FAQ by Pre-Dental Students
Q. What are dental schools looking for?
A. Dental schools are interested in applicants who have a demonstrated record for excellence in academics (GPA, DAT scores), strong interpersonal skills, clear motivation for dentistry, as well as demonstrated compassion and concern for others.
Q. Can I use AP credit to fulfill my pre-dental requirements?
A. Dental schools want to be sure that you can handle the science coursework at the college level. You can certainly use AP credit to fulfill all or part of the math requirement. If you use AP credit to place out of an introductory science course, then you must replace it with an upper-level course with laboratory in that department.
Q. Can I take another reading and writing course in place of English?
A. While some dental schools may accept literature in translation or other reading and writing courses, it is best to simply take two English courses, as some schools are sticklers about that. Many core classes are advanced writing courses, but dental schools will not be able to tell this from a course labeled "KNES 354" or "PSYC 314". Any two courses in the English department are fine.
Q. Do I have be a science major?
A. No, major in whatever interests you. That is fine with dental schools, as long as you do well in the required pre-dental science courses.
Q. Can I take courses pass/fail?
A. The basic courses required for the pre-dental process should not be taken pass/fail. Dental schools want to see that you have challenged yourself academically.
Q. Can I take required premed courses in summer school?
A. Yes, as long as it is at an accredited four-year U.S. college or university, and it is a course with lab normally taken by that school's pre-dental students. If you hope to transfer credit to Towson University, consult first with the corresponding Towson University department, but you do not need to transfer credit for it to count for dental school application purposes. Try to use the summer school option sparingly, since whether it is true or not, some dental school applicant evaluators believe that less material is covered compared to the full semester course.
Q. Can I study abroad/away?
A. Yes, it's a wonderful experience that shouldn't be missed, if it interests you. Dental schools like to see that students have had broad, interesting college experiences, and studying abroad/away demonstrates that you can get along in a culture different from your own.
Q. Can I take pre-dental requirements abroad/away?
A. Check with your advisor. If your full credits and grades for these courses appear on your undergraduate transcript, they will be listed normally on your dental school application with the rest of your undergraduate work.
Q. What kind of extracurricular experiences should I seek?
A. Dental schools like to see that bright intelligent students with great test scores are doing so while also pursuing other interests, especially those who have been active contributors on campus, and who have a range of interests. You should choose a few things to do meaningfully and well, rather than dabble in a long list of activities. If you choose to do too much, you may well spread yourself too thin, resulting in your GPA suffering. Community service is an important way to demonstrate your concern and compassion for others.
Q. Do I need to have clinical experience?
A. Definitely! It is critical that you involve yourself meaningfully in a dental setting, to show dental schools that you have observed dental practice first-hand. Students do this through volunteer work in dental offices and clinics, summer jobs, internships, formal pre-dental summer programs, or shadowing dentists, periodontists, orthodontists, etc. at work, either during the school year or during school vacations.
Q. Do I need to do research in the summer to get into dental school?
A. No. However, if you think you would enjoy it, research is a valuable experience that some dental schools view as a plus. It does demonstrate that you are willing to go "above and beyond" to get an education but remember that clinical experience, whether shadowing or volunteering, is as or more important.
Q. What is the DAT?
A. The DAT is the standardized test required by all dental schools. It consists of 280 multiple-choice items distributed across four different tests: the Survey of the Natural Sciences (100 questions from Biology, General and Organic Chemistry), Perceptual Ability (90 questions, spatial visualization skills), Reading Comprehension (50 questions, three passages) and Quantitative Reasoning (40 questions, mathematical skills). It is a 4.5-hour, computer-based exam. The ADA has a lot of helpful information at their Dental Admission Test website.
Q. How do I apply to dental school?
A. The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) has a centralized application processing service: the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS). This service participates with 54 dental schools and one Canadian dental school. The remaining dental schools not participating with AADSAS must be applied to individually. Applying through AADSAS is what is referred to as "filing your primary application". AADSAS applications are accepted from May 15-February 1. The individual schools, upon receipt of the primary application from AADSAS may or may not send you a "secondary application". These individual schools have their own deadlines by which the secondary applications must be received. Transcripts of all coursework completed must be submitted to AADSAS from your undergraduate or graduate institutions and must be submitted with a Transcript Matching form. Those schools not participating with AADSAS must be applied to directly. If you are interested in applying to certain dental schools in Texas, you will need to use the TMDSAS service (Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service) to do so.
Q. Who will write my letters of recommendation?
A. When you apply to dental school, you will need to have at least three letters of recommendation from science faculty provided to the Pre-Med/Pre-Dent Committee in order to qualify for an interview. It may also be useful to submit perhaps 1 or 2 more from others who know your work, such as supervisors and coaches.
Q. What is the timetable for applying to dental school?
A. You should apply to dental school in June of the year BEFORE you intend to matriculate in dental school. You will begin compiling information for the Pre-Med/Pre-Dent Committee in the spring of your application year. You will need to take the DAT as early as is feasible in your study schedule, by June if possible. Waiting longer will result in your application being submitted relatively late and you will run the risk of being at the bottom of the large stack of applications that were completed before yours.
Q. What kinds of grades will I need to be accepted?
A. The average science GPA of accepted students is usually between 3.17 and 3.81. To be competitive, some recommend maintaining a science GPA above 3.5. Other factors that may be considered include trends in GPA and the quality of the applicant pool. However, there are many individual factors that come into play in the admissions process.
Q. What can I do if I'm determined to be a dentist, but my grades aren't good enough?
A. Many applicants take a few years after graduation to strengthen their academic records. They may choose to take additional science courses at a local university, or to enroll in a formal postbaccalaureate program for students interested in dental school who need to improve their credentials. Some may enroll in a master’s program to prove their capabilities in a graduate-level program. If you find that you are doing poorly in your science courses at Towson University, it may be a wise strategy to put your pre-dental plans on hold, concentrate on subjects you like and do well in, and then complete the dental school prerequisite coursework after graduation.
Q. Is it okay to take time between Towson University and dental school?
A. Yes, often applicants opt to take at least a year off between college and dental school to allow them to take a breather between two intense academic experiences, spread out the premed requirements, acquire some work experience, or strengthen their applications. Dental schools often like older applicants because of the maturity and life experience they bring to their applications.