Pre-Dental

Course Requirements

General dental school course requirements include:

• Two or more semesters of general biology with laboratories
• Two semesters of general chemistry with laboratories
• Two semesters of organic chemistry with laboratories
• One semester of physics with laboratory
  Note: some out of state dental schools require two semesters of physics.
• Two semesters of English (e.g. FYS, FYRS)
• One semester of microbiology
• One semester of biochemistry
• Suggested additional basic sciences coursework (e.g., genetics, physiology, anatomy, immunology, molecular genetics, etc.)

Suggested Coursework Arrangement:

First semester

• CHEM 1055 Principles of Chemistry I
• BIO 1206 Integrated Concepts of Biology: Organisms and Ecosystems

Second semester

• CHEM 1065 Principles of Chemistry II
• FYS 1104 First-Year Research Seminar

Third semester

• CHEM 2155 Organic Chemistry I
• BIO 1204 Integrated Concepts of Biology, Molecules and Cells

Fourth semester

• CHEM 2165 Organic Chemistry II

Fifth semester

• PHYS 2115 University Physics I
• CHEM 3084 Biochemistry

Sixth semester

• BIO 3046 Microbiology

Dental Admission Test (DAT)

The DAT is generally taken in the summer after the third year in order to matriculate in the fall following graduation. The DAT tests the following subject areas:

• Survey of Natural Sciences
  • Biology
  • General chemistry
  • Organic chemistry
• Perceptual Ability Test
  • Aperture passing
  • Orthographic projection
  • Angle discrimination
  • Paper folding
  • Cubes
  • Form development
• Reading Comprehension Test
  • Reading comprehension
• Quantitative Reasoning Test
  • Mathematics

Competitive Applicants

• Overall GPA: 3.6
• Science GPA (biology, chemistry, physics): 3.4
• DAT overall score: 20

Factors that increase competitiveness:

• Community service/volunteer work
• Leadership
• Strong communication skills

Other important considerations:

• Some colleges require documentation of clinical observation time (e.g. 50 hours for the University of Kentucky)
• Applications for admissions should be submitted early — preferably by late summer, but no later than October — following the third year.

Resources: 

• Transylvania has a very active pre-dental club
• Pre-dental students can obtain observation hours by connecting with a mentor through Transy’s 100 Door Program 
• Many Transy pre-dental students volunteer at the refuge clinic and at Mission Health Lexington 
• Summer pre-dental programs include PEPP-DMD Program and SHPEP at the University of Louisville 

Important Links

• American Dental Education Association
• Information about the DAT
• ADEA GoDental 
• DAT Bootcamp 

In-state schools:

• University of Kentucky College of Dentistry
• University of Louisville School of Dentistry 
• University of Pikeville College of Dental Medicine