College of Dentistry Requirements

It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to become a dentist. While the path is long and difficult, it can also be well worth it. Dental hopefuls must attend a college of dentistry after attending college. Getting into dental school is not easy and not everyone who applies will be admitted. There are specific requirements to be admitted into a college of dentistry,

Bachelor Degree

All dental schools require their applicants to have earned a bachelor degree from a accredited college or university. It is important to study hard during the bachelor program to ensure a high GPA. A good GPA will help in the dental school admission process. Students who do well in high school and take a lot of science, math and English courses will likely do well in a bachelor program.

Prerequisite Classes

It is not enough to just earn a bachelor degree. It is also a requirement to complete all prerequisite courses. Each dental school will have its own requirements, so it is important to check with each individual school on their required classes. Most dental schools will require applicants to have completed a specific amount of credit hours in English, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. Some schools also require Biochemistry, Microbiology and Molecular Biology. Some other courses that are not required, but are highly recommended include Anatomy, Humanities, Statistics, Psychology and Speech.

DAT & Recommendation

Potential dental school students must take the Dental Admission Test, known as the DAT before enrolling in any classes. Students who score high on the DAT are more likely to gain admission to a dental program. Also required are letters of recommendation written by a teacher who knows the student personally and can attest to his or her readiness and ability to successfully complete a dental program. Each school varies on the number of letters required, but most require two to three different letters of recommendation.

Application

Students are required to submit their dental application through the AADSAS, or American Association of Dental Schools Application Service. Along with the application students must submit an application fee that varies from school to school. Most schools will also conduct interviews with candidates they are interested in. After an offer of admission has been made, students are required to put down a tuition deposit before beginning classes. Each school requires a different deposit amount. Most deposits are nonrefundable.

Licensure Exam

After successful completion of four years of a dental program, graduates are required to take the National Board of Dental Examinations (NBDE). The NBDE is a two part examination. The first part consists of information learned from courses taken in anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, dental anatomy and occlusion. Students are permitted to take this portion of the exam after they have completed the relevant coursework. The second part of the exam covers clinical science courses and is taken during the fourth and final year of dental school. After completing the NBDE, students must take and pass the dental exams required by the state they wish to practice dentistry in.

References

• New York University College of Dentistry
• University of Florida College of Dentistry