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Dental school comparison

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) vs Plymouth

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) and Plymouth are both UK dental schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) is based in Aberdeen (Scotland) while Plymouth sits in Plymouth (England), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination.

On UCAT alone there is roughly a 203-point gap between them — a substantial difference that should shape which you list as firm choice vs. insurance. Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) is the older institution (founded 1495); the other (founded 2007) has shaped its medical school around modern integrated-curriculum thinking.

Side-by-side comparison

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry)

Aberdeen

Quick comparison

Location
Aberdeen, UK
A-Level offer
2:1 in biosciences or allied healthcare profession. UK applicants only. A-levels not used.
TrueScore
Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) TrueScore 1170
UCAT home cut-off
~1820+ RUK lowest 2023 entry; Scottish ~1560+
Interview format
90-minute MMI; offers made on interview performance only
Post-interview chance
Approximately 30 offers from 60 interviews (~50%) for 20 places.
Decision date
Spring

Plymouth

Plymouth

Quick comparison

Location
Plymouth, UK
A-Level offer
A*AA – AAB at A-level (offer depends on cohort strength) including grade A in Biology and grade A in a second science from Chemistry / Physics / Mathematics / Psychology
TrueScore
Plymouth TrueScore 1990
UCAT home cut-off
Not published on the current scale. The average thresholds Plymouth published for the 2023-2025 cycles were measured on the retired /3600 four-subtest test and cannot be converted to /2700 - removing a subtest does not scale a score.
Interview format
Five-station MMI (online), ~55 minutes
Post-interview chance
Home: 132/499 = 26% (2025). Overseas: 8/28 = 29%. Home Foundation Year: 17/104 = 16%.
Decision date
Spring

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) vs Plymouth - in detail

UCAT thresholds compared

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry)'s published UCAT threshold for home applicants is around 1820, while Plymouth sits at approximately 2023.

The 203-point spread matters: Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) offers slightly more headroom for an average-strong UCAT, while Plymouth expects performance closer to the national 75th-90th percentile.

A-Level and academic profile

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) requires 2:1 in biosciences or allied healthcare profession. UK applicants only. A-levels not used.

Plymouth requires A*AA – AAB at A-level (offer depends on cohort strength) including grade A in Biology and grade A in a second science from Chemistry / Physics / Mathematics / Psychology.

GCSE profile matters at both schools — Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry): No specific GCSE requirements published — competence demonstrated via the degree. Plymouth: Seven GCSEs at grade 4/C or above, must include English Language, Mathematics, and either 4-4 Dual Science or two from Biology / Chemistry / Physics. Used as minimum threshold only — Plymouth does…

Interview formats

Both Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) and Plymouth use MMI interviews, so the underlying prep approach is the same — practise ethics frameworks, NHS hot-topic answers and (for MMI) structured station responses against a timer.

That said, the specifics differ slightly: Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) runs 90-minute mmi; offers made on interview performance only; Plymouth runs five-station mmi (online), ~55 minutes. Mock practice tailored to each school's exact format is the highest-leverage prep.

Interview windows: Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) interviews in Spring; Plymouth in February – April.

Curriculum and teaching style

Both schools deliver a PBL-style curriculum, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar across years 1-3.

Specifics: Four-year accelerated graduate-entry BDS. Aberdeen-based with clinical placements across NHS Grampian and remote/rural Scotland. Five-year BDS with PBL. Plymouth Peninsula Dental School - clinical placements across South-West community sites.

Intake size: Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) — ~30-40 places per year (small graduate-entry cohort).; Plymouth — ~75 home places per year for BDS Dentistry (smaller cohort, regional focus).. A larger cohort means more peer breadth; a smaller cohort means more tutor contact.

Post-interview offer rate

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry): Approximately 30 offers from 60 interviews (~50%) for 20 places. Plymouth: Home: 132/499 = 26% (2025). Overseas: 8/28 = 29%. Home Foundation Year: 17/104 = 16%.

Post-interview odds give you the clearest signal of how competitive each school is at the final stage — a school with a 60% post-interview success rate is structurally easier to convert than one at 25%, even if the interview thresholds look identical on paper.

What makes each distinctive

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry): Academic attainment weighted 60% (predicted/achieved degree result), UCAT 40%. A-levels not used. UK applicants only. ~60 candidates interviewed; ~30 offers made for 20 places - ~7 offers to RUK candidates.

Plymouth: Interview-score-based offer making. Personal statements and work experience are NOT considered for interview selection - UCAT and academic minimums alone determine who reaches interview.

Which is right for you?

If your UCAT lands below the UK median (~1880/2700), Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) is the more realistic firm-choice option. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) feeds into the Scotland foundation programme network; Plymouth into the England network.

Your firm/insurance choice should ultimately weight: where your UCAT and predicted grades sit relative to each school's threshold, which interview format you can prepare for most credibly, and where you'd actually want to live for five years.

Common questions

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry)'s typical home cut-off is around 1820, while Plymouth sits at approximately 2023 — a 203-point spread. That's a meaningful gap; Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) is materially more accessible for an average-to-good UCAT, while Plymouth expects performance closer to the top 25% of test-takers. Cut-offs change year on year and vary by tier — check each school's latest published threshold before submitting your UCAS form.

Where to go next

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry)Entry requirements, interview format and key dates in full
PlymouthEntry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

Other dental school comparisons

School data reviewed by the NextGen MedPrep editorial team — last reviewed .