Can I still apply for Dental School?

[SaySay1]

Hey everyone,

My question is can I still apply to dental school if I have a B.A. in history? I did okay in the science courses I had to take during my matriculation at my undergrad school, but my overall GPA is a 3.5. I plan on volunteering at a medical/dental clinic to get some exposure in the field. Please help (if a similar question has been posted my apologies)

Thanks

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[tooth knockn]

Hey everyone,

My question is can I still apply to dental school if I have a B.A. in history? I did okay in the science courses I had to take during my matriculation at my undergrad school, but my overall GPA is a 3.5. I plan on volunteering at a medical/dental clinic to get some exposure in the field. Please help (if a similar question has been posted my apologies)

Thanks

google your questions and add "SDN" to the end of your search words .


GL

 

[teethlove]

google your questions and add "SDN" to the end of your search words .


GL

… Basically, yes. Try looking up what is required for d school (2 sem bio, 2 sem gen chem, etc.), and start volunteering/shadowing to make sure it's what you want. If you have to take more classes, make sure you do well in them (doing well in them the first time around has advantages only for you: you get a high grade and you're well prepared with notes/old exams when you start the advanced courses in d school).

Good luck!

 

[Dentalkid434]

Major in ANYTHING you want. Heck, you could even major in the Mechanics of Salt Production, and still apply to dental school. Make sure you meet all the pre-requisites and do well on the DAT.

Good luck!

 

[Member902507]

I also majored in a non-typical pre-dent major and these are the pros and cons in a very short list:

Pro:
You stand out
Different background
Different experiences
More unique
Need to make sure you have strong basic sciences and DAT to balance out the lack of upper level science courses

Cons:
Some ADCOM members thought I might not be able to handle the rigors of dental school
Might have to do a post-bacc
Some ADCOM members thought I should have only done bio or chem...(why even let any major be okay to apply with then?)
You need to prove to them that you can handle it--so gotta do reallyyyy well on the pre-reqs and destroy the DAT

That's what I could up with quickly, if there's more that I remember, I'll be sure to let you know

Personally though, I think it's cool if you do something different. Just make sure you get all your pre-reqs done, and at my undergrad univ, it was hard to get into classes that weren't required for your major. Best of luck

 

[diene]

I also majored in a non-typical pre-dent major and these are the pros and cons in a very short list:

Pro:
You stand out
Different background
Different experiences
More unique
Need to make sure you have strong basic sciences and DAT to balance out the lack of upper level science courses

Cons:
Some ADCOM members thought I might not be able to handle the rigors of dental school
Might have to do a post-bacc
Some ADCOM members thought I should have only done bio or chem...(why even let any major be okay to apply with then?)
You need to prove to them that you can handle it--so gotta do reallyyyy well on the pre-reqs and destroy the DAT

That's what I could up with quickly, if there's more that I remember, I'll be sure to let you know

Personally though, I think it's cool if you do something different. Just make sure you get all your pre-reqs done, and at my undergrad univ, it was hard to get into classes that weren't required for your major. Best of luck

I also think it's "cool" to have a different major along with science classes, but adcoms think otherwise. Make sure to take some bio upper-leves or they may think you are incapable of handling the dental school science heavy course load. People will tell you major in anything you want, but people with more bio upper-levels (aka bio majors) have the upper hand, since they have "proven" that they could handle the bio classes. So if you have completed your basic pre-reqs, I highly urge you to take some upper-levels! Best of luck!

 

[Member902507]

I also think it's "cool" to have a different major along with science classes, but adcoms think otherwise. Make sure to take some bio upper-leves or they may think you are incapable of handling the dental school science heavy course load. People will tell you major in anything you want, but people with more bio upper-levels (aka bio majors) have the upper hand, since they have "proven" that they could handle the bio classes. So if you have completed your basic pre-reqs, I highly urge you to take some upper-levels! Best of luck!

Yea, I completely agree with you! I think this actually screwed me over for some interviews, and I luckily I didn't take the bait during the interview, but I was really irritated after. An ADCOM member actually told me I had a "light schedule", and after, I was sooo annoyed, because who are they to tell me my schedule was light? Yes, it was different than the typical bio/chem classes, but other things can be difficult too...That's the thing about this entire app process, if you didn't want people to have different majors, just say that from the beginning, I would have gone for the typical bio/chem major, and I woulda been fine. But instead now, I'm supplementing my different major with upper level science courses through an informal post-bacc and have been doing pretty decently.

