General Information
Required Courses at UT to enter Dental School:
- BIO 211, 212, 205L or 206L, 214
- RHE 306, E316 K
- CH 301, 302, 204
- CH 310M, 310N, 210C
- PHY 302K, 302L, 102M, 102N
Things to do before the application process begins:
- Take advantage of the many community service and volunteer experiences at UT.
- Get involved with an organization on campus.
- Talk to the advisors in the Health Professions Office.
- Work or observe with a dentist.
- Come to meetings to meet the Deans of Admissions, they can be extremely helpful.
- Apply to a summer dental enrichment program.
- Attend the Health Professions Fair every spring.
- Go on the trips to dental schools during the spring visits. Not only do you get a great tour of the facilities, but the dental students have a wealth of knowledge to share.
Letters of Recommendation
A few suggestions about your evaluators:
- Cultivate your recommenders semesters or years before you need the evaluation. Keep them updated on your progress by notes or visits in person.
- When it comes time to ask for the recommendation, sit down and talk with the recommender. Talk about your goals and plans for the future and point out your accomplishments.
- Give the recommender a chance to decline.
- Give the recommender any specifics which you would like him/her to discuss or specific examples which you feel make you stand out from the crowd. The evaluation is one place that someone else can help you explain away something negative that you don't want to address in your main essay.
- Waive your right to see the evaluation. Admission Committees then know they are seeing an honest evaluation.
Getting into Dental School
GPA
The dental schools calculate two averages: Overall GPA & Science GPA. A safe Overall GPA is a 3.5 or above. Your science GPA consists of all the science & math classes you have taken. A good science GPA should be a 3.4 or above.
Dental Admissions Test
The DAT consists of 2 scores: Academic Average and Perceptual Ability. Each section is scored 1-30...30 being the best. The average score of applicants is a 17. The average score of students accepted is a 19. If you score below a 14 on any section you should think about retaking the test. Most people take the test in the Spring during their Junior year in college. However, now the test is only offered through computer, and the test can be taken at any time year round.
There are many prep materials that can be used. Kaplan and Princeton Review are two prep courses that many people find quite beneficial. However, these courses can be pricy.
The Application
Texas schools participate in the TMDSAS. You can fill out the application online and it will be forwarded to all the Texas schools. The Baylor Application may be picked up in the Health Professions Office. It is highly recommended that you send your applications ASAP!
The Essay
This is the major part of the application. Things you should include: Why you want to be a dentist?, Volunteer Work, School Activities, Motivation, Dental Experience, and most important... What Makes you Different from the 1000's of other applicants!
The Interview
Everything in your whole life has led up to this moment where your entire future is held in the balance..... Relax!!! The dental schools want to know you a little better to help them make a better decision. You should always dress conservatively, and ask a couple of intelligent questions. Remember they are always watching you, so be on your best manners. Most importantly, be prepared to answer why you want to be a dentist?