Pre-Dental Advising at Whitman College
Dentists diagnose and prevent oral diseases, perform fillings and other dental procedures, and do cosmetic work.
Dental schools recommend a broad liberal arts undergraduate education, a strong academic record and leadership skills, all of which you’ll develop at Whitman College. Many schools also require participation in a dental observation internship. Your Health Professions Advisor can help you find shadowing opportunities.
Earning a Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.D.M.) degree typically takes an additional four years after your bachelor’s degree.
You can learn more about becoming a dentist from the (ADEA). And you can compare the requirements of different programs in the .
Plan of Study
Requirements vary, but most U.S. dental schools recommend:
- Two semesters of biology with labs
- Two semesters of general chemistry with labs
- Two semesters of organic chemistry with labs
- Two semesters of physics with labs
- One semester of biochemistry
- Two semesters of English or writing
Some schools require additional courses in anatomy and physiology, microbiology, arts and social sciences. Some schools will substitute one semester of biochemistry for the second semester of organic chemistry.
FAQs for Dentistry
Yes, ³Ô¹ÏÍø students have gone on to dentistry programs at:
- Oregon Health & Sciences University
- University of California, San Francisco
- University of Washington
Students from any major can successfully pursue dentistry as a profession. While you will need a strong foundation in the sciences to get into dental school, you don’t necessarily need to major in the sciences. You should choose a major that genuinely interests you.
Yes, for most dental schools, you can use the administered by the ADEA. Students interested in Texas dental schools should apply using the .
- Health Professions Advisor
- Explore Health Care Careers
- Your First Steps: Getting Started
- Workshops, Speakers & Courses
- Becoming a Competitive Applicant
- Pre-Dental Advising
- Pre-Med Advising
- Pre-Nursing Advising
- Pre-OT Advising
- Pre-Pharmacy Advising
- Pre-Physical Therapy Advising
- Pre-PA Advising
- Public Health Advising
- Pre-Vet Advising
- Health Professions Advisor
- Explore Health Care Careers
- Your First Steps: Getting Started
- Workshops, Speakers & Courses
- Becoming a Competitive Applicant
- Pre-Dental Advising
- Pre-Med Advising
- Pre-Nursing Advising
- Pre-OT Advising
- Pre-Pharmacy Advising
- Pre-Physical Therapy Advising
- Pre-PA Advising
- Public Health Advising
- Pre-Vet Advising