Pre-Dental Requirements | pacificpds (2024)

Pre-Dental Requirements | pacificpds (1)

Pre-Dental Program Requirements at Pacific

Meeting all of the requirements will only guarantee aninterview, not aseat, into the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. On top of the requirements below, all pre-dental students must also take the Dental Admission Test (DAT) and get a minimum score of 18 in all categories.

APPLICATIONS / DAT SCORES MUST BE SUBMITTED BY SEPTEMBER 1ST

Pre-Dental Requirements | pacificpds (2)

2+3 Program Requirements

General Requirements

GPA

3.25 Science & 3.25 Overall

BREADTH PROGRAM

All GE's excluding IIA and IIB classes

PACIFIC SEMINARS

PACS I and II Required

AFTER INVITATION FOR INTERVIEW

No grades less than a 'B' allowed.

General Education (Breadth Program)

I. SOCIAL & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

IA. Individual & Interpersonal Behaviors
IB. U.S. Studies
IC. Global Studies

II. ARTS & HUMANITIES

IIC. Visual & Performing Arts

III. NATURAL SCIENCES & MATHEMATICS

IIIB. Mathematics & Formal Logic

The Pacific Seminars

PACS001

Pacific Seminar I: What is a Good Society?

PACS002

Pacific Seminar II: Topical Seminar

Required Courses

BIOLOGY

BIOL51: Principles of Biology I
BIOL61: Principles of Biology II

CHEMISTRY

CHEM25: General Chemistry I
CHEM27: General Chemistry II
CHEM121: Organic Chemistry I*
CHEM123: Organic Chemistry II*

PHYSICS

PHYS23: General Physics I
PHYS 25: General Physics II

*These courses do not have to be taken at Pacific; they can be transferred from acceptable universities for credit.

Recommended Biology Electives

BIOL71: Human Anatomy (Lab)

Professors: Dr. Gridi-Papp

BIOL81: Human Physiology (Lab)

Professors: Dr. Rigor, Dr. Thiemann

BIOL101: Genetics (Lab)

Professors: Dr. Wrischnik, Dr. Vierra, Dr. Weiser, Dr. Rivera

BIOL128: Histology (No Lab)

Professor: Dr. Maxwell

BIOL145: Microbiology (Lab)

Professors: Dr. Joan Lin-Cereghino, Dr. Risser

Special Note

Bachelor's Degree

It is possible to gain a degree while staying in the 2+3 program. Some of the courses in dental school can be transferred back to undergrad and are counted towards your graduation. For more details, talk to your advisor or a PDS officer.

Pre-Dental Requirements | pacificpds (3)

3+3 Program Requirements

General Requirements

GPA

3.15 Science & 3.15 Overall

BREADTH PROGRAM

All GE's, and one of the courses must also fulfill the Diversity requirement

PACIFIC SEMINARS

PACS I and II Required

AFTER INVITATION FOR INTERVIEW

No grades less than a 'B' allowed.

General Education (Breadth Program)

I. SOCIAL & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

IA. Individual & Interpersonal Behaviors
IB. U.S. Studies
IC. Global Studies

II. ARTS & HUMANITIES

IIA. Language & Literature
IIB. Worldviews & Ethics
IIC. Visual & Performing Arts

III. NATURAL SCIENCES & MATHEMATICS

IIIB. Mathematics & Formal Logic

IIIA and IIIC are covered by BIOL and CHEM

The Pacific Seminars

PACS001

Pacific Seminar I: What is a Good Society?

PACS002

Pacific Seminar II: Topical Seminar

PACS003 (If Getting Degree)

Pacific Seminar III: The Ethics of Family, Work, & Citizenship

Required Courses

BIOLOGY

BIOL51: Principles of Biology I
BIOL61: Principles of Biology II

CHEMISTRY

CHEM25: General Chemistry I
CHEM27: General Chemistry II
CHEM121: Organic Chemistry I*
CHEM123: Organic Chemistry II*

PHYSICS

PHYS23: General Physics I
PHYS 25: General Physics II

MATH*

One courseabove MATH33
AP credit may be accepted for MATH51 and MATH53, and therefore fulfill the MATH requirement for a Biology B.S. degree.

*These courses do not have to be taken at Pacific; they can be transferred from acceptable universities for credit.

Recommended Biology Electives

BIOL71: Human Anatomy (Lab)

Professors: Dr. Gridi-Papp

BIOL81: Human Physiology (Lab)

Professors:Dr. Thiemann

BIOL128: Histology (No Lab)

Professor: Dr. Maxwell

BIOL145: Microbiology (Lab)

Professors: Dr. Joan Lin-Cereghino, Dr. Risser

BIOL168: Elements of Biochemistry (No Lab)

Professor: Dr. Weiser

BIOL168: Elements of Biochemistry (No Lab)

Professor: Dr. Weiser

BIOL197: Research (Lab)

Not necessary, but it's a good way to get to know professors and improve your laboratory skills.

Special Note

Bachelor's Degree

Many 3+ 3 students choose to obtain a bachelor'sdegree. There are two ways this can be accomplished:

Finishing all courses required for a B.A/B.S degree within three years. These students must complete all 4+3 program requirements by graduation. See next column for more details.
Some of the courses (as well as units) in dental school can be transferred back to undergrad and are counted towards your graduation. For a BS you must take PACS3 and BIOL 101 and BIOL 175 before advancing, plus an additional 4 electives. For more details, talk to your advisor or a PDS officer.

