A&S Pre-Dentistry Program
Preparation Through the College of Arts & Sciences
- Overview of the Application Process
- Dental School Selection
- Pre-Health Advising Center
- Timeline for Preparing for Professional School (including pre-denistry)
Students who plan to apply to dentistry school will complete multiple natural sciences classes and take the Dental Admission Test (DAT). Students then submit the generic (primary) AADSAS (American Association of Dental Schools Application Service) application, and send supplementary application material to individual dental schools upon request. If the secondary application is evaluated positively, students will be invited to interview.
Dental schools require a number of natural sciences courses, generally including:
- Two semesters of Biology, with labs
- Two semesters of Chemistry, with labs
- Two semesters of Physics, with labs
- Two semesters of Organic Chemistry, with labs
Your biology and chemistry sequences should be completed before you take the DAT. While not required, courses in biochemistry, anatomy, physiology and the humanities are often strongly recommended. For requirements for individual dental schools, please view the ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools.
You will find many activities on campus that interest you. An organization that many "pre-dents" join is the Pre-Dentistry Society. In addition, to gain a realistic view of the profession, you must acquire experience in a clinical setting by shadowing or volunteering. Many dental schools require this clinical experience. For example, the Ohio State University College of Dentistry requires applicants to have obtained at least 40 hours of unpaid clinical observation.