Which CC classes should I take in order to get into Dental School?

[mumtazg38]

Okay, I know similar questions have been asked and answered on this forum many times before as I did several searches before finally deciding to post on here. But, none of them really answered my questions. Most of the threads are about classes in Dental School or advice for students who already have some college CC or otherwise. Which is most definitely not the case with me, unfortunately.

I have a GED. And am planning on going to CC to get my pre-req's. I have never been to college, and it's been a good number of years since I left school and got my GED (in 2008). Haven't really gone into the "workforce" yet either, as I am a stay at home mom to my infant son and semi-house wife to my husband at the moment. (I say semi because my son and I spend most of our time in Michigan away from our home with my husband in NYC, due to financial reasons) And before that, to be completely honest, I had far too much else to worry about (otherwise known as LIFE). I'm really not interested in getting into the sappy details about my past, and won't bother you guys with it, as I know all too well how you can live peacefully without it. However, I will go further and add that I am clueless as they can possibly get when it comes to the workings of College/further education etc. Hence, the reason for this thread.

To the point...
I just want to know if anyone can provide me with a list of classes/credits I will need to take to go this route (however this works...don't know if it's the classes I need worry about or the credits to get into DS, not fully sure how they both tie in together really, although I do have a slight idea). I am currently in Michigan right now and am considering going to Wayne County CC or WashtenawCC, but honestly I don't really know what steps I need to take in order to "get in", or whether they even have a "get in" system when it comes to community colleges.
I'm sure it's getting pretty obvious how I've been living under a rock for the longest time now isn't it?

So, what classes? How many credits? Are there programs? If so, where can I get the info for them? Do I have to apply to CC? What are the reasons I may not get in to a certain CC? And generally speaking of course.....what do I need to do to become a dentist, from the very beginning having started with a clean slate? And, most important of all how much of it can be done online? As much detail as possible please? My cup is empty, please be kind and help fill it?

I am also curious about Financial aid, and although I know I will be applying for it no matter what, I'm not too sure what my chances may be on getting it what with not being fresh out of highschool and never having had a job and such.


Many thanks in advance to all that reply!

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[ScarletKnight24]

Okay, I know similar questions have been asked and answered on this forum many times before as I did several searches before finally deciding to post on here. But, none of them really answered my questions. Most of the threads are about classes in Dental School or advice for students who already have some college CC or otherwise. Which is most definitely not the case with me, unfortunately.

I have a GED. And am planning on going to CC to get my pre-req's. I have never been to college, and it's been a good number of years since I left school and got my GED (in 2008). Haven't really gone into the "workforce" yet either, as I am a stay at home mom to my infant son and semi-house wife to my husband at the moment. (I say semi because my son and I spend most of our time in Michigan away from our home with my husband in NYC, due to financial reasons) And before that, to be completely honest, I had far too much else to worry about (otherwise known as LIFE). I'm really not interested in getting into the sappy details about my past, and won't bother you guys with it, as I know all too well how you can live peacefully without it. However, I will go further and add that I am clueless as they can possibly get when it comes to the workings of College/further education etc. Hence, the reason for this thread.

To the point...
I just want to know if anyone can provide me with a list of classes/credits I will need to take to go this route (however this works...don't know if it's the classes I need worry about or the credits to get into DS, not fully sure how they both tie in together really, although I do have a slight idea). I am currently in Michigan right now and am considering going to Wayne County CC or WashtenawCC, but honestly I don't really know what steps I need to take in order to "get in", or whether they even have a "get in" system when it comes to community colleges.
I'm sure it's getting pretty obvious how I've been living under a rock for the longest time now isn't it?

So, what classes? How many credits? Are there programs? If so, where can I get the info for them? Do I have to apply to CC? What are the reasons I may not get in to a certain CC? And generally speaking of course.....what do I need to do to become a dentist, from the very beginning having started with a clean slate? And, most important of all how much of it can be done online? As much detail as possible please? My cup is empty, please be kind and help fill it?

I am also curious about Financial aid, and although I know I will be applying for it no matter what, I'm not too sure what my chances may be on getting it what with not being fresh out of highschool and never having had a job and such.


Many thanks in advance to all that reply!

