Pre-Dental Program

Admission Requirements

Pre-dental students may major in any discipline as long as they complete the necessary pre-requisite courses for dental school.

Although admission requirements vary for specific schools, most dental schools require the following Guilford College courses:

• Biology 111 (Integrative Biology: Molecules and Cells)
• Biology 112 (Integrative Biology: Organisms, Ecology and Evolution)
• Chemistry 111 and 112 (General Chemistry)
• Chemistry 231 and 232 (Organic Chemistry)
• Physics 211 and 212 (General Physics)

Many dental schools recommend advanced courses in biology such as Biology 434 (Biochemistry), Biology 315 (Microbiology) and/or Biology 341 and 342 (Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II). Many schools also recommend a year of college mathematics. Also, dental schools often recommend a studio art course such as Sculpture in order to increase the applicants' manual dexterity. Completing Guilford College’s Foundations and Explorations requirements usually satisfy additional course requirements in English, the humanities and social sciences.

Course Recommendations

Pre-dental students should take Chemistry 111 and Chemistry 112 in their first or second year, as they are pre-requisites for Organic Chemistry as well as some advanced biology courses.

Suggested Activities

Dental schools view experience in dentistry before applying to their program as essential. Many schools require a letter of recommendation from a dental practitioner. Students can gain this necessary experience through internships, summer employment and volunteer work. Both the pre-health professions advisers and the Career and Community Learning Center can help students find these experiences.

The Standardized Admissions Exam

The Dental Admissions Test (DAT) is the computer-based standardized test that all students who apply to dental school must take. The exam should be taken in in late spring or early summer before the students' senior year. The DAT has four sections:

• Natural Sciences (biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry)
• Perceptual Ability (two- and three-dimensional problem solving
• Reading Comprehension (dental and basic sciences)
• Quantitaive Reasoning (mathematical problems in algebra, numerical calculations, conversions, etc.)

The material covered on the test is based on the assumption that students have completed one year of General Biology, one year of General Chemistry and one year of Organic Chemistry. For more information about the DAT, including registration information and review materials, visit the DAT home page.

Applying to Dental School

Most dental schools subscribe to the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS). Students who wish to apply to dental school should complete this common application, which will then be distributed to all the dental schools to which the student plans to apply. The completed application should be submitted by August of the year before the student plans to matriculate in dental school.

Pre-Dental Sample Tracks