main content Dental School
Recommended Coursework for Dental School
Interested to find out more about a career in dentistry? Check out this website here.
Students can enter dental school with any undergraduate major. However, many courses required for admission to health-professional schools are sequential, so good planning is key.
We have found that most dental programs require or recommend the below courses, however, pre-requisites can vary, sometimes greatly, from school to school. It is a good idea to check directly with the schools you plan to apply to.
Recommended Courses |
LC Course |
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1-year of Biology w/ lab |
BIO 202: Biological Core Concepts: Mechanisms (Pre-req: Bio 110 and Chem 120) and An upper-level Biology course with lab such as: BIO 361: Cell Biology (Pre-reqs: Bio 110, Bio 201, Bio 202, and Chem 120. Math 131, Math 255, or CS 171) or BIO 369: Developmental Biology (Pre-reqs: Bio 110, Bio 201, Bio 202, Chem 120. Math 131, Math 255, or CS 171) |
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1 semester Physiology (recommended) |
BIO 375: Physiology (Pre-reqs: Bio 110 and Bio 202. Recommended pre-reqs: Math 131, CS 171 or Phys 141) |
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1-year Chemistry w/ lab |
CHEM 110: General Chemistry I (Pre-req: QR 101) and CHEM 120: General Chemistry II (Pre-req: Chem 110) |
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1-year Physics w/ lab |
PHYS 141: Introductory General Physics I (Pre-req: Math or Math 131) and PHYS 142: Introductory General Physics II (Pre-reqs: Phys 141 or Phys 151. Math 131) |
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1-year Organic Chemistry |
CHEM 210: Organic Chemistry I (Pre-req: Chem 120) and CHEM 220: Organic Chemistry II (Pre-req: Chem 210) |
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1 semester Biochemistry (recommended) |
CHEM 335: Metabolic Biochemistry (Pre-req: Chem 220. Recommended pre-req: Bio 202) |
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1 semester English Composition (recommended) |
CORE 120: Words |
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Courses in the arts and social sciences |
Can be fulfilled by your General Education requirements. Look at courses in ethics, psychology and/or sociology. |
Below is a list of experiences to make oneself a competitive applicant for dental school.
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Other Experiences |
Hours |
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Job Shadowing |
100-200 hours recommended |
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DAT (Dental Admission Test) |
Required. More information can be found here |
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Volunteering |
100 hours recommended. Dental clinics, oral health education programs, healthcare-related community outreach, etc. |
Recommended Timeline for Dental School
Here is a recommended timeline to help you navigate the application process for dental school, with a focus on starting in 2030. While this timeline is designed as a helpful template, it can be adjusted based on your personal journey.
Please note that all dental schools are different and may have varying application cycles and requirements, so be sure to research each program you’re interested in.
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Summer |
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May
ADEA AADSAS application “soft-opens” and is viewable |
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June 1st
ADEA AADSAS application is open for submissions |
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Spring |
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A popular time for applicants to take the DAT |
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Winter |
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December
Acceptances begin |
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The following Summer |
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July / August Start Dental School |
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Community and Global Health is located in room 307 and 309 of JR Howard Hall on the Undergraduate Campus.
MSC: 25
email communityglobalHEAL@lclark.edu
voice 503-768-7636
Jerusha Detweiler-Bedell
Director
jerusha@lclark.edu
Carolyn L. Zook
Associate Director and Pre-Health Advisor
carolynzook@lclark.edu
Alexis Rehrmann
Community Engagement Coordinator
alexisr@lclark.edu
Community and Global Health
Lewis & Clark
615 S. Palatine Hill Road
Portland OR 97219