Once you’re registered or placed, show up ready to learn. Treat your work experience like a professional opportunity - ask questions, help out where appropriate, and be enthusiastic. We encourage you to keep a journal of what you observe and feel; this will be invaluable later when reflecting on your dental work experiences.
-
Get Ongoing Support
After your work experience, our mentors will help you unpack it. We offer free follow-up resources, including reflection guides and even one-on-one consultation to discuss how to weave your experience into personal statements or interview answers. You’ll also join The Medic Life community - thousands of students like you aspiring to study medicine. Through our forums and group chats, you can share stories and tips (e.g. what to do if a patient interaction moved you, or how to handle seeing something difficult during a placement). We continue to support you all the way to your application deadlines and beyond.
Ready to jump-start your dental journey?
Don’t let lack of connections or funds hold you back. The Medic Life’s free dentistry work experience program is here to help every student with the insights, skills, and confidence to pursue medicine.
Register now for our upcoming events or submit a work experience request form – take the first step toward your dream career in healthcare!
Free Dentistry Work Experience with The Medic Life
About The Medic Life Free Dentistry Work Experience Workshop
Following on from the success of The Medic Life Work Experience Workshops over the last 6 years, and especially due to the HUGE demand this year. We are very excited to announce the FREE Work Experience Workshop on 22nd February 2026.
This will be a day packed full of talks from Doctors across various specialties, explaining what their roles consist of. You’ll gain an understanding of the variety of experiences they go through, along with the pros and cons of working in the medical field. We will also guide you on how to reflect on your dental work experience and use it effectively in your personal statements and interviews.
Last year, over 3000 students wanted to attend The Medical Life Work Experience Workshop on 27th April at King's College London, but with only 340 spaces available in the lecture theatre, free tickets were given out on a first come, first serve basis — and sold out within 60 seconds!
HOW DO I SECURE MY SPOT?
To support your application to Medical and Dental School, we’re offering GUARANTEED spaces to anyone who books onto our 2-day LIVE Online UCAT course this summer. Priority will be given to iIf any tickets remain, they’ll be released 1 week before the event. Please register NOW to join the ticket release list.
FAQs - Dentistry Work Experience: Free Dental School Work Experience for Aspiring Dentists
What counts as dentistry work experience?
Work experience in any dental or healthcare setting is useful. This can include:
-
General dental practice: Shadow a dentist during check-ups or treatments. Observe hygiene routines and patient communication.
-
Hospital dentistry/OMFS: Some NHS trusts run formal dental placement weeks in hospitals (oral surgery, orthodontics). This exposes you to complex cases and teamwork.
-
Community dental services: Clinics that treat patients with special needs, anxiety or medical issues. You’ll see dentists adapt care for different patients.
-
Dental laboratories: Assist or observe technicians making crowns, braces or dentures. This gives a backstage view of dentistry you won’t see at the chair.
-
Other healthcare roles: Any caring role (for example, hospital volunteering, care homes, pharmacy work or charity support) builds relevant skills. Interacting with people, managing responsibilities, or doing first aid are all valuable. Many dental schools explicitly accept patient-facing jobs (like retail or pharmacy) as evidence of your interpersonal skills.
-
Always check age and safety requirements: most dental practices require students to be 16+, and you may need to share health information or have a DBS check if you’ll be unsupervised.
How to find a placement for dentistry?
-
Start early and reach out widely. Schools, practices and hospitals often plan placements months in advance. Steps you can take:
-
Contact local dental clinics directly: Call or visit your dentist’s office (neatly dressed with a CV or letter). Explain your interest and ask if any dentists or managers are open to letting you shadow or volunteer. In-person requests show enthusiasm and can lead to offers even if emails fail.
-
Use school/college resources: Your careers adviser or science teachers may have contacts for work experience. They often have lists of local practices or know community programmes (e.g. Prince’s Trust, local health boards) that host students.
