Southwest Baptist University

Pre-Dental Program

The College of Science and Mathematics


This page contains statistical information and other data provided by schools of dentistry and a variety of other sources to be used in advising pre-dental students. Although every attempt has been made to be factual, the accuracy of all data contained on this page cannot be guaranteed. It is provided here for students to consider as they plan their pre-dental studies at Southwest Baptist University. Also, toward the end of the page is an exhaustive list of Internet Resources for Pre-Dental Students.

PRE-DENTAL TOPICS DISCUSSED ON THIS PAGE INCLUDE:


DENTISTRY

Doctors of dental surgery (D.D.S. or D.M.D.) diagnose and treat problems affecting the teeth, gingival tissue, tongue, lips, and jaws. They can improve a patient's appearance by using a wide variety of cosmetic dental procedures, and educate the general public on oral health and disease prevention. There are 54 dental schools in the U.S. and 10 in Canada. Prerequisites for admission to these schools are usually the same as for medical schools. The following information is pertinent to students wishing to pursue dentistry as a career.

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES USUALLY REQUIRED FOR ADMISSION:

COURSE CREDITS
English (ENG 1113, 2213) 6 hrs.
Biology (BIO 1004, 2134, 2234) 8 hrs.
General Chemistry (CHE 1115, 1125) 10 hrs.
Organic Chemistry (CHE 3304, 3314) 8 hrs.
Physics (PHY 1114, 1124) 8 hrs.

ADDITIONAL UNDERGRADUATE COURSES USUALLY RECOMMENDED:

COURSE CREDITS
Human Anatomy and Physiology (BIO 2204, 3304) or Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (BIO 3335) 5-8 hrs.
Microbiology (BIO 3314) 4 hrs.
Introduction to Immunology (BIO 3322) 2 hrs.
Vertebrate Physiology (BIO 3344) 4 hrs.
Histology (BIO 3384) 4 hrs.
Vertebrate Embryology (BIO 4444) 4 hrs.
Analytical Chemistry (CHE 3345) 4 hrs.
Biochemistry (BIO 3364/CHE 3364) 4 hrs.
Cell and Molecular Biology (BIO 4224) 4 hrs.
Mathematics [through Calculus or Statistics] 9-13 hrs.

MEAN OVERALL UNDERGRADUATE GPA OF SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS:

2.94-3.64 for different schools for the 2000 entering class.  For the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, the 2001 entering class had an average overall GPA of 3.43.  For the 2001 class, the average science GPA was 3.31.  Currently, the University of Missouri-Kansas City requires a 3.60 or higher GPA for students with 30-59 hrs. of completed undergraduate coursework at the time of application. A 3.20 GPA or higher is required of those with 60-89 hrs., and 2.80 GPA or higher (and a 3.26 average science GPA) is required of those with 90-120 hrs.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE:

For UMKC and the majority (approximately 66%) of entering students in the 2000 class have completed 4 years of college work. Approximately 72% have completed a bachelor's degree. For the 86 students in the 2001 entering class of the School of Dentistry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City: 58 had bachelor's degrees with the remaining students having completed 3 or more years of college with no degree.

UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR:

Dental schools generally do not care about the undergraduate major of a given student. The critical factors are DAT score, GPA and letter of recommendation. If a student scores well on the DAT and has a solid background in the sciences, the major choice is irrelevant.  For the class of 2000, 53.7% of applicants enrolled had an undergraduate major in the biological sciences and 55.2% had chemistry/physical science majors.  Pre-dentistry or other health-related majors were indicated by 49.3% of applicants enrolled.

ADMISSIONS TEST REQUIRED:

All U.S. schools use the DAT (Dental Admission Test). Canadian schools use the Canadian DAT. The DAT is a standardized, multiple choice exam designed to measure general scientific ability and comprehension of scientific information. The exam is sponsored by the American Dental Association and is taken in computerized form. The computerized exam can be taken throughout the year. The test assumes no courses in physics or upper division biology. The cost of the exam is $160.00, which covers the exam and sending test scores to 5 dental schools.  To take the computerized exam, the application and test fee is sent to the Dental Admission Testing Program. The applicant receives an 800 number to call a regional Sylvan Testing Center to schedule the exam. Scores from computerized exams are available immediately.

The DAT includes sections covering the following subject material:  

SUBJECT NUMBER OF QUESTIONS TIME IN MINUTES
Survey of Natural Sciences 100 90
Perceptual Ability Test 90 60
Reading Comprehension Test 50 60
Quantitative Reasoning Test 40 45

The Survey of Natural Sciences includes subsections of biology (40 questions), general chemistry (30 questions) and organic chemistry (30 questions). The Perceptual Ability Test includes "angle discrimination, form development, cubes, orthographic projections, apertures, and paper folding." Each section or subsection of the DAT is scored on a 1-30 scale, with 15 signifying an "average" score. Scores from the biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry sections are combined for a Total Science Score. All section/subsection scores are averaged to get an Academic Average. For more information on the DAT contact The Department of Testing Services, American Dental Association, 211 E. Chicago Ave., Ste. 1846, Chicago, IL, 60611-2678, 1-312-440-2689.

