What's the undergraduate major that would prepare you the most for dental school?

[FutureDDS_11]

I am currently a Psychology undergrad major because I find studying the human thought is interesting. However, I find science, especially biology and chemistry, as much interesting. I would like to know what major will prepare me the most for the courses in dental school and whether it makes a significant-enough difference/advantage for dental school to major in Biology instead.
I searched a lot and looked into multiple threads, and many people said that majoring in Biology can help because most of the first two years of Dental school is basic science classes.
However, do you think it is helpful enough to risk majoring in Biology and risk getting a slightly lower GPA than majoring in Psychology?

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[bjpenn]

nope. choose the major that will allow you to have the highest gpa.

 

[rev_rend]

Seconding that advice. Get high grades. The only difference I see between me with my social science major and my fellow students, most of whom were bio majors or something similar, is that on extremely rare occasions they do a little less studying.

 

[FutureDDS_11]

So why do the majority of pre-Dental Students major in Biology?

 

[okiedokeartichoke]

Just a pre-dent here. I can't speak for everyone, but I believe people major in biology because either:

A) It's like hitting two birds with one stone: you get dental prerequisites done in addition to getting your major courses done simultaneously. I also assume it's easier to get into the biology courses as a bio major since you get priority over outside majors;

B) Like you, people believe majoring in biology will better prepare them for dentistry since the classes are geared that way. They probably assume under the misconception that being a biology major looks more favorable to adcoms (however, we know that's not true);

C) In a way, science majors beget science related careers. For example, it's not all that common for an anthropology major to pursue dentistry, now is it?

I used to be a biology major during my freshmen year of college and halfway into my sophomore year because I believed all of those things I listed above. Honestly, study what you find most interesting. If you're truly interested in something, the results will show and your GPA will reflect that. That's the best advice I can give you. As a college graduate who's doing a post-bacc to repair a low GPA now, I wish I had known that before and had someone to reassure me that it's okay to major in something other than biology. To answer your last question, I would not take that risk if you know for sure that you'll have a lower GPA. Like others have echoed above me, choose the major that can lead you to a higher GPA (and of course something that you can enjoy!) because sadly, admittance is largely a numbers game. You won't regret it.

 

[bjpenn]

if i could go back, id probably get a degree in finance/accounting (you will def use it), and just do the prereqs

 

[Blake1e]

I am currently a Psychology undergrad major because I find studying the human thought is interesting. However, I find science, especially biology and chemistry, as much interesting. I would like to know what major will prepare me the most for the courses in dental school and whether it makes a significant-enough difference/advantage for dental school to major in Biology instead.
I searched a lot and looked into multiple threads, and many people said that majoring in Biology can help because most of the first two years of Dental school is basic science classes.
However, do you think it is helpful enough to risk majoring in Biology and risk getting a slightly lower GPA than majoring in Psychology?

For the most part major doesnt matter, all that matters is your GPA. But if you had to pick a major that would prepare you must then Bio would be the one that would prepare you most for D school, especially if you take a lot of upper lvl bio courses. If you know you can get a high GPA with psych then I would stay with that. IMO, GPA is the most important part of your app.

I was a double major, bio and chem, and I can say for sure my bio background helped a lot, everything feels like its just review to me with just a few extra things added.

 

[BYU4you]

Everyone here says get the highest GPA possible, which is true but the thing is that the Pre-Req classes like Ochem and Gen Chen and Physics are going to be your hardest classes no matter what (well usually anyways). So for me I thought, well pre read covered 85% of my major requirements so I only need to take a couple more to be done. As opposed to majoring in business I would've had to do all of that on top of pre-reqs.

I also think taking higher level science courses outside of pre reqs would prepare me better for dental school.

 

[KP3956]

Just a pre-dent here. I can't speak for everyone, but I believe people major in biology because either:

A) It's like hitting two birds with one stone: you get dental prerequisites done in addition to getting your major courses done simultaneously. I also assume it's easier to get into the biology courses as a bio major since you get priority over outside majors;

B) Like you, people believe majoring in biology will better prepare them for dentistry since the classes are geared that way. They probably assume under the misconception that being a biology major looks more favorable to adcoms (however, we know that's not true);

C) In a way, science majors beget science related careers. For example, it's not all that common for an anthropology major to pursue dentistry, now is it?