Pre-Dental Requirements | pacificpds (4)

4+3 Program Requirements

General Requirements

GPA

3.05 Science & 3.05 Overall

BREADTH PROGRAM

One of the courses must also fulfill the Diversity requirement

OBTAIN BIOLOGY B.S. DEGREE

Complete all major requirements and at least 124 units. This includes four core biology courses (51, 61, 101 & 175) and sixbiology electives (2of which must have a lab component) and onesemesterof math.

AFTER INVITATION FOR INTERVIEW

No grades less than a 'B' allowed.

General Education (Breadth Program)

I. SOCIAL & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

IA. Individual & Interpersonal Behaviors
IB. U.S. Studies
IC. Global Studies

II. ARTS & HUMANITIES

IIA. Language & Literature
IIB. Worldviews & Ethics
IIC. Visual & Performing Arts

III. NATURAL SCIENCES & MATHEMATICS

IIIB. Mathematics & Formal Logic

IIIA and IIIC are covered by BIOL and CHEM

The Pacific Seminars

PACS001

Pacific Seminar I: What is a Good Society?

PACS002

Pacific Seminar II: Topical Seminar

PACS003

Pacific Seminar III: The Ethics of Family, Work, & Citizenship

Required Courses

BIOLOGY

BIOL51: Principles of Biology I
BIOL61: Principles of Biology II
BIOL101: Genetics
BIOL175/176: Ecology

CHEMISTRY

CHEM25: General Chemistry I
CHEM27: General Chemistry II
CHEM121: Organic Chemistry I*
CHEM123: Organic Chemistry II*

PHYSICS

PHYS23: General Physics I
PHYS 25: General Physics II

MATH*

One courseabove MATH33
AP credit may be accepted for MATH51 and MATH53, and therefore fulfill the MATH requirement for a Biology B.S. degree.

*These courses do not have to be taken at Pacific; they can be transferred from acceptable universities for credit.

Recommended Biology Electives

BIOL71: Human Anatomy (Lab)

Professors: Dr. Gridi-Papp

BIOL81: Human Physiology (Lab)

Professors: Dr. Thiemann

BIOL128: Histology (No Lab)

Professor: Dr. Maxwell

BIOL145: Microbiology (Lab)

Professors: Dr. Joan Lin-Cereghino, Dr. Risser

BIOL168: Elements of Biochemistry (No Lab)

Professor: Dr. Weiser

BIOL197: Research (Lab)

Not necessary, but it's a good way to get to know professors and improve your laboratory skills.

Pre-Dental Requirements | pacificpds (2024)

FAQs

What do most pre dental students major in? ›

Some top majors for dental school include biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and physics. These majors provide a strong foundation in the sciences, which are essential for understanding the complexities of the human body.

Keep Reading ›

What is a good GPA for pre dental? ›

What is a Competitive GPA for Dental School? According to data available on their websites, the average overall GPA of accepted students at different dental schools ranges from 3.25 to 3.85 and the average science GPA of accepted students ranges from 3.17 to 3.81.

What math do you need for dental school? ›

Calculus I and Calculus II are REQUIRED. Statistics/Biostatistics requirement may be fulfilled by two semesters of calculus or one semester of statistics (preferably biostatistics). Anatomy requirement must be fulfilled by completing a Human Anatomy course.

Keep Reading ›

What is premed before dentist? ›

Antibiotic prophylaxis (or premedication) is simply the taking of antibiotics before some dental procedures such as teeth cleaning, tooth extractions, root canals, and deep cleaning between the tooth root and gums to prevent infection.

Find Out More ›

What do most dentists major in? ›

The majority of dental students, however, still majored in biology and chemistry. Dental schools look for students who demonstrate a strong ability to handle a rigorous course load, which will hopefully translate to their success with the academic curriculum of dental school.

Discover More ›

What is the best pre-dental major? ›

Biology is the most popular major for potential dentists.

This is because it is a broad topic that is offered at most all undergraduate colleges and universities, making it a versatile choice for pre-dental students. Majors in this field gain a depth of knowledge helpful for the DAT exam.

Explore More ›

Which degree is best for a dentist? ›

Appropriate undergraduate degrees to become a dentist are biology, chemistry, human anatomy, physics, or physiology. Because dentists work with people and frequently start their own practices, business classes, psychology classes, and child development classes are also an appropriate addition to one's education.

Learn More ›

What is the most common major for dentists? ›

Explore More ›

Which degree is awarded by most dental schools? ›

Most dental schools award the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.). Dental school usually lasts 4 academic years. It is important to keep in mind that, unlike medical school, an applicant does not have to have a bachelor's degree for entry to dental school.

What type of biology is best for dentistry? ›

The BA Biology: Biomedical major was designed to keep pre-dental students on track to meet the most common requirements for medical programs and the topics for the DAT exam. With most pre-dental courses counting toward your UNI degree, this is an efficient pathway to prepare for dental school.

What is the highest degree needed to be a dentist? ›

Dentists must earn their doctor of dental surgery (DDS) or doctor of dental medicine (DMD) degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Specialists usually complete a two- to four-year residency program as the final step in their dentistry training.

Keep Reading ›