But in my opinion, some ADCOMs look at a different major favorably, while others don't. Luckily, the school I was accepted at was much better (in my opinion) than the school that grilled me on my major. Sometimes, it can be the individual person, too. So much of this application process depends on other people's opinions and experiences that shape their decision about you as a candidate.

Good luck!

 

[SaySay1]

Thanks for the responses. I was thinking I should go back to school for a post bachelors and take the sciences courses I needed for dental school. What do you all think about this? Is there an alternative to going back to school?
Thanks

 

[Member902507]

Thanks for the responses. I was thinking I should go back to school for a post bachelors and take the sciences courses I needed for dental school. What do you all think about this? Is there an alternative to going back to school?
Thanks

That's actually what I'm doing right now--an informal post-bacc. And most schools have been okay with it. I don't think there's an alternative to really going back to school, but there are different ways you can go back to school--post-bacc, masters program, informal post-bacc, and that's all that I can think of really. I'm sure other students can provide you with some more guidance though on what some of the other possibilities are.

 

[diene]

That's actually what I'm doing right now--an informal post-bacc. And most schools have been okay with it. I don't think there's an alternative to really going back to school, but there are different ways you can go back to school--post-bacc, masters program, informal post-bacc, and that's all that I can think of really. I'm sure other students can provide you with some more guidance though on what some of the other possibilities are.

Not to take the attention away from the OP (this question might help), what exactly is an informal post-bacc? Do you just take classes at any normal university? and how does it differ from a formal post-bass?

 

[Member902507]

Not to take the attention away from the OP (this question might help), what exactly is an informal post-bacc? Do you just take classes at any normal university? and how does it differ from a formal post-bass?

For me, the informal post-bacc is kind of just a continuation of my undergrad, at a completely different university that's closer to my house. The formal post-bacc would be to enroll in a program that is known to grant you a certificate after completing their requirements. However, the informal post-bacc is just taking more classes that I did not have time to fit into my undergrad schedule, yet are required/recommended courses for dental schools. So I've enrolled through extension at universities near my house. I am taking a class at a community college, but that was because the school I was accepted to required Sociology, but they said a CC was fine.

But yes, it's just like taking classes at a normal university, I'm just not a full-time enrolled student at that university, and will therefore not receive any certificate of completion or anything. However, I will still be able to obtain a transcript for my completed courses to provide to the dental schools. Hope this helps!

 

[kpark829]

hi saysay, i was in a similar position. i graduated as an Econ major in 2011 from a UC (hadn't taken a single science class), and started taking sciences classes the following fall at post a postbacc. i applied this past May and have been accepted to d-school. PM if you have any more questions. In short, you don't have to graduate with a science degree, as long as you take the appropriate science classes afterwards, and of course the DAT.

best of luck!

 

[SaySay1]

For me, the informal post-bacc is kind of just a continuation of my undergrad, at a completely different university that's closer to my house. The formal post-bacc would be to enroll in a program that is known to grant you a certificate after completing their requirements. However, the informal post-bacc is just taking more classes that I did not have time to fit into my undergrad schedule, yet are required/recommended courses for dental schools. So I've enrolled through extension at universities near my house. I am taking a class at a community college, but that was because the school I was accepted to required Sociology, but they said a CC was fine.

But yes, it's just like taking classes at a normal university, I'm just not a full-time enrolled student at that university, and will therefore not receive any certificate of completion or anything. However, I will still be able to obtain a transcript for my completed courses to provide to the dental schools. Hope this helps!

hi saysay, i was in a similar position. i graduated as an Econ major in 2011 from a UC (hadn't taken a single science class), and started taking sciences classes the following fall at post a postbacc. i applied this past May and have been accepted to d-school. PM if you have any more questions. In short, you don't have to graduate with a science degree, as long as you take the appropriate science classes afterwards, and of course the DAT.

best of luck!

How long do you all take these post bacc science courses? A year?

 

[Member902507]

How long do you all take these post bacc science courses? A year?

Taking them now, one semester down so far. It was also my "Plan B" in case I didn't get into dental school. To keep taking more classes to raise my GPA.

 

[CMistry]

How long do you all take these post bacc science courses? A year?

For someone who has none of them completed, 2-2.5 years.

 

[kpark112233]

gluck!

 

[SaySay1]

Thank you all!