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FD Dental Technology Foundation Degree (Level 5) — Part-time

Course outline

Dental technicians manufacture, modify and repair custom-made dental appliances (such as braces, bridges, crowns, implants and prosthetics).

There is an increasing demand for skilled dental technicians, with work requiring close attention to detail, colour and manual dexterity.

This new course provides the skills and theoretical knowledge required to succeed in this profession.

The Foundation Degree has been developed with industry input and is designed to fully comply with General Dental Council requirements.

This award is validated by The Open University.

Students will be able to acquire competency in areas such as:

  • Oral anatomy and physiology
  • Biomaterials science
  • Dental appliance design and manufacture
  • Professionalism, ethics and legislation are covered, together with reflective skills and analytical decisions-making.

Modules include:

  • Dental Technology Techniques
  • Oral Biomedical Science
  • Professional Practice
  • Dental Biomaterials Science
  • Design of Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics
  • Integrated Studies and Work Based Learning Modules

New HE Science Centre

  • A brand new £1.2m science and innovation centre opened in September 2022, offering purpose-built higher level technical facilities for students studying in the fields of biology, chemistry, forensics, pharmaceuticals and dental technologies.
  • A suite of brand new industrial grade machinery and equipment, including a bench-top NMR scanner, a high performance liquid chromatogram, UV, IR and Mass spectrometers, and for Forensic Science, bespoke ​‘crime scene houses’, a blood spatter room and state-of-the-art finger print analysis equipment, have been made possible thanks to a grant from the Office for Students of over £1m.

This is a huge investment in science-related facilities and resources and ensures our science students have access to the very best, industry-leading equipment and tools available.

Useful links:

Nottingham College is proud to have been awarded the Teaching Excellence Framework Bronze Award for high quality student experience and outcomes. You can read more about this on the Office for Students website.

How to apply for this course

Apply online to start in 2024/25.

Want to find out more first?

Would you like more information? Email our HE team.

Download a guide Adult learning Browse careers Get in touch
Location Date Fees / reductions
111 Canal Street
Nottingham
NG1 7HB

Start: Monday 23rd September 2024

The tuition fee is per year.

Various bursaries are available for some Higher Education courses.

Tuition fee: £4,500

Course code: C044722 / Q044723

Qualification

Foundation Degree (Fd) Level 5

Duration

3 years

Level Level 5
Entry requirements

5 GCSE passes at 9-4/A*-C including English Language, Maths and a science (or equivalent) and a relevant full Level 3 qualification (eg a BTEC Extended Diploma in Dental Technology).

If English is not your first language, you should have attained (or expect to achieve) IELTS 6.0 with no element less than 5.5 or equivalent.

Mature applicants with relevant professional experience, lifeskills and/or qualifications are welcome to apply.

Applicants will be required to attend an interview and manual dexterity test prior to being offered a place on the course.

It is essential that applicants are employed in a Dental Laboratory or have some form of placement in order to carry out the work based learning modules. A total of 400 hours of logged work based activities is required together with constructed appliances in a portfolio.

The General Dental Council state that all Dental Care Professionals are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and all criminal convictions need to be disclosed prior to registration. This may affect the ability to register as a DCP.

Teaching & assessment

Coursework is assessed continually through a variety of individual and group assignments; such as practical activities and investigations, research projects, written reports and presentations. Some modules include assessment by examination to help prepare you for further study.

Progression

Career opportunities are available to graduates of this course in the NHS, commercial laboratories, private practices, dental manufacturing companies, or they could progress to further study with the option to continue studying for a full BSc (Hons) in Dental Technology.

Alternative career options include Clinical Dental Technology, Research and Development, Teaching and Education, or Medical Sales.

Additional information
The Open University logo


Nottingham College is approved by The Open University as an appropriate organisation to offer higher education programmes leading to Open University validated awards.

You can view the Open University Students Guide 2022 here.

In addition, you can view the OU Validated Award Regulations here.

About the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)

The TEF is a national scheme run by the Office for Students (OfS) that aims to encourage higher education providers to improve and deliver excellence in the areas that students care about the most: teaching, learning and achieving positive outcomes from their studies.

Learn more about the TEF

Biology Lecturer Nicola tells us all about our specialist Microbiology Lab

Our City Hub campus is home to over £1.2m of specialist science facilities. We hear from Biology Lecturer Nicola who tells us all about how our industry standard facilities, like our microbiology lab, as well as our experienced teaching and technician teams mean we are able to offer specialist courses.