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Br Dent J 2017;222: 181–190 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2017.122

For many, continuing their journey of higher education by going to university after college or sixth form is the next logical step of their professional development. Obtaining a qualification from a university often allows graduates increased chances of employment and enhancement of their CVs; not to mention the fact that universities offer so much satisfaction in terms of life experiences. It's no wonder why so many past graduates call their time at university the best chapter of their lives.

However, since the advent of the controversial increased tuition fee in 2012, it has been speculated that there is an increasing danger of depriving potential students of the aforementioned amenities.

This is because the increased fees have an alarming potential of deterring potential applicants from applying. Understandably so, since most dental and medical students are faced with graduating not only with degree but also stifling debt in excess of £60k. In order to clarify these speculations, Gallagher and colleagues carried out a study to compare trends in the 'volume, socio-demography and academic experience of UK applicants to medicine and dentistry UK, with university in general, before and after the major increase in university fees in England in 2012.'

The data obtained from University and College Admissions Services (UCAS) provided an indication of the likelihood of young people participating in further or higher education. The results of the study showed that in 2012 the volume of applicants to medicine and dentistry fell by 2.4% for medicine and 7.8% for dentistry, compared with 6.6% for university overall. Also whilst dental applications fell in both 2012 and 2013, they had increased by 15.6% to 3,410 in 2014, above 2010 levels. Black and minority ethnic group [BME] admissions to university, although rising (24% in 2014), are still less than for medicine (34%) and dentistry (48%). While the study does come with its limitations, such as: the assessor's inability to have access to individual data in order to undertake multivariate analysis and the rounding up and down of the data from each school which made robust analysis difficult.

The conclusions reached from the study were: the introduction of fees did affect admissions to dental school based on the statistical evidence, particularly for dentistry. Whilst there is some recuperation, social inequalities endure and present a test for widening contribution in the professions.

By Russell Hashemi (Plymouth University Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, www.thesmilingtooth.com)