There are NO specific programs you need to get into. Complete the prerequisites of the dental schools you are interested in applying and take the DAT. Most dental schools do NOT prefer prerequisites taken at a community college therefore they expect the ones that do to continue at a 4-year university to take some upper level science courses(I am one of these students). Keep your GPA as high as possible (3.5+) in order to be competitive. Community college accept everyone with GED or HS diploma.
I believe NO dental schools accept online courses.

Just an opinion to think about before you spend all that money and time
Please re-think about this decision carefully. If you haven't been enrolled in any colleges for 4 years, it is going to be a shock when you are taking those set of lists of prerequisites. I am NOT saying it is impossible, but it will require much time and dedication. I went straight to a community college from high school and have just finished all of my prerequisites there. I didn't have to work to support my family nor myself while taking these prerequisites yet I still did not have much of a social life.

I am not quite how the financial aid works. It is best to speak to someone at the community college about this.

good luck and let me know if you have any additional questions.

 

[youknowthedrill]

Your first step is to set up an appointment with a counselor at a community college. Because you are just getting started and you have to stay at home with your child only take 1-2 classes to start out. Do not take a science class yet! I think you would be fine taking a class like English Comp or Psychology online but you'll need to have childcare available as you progress to your science classes.

 

[doc toothache]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=797788
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=791511
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=527523
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=657139

 

[youknowthedrill]

I have a little more time to answer your question. To get into dental school you will need a bachelor's degree with any major that you choose. It is possible to gain acceptance without a degree, but it is rare. You need to maintain a high GPA and score well on the DAT (Dental Admissions Test). Most dental schools require you to take English Comp I & II, Chemistry I & II, Organic Chemistry I & II, Physics I & II, and Biology I & II. Some also require Biochemistry, Microbiology, and they all highly recommend taking more upper level biology classes. Because of the requirements, a large percentage of pre-dental students choose to major in Biology. You can choose to major in art, business, physics, etc but you will have to take the required classes to enter dental school.

You may be able to get by with taking a couple of classes online, but you will need to take most of your classes in person. This will require being away from your child.

I'm an older student and the mother of two children. I was also a stay-at-home mom. My children were 18 months and 3 years old when I returned to college. I enrolled in school full time and my children started daycare so I could attend class and study during the day. I admire you for looking into dentistry as a career. If you take 15 credits a semester, it will take you 4 years to earn a bachelors degree. If you go part-time, it will take even longer. Dental school is an additional 4 years.

Since you don't have any college experience yet and you have a full-time need machine attached to your hip, don't take on too much at first. Studying in college is very different from high school. It is important to take it slow and develop good study skills. You don't want to sign up for 15 or 16 credits and fail a class. A typical college class is 3 credits and a typical science class is 4 credits (3 credits for the lecture and 1 credit for lab). In my opinion it takes much more time to study for science classes than other types of classes.

Financial Aid is need based. You will need to set up a meeting with the financial aid department at the college.

Do you have exposure to dentistry? Are you sure you want to commit the time and energy? This won't be an easy endeavor but if you are intelligent and willing to work hard, you can do it. Do you have a strong support system in place. Is your husband (or your parents) willing to take care of your child while you study?

There are other positions in dentistry that don't require as much time and sacrifice. In my area Dental Assistants earn about $18 an hour and Dental Hygienists earn over $60,000 a year. I don't want to dissuade you from becoming a dentist, I just wanted to offer some other possibilities. Good Luck!

 

[Klueril]

I believe NO dental schools accept online courses.

You believe or you know?? how true is this?

 

[ScarletKnight24]

You believe or you know?? how true is this?

I am almost certain that it is 100% true.

 

[mumtazg38]

There are other positions in dentistry that don't require as much time and sacrifice. In my area Dental Assistants earn about $18 an hour and Dental Hygienists earn over $60,000 a year. I don't want to dissuade you from becoming a dentist, I just wanted to offer some other possibilities. Good Luck!

