Admission Requirements to United States & Canadian Dental Schools

The United States is currently home to 60 dental schools, while Canada is home to 10. Students applying to dental school will typically complete one of two degrees: the DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or the DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine). There is little difference professionally between the two degrees---either allows the students to practice dentistry upon graduation.
  1. General Requirements

    • Most dental schools require students to have a minimum of two years of pre-professional education. This could entail two years of community or junior college, though dental schools are more likely to accept students who have a four-year college degree. Dental school coursework requirements are difficult to complete in a two-year program. As there is no such thing as a "pre-dental" major, most undergraduates who intend to pursue dental studies choose from among the biological sciences as a major.

    Course Requirements

    • The vast majority of dental schools in the United States and Canada specify that students must have completed the following coursework during their undergraduate education: a minimum of one year each of biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physics and English. Some schools have additional course requirements.

    Residency Requirements

    • Many dental schools give priority to in-state residents when it comes time to filling admissions slots. This won't be a problem if you intend to apply for a private dental school. But if you are thinking of going to a state school, where tuition fees are generally much lower, you are much more likely to be accepted in your home state, rather than a state you have never lived in.

    Extracurricular Activities

    • While no dental school in Canada or the United States requires extracurricular activities, they can certainly make your application look more attractive to the admissions committee. Volunteering or doing an internship in a dental practice during your undergraduate years, for instance, will go a long way towards convincing a dental school that you are serious in your desire to become a dentist.

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