The dental profession is the branch of healthcare devoted to maintaining the health of the teeth, gums and other tissues in and around the mouth. For information about dentistry and dental programs, visit the American Dental Education Association (ADEA).
Exploration of the field is highly encouraged. You can do so by shadowing practitioners and working or volunteering in healthcare settings.
The timeline for application looks different for each student. Current Mizzou students can talk with their MedOpp advisor about their personal timeline and building their candidacy for dental school.
Courses
The following courses* are common requirements for dental school and must be completed before matriculation**:
- One year (8 credit hours) of general chemistry with lab
- One year (8 credit hours) of organic chemistry with lab
- One year (8 credit hours) of physics with lab
- Three semesters (9-13 credit hours) of biological science, at least one with lab
- One semester (3-4 credit hours) physiology
- One semester (3-4 credit hours) human anatomy
- One semester (3 credit hours) biochemistry
- One year (6 credit hours) of English— many schools will accept Mizzou’s English 1000 and a Writing Intensive course
* See Plan of Study for Mizzou course numbers.
** Disclaimer: this list is not necessarily comprehensive. Please consult schools’ websites for exact requirements.
All U.S. dental schools (and select schools in Canada) accept the Dental Admission Test (DAT). The DAT is designed to provide dental education programs with a means to assess a candidate’s potential for success in these programs.