Thank you for the priceless information you have been so kind as to pass onto me youknowthedrill! I'm very grateful for it!
As far as dental assisting or similar options. To be honest, I don't want to sound rude or anything, but the truth is that I simply refuse to settle for anything less than going to Dental school to become a proper Dentist(currently thinking along the lines of endodontistry). It is, quite simply something that has been with me since before I can remember. I had always been a bright kid, just never got the chance to apply myself! Now that I've got my life and priorities in line, that has changed! However, it never hurts to get your hands on something solid and stable while racing through the vast sea that is a pre-medical/dental education. As far as I know, both of these are either certificates or AA degrees am I right? Meaning that neither degrees, Dental Hygienist nor Dental Assistance can be used towards a full on Dental education am I correct? They would be two-year degree's though wouldn't they. If it were a possibility, I must say, it would be amazing to get something after just two years, something...anything. Then, two more years and onto the full-fledged bachelors degree! A girl can dream, can she not! Still, could the credits or classes taken to get the degree's/certs count towards the pre-reqs? Aren't some of them essentially the same? Could it be beneficial to go this route (in order to get into dental school) or would this simply be a waste of time and effort? If it was beneficial though, everyone would be doing it wouldn't they....

Do you have exposure to dentistry? Are you sure you want to commit the time and energy? This won't be an easy endeavor but if you are intelligent and willing to work hard, you can do it. Do you have a strong support system in place. Is your husband (or your parents) willing to take care of your child while you study?

As far as having a strong support system in place! I'm pretty much good as gold when it comes to that. My son is 18 months right now (Coincidence much? I believe you too went back to college when your youngest was the same age, am I correct?) You see, I have discussed this matter numerous times with various members of my family, for over a year now and we have all come to the conclusion that since my father runs his international travel agency out of his home office and has quite a flexible schedule due to this fact, he is my best option when it comes to child care! Other than him, my grandmother lives with us and is always around. Although, she is unable to take full-time care of a small child at the ripe old age of 73, she can definitely help out with sedentary chores such as the changing of diapers and feeding etc. On top of this, my mother, who is a nurse, gets off work at around 6:00pm and can take care of him for the rest of the evening/night(she already does this most nights anyways, out of her own love for her grandson). So, say I need time to study or finish up work, or need to attend night classes, or maybe even online classes and such. I am good in that case too. THEN on top of all of this, I still have backup. My aunt! She loves my son to pieces and is more than willing to fill in if she needs to (she is unemployed and is usually over my parents house most of the time anyways, to spend time with my son). Then there is the fact that I can always apply for child-care benefits from the state if necessary. I most probably will be doing this somewhere down the road, once I am used to college and have my study habits in line, as I don't want to over-burden my family. And, with my husbands paycheck we really can't afford to pay for day care out of pocket since he is the only one working.

Since you don't have any college experience yet and you have a full-time need machine attached to your hip, don't take on too much at first. Studying in college is very different from high school. It is important to take it slow and develop good study skills. You don't want to sign up for 15 or 16 credits and fail a class. A typical college class is 3 credits and a typical science class is 4 credits (3 credits for the lecture and 1 credit for lab). In my opinion it takes much more time to study for science classes than other types of classes.

I agree with you completely! I never in my wildest dreams could think to take on more than I could chew in the terms of classes in the beginning. I was thinking along the same lines as you, that in the beginning I would take on 1 or 2 moderately simple classes at first, work my backside off, and do exceptionally well in them. Then as I get used to the study aspect of it all I would add more to my plate and work from there. I'm not really on a time limit like most pre-med students are, I must add (4-years bachelors + 4-years Dental school + 2 years wandering around Europe finding myself

) . I am okay with taking it slow in the beginning, despite the fact that this will add to the years it would take to get finished with my education but that is fine with me, at least I will be doing what I want and have always dreamed of my entire life. I will be headed down the path I have always hoped I would. As long as I can make it so it is manageable for me. SOMETHING is always better than NOTHING, I say!

You may be able to get by with taking a couple of classes online, but you will need to take most of your classes in person. This will require being away from your child.

Do you know which classes I might be okay with taking online? Obviously none with lab, but English Comp I and/or II might be okay right? How about Physics I and/or II?

Thanks again!

 

[MuskieMan33]

woah!! No Dschools accept online courses? Not that I have an abundance of them, I am at a university and have been for 2 years, starting my third, with 1 online course taken for a gen ed requirement. I wouldn't ever take an upper level class/ major course online. Do I have to retake the course or choose a different one from the same category for it to count? Thanks for any input!!