Skip to content ↓

Ashmole
sixth form

Anastasia - King's College London, Dentistry

Anastasia


Date attended Ashmole:  2015 - 2017

A Levels:   Biology, Chemistry, Product Design

University:   King’s College London

Course:  Dentistry BDS


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What are you doing now?

I am studying Dentistry BDS, a 5-year course at Kings College London.  I am also part of the 'Enhanced Support Dental Programme,' which is identical to the standard BDS but can also provide further guidance to students, if needed.

What have you got involved with in the university?

I am a member of the Dental Society at Kings, which has over 1000 members.  It organises lectures with guest speakers and also many social events.  As well as this, I am part of the Smile Society at Kings, which is a charitable organisation that aims to increase awareness of the importance of good oral health within the community.  This involves volunteering at local primary schools and presenting workshops in order to educate children.

What did you find most useful about your experiences at Ashmole Academy? What skills did it help you to develop?

My experience at Ashmole has helped me to gain many skills required for university. Studying at university is entirely independent and the 'flipped learning' during our Biology lessons was extremely useful, as we would revise the topic independently first, before attending the class.  This is good practice for university.  The frequent end of topic tests in Biology and Chemistry were also useful as they encouraged me to constantly keep on top of my work, which is also important for Dentistry.

What did you find most valuable about MedSoc?

Medsoc was valuable for me as I learnt not just about general dental and medical knowledge, but it also helped prepare me for my interviews. We practiced mock MMI interviews, which included ethical and clinical scenarios.

What top tips would you give to other students wishing to follow a career in Dentistry?

My advice for students is to get involved in as many experiences as you can and to start preparing early. The more work experience and volunteering you have, the more you have to talk about during interviews.  It's also important to take part in long term extra-curricular activities as these will help to develop useful skills that are transferable for the course, for example manual dexterity and team work.
Something that surprised me at university was the fact that there are people of all ages on my course, especially postgraduates, so if you aspire to study dentistry but are not successful first time round, don't give up! Good luck!