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If you are applying to undergraduate dentistry in Australia, understanding UCAT ® dentistry requirements is essential: UCAT for dentistry sits alongside ATAR (or GPA) and interviews as one of the core selection components at most dental schools. This guide covers which universities require the exam, dentistry UCAT cut-off score benchmarks, and dentistry without UCAT pathways if you miss the threshold. It answers the practical question do you need UCAT for dentistry while keeping medicine admissions separate on our UCAT ® medicine guide.
For exam overview, current four-subtest format, 2026 dates, and scoring mechanics, see what is the UCAT ®, UCAT ® structure, UCAT ® 2026, and UCAT ® scores.
Like UCAT ® medicine, dentistry is a highly competitive career option — dentists make significant improvements to patient wellbeing, and the profession offers a stable, rewarding lifelong career. It is no surprise that many undergraduate dentistry programs require an entry exam, i.e. the UCAT ® exam, to help differentiate between applicants. UCAT ANZ is usually sat in July each year, with results delivered to universities ahead of the following year's intake — see UCAT ® 2026 for current registration and test dates.
Dentistry UCAT cut-off scores for undergraduate programs typically fall in the 85th to 95th percentile range, depending on university, state, rurality, and how offers are weighted. On the current UCAT ANZ scale — four cognitive subtests totalling 900–2700 (Abstract Reasoning is no longer tested) — a competitive UCAT for dentistry is often around the 90th percentile or above. In 2025 official test statistics, that equated to a cognitive total of 2310 or higher. Universities rarely publish exact thresholds; treat the table below as a historical percentile guide only.
Because dentistry UCAT cut-off scores shift with each applicant cohort, there is no fixed “average” score for dentistry entry. Benchmarks are often equally as competitive as UCAT ® medicine, and a high cognitive total will benefit applicants targeting dentistry programs. For how scaled scores, percentiles, and Situational Judgement bands are calculated on the current format, see our UCAT ® scores guide and UCAT ® structure overview.
The official UCAT ANZ universities list currently includes dental or oral health programs at Adelaide University, Charles Sturt University, Griffith University, the University of Queensland, and the University of Western Australia. In these pathways, you must sit UCAT for dentistry in the year of application because UCAT ANZ results cannot be carried over to a later cycle.
See the table below for undergraduate dental programs, historical dentistry UCAT cut-off percentile guides, and offer weightings. Always confirm current rules on each university's website, because the official list identifies UCAT-required courses but universities set their own selection rules.
For the main Australian dentistry and oral health pathways, the clearest UCAT-required group is:
La Trobe University is best treated as pathway-specific: its Year 12 dental science entry is generally academic-results based, while non-Year-12 applicants may need UCAT ANZ depending on the current admissions route.
A dental program is an undergraduate or graduate degree following which you will graduate as a dentist with a licensed registration, much like studying medicine. You will be accredited with the RACDS (Royal Australian College of Dental Surgeons) once you receive your registration and complete further training programs post-graduation.
The degrees that are accredited can often be phrased as “Bachelor of Dental Science”, “Doctor of Dentistry”, or “Bachelor of Dental Surgery”. It is important to note that oral health therapy degrees are a completely different profession, and should not be confused with dentistry.
The table below summarises historical dentistry UCAT cut-off percentile guides and university weightings. The current UCAT ANZ format has four subtests with a cognitive total of 900–2700 — Abstract Reasoning is no longer tested. Few, if any, universities publish exact cut-off scores; many details are derived from self-reported student data and should be treated as guides only.
