Question before I go for it ...

[mkasu]

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Hi guys and girls.

I have been reading many of your posts and have been gaining valuable information. Thanks.

I was wondering if there are any people out there who graduated with their BS and then realized that dentistry was for them.

I just graduated in May and want to go back and take some pre-reqs (OChem, Physics ... Biochem and Anatomy) and then take the DAT.

Any advice?

TIA

 

[DentalBoarder]

Hi guys and girls.

I have been reading many of your posts and have been gaining valuable information. Thanks.

I was wondering if there are any people out there who graduated with their BS and then realized that dentistry was for them.

I just graduated in May and want to go back and take some pre-reqs (OChem, Physics ... Biochem and Anatomy) and then take the DAT.

Any advice?

TIA

Do it. Is that the kind of advice you're looking for? Pretty much seems like you're on track in terms of mindset.

 

[mkasu]

Sorry, I did not give much information.

I just want to hear what other people in the same boat have to say and get any advice on what to do to make sure I am not missing anything.

As far as prereqs, I have taken Genchem, Bio, and both semesters of the physics labs. I know that I must take Ochem and Physics, but I think it would be beneficial for me to take Biochem and Anatomy also.

Is it correct that about 50% of the applicants are accepted to dental schools?

 

[Revelde]

Sorry, I did not give much information.

I just want to hear what other people in the same boat have to say and get any advice on what to do to make sure I am not missing anything.

As far as prereqs, I have taken Genchem, Bio, and both semesters of the physics labs. I know that I must take Ochem and Physics, but I think it would be beneficial for me to take Biochem and Anatomy also.

Is it correct that about 50% of the applicants are accepted to dental schools?

This cycle.. about 25%

 

[pine88]

I went back for pre-reqs. And actually doing pre-reqs post grad was good because it really improved my GPA. Go for it.

 

[pine88]

if you can take Biochem, Anat, Micro, Histology...anything you take will make d school a little easier I figure. But only take as heavy a load as you can do well on.

Revelde - where did you get the 25%?

 

[Revelde]

if you can take Biochem, Anat, Micro, Histology...anything you take will make d school a little easier I figure. But only take as heavy a load as you can do well on.

Revelde - where did you get the 25%?

I know for this cycle, about 16000~20000 people are appplying. and as u know there are only 4000 spots.

 

[mkasu]

BS psychology with a 4.0+ (we had a +/- grading system).

As long as I do well with my prereqs, shadow a dentist, and kick @$$ on the DAT, I should be fine, right?

(as you can tell, I just need some reassurance)

I would start my prereqs in the Spring (Ochem, Physics, Anatomy, and Biochem). Knowing this, how would you spread out the classes and when would you take the DAT?? ... I am thinking early summer 2008.

 

[Revelde]

BS psychology with a 4.0+ (we had a +/- grading system).

As long as I do well with my prereqs, shadow a dentist, and kick @$$ on the DAT, I should be fine, right?

(as you can tell, I just need some reassurance)

I would start my prereqs in the Spring (Ochem, Physics, Anatomy, and Biochem). Knowing this, how would you spread out the classes and when would you take the DAT?? ... I am thinking early summer 2008.

you are fine. but just make sure u dont take those courses in CC , take those at the same college u were going.. or other 4 year university.

 

[mkasu]

OK. I have a couple Ws on my record. Is that any problem?

 

[mkasu]

And by kick @ss on the DAT, I meant 19+ on all the sections. [not 30's, lol]

 

[pine88]

BS psychology with a 4.0+ (we had a +/- grading system).

As long as I do well with my prereqs, shadow a dentist, and kick @$$ on the DAT, I should be fine, right?

(as you can tell, I just need some reassurance)

I would start my prereqs in the Spring (Ochem, Physics, Anatomy, and Biochem). Knowing this, how would you spread out the classes and when would you take the DAT?? ... I am thinking early summer 2008.

Only a 4.0+? I don't know, dental school is pretty competitive - you might want to focus a little more 😉

That's awesome. You need 2 semesters of Ochem and Physics ... can you start them in the spring? You need Ochem for the DAT, the others are extra (although Anat and Biochem will help. No physics though). Take the DAT pretty soon after you finish Ochem II, but leave yourself some time to study up (dont forget your bio and gen chem). Don't wait till the last minute, in case you want to retake it.

