American Student Dental Association Predental Chapter 

at the University of Houston 

Pre-Dental Resources

Please email asda.uh@gmail.com for any questions. Thank you.

Timeline of a Pre-Dental Student (A Guideline)

FRESHMAN YEAR/SOPHOMORE YEAR

 

  • Plan courses and experiences that will help you to prepare to apply to dental school. Meet with a Pre-Health Professions Advisor or talk with a mentor ( like our family program! ) if you need guidance
  • Start to complete the pre-requisite courses required for dental school, such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Organic Chemistry
  • Join a dental-related organization (like UH ASDA Pre-Dental Chapter) to get exposure to the dental profession
  • Shadow or intern at a dental office
  • Work as a dental assistant
  • Consider other career paths if you have other interests

 

JUNIOR YEAR

 

  • Complete dental school pre-requisites by the end of your 2nd semester
  • Prepare for and take the DAT
  • Apply for admission at least a year in advance
  • Request for recommendation letters from faculty and others

 

SENIOR YEAR

 

  • Take advantage of "mock interview" practice with University Career Center Staff before dental school admission interviews (See our Facebook for updates!)
  • Send thank you notes to evaluators and mentors

 

Taking the Dental Admission Test (DAT)

WHAT IS THE DAT?

 

  • The DAT is a dental education admission test designed to provide dental education programs with a means to assess program applicants’ potential for success. It is administered year round by Prometric test centers in the United States, its territories (including Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands) and Canada.
  • The DAT is comprised of multiple-choice test items presented in the English language. The test is developed according to established test specifications. The DAT consists of a battery of four tests on the following: Survey of the Natural Sciences, Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning. In the DAT, both the U.S. customary system and the metric system (Imperial System) of units are used. 

 

STUDY RESOURCES
  • DAT Bootcamp (www.datbootcamp.com)
    • 90 day subscription
    • Highly Recommended
      • DAT Bootcamp sponsorship with UH ASDA: $70 discount code in our follow-up emails!
  • DAT Destroyer (www.orgoman.com)
    • Lifetime
    • Highly Recommended
  • Look at DAT Breakdowns on Student Doctor Network or the DAT Bootcamp Study Group Page to find a study method that best suits you!
General Texas Dental School Pre-Requisite Courses

 

  • Must complete minimum of 90 semester hours at a U.S./Canadian university.
  • Must have earned a “C” or better in the following courses:
  • English (6 semester hours)
  • General Chemistry (8 semester hours)
  • Organic Chemistry (8 semester hours)
  • Physics (8 semester hours)
  • Biochemistry (3 semester hours)
  • Biology (14 semester hours: 12 lecture + 2 laboratory)
  • Statistics (3 semester hours)
  • Must take DAT (Dental Admissions Test)

 


UT School of Dentistry at Houston requires:

 

  • Microbiology (3 semester hours)

 

New Requirements for Texas A&M College of Dentistry DDS Admission for Entry Year 2020 or Later:

 

  • Anatomy with Lab (4 semester hours)*
  • Physiology (3 semester hours)*
  • Microbiology (3 semester hours)
  • Biology ( 18 semester hours: 15 lecture + 3 laboratory)

     *A&P 1 and 2 are not accepted, because they are not considered an upper level course


For out of state dental schools, please check the websites of respective schools for details about admission requirements.

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