Pre-Dental Advising

While USD does not have a dental school or specific dentistry major, students are encouraged to choose a major that offers the following courses:

Typical* required courses

• 1 year of General Biology – Bio 240, 240L, 242, 242L
• 1 year of General Chemistry – Chem 151, 151L, 152, 152L
• 1 year of Organic Chemistry – Chem 301, 301L, 302, 302L
• 1 year of General Physics – Phys 136, 136L, 137, 137L or Phys 270, 270L, 271, 271L
• 1 year of English/USD Core Requirement – FYW 150 + Upper Division Writing course
• 1 semester of Biochemistry – Chem 331

*These courses will satisfy the requirements for most dental schools. Make sure that you check for additional requirements at your selected schools. Most schools want you to have completed the required courses prior to the time of application. Take all required classes for a grade; pass/fail is not acceptable. Grades below a "C" are not considered passing for most medical schools. Also, note that some schools will not accept AP credit in lieu of the required courses (even if accepted by USD). You must then substitute advanced science courses for the traditional requirements satisfied with AP credits.

Some schools recommend

• 1 additional year of upper division Biology
• 1 semester of Sociology/USD Core Requirement – Soci 101
• 1 semester of Psychology/USD Core Requirement – Psych 101
• 1 year of Philosophy, History or Fine Arts
• Genetics – Bio 300
• Microbiology – Bio 342 or Bio 214
• Human Anatomy and Physiology – Bio 212, 213

Other application information

• DAT (Dental Admissions Test): You need to take this before or during your application to dental school.
• Clinical: Experiences in dental settings are important ways for you to learn about the field of medicine. Many schools prefer to see a letter of recommendation from a dentist.
• Research: Research experiences are strongly recommended by many dental schools. Choose any type of research that interests you — on or off campus — paid or unpaid.
• Community Service/Leadership: Community service can strengthen a student's application. Seek opportunities that are meaningful to you and engage in them over time.
• Dexterity Skills: Dental schools are seeking candidates who are good with their hands and/or have demonstrated an interest working with their hands. This could be an interest/course in jewelry making, ceramics, electronics, etc.

Dentists diagnose and treat problems with teeth and tissues in the mouth, along with giving advice and administering care to help prevent future problems. They provide instruction on diet, brushing, flossing, the use of fluorides and other aspects of dental care. They remove tooth decay, fill cavities, examine x-rays, place protective plastic sealants on children's teeth, straighten teeth and repair fractured teeth. They also perform corrective surgery on gums and supporting bones to treat gum diseases. Dentists extract teeth and make models and measurements for dentures to replace missing teeth. They also administer anesthetics and write prescriptions for antibiotics and other medications.

Dentists use a variety of equipment, including x-ray machines, drills, mouth mirrors, probes, forceps, brushes and scalpels. Lasers, digital scanners and other computer technologies also may be used. Dentists wear masks, gloves and safety glasses to protect themselves and their patients from infectious diseases.

Dentists in private practice oversee a variety of administrative tasks, including bookkeeping and the buying of equipment and supplies. They may employ and supervise dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental laboratory technicians and receptionists.