 

[pine88]

And by kick @ss on the DAT, I meant 19+ on all the sections. [not 30's, lol]

Aim high, with a 4.0+ I bet you will do way better than 19s. check out predents.com and click on names to get peoples' stats. Most schools are averaging DATs of > 20 for interview invitees

 

[mkasu]

Spring 2007 - Physics, Ochem w/ lab

Summer 2007 - 2 semesters of Anatomy

Fall 2007 - Physics, Ochem w/ lab

Spring 2008 - Biochem

I figured that I might as well spread it out like this because the soonest I could reasonably finish Ochem and take the DAT is after Fall 2007 (middle of december), which is too late for that cycle, so I figured I would apply early (July) for the next cycle.

 

[pine88]

Spring 2007 - Physics, Ochem w/ lab

Summer 2007 - 2 semesters of Anatomy

Fall 2007 - Physics, Ochem w/ lab

Spring 2008 - Biochem

I figured that I might as well spread it out like this because the soonest I could reasonably finish Ochem and take the DAT is after Fall 2007 (middle of december), which is too late for that cycle, so I figured I would apply early (July) for the next cycle.

Did you consider taking the second half of Ochem in the summer? Then you could apply next year if you wanted. Unless you want the extra year for something.

 

[shamrock2006]

I know for this cycle, about 16000~20000 people are appplying. and as u know there are only 4000 spots.

did you get that info at an interview or something? that seems like a hell of a lot and would appear to put anyone w/ sub 20 DAT and sub 3.5 GPAs completely out of the running...damn!!😱

 

[DentalBoarder]

I know that UCLA requires a quarter or semester of BIOCHEM LAB. Anatomy, histology, microbiology, etc. are recommended classes at all dental schools. I think all of them require 1 year of college level writing or English. I highly recommend going through each school's website and finding out what classes are required and recommended.

As for the number of applicants, I don't know how revelde got his numbers. I know that there are about 4600 seats though. I THOUGHT ~12000 people were applying this year (but that was just my estimate from looking at the trend in number of applicants). I could be wrong, of course. Could be 16000-20000. If you apply for 2008 matriculation, it'll probably be more than the number of applicants this year.

 

[purduephigam]

Spring 2007 - Physics, Ochem w/ lab

Summer 2007 - 2 semesters of Anatomy

Fall 2007 - Physics, Ochem w/ lab

Spring 2008 - Biochem

If you would like opinions, I'm not sure spreading it out is really a good idea. Remember in dental school you'll be taking around 10 classes and 33 credit hours. I talked with people on the board of admissions from different schools and they suggested a full course load (for me since I am now post-bacc). They want you staying busy with school. I'm sure you may want to work part, or full-time; but you may want to rethink this before you get started with everything.

 

[mkasu]

I could take ochem in the summer. do i need the ochem labs for the dat? what about anatomy or biochem, do i need them for the dat?

i could take ochem1 and anatomy during the spring, then ochem2 during the summer (is that doable?) and then take the dat in mid-august (would i be too late?)

that would save me a year.

 

[DentalBoarder]

I could take ochem in the summer. do i need the ochem labs for the dat? what about anatomy or biochem, do i need them for the dat?

i could take ochem1 and anatomy during the spring, then ochem2 during the summer (is that doable?) and then take the dat in mid-august (would i be too late?)

that would save me a year.

Whether you NEED a class to learn certain subjects is irrelevant if you can get your hands on good DAT review books. Since you seem to have taken the basic classes, you should be fine in terms of understanding the concepts that are covered on the DAT. I can't really say what classes will help and will not help b/c all schools have different curriculums. You don't need to know anatomy and biochem for the DAT. OCHEM lab? Maybe, maybe not. I didn't need it. Just get review books and programs like Kaplan, Achiever, and TopScore for the DAT.

 

[mkasu]

Spring 2007 - ochem1, anatomy1

Summer 2007 - ochem2

--- take DAT in mid-August and apply ---

Fall 2007 - ochem1 lab, physics, anatomy2 + interviews (hopefully)

Spring 2008 - ochem2 lab, physics, biochem

Fall 2008 - dental school!!!

somebody mentioned English composition for a year (those are just the typical English classes, right?)

questions: when is the latest i can take the dat? when do interviews start and end?

 

[Atombomb]

Just a tip but when you're going through all these classes try to get a DAT review book and review the topics in both your course book and the DAT book this will set you up pretty nicely when you go to buckel down to ace the DAT

 

[DentalBoarder]

somebody mentioned English composition for a year (those are just the typical English classes, right?)

yeah.

 

[TKD_DDS]

Interviews generally start somewhere around September and run through January or February, but you're going to want an earlier one. If you take the DAT sometime in the early summer, you should have plenty of time to study and enough time to be able to retake it should you do poorly.