What do Dental School Admissions Committees look for in an applicant?

  • Can the student handle the academic rigors of dental school?
  • Why does the student want to be a dentist? Do they want to be in the profession for the “right” reasons and know the dedication the career entails?
  • Do they have a diverse set of skills necessary to be a dentist?

How can Penn State Behrend help the student succeed?

Coursework

There is no particular undergraduate major required for dental school. Most dental programs require a specified set of prerequisite coursework that is offered at Penn State Behrend. Due to the advanced biology requirement at many dental schools, a biology or biology-related major is often pursued. Prerequisite courses for most dental programs include:

  • General Biology: BIOL 110 and BIOL 240W
  • Molecular Biology: BIOL 230W
  • General Chemistry: CHEM 110/112
  • General Chemistry Laboratory: CHEM 111/113
  • Organic Chemistry: CHEM 210/212
  • Organic Chemistry Laboratory: CHEM 213
  • Biochemistry: CHEM 472 and B M B 402/403
  • Anatomy BIOL 421
  • Physiology BIOL 472/473
  • Physics: PHYS 250/251
  • Calculus: MATH 140/141
  • Psychology: PSYCH 100
  • English (3-6 credits): ENGL 15, 202C

Students interested in the health professions are encouraged to take SC 201: Medical Professions.

The purpose of SC 201 is to:

  • Provide students with an overview of various health professions
  • Enhance students' understanding of potential careers
  • Discuss the academic preparation for specific professions
  • Review the application process for admission to health profession schools

The Health Professions Option of our Bachelor of Science degree in Biology covers all of these prerequisites. However, other biology, chemistry, and physics degree programs can be customized easily to meet these requirements. At Penn State Behrend, you will have a dedicated, personal Pre-Health Adviser who will guide you through the process!

Benchmarks & Standards

The more rigorous the academic preparation in the sciences, the more prepared students are for advanced coursework in a dental school program.

The student must:

  • Demonstrate a consistent and high GPA (mean GPA >3.3)
  • Perform well on the DAT (minimum DAT score of 19 or better in each category)
  • Apply to multiple schools
  • Obtain and record 100+ hours of shadowing/clinical experience in a dentistry setting

The student also should have a demonstrated capacity for manual dexterity.

Shadowing and Volunteering

To answer the question of “Why do you want to be a dentist?” it is necessary for a student to do the following:

  • Observe a dentist at work for as many hours as you can schedule. Most dental programs are taking a holistic “whole candidate” approach to admissions. Simply having a high GPA and DAT score is no longer sufficient for acceptance.
  • Shadow different dentists that work in the various specializations in the dental profession. Most schools are looking for at least 50-100 hours of shadowing/clinical experience.
  • Keep a record of the time you spend in each experience and the type of knowledge you gained from it.
  • Make sure at least one letter of recommendation is from a dentist whom you observed/worked with.
  • Volunteer. Volunteering is a great way to show your dedication to helping people! Finding volunteer opportunities will require some research on the student's part. Here are some local options:
    • Hospitals
    • Nursing homes
    • School for children with special needs

Opportunities for Leadership and Scholarship

To determine if the candidate has a diverse set of skills necessary to be a dentist, admission committees look for evidence of leadership, involvement in professional organizations, and participation in scholarly activities like research. At Penn State Behrend:

  • Students have access to the small-class size of a liberal arts college with the research facilities of a larger university.
  • Students have opportunities to conduct research with a faculty mentor who is an active researcher in his or her field of expertise.
  • Many of our students who participate in undergraduate research present their work at local and national conferences.
  • Students have access to a vibrant and diverse set of student organizations that offer leadership opportunities. We have the Behrend "Scrubs" Club for students interested in health degrees.
  • Other clubs and organizations organize and participate in many philanthropic activities that you can become involved in.

Helpful Links

As you start your journey toward dentistry school, it is highly recommended that you visit the following links where you will find guidelines for the application process, statistics on application and acceptance rates, and strategies to become a competitive applicant.

Questions?

Pre-Health Adviser for Dental

Beth Potter, Ph.D.
[email protected] | 814-898-6510

For other questions, please contact the Pre-Health Committee at [email protected].