Dentistry

There are many pieces to the dental school application, including your GPA, DAT score, personal statement, list of experiences, letters of recommendation, and biographical information. Use the navigation below to explore each aspect of preparing for dental school.
  • What is a Dentist?

  • A dentist is a doctor who focuses on the health of the teeth, gums and other tissues in and around the mouth.

    Dentists can obtain a Doctor of Medical Dentistry (D.M.D.) or a Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.).

    See the ADEA GoDental Why be a dentist?

  • Becoming a Dentist

  • Obtain an undergraduate degree (4 years)

    Attend dental school and obtain a D.D.S. or D.M.D. (4 years)

    Take the National Board Dental Examinations and become licensed in the state you want to practice
    After getting a D.M.D. or D.D.S, you can pursue a doctoral degree in Dental Science and go into one of several specialties:
         Dental Anesthesiology
         Endodontics
         Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
         Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology
         Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology
         Oral Medicine
         Orofacial Pain
         Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
         Pediatric Dentistry
         Periodontics
         Prosthodontics
         Dental Public Health
    Specialties require at least two additional years of schooling.

  • Dental School Prerequisites

  • To prepare academically as a pre-dental student, you'll need to take the dental school prerequisites and coursework to prepare for the DAT. School prerequisites and DAT prep coursework overlap but are not the same. DAT prep coursework must be done before you take the DAT and prioritized over non-DAT prerequisites. You can choose any major and apply to dental school. If you choose a non-science major, you still have to take the science prerequisites required by most schools. Always cross-check your major requirements and the dental school requirements when choosing classes.

    Dental School PrerequisitesCourses to Take at UC Davis
    Most schools require: 
    General Chemistry with labCHE 2ABC or CHE4ABC*
    General Biology with labBIS 2ABC
    Organic Chemistry with labCHE 118ABC
    Physics with labPHY 7ABC*
    Biochemistry*BIS 102 & 103*
    English Composition

    any combination of ENL and UWP courses*

    *Make sure the course is writing intensive, there may be some grey area with some courses. Updated 11/2022

    Some schools require: 
    Microbiology with lab*MIC 102/103L
    Human PhysiologyNPB 101/NPB 101L  OR NPB 110C/NPB 101L 
    Human Anatomy with labEXB 106/106L OR CHA 101/101L
    PsychologyPSC 1
    Math*MAT 16ABC OR MAT 17ABC OR MAT 21ABC
    Some Schools RecommendSome Schools Recommend: Genetics, Cell Bio, Sociology, Foreign Languages. See Dentistry Pre-Req Chart for other recommended courses.
    GeneticsBIS 101
    Cellular BiologyBIS 104
    SociologySOC 1

    * Check your major requirements before choosing classes.
    * If you have already taken BIS 105, we encourage having the syllabus ready to share with schools. Applicants don’t necessarily need to take additional classes before they apply. Requirements vary by school. Please call HPA’s Express Advising for questions.​ Updated 2/2023.
     

    Note: The above courses are only suggested, not absolute. 

    See the Dental School Prerequisite Chart for a sample list of dental schools and their requirements.

    HPA recommends that pre-dental students maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, although many dental schools will have GPA averages above this minimum.


    Complete all of your prerequisite courses for a letter grade - DO NOT take any of them P/NP.

    Each dental school has different prerequisites. Check each school's prerequisites before applying. 

  • Dental Admissions Test (DAT)

  • The DAT is required by all dental schools. The exam is just over 4 hours long. The exam is offered most days of the year. You can only take the test once every 60 days. The DAT costs $525 each time you take it, which includes administration and official score reporting to all dental hygiene schools and programs selected at the time of application. Before you sign up for the DAT you should go over the ADA DAT guide. 

    The exam is designed to test your ability in six areas:

    Survey in Natural Sciences (40 Biology Questions, 30 General Chemistry, 30 Organic Chemistry Questions)
    Reading Comprehension
    Perceptual Ability
    Quantitative Reasoning

    HPA recommends that students take the following courses before taking the DAT:

    Biology BIS 2ABC
    Chemistry CHE 2ABC
    CHE 118ABC
    STA 13 or STA 100
    NPB 101 or 110ABC

  • Pre-Dental Experience

  • What you do with your time helps define who you are in your application. Whatever you choose to do, be sure you are dedicated, passionate about it, and motivated to pursue it for the right reason!

    Here are some good places to start looking for experiences at UC Davis:

    Participate in a Dental Enrichment Program
    Obtain your X-Ray Technician License
    Become a dental assistant
    Volunteer at local organized dentistry events, such as CDA Cares and the Sacramento Care Force
    Health Related Internships through the Internship and Career Center (ICC)
    Opportunities to publish and present research through the Undergraduate Research Center
    Certificate Programs in Student Leadership
    Global Health Internships through Study Abroad
    Internships through the Washington Program
    Becoming a Peer Advisor through one of many departments, including the First Year Experience Office
    Becoming a Tutor at the Student Academic Success Center
    Volunteering for the UC Davis Pre-Health Conference
    Completing community service using the ICC Volunteer Opportunities Database
    Participate in the planning of Cultural Events on campus
    Join a Pre-Health related club or other student organizations through the Center for Student Involvement
    Volunteer at a Student Run Clinic

  • Applying to Dental Schools
  • Centralized Application: ADEA AADSAS

    ADEA AADSAS opens in June for applicants who are planning to begin dental school the following year.

    Personal Statement

    You will have 4,500 characters (including spaces, carriages, numbers, letters, etc.) to explain why you want to be a dentist. See the ADEA's Tips for Writing a Personal Statement for Dental School.

    The personal statement is your first chance to provide dental school admissions committees with subjective information about your qualifications and your reasons for choosing a particular career. In other words, the personal statement is your initial opportunity to present yourself as an interesting and unique applicant who deserves a closer look.

    Letters of Recommendation

    ADEA AADSAS allows you to submit four letters, but some dental schools might ask you to submit additional letters outside of AADSAS. According to ADEA, most dental schools require two letters from science professors, one from an advisor and one from a dentist

    Note: UC Davis does not conduct committee letters.

    Interviews

    See the ADEA’s Dos and Don'ts for Dental School Interviews

    Interview guide for a successful health professions school interview, with tips for before, the day of, and after the interview.
    Click here to download handout.

     

    Supplemental Applications

    See the 2023-2024 ADEA AADSAS Supplemental Information to learn more about school-specific requirements and costs.

    Choosing Schools

    There are over 60 dental schools in the U.S. See the ASDA List of US Dental Schools.

    There are a variety of factors that go into choosing which dental schools to apply to, including location, environment (i.e. urban), tuition, class size, focus or mission statement, etc. Spend some time researching schools online and create a spreadsheet that tracks the factors most important to you. HPA also recommends meeting with an advisor to discuss your school list.  

    Please note that dental schools accept community college work in varying degrees, some accept all transferable work, some a certain amount of units, and others accept a very limited amount. On average, pre-dental students apply to 10 dental schools. It is important to talk to an advisor when creating a school list in order to strategically apply.  You can make an appointment at http://hpadvising.ucdavis.edu/.

    Dental Schools in California:

    Loma Linda University School of Dentistry  
    Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC  
    University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dentistry  
    University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry  
    University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry  
    Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine
    California Northstate University, College of Dental Medicine

  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More questions? Visit our FAQ page or schedule an appointment with an advisor!