Dentistry 101

Dentists diagnose and treat problems with teeth and tissues in the mouth. They provide preventive as well as reparative care and instructions on all aspects of dental care.

  1. Formal education and training typically require 4 years of dental school, pursuit of some specializations may necessitate additional training
  2. Approximately 3 out of 4 dentists are solo practitioners
  3. Job opportunities are expected to be very good in most areas reflecting, in part, the need to replace many dentists expected to retire within the next decade

Dentistry requires diagnostic ability and manual skills. Dentists diagnose and treat problems with teeth and tissues in the mouth. They provide preventive as well as reparative care, instructions on all aspects of dental care, and complete tooth extractions and surgeries to correct dental problems and disfigurations. They should have good visual memory and spatial judgment, as well as a high degree of manual dexterity. Most dentists are general practitioners however there are a range of specialty areas including orthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, periodontists, endodontists, prostodontists, and oral pathologists. In all states and the District of Columbia dentists must be licensed.

The following courses are required by the majority of U.S. dental schools as the minimum preparation for consideration of acceptance.

SubjectCourses
Biology2 courses with lab (BIO 2105 & BIO 2106) AP Bio credits are acceptable however, you must still complete two Bio lab courses in college at a minimum to be admitted to dental school
General Chemistry2 courses with lab (CHM 1151/1103, 1152/1104); AP credits are acceptable provided you take additional chemistry courses (such as Organic Chem and Biochemistry ,for grade; NOTE Inorganic Chemistry I and II = Gen Chemistry I and II)
Organic Chemistry2 courses with lab (CHM 2211/2201, 2212/2202)
Biochemistry1 course (CHM 4611 or CHM 4621); Note that the CHM 4611 is a Survey course that covers a breadth of Biochemistry content while CHM 4621 (Biochem I) will cover a subset of topics in more depth than the Survey course; either course requires Organic I and II as pre-requisites
Physics2 courses with lab (PHY 1100/1101, 1102/1103 or 2410/2411 & 2412/2413 or
2414/2415); Note that at least one semester of college level calculus is required to take physics at Villanova.
Mathematics1-2 courses (including MAT 1312 or MAT 1500; a course in statistics is highly
recommended)
English1 course (many schools want two ENG courses; ACS 1000 may be an acceptable substitute for a second ENG course) 

Some schools also require Microbiology (BIO 3595) and many are now requiring Human Anatomy. As such, the HPA Office recommends pre-Dental candidates consider adding Bio 1205 and/or Bio 1206 (Human Anat & Physiology I and II) to their curriculum to meet this requirement. Human Anatomy (BIO 3955 topics course when offered) will also meet this requirement. Applicants must investigate the specific requirements of each school to which they expect to apply in order to be confident that their background preparation is complete. For more information as a pre-dental student visit the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) website.

Any undergraduate major is acceptable provided that you have completed the required prerequisite courses and taken the application exam (DAT). The majority of applicants come from the sciences; however you do not need to major in the sciences to apply to dental school. Students are accepted at comparable rates from all majors. The best major is a subject you enjoy and in which you excel. Dental schools appreciate students who have a breadth of academic knowledge and reasoning skills. Science majors should be sure to explore coursework beyond the required core curriculum courses in the humanities and social sciences, while humanities and social science majors should demonstrate an ability to carry a heavy science load and be academically successful. Non-science majors need to be flexible as to course section or choice of electives in the sciences, as registration priority is given to majors in the departments. Any inquiries or requests for access to a course must be made through the department office which manages that course, not the Health Professions Advising Office.

Most schools require applicants to take the DAT. The DAT is designed to assess general academic ability, comprehension of scientific information, and perceptual ability. The DAT is administered nearly every day of the year at Thomson Prometric Test Centers. The exam includes the following sections:

Reading comprehension – dental and basic sciences
Natural sciences – biology, general, and organic chemistry
Perceptual ability – two- and three-dimensional problem solving
Quantitative reasoning – math problems in algebra, numerical calculations, conversions, etc.

Visit the DAT information website for more information on the exam.

Admission is increasingly competitive. Successful applicants should demonstrate knowledge of the profession through shadowing/volunteer activities in the field (at least 40-hours of shadowing is recommended, most of that should be completed in general dentistry) and have supportive letters of recommendation (at least 2 from science professors/professionals). Admissions committees are looking for well-rounded individuals with evidence of extracurricular activities and academic enrichment that reflects a willingness to challenge oneself to stretch beyond your comfort zone and gain a real life understanding of cultural circumstances and diversity issues that will impact all healthcare providers. Maturity, professionalism, and leadership potential are all crucial factors that contribute to a strong application.
Dentists work with their hands and evidence of manual dexterity is something that will be reviewed in the application process. Activities that are often listed by pre-dental students include playing a musical instrument, creative arts (painting, sculpting, carving), sewing/knitting, work with models among others.
For more information on preparing as an applicant to dental school visit the ADEA website.

Students applying into dental school should submit application materials through AADSAS. Students who are from Texas and wish to apply to any public dental school within the state will need to complete an application in TMDSAS (Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service). Application packets must include transcripts for each U.S., U.S. territorial or Canadian college, university, junior college, or graduate school attended which must be sent by the Registrar of each institution.

Students must regularly meet with their academic advisor in the major and are also encouraged to meet with a Health Professions Advisor (HPA) as they move forward with plans to pursue a career in dentistry to provide additional support in compilation of a strong portfolio for admission consideration. Pre-Dental applicants are encouraged to consider obtain a letter packet as a critical component of their application portfolio. A Letter Packet is a composite letter that includes full content of all required evaluator letters, but it does not additionally include a pre-health committee evaluation. In its place, we include an institutional cover sheet from the Pre-Health Advising Program. The Pre-Health Advising Program’s institutional cover sheet provides context to your academic and experiential preparation.