Dentistry Undergraduate Admission Requirements

1.1 BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery)

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) offers opportunities to South African (SA) and Southern African Development Community nationals (SADC applications to be managed by the International Office) to undergo training in dentistry, dental therapy and oral hygiene. Naturalized SADC nationals and permanent residents regardless of origin are also considered. All applicants undergo a rigorous selection process.

SMU, in keeping up with international standards, bases selection on academic measurable variables and ensures that selected students have the ability/ potential to successfully complete their studies in the requisite minimum time. SMU endeavours to attract talented students from all demographic groupings in South Africa whilst prioritizing transformation. In this regard a quota system based on a principle that promotes equitable chances and fairness to students from all population groups as determined by SA Statistics in the annual SA census report is applied in all selection processes. The selection process is done in two phases. The decisions of the School Admissions and Selection Committee are final. The Dean in SOHS does not have any prerogative to allocate admission spaces.

1.1.1 BDS Phase I: Pre – selection

Students are offered a provisional place based on their final Grade 11 results. Pre-selected Grade 11 students  are expected to have attained an admission point score (APS) of at least 37. In addition, students are pre- selected based on their performance in the following four subjects: English, Life Sciences, Physical Science and Mathematics. Refer to Table 1.

However, being pre-selected does not guarantee a place as the Grade 12 results are used to decide on final  admissions. Admissions are on a competitive basis for available spaces.

A pre – selection offer will be withdrawn if either the applicant’s performance in Grade 12 in any of the four above mentioned subjects and/or total APS score drops below their performance in the Grade 11 results or is maintained but happens to be below that of other applicants. The application of such a student is then returned to the general pool of applicants in which applicants are considered based on their Grade 12 performance using the four subjects previously listed.

Firm offers to past matric (NSC) holders, who passed matric up to a maximum of two years prior to the year of application into the programme, will be made (during the pre-selection phase) to the three (3) top/best students who applied and met all the admission requirements.

Table 1: Minimum requirements for pre-selection into BDS Program

Subjects	Minimum APS Points	SMU Admission Score for preselection
English	5	5
Mathematics	6	6
Physical Science	6	6
Life Sciences	6	6
Additional subject 1	5
Additional subject 2	4
Life Orientation	5
Total	37 points	23 points

Table 2: Admission Point Score (APS) Equivalency Conversion Table

APS Points	NSC / IEB	IGCSE Symbols	GCSE Symbols	HIGCSE Symbols	S – Level grade	A – Level grade	IBHL Symbols	IBSL Symbols
8				1		A* (90-100)	7
7	80-100%			2	a (80-100)	A (80-89)	6
6	70-79%	A		3	b (70–79)	B (70-79)	5	7
5	60-69%	B	7	4	c (60–69)	C (60 – 69)	4	6
4	50-59%	C	6		d (50-59)	D (50 – 59)		5
3	40-49%	D	5		e (40-49)	E (40 – 49)		4
2	30-39%	E	4
1	0-29%	F	3

• APS – Admission Point Score
• NSC/IEB – SA National School Certificate
• IGCSE – International General Certificate of Secondary Education
• GCSE – General Certificate of Secondary Education
• HIGCSE – Higher International General Certificate of Secondary Education
• AS level – Advanced Subsidiary Level
• A Level – Advanced An A-level represents a year’s extra study beyond AS level
• IB HL – International Baccalaureate (Higher levels)
• IB SL – International Baccalaureate Schools (Standard levels)
• Independent Examination Board (IEB)

1.1.2 BDS Phase 2: Final Selection of Grade 12 Applicants and other applicants with equivalent qualifications

The second phase of selection is done soon after the Grade 12 results have been released. Pre- selected students who either maintained or improved their Grade 11 SMU pre – selection scores, may be given firm offers. However, this will depend on the number of available spaces. Those whose scores fall below the level at which they received a pre-selection offer or those who now score lower in comparison with others are then included in the general pool of applicants for consideration.

