Dentistry
COVID-19 APPLICATION UPDATES BY DENTAL SCHOOL
Career Info
The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) defines dentistry as the field of health sciences devoted to maintaining the health of the teeth, gums, and other hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity and adjacent structures. Dentists provide a wide range of care, including prevention of tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease, correcting malocclusion (misalignment of teeth), and diagnosing oral disorders. Some dentists work in education and public health dentistry. There are ten clinical fields within dentistry: general dentistry, dental public health, endodontics (dental nerves and pulp), oral and maxillofacial pathology, oral and maxillofacial radiology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics (gums), and prosthodontics (tooth replacements). Most dentists (79%) are general practitioners and work in private practice. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary of general practice dentists in 2023 was $170,910 and the demand for dentists is expected to increase 4% by 2032.
Dentists are required to graduate from an accredited dental school and pass a licensing exam. Most dental schools are four years in length and although general dentists are not required to complete an additional residency, many choose to, in order to expand their training. Specialization residencies can last anywhere from one to six years beyond dental school. Dental schools award the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD). Both degrees are equivalent.
For more information
Occupational Outlook: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dentists.htm
Education & Training
The vast majority of students accepted to dental school earned a bachelor’s degree prior to admission, although there are some schools that will consider students without a bachelor’s degree. Applicants are required to take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT), which focuses on reading comprehension (dental and basic sciences), natural sciences (biology, inorganic/organic chemistry), perceptual ability (two-and three dimensional problem-solving), and quantitative reasoning. Applicants should also show manual dexterity through activities like playing a musical instrument, making ceramics or jewelry, knitting, etc.
Dental schools utilize a “whole” application review and consider biographical and academic information provided by the applicant including: DAT scores, GPA, experiences, letters of recommendation and interviews. According to the ADEA, in 2020, the national average GPA of U.S. enrolled students was 3.58 total GPA and 3.49 science (biology, chemistry, physics) GPA. The national Academic Average of enrollees on the DAT was 20.8, Perceptual mean was 20.5 and total science mean was 20.4.
Semester Course Recommendations
| ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS VARY BY INSTITUTION. Check with professional schools to ensure you satisfy course content & unit requirements BEFORE APPLYING TO DENTAL SCHOOL. |
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| General Biology |
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BIO 1150 (GE 5B/5C) & BIO 1151 GE 5B/5C)
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| General Chemistry |
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CHEM 1120 (GE 5A/5C) & CHEM 1122 GE 5A/5C)
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| Organic Chemistry |
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CHEM 2242 & CHEM 2244
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| Biochemistry |
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CHEM 3350 (GE UD 2/5) or CHEM 3352 (GE UD 2/5)
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| COLLEGE physics or calculus-based Physics |
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PHYS 1121 (GE 5A/5C) & PHYS 1123 or PHYS 1141 (GE 5A/5C) & PHYS 1143 (GE 5A/5C)
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| english (proficiency in written & oral communication) |
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GE 1A - Written Communication & GE - 1C Oral Communication
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| suggested preparation |
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Additional Biology: Chemistry: Business: Econ 2201 (D2), Bus 2207, 2212 Mathematics: Fine Arts: Ethics: Phil 3339 (C4) *Psychology: UCLA and UCSF require one quarter (Psy 2201) Computer Literacy Foreign Language Social Sciences Technical Writing Statistics |
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CA Dental Schools
Professional Association Links
For more information, visit the ADEA at: www.adea.org and www.godental.org.
Cal Poly Pre-Dental Society
Cal Poly Alumni in Dentistry
Click HERE to view Cal Poly Dental Acceptance Data (2023-2025)
