College of Science and Health > Student Resources > Office of Advising & Student Services > Pre-Health Advising > Health Careers > Dentistry

Dentistry

The American Dental Association describes dentistry as a branch of science devoted to maintaining oral health. General dentists, either doctors of dental surgery or doctors of medicine in dentistry (DDS or DMD), use the latest techniques and equipment to examine the head, neck, and oral cavity to identify and diagnose oral conditions along with using specialized diagnostics to identify diseases of the teeth, gums, and supporting bones. Dentists also help restore and replace damaged teeth, perform corrective surgery, evaluate overall health of the patient, and provide instructions on oral care and preventive measure. 

To become a dentist you must graduate from an accredited dental school. Typically dental school is a four year program after your bachelor’s degree. Currently there are 66 accredited dental schools within the U.S.

American Dental Association (ADA)
American Dental Education Association (ADEA)
ADEA Official Guide to Dental School

Students apply to dental school through a centralized application system called the  American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS)
Cost: AADSAS Application is $259.00 for one school + $112.00 for each additional

ADEA AADSAS Fee Assistance Program

Students interested in pursuing dental school are required to take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT).

Cost: The Dental Admissions Test (DAT) costs $475.00.

DAT Fee Waiver

ADA DAT Prep Resources

DAT Bootcamp

Kaplan DAT Resources
Princeton Review DAT Resources

It is important for students to check each school's requirements carefully as some schools will require courses not listed below.  For more information about a specific program, please contact the school directly.

Course  
General Biology with lab 1 year
General Chemistry with lab 1 year
Organic Chemistry with lab 1 year
Biochemistry 1 quarter
Physics with lab 1 year
English 2 quarters
Statistics 1 quarter
Anatomy 1 quarter
Physiology 1 quarter
Microbiology 1 quarter

Indiana University

Marquette University

Midwestern University

Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

University of Illinois at Chicago

University of Iowa

Students should meet with their academic advisor and the pre-health advisor each quarter to make sure they are taking the correct courses for their major/professional interest.

Below is a sample timeline for a Biological Sciences major. Please be aware that dental programs do not require or prefer a specific major and the below timeline should not be used to replace meeting with an academic advisor.

Shadowing - Where to Begin: 

1. Start by asking your personal dentist if he or she would be willing to be shadowed. If not, ask if they can recommend another practitioner.

2. Call the local dental schools to see if they have alumni who would be interested in being shadowed.

3. Call around to local dental clinics.

4. Ask your friends, classmates, parent's friends, or professors if their dentist might be willing to shadow.

Case Western University
Creighton University
Lake Erie College
Marquette University
Midwestern University
Southern Illinois University
Temple University
Tufts University
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Iowa

University of Maryland
University of Missouri - Kansas City
University of Southern California

National Average Cumulative GPA: 3.55
National Average Science GPA: 3.47 

National Average DAT Scores:

  • Academic Average: 19.9
  • Perceptual: 20.1
  • Total Science: 19.8
Doctor of Dental Medicine Timeline and Checklist.pdf
It is important for students to check each school's requirements carefully as some schools will require information not listed above. For more information about a specific program, please contact the school directly.