For students to be selected from the main data pool they should comply with the following admission requirements:

1. Must achieve a minimum APS score of 37 as described above in Table 1
2. Compete based on the four subjects, and Life Orientation will be calculated as a denominator in case of a tie (Table 1) in the pre-selection Students will be selected by order of merit using their actual percentage marks in the following subjects: Mathematics, Physical Science, Life Science, and English Language. Selection will be in accordance to the demographic quotas described above using the most current census data.
3. A relevant matriculation or examination results that qualifies enrolment into a degree program (for SADC nationals from SADC countries not offering dentistry), with an APS to be determined by the enrolment committee on basis of Table 2). The applicants must include a matric exemption certificate issued by South African Qualification Authority (SAQA) as well as proof of Identification (ID document or passport).

A total of 42 spaces offered during the second phase of selection are distributed as shown in Table 3 including the 3 firm offers confirmed during Phase I.

Table 3: Distribution of firm BDS I spaces confirmed during the 2^nd Phase of Selection

Category of prospective Students	Number of allocated spaces
Matric (NSC) holders (FTENs)	30
Matric  (2 years since obtaining NSC – no tertiary experience)	3
Top SMU BSc I; MBChB I and BSc (ECP II) students	2
SADC students (International Office to handle these applications)	1
SMU graduates	4
Relevant Sciences and Health Sciences Degree holders from other  universities	2
Total	42

Note:

1. Due to the limited number of places available and the competitive nature of the degree program attainment of the minimum requirements stated in Table 1 does not guarantee
2. All first time entering applicants who have performed well and attained high SMU Admission Scores (Table 1), but were not selected among the top 42, are placed on a waiting list. They will be considered on merit should any of those selected applicants decline the
3. In order to fulfil the national requirement of improving access, the following demographical data in table 4 is considered during the entire selection and admission process.

Table 4: Demographics (will be updated according to the SA census (P0302) of each preceding admission year)

Race	Percentage: 2022 census for 2023 intake
Black	81%
Indians/Asians	2.6%
Whites	7.7%
Colored	8.8%

1.1.3 Criteria for selection of applicants with completed 1^st year BSc I degree courses or equivalent  (SMU full BSc I; MBChB I and BSc ECP II course holders)

Two top students with completed 1^st year BSc or equivalent courses at SMU will after application be afforded  an opportunity to enroll into BDS I. The combined average percentage of all modules will be used to determine the best one student. In case of BSc – ECP II applicants, the average scores of modules done in both years (Year 1 and 2) will be considered. Only applicants who obtain a minimum of three distinctions and   an overall average of 75% and above for the year will be considered. However, the requirements might be higher as only two (2) space are available and selection will be on a competitive basis.

* Equivalent degrees are MBChB I and BSc – ECP II completed at SMU

1.1.3 Criteria for Selection of applicants with completed degrees (into BDS I only as this may change in later years when admission into 2^nd year may be contemplated)

Applicants with completed Natural Science or relevant Health Sciences degree(s) will be selected to fill the allocated quotas referred to in Table 3 above. A scoring system presented in Table 5 will be applied to select  the best qualifying students. The resultant score will be used in descending order to select qualifying applicants from this pool. The process of the calculation of points will be as follows:

Table 5: Scoring system for candidates with completed 1^st degrees

Percentage mark achieved in a module	Points
≥ 75%	24
70 – 74%	16
65 – 69	12
60 – 64	8
55 – 59	4
50 – 54	0
Fail	0
A subject passed after a supplementary examination	0

Note:

• In the case of a student having two degrees at the same level, the best of the two degrees will be used for scoring
• Students with relevant degrees that have exceeded a prescribed shelf life of three years will be required to re-do all the BDS I modules without any exemption.

Additional points are awarded to applicants with post graduate degrees based on the scoring system presented in Table 6.

Table 6: Additional points awarded to applicants with post graduate and professional degree

Post graduate Degree or Professional Degree	Points
Honours degree completed in minimum time	2
Additional point for Honours degree achieved with distinction	1
A four year professional degree in Natural sciences or Health Care Sciences	2
A three year Health Sciences related degree completed in minimum period	1
Additional point for four year professional degree in Natural sciences/ Health Care Sciences with distinction	1
Masters degree	3
Additional point for Masters degree achieved with distinction	1
Doctoral degree	5

1.2 B Dent Ther (Bachelors in Dental Therapy)

Pre-selection of prospective students is a phased process and is completed by the end of November, in the year preceding admission. Provisional admission is based on Grade 11 final results for candidates in matric.  Performance expressed as AP-score must be no less than 28 and for the four subjects below, expressed as combined (CMB) score of  16, must be maintained or improved in the matric examination to secure a place (see table 7 below). The main/final selection is based on the performance in the following four subjects, each with a minimum of  4:

