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Dental School Requirement and WOU Degrees

The following guide best addresses many School of Dentistry but some programs do have unique requirements that students are responsible for reviewing.

Dental school admission is continent on several things, including GPA, DAT (a major evaluation tool), writing/personal statement, documented professional experience, and specific coursework. Although there is no single degree that pre-dental students are required to earn, most pursue Biology degrees with chemistry or physical science minors because these best match classes that facilitate passage of the DAT. The DAT covers advanced biology (30% material beyond 200-level biology) and advanced chemistry (200, 300, and 400 level series), which takes 3 solid years to accumulate. In general, the recommended biology degree plan below allows students to take all DAT-relevant courses during their first 3 years, and complete other courses during their fourth year – when they are engaged in the actual application process. Please note that not all LACC’s are included in this matrix and students need to schedule them accordingly.

	Fall	Winter	Spring
Freshman	Biology 211	Biology 212	Biology 213
	Chemistry 221	Chemistry 222	Chemistry 223
	Complete Math 111 and 243; Complete Writing 135

Sophomore	Biology 314/Genetics	Biology 315/Cell	Biology 316/Evolution
	Chemistry 334	Chemistry 335	Chemistry 336
	Complete Physics 201-3 during year or over summer.

Junior	Biology 334/Human A&P	Biology 335/Human A&P	Biology 336/Human A&P Biology 331/Microbiology
	Chemistry 450	Chemistry 451
	*Before end of spring term, you need the following done:* *Select/approve 3 faculty for recommendation letters, 1 outside Biology* Take DAT so if you want to retake in August, there is time* *Plan your final year carefully and complete graduation forms with advisor.* *ADA recently adopted “3 Strikes/Out Policy” on policy – be careful!

Senior	Biology 357/Ecology	Complete 1 Field Core: Biology 317, 321, or 451 Complete Advanced Elective

Popular Dental Programs that WOU Alumni Have or Are Attending

Virtually all require students apply via the national application service, see link in next section.

OHSU School of Dentistry
School of Dentistry, Mesa Arizona
Creighton University School of Dentistry
Loma Linda School of Dentistry

National Dental Association Links

Several cheaper DAT study guides available – search Amazon.com etc.

American Dental Association Contains link to DAT Test Information
American Dental Education Association Contains links to all US Programs
AADSAS – Application Service
Kaplan DAT Review Information

Other WOU Advising Resources You Should Know About

Academic Advising and Learning Center: general coursework planning, AP401 (8-8428)

Financial Aid Office: financial aid questions, AD310 (8-8475)

Student Health and Counseling Center: personal, SH101 (8-8801)

Office of Student Affairs: communicating emergencies, Debbie Diehm (8-8221, diehmd@wou.edu)