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A Timeline for Pre-Dental Students – From Freshman Year to Dental School Acceptance! 

By Vince Law, DDS

Embarking upon your college career as a predental student with the goal of applying to dental school can feel daunting. You want to have a robust social life and a full college experience but simultaneously maintain the grades, clinical experiences in dentistry, and extracurricular activities that will make you a top-notch dental school applicant when it’s time to apply.

Don’t Get Overwhelmed as a Pre-Dental Student!

 

The key to not becoming overwhelmed is to first and foremost embrace the pre-dental journey and come up with a pre-dental to-do list early on. Whether you plan to go to dental school straight out of college or you wish to take a gap year, having a clear timeline can help you organize all activities that would make you a strong dental school applicant.

Remember, a pre-dental to-do list is not something you are going to knock out in one night! Give yourself time to carefully plan out your pre-dental journey and be flexible to adjustments as needed.

Crafting a Pre-Dental Plan

 

Many students will elect to do a gap year between college and dental school, and that is totally fine! According to the ADEA, the average age of the incoming dental student is 24 years old.

Below is a rough timeline for students who want to matriculate into dental school directly after college. For those who plan to take a gap year or two, this timeline can be adjusted accordingly.

Freshman Year

Choose a Major

• There is a fair amount of overlap in the prerequisite courses required by various dental schools but variations do exist. For example, some but not all dental schools require microbiology or anatomy.
• Given that the vast majority of course requirements are in the sciences, it is generally most efficient to pursue a biology, chemistry, or biochemistry major for completing the prerequisites for dental school.
• Despite this, dental schools value the things that make you a unique applicant, so pursue a major that you will enjoy even if it is outside the sciences.
• While a non-science major may require additional courses, it can make you a stronger applicant and create an undergraduate educational experience that is more meaningful to you!

Build Strong Study Habits

• Although a robust college experience is important for a well-rounded applicant, before immersing yourself in extracurriculars, it is important to develop strong study habits so you can do well in college courses and maintain a strong GPA for dental school.
• The freshman year of college is the ideal time to cultivate strong study habits before taking on extracurricular activities for dental school.
• Many of the basic science courses students take as a freshmen in college will challenge them far more than courses taken in high school.
• Use this time to not only develop self-discipline and determine your study style but also to make good grades that will start you off with a strong GPA!
• Don’t be afraid to seek advice from professors and peers about developing effective study habits. These individuals can offer you valuable advice as to how you should study to maximize your chances of succeeding academically as a pre-dental student.

Meet With your Pre-Dental Advisor at Your School’s Pre-Health Advising Office

• Most universities have a pre-health advising office with an advisor who is available to help pre-dental students with their pre-dental journey.
• Typically, the pre-dental advisor will be a science professor on your college campus.
• These advisors will know which courses at your specific institution will fulfill the prerequisites for dental school and provide insights into how prior pre-dental students planned out their academic courses.
• Your pre-health advising office may also be able to provide insights on-campus events and opportunities to enhance your pre-dental experiences.

Join a Pre-Dental Club

• Most universities have a pre-health club and many will have a dedicated pre-dental club. It’s a good idea to get involved with your on-campus student-led pre-dental club.
• This is a great way to stay in the loop on volunteer opportunities, learn about the latest trends in dental school admissions, and join a community with whom you share professional goals!

Sophomore Year

 

Start Shadowing

• Many dental schools prefer upwards of 100 shadowing hours upon applying.
• A great way to complete this requirement is to establish a connection with a local private practice dentist or non-profit dental clinics that can be your “go-to” for completing a large portion of your shadowing.
• It is important to also have diverse experiences not only for your application but for you to explore what interests you the most in the broad field of dentistry.
• Try to shadow different specialists and a variety of private practice formats such as doctor-owned versus cooperate, urban versus rural, etc.

Look into Volunteer Work

• Volunteer work or community service is a great way to get hands-on experience prior to dental school.
• Local non-profit organizations have volunteer shifts and even permanent internships that allow you to contribute to a great cause whether they are dental-related or not.
• Examples of volunteer or service opportunities that are valued by dental schools include oral health education campaigns, dental health fairs, and programs to support children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds with reading and math skills.
• While both dental and non-dental related experiences can be valuable, it is advisable to get involved in dental-related volunteer experience if and when possible.
• Events such as the ADEA’s “Give Kids a Smile” allow predental students to get involved in oral health promotion in the community and complete meaningful volunteer hours that can bolster your dental school application.
• If you don’t have time to commit regularly to a non-profit organization, keep an eye out for local free clinics and outreach events that you can be a part of.
• Focus on quality over quantity. You are much better off having a handful of meaningful experiences than superficial involvement in lots of activities.

