University of London (20824.6 – condition, XXXXX) The first BDS degrees of the University of London were awarded to Cyril Hall and Cyril Godfrey Walmsley in 1927. Studying for a BDS degree rather than a LDS diploma of one of the Royal Surgical Colleges did not become the norm until after World War II when the UK University Grants Council decided to support only university dental schools preparing students for university degrees.