I used to be a biology major during my freshmen year of college and halfway into my sophomore year because I believed all of those things I listed above. Honestly, study what you find most interesting. If you're truly interested in something, the results will show and your GPA will reflect that. That's the best advice I can give you. As a college graduate who's doing a post-bacc to repair a low GPA now, I wish I had known that before and had someone to reassure me that it's okay to major in something other than biology. To answer your last question, I would not take that risk if you know for sure that you'll have a lower GPA. Like others have echoed above me, choose the major that can lead you to a higher GPA (and of course something that you can enjoy!) because sadly, admittance is largely a numbers game. You won't regret it.

However, one question that keeps entering my mind. What if you're not prepared enough to take your DAT exam by junior of undergrad if you do Psychology as your Major? Because currently I completed my freshman year at UMass Dartmouth, and by the looks of it they seem to prioritize students with Bio majors rather than students without. I just feel as though that I would not be as prepared to take the DAT exam.

 

[deleted659902]

i'd say biology because it's the most memorization intensive major. Dental school is mostly rote memorization.

 

[thenextcarnegie]

I did health policy administration and took my science classes on the side. Do not regret one bit of it. I hated the biology curriculum at my undergrad so I decided to do something I enjoyed! I did better because of it and enjoy my time in college while doing quite well in my prereq's (except gen chem).

 

[wengerout]

I did health policy administration and took my science classes on the side. Do not regret one bit of it. I hated the biology curriculum at my undergrad so I decided to do something I enjoyed! I did better because of it and enjoy my time in college while doing quite well in my prereq's (except gen chem).

I second this. Did a major in the public health department in undergrad, best decision I made in college.

 

[redhotchiligochu]

Psychology/sociology (semi-seriously). Never underestimate the power of people-skills, especially when you're interacting with patients in clinic.

All the undergrad bio stuff, you'll see again as a D1/D2, and after licensure, you'll never ever see neuroscience/biochem ever again

 

[deleted678432]

D2 here. I graduated with a B.A. in history with a minor in theology. I didn't even bother picking up a bio minor.

IMO, it doesn't matter what you major in undergrad. Read a lot and fast. Keep that high GPA

I wish I majored or at least minored in history

 

[charlestweed]

D2 here. I graduated with a B.A. in history with a minor in theology. I didn't even bother picking up a bio minor.

IMO, it doesn't matter what you major in undergrad. Read a lot and fast. Keep that high GPA

Did you manage to complete your undergrad education in 4 years?

 

[UMDDS]

I was a physiology major. It was the lazy way to make sure I hit all my pre-reqs just about everywhere. If I could go back, I would have been a finance/packaging major just incase I decided that the health professions weren't for me. In that case, I could still find a well paying job while trying to decide on the next step. I interviewed with a girl that got denied from dental school, made good money working at Amazon for a couple years, then came back and got in the next time around. Beats paying for tuition in a grad program and gives you real world experience haha.

 

[Wildsheepchase]

Did you manage to complete your undergrad education in 4 years?

Yes, I finished my undergrad education in 4 years. But I had to take three summer courses for my major to make sure that I could graduate on time.

 

[Medin2017]

Can't say specific to major, but taking a few statistics classes is nice if you ever want to do research. Took on a research project this summer and being familiar with statistics terms like significance values helps.

In regards to othee courses, any major is fine. I know people with Masters in sciences doing poorly and business majors with only a few bio classes rocking it. Just put in the work and you will get results. Don't base your entire 4 year undergraduate major on dental school because I guarantee you it won't change much.

 

[babytomato]

Majoring in psychology would probably result in higher grades but then I wouldn't be able to fit upper level sciences into my schedule like mammalian phys and immunology which may help me in dental school...

 

[doc toothache]

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