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| DENTISTRY SCHOOL | STATE | ATAR/GPA | UCAT ® CUT-OFF | OFFER WEIGHTING | PLACES AVAILABLE | OTHER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Sturt University | NSW NSW |
Non-CSU: ATAR - 90+ GPA - 5.5+ CSU: GPA- 5.5+ Non-CSU:
ATAR - 90+ GPA - 5.5+ CSU: GPA- 5.5+ | 91st percentile 91st percentile |
100% interviews 100% interviews |
21 CSP 17 Rural or Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander 21 CSP
17 Rural or Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander
| Length - 5 years Length - 5 years |
| University of Sydney Doctor of Dental Medicine - provisional
University of Sydney
Doctor of Dental Medicine - provisional | NSW NSW |
ATAR: 99.6+ Non-standards ineligible ATAR: 99.6+
Non-standards ineligible | N/A N/A |
100% interviews 100% interviews |
20 CSP 20 CSP |
Length - 3 years undergraduate, 4 years post-graduate Length - 3 years undergraduate, 4 years post-graduate |
| University Of Queensland | QLD QLD |
Non-UQ: ATAR: 99+ GPA: 6.5+ UQ: GPA: 5.8+ Non-UQ:
ATAR: 99+ GPA: 6.5+ UQ: GPA: 5.8+ | 89th percentile 89th percentile |
ATAR hurdle, then ranked by UCAT ® aggregate ATAR hurdle, then ranked by UCAT<sup> ®</sup> aggregate |
34 CSP 34 CSP |
Length - 3 years undergraduate, 4 years post-graduate Length - 3 years undergraduate, 4 years post-graduate |
| James Cook University | QLD QLD |
ATAR: 87+ GPA: 4+ ATAR: 87+
GPA: 4+ | N/A N/A |
ATAR + Written Application + rurality level ATAR + Written Application + rurality level |
113 CSP 113 CSP |
Length - 5 years Length - 5 years |
| Griffith | QLD QLD |
ATAR: 99.85 GPA: 6.875 ATAR: 99.85
GPA: 6.875 | Required; cut-off not published Required; cut-off not published |
UCAT ® + academic rank + dental admissions process UCAT<sup> ®</sup> + academic rank + dental admissions process |
60 CSP/FFP* 60 CSP/FFP* |
Length - 3 years undergraduate, 2 years post-graduate Length - 3 years undergraduate, 2 years post-graduate |
| Latrobe University | VIC VIC |
ATAR: 99.20 GPA: Unknown ATAR: 99.20
GPA: Unknown | School leaver: N/A Non-Year-12: UCAT ® may be required School leaver: N/A
Non-Year-12: UCAT ® may be required | School leaver: academic rank; non-Year-12: academic results + UCAT ® School leaver: academic rank; non-Year-12: academic results + UCAT<sup> ®</sup> |
54 CSP 54 CSP |
Length - 5 years Length - 5 years |
| University Of Melbourne Doctor of Dentistry - provisional
University Of Melbourne
Doctor of Dentistry - provisional | VIC VIC |
ATAR: 99.85+ (CSP) ATAR: 99+ (FFP) ATAR: 99.85+ (CSP)
ATAR: 99+ (FFP) | N/A N/A |
N/A N/A |
91 CSP for postgraduate component 91 CSP for postgraduate component |
Length - 3 years undergraduate, 4 years post-graduate Length - 3 years undergraduate, 4 years post-graduate |
| University Of Western Australia Doctor of Dental Medicine - provisional
University Of Western Australia
Doctor of Dental Medicine - provisional | WA WA |
ATAR: 99+ ATAR: 99+ |
86th percentile 86th percentile |
33% ATAR 33% UCAT® 33% Interviews 33% ATAR
33% UCAT® 33% Interviews | - - |
Length - 3 years undergraduate, 4 years post-graduate Length - 3 years undergraduate, 4 years post-graduate |
| Adelaide University | SA SA |
ATAR: 90+ GPA: 5+ (cut-off, will likely require higher scores) ATAR: 90+
GPA: 5+ (cut-off, will likely require higher scores) | 87th percentile 87th percentile |
1st: Interview ranking 2nd: UCAT ® ranking 3rd: ATAR ranking** 1st: Interview ranking
2nd: UCAT ® ranking 3rd: ATAR ranking** | 38 CSP 38 CSP |
Length - 5 years Length - 5 years |
*Griffith University is a commonwealth supported place (CSP) for the undergraduate component of the degree, but Full-Fee paying (FFP) for the graduate component of the degree.
**Adelaide University will rank applicants based on their interview score, and if applicants are tied in interview scores, they will then proceed to rank UCAT ® and ATAR.