• English
• Mathematics
• Physical Science
• Life Sciences

In case the students’ performance in these subjects drops below that for/in the grade 11 results, the student will lose the space in the pre-selected group and will join the general pool of applicants, where the grade 12 results will be the final determinant for the selection

Table 7: Admission Point Score for B Dent Ther

Subjects	Proposed APS Minimum points	SMU Admission Score for Preselection
English	4	4
Mathematics	4	4
Physical Science	4	4
Life Science	4	4
Additional subject 1	4
Additional Subject 2	4
Life orientation	4
Total	28  Points	16 Points

Other qualifying criteria

• In addition to the above, applicants from SADC (to be managed by the International Office), have reserved 1 space, as per university agreement with the relevant authorities. Despite this, candidates must still fulfill /meet the criteria for admission into the program compatible with those admitted. In cases where spaces in these categories are not filled, the spaces will be transferred to South African black candidates.
• Students transferring from any SMU program, completed or incomplete, as well as graduates from other recognized institutions have 2 spaces (5%) reserved. These students must obtain an average of 65% in their last summative assessment and have an overall score of no less than 8 for all their credit bearing courses. (See Table 5 for score allocation on academic transcript and Table 6 for additional points awarded)
• Students with incomplete qualification must have passed all their summative modules in the final assessments to be considered. In addition, students who were previously excluded for whatever reason, will not be considered without proof of satisfactory performance

A total of 25 students can be admitted into the program per academic year. Given the limited spaces, selection and admission into the program is highly competitive and based on merit and availability of space. Importantly, meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee selection and admission into the program.

In order to fulfil the national requirement of improving access, table 4 indicates the demographical data is considered  during the entire selection and admission process.

1.3 B Oral Hyg (Bachelors in Oral Hygiene)

Pre-selection of prospective students is a phased process and is completed by the end of November, in the year preceding admission. Provisional admission is based on Grade 11 final results for candidates in matric. Performance expressed as AP-score must be no less than 28/*31 and for the four subjects below, expressed as combined (CMB) score of 16/*19, must be maintained or improved in the matric examination to secure a place (see table 8 below). The main/final selection is based on the performance in the following four subjects, each with a minimum as indicated in table 7:

• English
• Mathematics / *Mathematics Literacy
• Physical Science
• Life Sciences

In case the students’ performance in these subjects drops below that for/in the grade 11 results, the student will lose the space in the pre-selected group and will join the general pool of applicants, where the grade 12 results will be the final determinant for the selection

 Table 8: Admission Point Score for B Oral Hygiene

Subjects	Proposed APS Minimum points	SMU Admission Score for Preselection
English	4	4
Mathematics OR Mathematics Literacy	4    *7	4   *7
Physical Science	4	4
Life Science	4	4
Additional subject 1	4
Additional Subject 2	4
Life orientation	4
Total	28 points with Maths *31 points with Maths Lit	16 Points with Maths *19 Points with Maths Lit

Other qualifying criteria

• In addition to the above, applicants from SADC (to be managed by the International Office), have reserved 1 space, as per university agreement with the relevant authorities. Despite this, candidates must still fulfill /meet the criteria for admission into the program compatible with those admitted. In cases where spaces in these categories are not filled, the spaces will be transferred to South African black candidates.
• Students transferring from any SMU program, completed or incomplete, as well as graduates from other recognized institutions have 2 spaces (5%) reserved. These students must obtain an average of 65% in their last summative assessment and have an overall score of no less than 8 for all their credit bearing courses. (See Table 5 for score allocation on academic transcript and Table 6 for additional points awarded).
• Students with incomplete qualification must have passed all their summative modules in the final assessments to be considered. In addition, students who were previously excluded for whatever reason, will not be considered without proof of satisfactory performance

A total of 25 students can be admitted into the program per academic year. Given the limited spaces, selection and admission into the program is highly competitive and based on merit and availability of space. Importantly, meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee selection and admission into the program.

In order to fulfil the national requirement of improving access, the demographical data under table 4 is considered  during the entire selection and admission process.