Consider Getting Involved in Research

• Although not mandatory for dental school admissions, research can be a great way to bolster your dental school application.
• If you are planning to apply to top 10 dental schools, research can make a significant difference in the application.
• Research in any field can look good on a dental school application. If research in the core sciences doesn’t interest you, reach out to the local dental school and see if there are any opportunities to collaborate on dental-related research projects.
• Dental research is not only an impressive addition to your CV but a great chance to begin building your dental knowledge.

 

Short Courses in Dentistry for Pre-Dental Students

• Many dental schools provide 1–2-week courses where you can attend lectures and participate in hands-on labs.
• If you don’t have a local dental school providing this opportunity, consider utilizing the summer after your sophomore year to travel to a dental school where they provide this unique experience.

Junior Year

 

Prepare for and Take the DAT

• The Dental Admission Test is required for entry to dental school, and your score has one of the biggest impacts on your chances of acceptance.
• The test is made up of four sections- natural sciences (biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry), perceptual ability (two- and three-dimensional problem solving), reading comprehension (dental and basic sciences), and quantitative reasoning (mathematical problems in algebra, numerical calculations, conversions, etc.).
• There are numerous resources such as online question banks, review books, and even sample tests provided by the ADA.
• Create a schedule and give yourself enough time to adequately prepare for the DAT. Many pre-dental students choose to attend in-person DAT prep courses as they provide more structure. Reflect upon how you studied for your college courses and let this guide your study habits for the DAT.
• The best time to take the DAT is the summer after your sophomore year or fall of your junior year – this gives you time to complete your science courses but also to retake the test if you aren’t pleased with your score. (Remember, you must wait 90 days prior to retaking the DAT.)

Get Dental School Letters of Recommendation

• Your letters of recommendation for dental school are a critical part of your application as they reflect your strength as not only an applicant but a person.
• Your science professors and dentists that you have shadowed or volunteered with make excellent references for letters of recommendation as they know you in the context of your academic success and clinical interest.
• It is important to approach them early in the application process so they have plenty of time to write the best letter possible.
• If the pre-health advising office at your school provides a committee letter for dental school application, look into the steps involved in requesting a committee letter as these letters can be a great addition to your dental school application.

 

Create a List of Dental Schools

• As you begin to create a school list, the safest thing to do is apply broadly while also asking yourself, “Do I see myself living here/attending this school?”
• It is important to consider each school’s academics, facilities, clinical experience, and quality of faculty.
• Above all, find out if students are pleased with their experience. You can often get a great feel for this by touring dental schools or attending their pre-dental events!
• Be sure to thoroughly check the requirements for each dental school to make sure you fulfill all requirements including the minimum GPA, minimum DAT scores, dental shadowing requirements, and prerequisite courses.

Complete and Submit Your Application

• Virtually all dental schools utilize the ADEA AADSAS portal for the application process
• This AADSAS application conveniently organizes your personal statement, pre-dental experiences, achievements, letters of recommendation, and academic history into one location.
• You can add the dental schools you wish to apply to within the AADSAS portal. Many schools will have supplemental applications that you can complete within the AADSAS application under the program material section.
• Give yourself plenty of time prior to application deadlines to write and edit your personal statement, acquire meaningful letters of recommendation, and compile a comprehensive CV.
• During this time, you should continue to volunteer, shadow, and participate in activities that enhance your application to show your dedication to learning more about the field!

Senior Year

 

Interviews

• As you begin to receive dental school interview invites, keep a schedule of interview dates. This will allow you to plan your travel and make accommodations for your college courses
• Prepare for interviews by ensuring you have business professional clothing, practicing interview questions thoroughly, participating in mock interviews, and formulating your answers to common questions.
• However, it is so important to be conversational and have fun getting to know your interviewers and fellow applicants – remember that many of them will become your future professors and classmates!

 Continue to Enhance Your Application

 

• Even after you have begun interviews, it is essential to continue to excel academically, shadow, and participate in activities that built your application.
• In addition, consider areas where your application might have been weak. This might mean retaking a course or participating in a meaningful extracurricular.
• It is important you continue to strengthen your application and exhibit your dedication to the field of dentistry as many dental schools will inquire about it during your interview.

 

Get Admitted and Complete Financial Aid

• After you get that exciting call sometime after December 15, there will be onboarding paperwork and financial aid to complete.
• It is important to stay on top of this as there are several deadlines and many awards that are based on the date of your application.
• Work closely with the financial aid office at your dental school as they are here to help!

Prepare for Your First Day of Dental School

• Continue to read, engage in your hobbies, and create healthy habits as you enjoy the last few months of senior year and your summer break.
• Most importantly – RELAX!
• Take time to travel, spend time with family and friends, and prepare for your move to your new city!

While this isn’t an exhaustive list, it hopefully provides a general framework to help keep you on track as a pre-dental student. Remember that this isn’t an easy process but with focus, determination, and confidence in your abilities, you CAN get into dental school and have a fantastic college experience!