The UCAT ® exam is a key part of entry requirements for most universities offering undergraduate dentistry. However, several pathways exist if you receive a low score — including dentistry without UCAT at select schools, non-standard entry, a gap year to resit, or graduate dentistry via GAMSAT ®. For undergraduate medicine alternatives, see UCAT ® medicine.
A low UCAT ® score does not end your dentistry ambitions. Each pathway below has its own advantages and disadvantages:
Some Australian dentistry pathways do not require UCAT for dentistry on their main school-leaver or provisional pathways. If you receive a low UCAT ® score, these programs may still be options — selection is primarily based on ATAR (or GPA), written applications, interviews, or other university-specific steps rather than UCAT ranking. Common examples include James Cook University, the University of Sydney, La Trobe University school-leaver entry, and the University of Melbourne. Requirements differ by program and change over time; always check each university's current admissions guide.
Another option is to resit the UCAT ® exam during the first year of a different undergraduate degree and reapply to dentistry. This is a common pathway due to the competitive admissions process — there are no age restrictions to UCAT ® ANZ. Many dentistry schools accept non-standard applicants, though rules vary and some non-Year-12 routes, such as La Trobe, may require UCAT ® even where school-leaver entry does not. You continue studying on a backup pathway while preparing to resit via UCAT ® preparation or free UCAT ® resources.
High achievers with a very high ATAR (e.g. 99.5+) sometimes take a gap year so their ATAR remains valid while they resit UCAT ®. This lets you focus entirely on dentistry entry, but means starting the degree a year later than peers. Weigh this against starting another undergraduate degree as a backup and resitting UCAT ® in parallel — see how to study for the UCAT ® and UCAT ® 2026 for the next test window.
Graduate dentistry programs require an undergraduate degree first and the GAMSAT ® exam instead of UCAT ®. This suits students unsure about dentistry straight after school — the extra time can clarify your decision. Learn how graduate entry differs from school-leaver routes on UCAT ® vs GAMSAT ® and our what is the GAMSAT ® guide. The trade-off is graduating as a dentist later than via the undergraduate pathway.
Hence, it is important to not become discouraged during the process of getting into dentistry if your UCAT ® score is low. This does not automatically mean that you lose all chance of receiving a dentistry offer, as there are many alternative pathways.
When applying to study dentistry, reflect on your motivations beyond pay, work-life balance, or prestige. Getting into dental programs is difficult — sitting UCAT for dentistry, meeting ATAR hurdles, and completing dental school all require sustained effort. Understanding the downsides helps you make an informed choice.
Ask yourself what you see yourself doing in ten years, and why dentistry over other careers. Although these sound like interview questions, genuine answers will strengthen your interview performance.
Once you commit, maintain your motivation through setbacks. The time between leaving school and starting a dentistry degree is often trivial in a long health career — many paths converge at the same professional endpoint.
Congratulations — a strong UCAT ® score clears one of the first hurdles to a dentistry offer. Avoid complacency: a high cognitive total does not guarantee admission when interviews and academic components (ATAR or GPA) still apply.
Interview selection for dentistry is often as competitive as UCAT ® medicine. Start practising early — with peers or through GradReady's InterviewReady courses.
Now that you understand UCAT ® dentistry admissions, these guides cover exam mechanics, preparation, and related pathways:
Meaning, who needs UCAT ANZ, registration overview, and how the exam fits undergraduate applications.
Four subtests, question counts, subtest times, and scoring overview (900–2700 cognitive total).
Booking windows, concessions, and the 2026 testing period.
Scaled totals (900–2700), percentiles, and what universities treat as competitive.
UCAT preparation strategy, study plan, timelines, and tips across all four current subtests.
Free practice and reading links to start without a paid course.
Question types, timing, and preparation tips for the first subtest.
Question types, timing, and preparation tips for the second subtest.
Numerical reasoning strategy, timing, and practice approach.
Scenario-based judgement questions and how SJT is scored separately (300–900).
Undergraduate medicine admissions using UCAT<sup> ®</sup> (separate cut-offs and weightings).
Which exam applies to undergraduate vs graduate dentistry entry.