Getting into Dental School

Meet the PATHS Pre-Dental Committee

Pre-Dental Coordinator: Sarah Kiamanesh Pre-Dental Mentor: Christopher Mederos

Email: sarahk.paths@gmail.com Email: christopher.paths@gmail.com
Prerequisite Courses
● 1 year general chemistry with lab
● 1 year organic chemistry with lab
● 1 year biology with lab
● 1 year physics with lab
● 1 year English

In addition to these general requirements, most dental schools may request that you
have taken courses in biochemistry, microbiology, anatomy, and/or physiology.
Extracurricular Activities
● Dental schools want to see that you are more
than just your test scores and GPA.
● In order to build yourself as a more
well-rounded applicant, try to get involved on
campus in clubs or athletic teams that
interest you.
● It’s favorable to stick to a few extracurriculars
that you’re passionate about over the course
of your undergraduate experience.
Participating in them long-term and even in a
leadership position demonstrates dedication
to your commitments.
Volunteering
● Engaging in volunteer work is a great
way to show that you’ll be an ethical
dentist.
● Look for volunteer opportunities at
local dental offices/clinics, homeless
shelters, or clubs on campus that are
dedicated to helping fellow Bruins
(tutoring/food insecurity/etc.)
● Keeping an accurate record of your
volunteering dates/times will make
your application process a lot easier.
The DAT
● The Dental Admissions Test is 4.5 hours in length and is a multiple choice exam
including Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Reading
Comprehension, Quantitative Reasoning, and Perceptual Ability sections.
● All section scores except Perceptual Ability are averaged to yield your Academic
Average (AA). The Perceptual Ability Test (PAT) is a separate score not factored
into your AA. Each section of the DAT, and therefore the AA, is scored out of 30.
● The PAT examines your spatial awareness through a series of questions testing
your three-dimensional reasoning skills.
What’s in store for you when you join PATHS
● We’ve now provided you some general guidelines for beginning steps to get into
the dental school of your choice, but there is so much more that factors into
creating the perfect application!
● Join PATHS to get this insider information - we’ll be going into depth about
volunteering, research, shadowing hours, letters of recommendation, and the best
DAT study resources with our mentees this upcoming quarter!