-
Apply to hospitals or trusts: NHS hospitals sometimes have youth volunteering schemes or dental placements. Check hospital volunteering departments or NHS careers pages. Even roles like helping at reception or on wards give you healthcare exposure.
-
Look for free virtual programmes: The NHS and charities run free online experiences. For example, a UK-wide NHS Virtual Work Experience (Dental) is available for 14+ years old and is endorsed by the Dental Schools Council. Also, we at The Medic Life offer free dental work experience opportunities & workshops which teach dental roles and count as insight. These virtual programs often provide certificates you can mention in applications. We encourage you to consider The Medic Life work experience programme to see how we can help you.
-
Volunteer in care settings: If clinics are hard to access, volunteer at a care home, health charity or local community project. These build caring skills and are looked upon favourably. Most universities count this as helpful work experience when it involves patient interaction or helping others.
-
Persistence is key: cast a wide net (dental offices, labs, even school events). Keep following up politely. Each email or call is practice explaining your interest in dentistry, which is itself good experience.
How to make the most of your dental work experience?
When you get a placement, treat it like a mini-tryout of the dentist’s world:
-
Be professional: Arrive on time, dress neatly, and follow the practice’s guidelines. Introduce yourself politely and explain why you’re there. Even small tasks like handing instruments or greeting patients (when allowed) show your eagerness. Remember confidentiality – don’t share patient details outside the practice.
-
Ask questions: Show interest by asking what you see. For example: “How do you decide between a filling or a crown?” or “What training did you do?” Dentists often welcome curious students. Jot down things you learn.
-
Reflect on your experience: After each day, write a brief note about what you learned – e.g. new skills, surprising tasks, or patient interactions. These reflections will help in writing your personal statement and preparing for interviews. Dental schools value applicants who can discuss what they’ve learned about dentistry and themselves during work experience.
-
Stay flexible: If you can’t scrub in clinically (you’ll typically just observe), focus on other contributions: help with reception, equipment, or patient logistics. Even observing hygiene protocols and teamwork is valuable insight.
-
Follow up: Send a thank-you note or email after your placement. Mention how much you appreciated learning about dentistry. This leaves a good impression and may lead to further opportunities (like extra days or references).
How many days of work experience do I need?
There’s no fixed requirement. Dental schools used to recommend around 10–14 days (about two weeks), but since 2024 most have eased formal requirements. Aim for a couple of weeks if you can, but even a few days in different settings shows commitment. Reflect more than you clock hours.
Can I do work experience in Year 12 or earlier?
Yes. Many students start in Year 12 (or even Year 10) during school holidays. Some programs, like NHS virtual placements, accept students aged 14+. If you’re under 16, you might need supervision and a DBS check, but you can still observe and learn (for example, in shadowing or volunteering roles). Early experience is great, as it gives you time to build on it over two years.
Does it have to be in a dental practice?
Not necessarily. While shadowing dentists is ideal, any healthcare or people-facing experience helps. Clinical observation is valuable, but care roles (care homes, charities, first aid volunteering) and customer-service jobs (pharmacies, shops, cafes) also develop empathy and communication. Dental schools accept evidence of caring skills from various sources if direct dental shadowing isn’t available.
Are there free dental work experience options?
Yes. For example, The Medic Life’s Free dentistry work experience programme offers dentistry virtual work experience with dentists and some charity/school schemes offer free dental shadowing options online. These cover topics like procedures and ethics and provide certificates. Some university outreach (e.g. summer schools) may offer observation opportunities at no cost. Also, volunteering in an NHS hospital or charity dental project is free and highly regarded.
Will lack of work experience hurt my application?
Dental schools know it can be hard to get placements. The key is to show you’ve tried and learned. Since requirements were eased in 2024, schools emphasize understanding the career over hours logged. If you genuinely couldn’t find shadowing, draw on any related experience and self-led research (online courses, talks with dentists, NHS apps) to demonstrate your informed interest. Always focus on what you’ve learned about yourself and dentistry from whatever experience you have.