FdSc Foundation Degree Dental Technology - Higher Apprenticeship Integrated EPA

• 48 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
• Ideally, applicants will have successfully completed a Level 3 qualification in any subject, but sciences are preferred.
• Applicants should have four GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English, Mathematics and a science, technology or engineering-related subject. If an applicant has yet to achieve appropriate Level 2 English and Mathematics qualifications, then with their employer's support, they can complete suitable equivalents locally or with assistance from the University before commencing the apprenticeship. Please contact apprentices@bolton.ac.uk for a list of acceptable GCSE equivalents, further information and support.
• After successful short-listing, applicants will be invited to take part in our recruitment process. The interview process will involve face-to-face interviews with academic staff. Applicants will also be assessed on their manual dexterity and undertake a numeracy and literacy diagnostic assessment.
• We'll require the completion of higher apprenticeship employer documentation before your employee's commencement of the course.
• If the apprentice has access to patient records and/or works with vulnerable groups and children, the employer is responsible for ensuring that the apprentice has a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in place. Additionally, the employer is responsible for ensuring that the apprentice has appropriate vaccinations to meet occupational health requirements.
• Admission to this programme is only available to applicants who meet ESFA eligibility criteria, including the following: 1) They are employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week in a role relevant to the apprenticeship. 2) They have the right to live and work in the UK. 3) Their employer is willing to sponsor them to spend a minimum of six hours per week of their time in off-the-job training, including attending the University (times and dates to be determined) for the duration of their course. Please note that an apprentice cannot be self-employed. ESFA eligibility criteria may change so please contact apprentices@bolton.ac.uk for up-to-date information.
• If English isn’t the applicant's first language, they will also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
• Please note that this course is subject to the University of Bolton's Fitness to Practise procedure.
• To be eligible for tuition fee funding through the Apprenticeship Levy, candidates should not normally have already completed a qualification at the same level as the proposed apprenticeship, unless that qualification was gained in a completely unrelated discipline.

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

The University of Bolton's FdSc Dental Technology - Higher Apprenticeship Integrated EPA programme is designed to meet the Dental Technician (Integrated) (ST0108) apprenticeship standard.

Upon graduation from this programme, your apprentices will possess a comprehensive understanding of oral anatomy and physiology from a dental perspective, both in terms of appliance design, and the methods and technologies used to construct dental appliances to meet the patient's needs.

This FdSc course focuses on equipping your apprentices with the skills and knowledge necessary to advance your commercial activities in dental technology.

Apprentices will need to be employed by your organisation for a minimum of 30 hours per week. Your organisation will also need to commit to sponsoring apprentices to complete this qualification.

For further information on how your organisation can access funds to support apprentices, please e-mail apprentices@bolton.ac.uk.

Whether you’re an employer, employee or school leaver, please visit our Apprenticeship web page for support and advice regarding apprenticeships.

International applications are not possible for this course

As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.

We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.

Useful information

Apprentices will not be expected to pay tuition fees towards this programme. If your organisation has a wage bill of more than £3 million per annum, then it may be able to fund this apprenticeship through its Apprenticeship Levy contributions. If your organisation does not pay the levy, it will be eligible for government support to fund apprenticeships. This support, called co-investment, covers 95% of the apprenticeship's tuition fees, with your organisation funding the remaining 5% of the fees.

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2023-2024 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

PLEASE NOTE: To meet the requirements of the General Dental Council, all modules are compulsory for this course.

This programme applies blended learning, work-based training and teaching methods. Apprentices will participate in on-campus face-to-face sessions and use online remote delivery software and the University's virtual learning environment, Moodle. At lectures, seminars and tutorials, your apprentices will have the opportunity to learn the theory of dental technology subjects and discuss topics directly with their tutor and classmates. Practical workshops and demonstrations will support them in building practical skills and applying the theory they have learned in all dental technology disciplines. Your apprentices will spend most of their time in the workplace, with a minimum of six hours per week being devoted to off-the-job training and university learning.

Your organisation will need to provide each apprentice with a workplace mentor to support their development. They will also benefit from regular visits from a University tutor. The workplace mentor, University tutor and apprentice will work together to create the individual learning plan required to progress the apprentice's professional body membership. An individual learner record (ILR) will be completed on a monthly basis.

University staff will evaluate your apprentices' practical abilities in your working environment, and work-based mentors will play a key role in the continuing development of their skills. Observation, evaluation and application exercises will guide your apprentices in establishing technical processes, helping them build skills in the construction of dental appliances.

Assessments include essays, reports, oral presentations, employment journals and portfolio entries, as well as practical manufacturing tasks and exams. Some assessments contribute to their final module marks, while others are designed to help them identify their strengths and weaknesses, and show where they need to seek extra support from course tutors. In keeping with the part-time nature of the course, written assessments are weighted more heavily than exams in terms of grade value compared to the dental technology undergraduate degree programme.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

• Preparing for Practice and Study Skills
• Oral Anatomy, Physiology and Basic Dental Appliance Design
• Basic Dental Technology Techniques
• Employment Practices (A) - Personal Development Plan
• Introductory Dental Biomaterials Science
• Research Methodology
• Dental Technology Techniques - Fixed Prosthodontics
• Dental Technology Techniques - Removable Prosthodontics
• Dental Technology Techniques - Orthodontics
• Employment Practice B
• End Point Assessment MCQ and Professional Interview

Assessment methods

Learning activities

Disclaimer

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.