American Dental Association (ADA)

Pre-Dental Timeline

Freshman/Sophomore Years

• Work with your Prehealth Professions Advisor to plan courses and experiences that will help you to prepare to apply to dental school. Visit: http://healthprof.cofc.edu

• Begin to complete Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Organic Chemistry requirements

• Check out your career center’s dentistry-related resources

• Join the Pre-Dental Association

• Consider job shadowing and/or volunteer experience. Visit: Dental Shadowing

• Consider alternative career plans

• Attend your college’s health-related career fairs

 

Junior Year

• Complete prerequisite requirements by end of 2nd semester

• Prepare and take the DAT (information at ADA.org/DAT)

• Apply for admission at least a year in advance

• Review dental school catalogs and/or websites such as:

• Official Guide to Dental Schools at adea.org

• ASDA Handbook: A Resource for Predental Students at ASDAnet.org

• Dental School Listing link at ADA.org/students

• Gather letters of evaluation from faculty and others

 

Senior Year

• Take advantage of “mock” interview practice with Career Center staff before dental school admission interviews

• Complete forms for financial aid

• Send thank you notes to evaluators and mentors

Visit ADA.org/education for more information