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Brushing off setbacks: My journey to the UK's top Dental School

BDJ Student volume 32, pages 66–67 (2025)Cite this article

My academic journey began in Italy where I was born and raised, and learning my now third language after moving to the UK was challenging. However, it was an obstacle that I was excited to overcome, this rather was a drive for me to strive for success. In fact, I went on to being recognised and awarded the headteacher's award in my secondary school. This was one of many other recognitions during that time, motivating me to then achieving As and A* in my GCSEs. Those grades allowed me to attend the highest ranked sixth form college in the West Midlands, as of 2023. It was a privilege to continue my studies there and was a proud moment achieving straight As and ranking in the top 11% of the whole cohort, as well as receiving a Governor's Leaving Scholarship. All this reinforced my belief of breaking barriers to chase my goals. After being unable to secure a place during that period, doing one year of biomedical science at the University of Plymouth and transferring to their Dentistry course was the perfect plan for me. After ranking in the top 10% in that year and passing my interview, I secured a spot on the course for Bachelor of Dental Surgery. I am now gratefully studying my dream course at the University of Plymouth, which is the number one ranked dental school in the UK.5

One thing I gained from my journey into dentistry was the significance of failure. Facing this obstacle during my path was hard at the time, but looking back it has shaped me into a strong dental student with the mindset of not giving up. Whatever obstacle we face to reach our goals we can overcome, but that can only happen when and if we decide to put our minds to it. I realised after my rejection that year that the only thing standing between me and dental school was myself, which gave me the confidence to stop looking back at missed opportunities and rather use them to shape and redirect my ambitious future.

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References

  1. Nischwitz D. It's All in Your Mouth: Biological Dentistry and the Surprising Impact of Oral Health on Whole Body Wellness. White River Junction, Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing; 2020.

  2. Sedghi L, DiMassa V, Harrington A, Lynch SV, Kapila Y L. The oral microbiome: Role of key organisms and complex networks in oral health and disease. Periodontol 2000 2020; 87: 107-131.

  3. Meurman J, Bascones-Martinez A. Oral Infections and Systemic Health - More than Just Links to Cardiovascular Diseases. Oral Health Prev Dent 2021; 19: 441-448.

  4. Tchicaya A, Lorentz N. Socioeconomic inequalities in the non-use of dental care in Europe. Int J Equity Health 2014; 13: 7.

  5. The Guardian. News release: Best UK universities for dentistry - league table. The Guardian. 2024. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2024/sep/07/best-uk-universities-for-dentistry-league-table (accessed February 2025).

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  1. Peninsula Dental School, Plymouth, United Kingdom

    Denise Kumah

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  1. Denise Kumah
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Correspondence to Denise Kumah.

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Kumah, D. Brushing off setbacks: My journey to the UK's top Dental School. BDJ Student 32, 66–67 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41406-025-1498-8

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