Our reputation
The General Dental Council (GDC) provides accreditation for many of our courses. The GDC ensures the quality of all courses that lead to registration as a dental professional. In addition, we score highly for a wide range of national and international rankings, which we have listed below:
Academic excellence
- Top 10 in The Complete University Guide 2026
- 10th in The Guardian University League Tables 2026 for Dentistry
- 85% of our dental hygiene and therapy graduates went on to work and/or study within 15 months after the course (Discover Uni)
University of Leeds rankings
- 86th in the world, QS World University Rankings 2026
- 6th most targeted by employers, High Fliers 2025 Report
- 21st in the UK, Complete University Guide
- Top 10 UK student city, Best Student Cities 2025
- We are a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities
Gender equality
We have been commended for our strong and continued commitment to gender equality in the form of a prestigious Athena SWAN Silver award.
Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
Every six years, the UK’s four higher education funding bodies undertake an exercise to measure the quality of research undertaken by UK higher education institutions (HEIs). The funding bodies use the outcomes to inform the allocation of their research funding to HEIs. The Research Excellence Framework was the framework used in 2021.
Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy (UAO3)
- 100% of UoA 3’s impact case studies rated as ‘world-leading’ (4*) or ‘internationally excellent’ (3*)
- Over 90% of our research submitted was rated either ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
The quality of our research and the funding it attracts means we’re able to invest in world-class facilities and academic staff who are actively engaged in cutting-edge research. As a result, our students will be taught by internationally renowned, inspirational academics working at the forefront of their fields.