If you want to become a dentist, you'll need to attend dental school. Even if you have a great academic record, admission is not guaranteed. This page will walk you through what you need to know about how to get into dental school.
A great academic record, excellent DAT scores, and strong letters of recommendation are the foundation of your application to dental school. Admission to dental school is highly competitive. There are some additional steps you can take to increase the odds that you'll be accepted to the dental school of your choice.
How to Become a Dentist
In order to get into a dental school, you'll need to complete a four year degree with either a science mjor or having completed all the dental school required courses with a GPA of 3.75 or higher. You'll also need to get a good score on the Dental Admissions Test.
Step 1: Enhance Your Dental Resume
To make your application stand out, you'll need more than great grades.
- Demonstrate that you're familiar with the dental profession by discussing experiences you've had volunteering or working in the field.
- Dentistry requires fine motor skills, so hobbies such as playing an instrument, sewing, assembling model airplanes or ships, and sculpting will be more important to your application that success in sports that require large motor skills.
Step 2: Work With a Pre-Health Adviser
- Although most colleges do not have a formal pre-dental major, they will usually have a pre-health adviser. Begin working with him or her early in your freshman year, to help make sure your academic program will satisfy the admissions requirements of the dental schools you're interested in. Ideally, you'll have completed all the requirements before the end of your junior year, so you'll have final grades in those courses on your transcript when you apply during your senior year.
Step 3: Apply Early
- Understand the application deadlines, and make sure you have everything you need completed well in advance so you can apply during the summer before your senior year of college. The application is completed online through the Associated American Dental Schools Application Services (AADSAS) for each school you're applying to. The average applicant applies to seven schools.
- The Dental Admissions Test (DAT) should be taken in late spring or your junior year of college, or early in the summer before your senior year.
- Line up all your letters of recommendation before the end of your junior year, so you can have a complete package submitted at once.