DAT SCORES REQUIRED FOR ADMISSION:

Academic Average DAT scores of 17 or better are typical of successful applicants. Nationally, for the 1992 entering class, the mean Academic Average score on the DAT was 16.66. For the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the entering 2001 class had a DAT Academic Average of 18.6.  The DAT score needed to gain admission is a minimum score at or above the national average.

APPLICATION SERVICE USED:

Most U.S. dental schools use the AADSAS (American Association of Dental Schools Application Service). The fee for this service will be $195 for the 2003 class.  This is for the first school and $60.00 for each additional school applied to up to 10.

TYPICAL DENTAL SCHOOL ADMISSION FEES:

$50-$1,000. For example, for the 2001 entering class, the University of Missouri-Kansas City charged a $200 fee to hold a student's seat upon admission.  

APPROXIMATE TUITION COSTS PER YEAR:

Tuition and fees vary dramatically among dental schools. It is always best to contact the financial aid officers at specific schools for information about costs. For the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the 2001-2002 estimated tuition and fee costs were as follows:

YEAR IN DENTAL SCHOOL RESIDENT NONRESIDENT
First $21,752 $36,136
Second $22,662 $37,046
Third $21,189 $39,169
Fourth $19,939 $37,919
TOTAL $85,542 $150,270

LENGTH OF TIME TO OBTAIN DEGREE:

Four  years for D.D.S. plus 12-24 months more for any of the nine specialties and general dentistry: endodontists (diagnose and treat diseases and injuries of the dental pulp and other dental tissues), oral and maxillofacial surgeons (treat diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws, and associated structures), oral pathologists (study causes, processes, and effects of diseases of the mouth), orthodontists (treat problems of crooked teeth, missing teeth, and other abnormalities), pediatric dentists (specialists in treating children from birth to adolescence), periodontists (treat diseases of the gums and bone supporting teeth), prosthodontists (replace missing teeth with dentures, bridges, implants, etc.), and public health dentists (prevent and control dental disease through organized community efforts).

AVERAGE INDEBTEDNESS UPON GRADUATION:

According to the Survey of Dental Seniors, 2000 Graduating Class, by the American Association of Dental Schools, the average indebtedness was $62,776 (public schools: $49,220; private schools: $89,245). Almost 83% of the graduating dental students had debts in excess of $106,000, and most of the debt was in the form of student loans. Estimated total cost (excluding living expenses and fees) to attend just the fourth year D.D.S. curriculum at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry is $130,680 for residents.

A TYPICAL TIMETABLE FOR PRE-DENTAL ADMISSIONS APPLICATIONS:

For students wishing to complete their bachelor's degree at SBU, application is normally begun in the fall of the junior year. If early admission is desired before completion of the bachelor's degree, application is begun in the fall of the sophomore year.
Beginning in SEPTEMBER of the SOPHOMORE/JUNIOR YEAR:

  1. SEPTEMBER--Begin a systematic preparation for the DAT. Obtain study materials and commit a minimum of 2-4 hours per week in study and preparation. Periodically reviewing old exams from completed science courses is also a very useful supplement to this preparation.
  2. FEBRUARY--Start a file with the SBU Pre-Health Committee by completing the Pre-Health Committee forms. When your file is established with the Pre-Health Committee, evaluation forms will be sent to all science faculty and any non-science faculty selected by the student.
  3. MARCH-APRIL--Schedule and complete an interview with the SBU Pre-Health Committee. It takes the Pre-Health Committee approximately 4-6 weeks to circulate evaluation forms, interview the student, and prepare a letter of recommendation. DO NOT wait until September to obtain a letter of recommendation or you may be unable to meet deadlines set by the dental schools.
  4. MARCH--Register to take the DAT.
  5. APRIL--Take the DAT.
  6. MAY--Apply to AADSAS for application forms (includes study guide). Request cards are available from the Pre-Health Committee or AADSAS. Application materials will be mailed to you after June 1.
  7. JUNE--Begin completing application forms for AADSAS. Check the information contained in the AADSAS application forms for what additional information is required by the dental school(s) that must be submitted with the AADSAS forms. Each school has different supplemental forms (and fees) which are submitted with the AADSAS forms or at the request of the school. Completion of the AADSAS application forms and the supplemental dental school forms will require obtaining transcripts from all schools attended and letters of recommendation. Deadlines for the submission of all application materials differ for each school. October is the earliest deadline. April is the latest deadline.
  8. AUGUST--Register to repeat the DAT if necessary.
  9. OCTOBER--Take the repeat DAT if necessary.
  10. OCTOBER-APRIL--Interviews at the dental schools.
  11. DECEMBER-MAY--Notification of acceptance/rejection.

SBU ACCEPTANCE RATES:

Based on information available to the chairman of the S.B.U. Pre-Health Committee, from 1983 to 2001, no SBU student who applied to a dental school was denied admission.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS OF INTEREST:

Involve yourself in activities which will improve your nonacademic credentials:

  1. Do volunteer and/or paid work at a health facility.
  2. Participate in an externship program.
  3. Participate in campus activities (e.g., Student Government Association, sports, clubs, etc.).
  4. Participate in community activities (e.g., volunteer work).
  5. Participate in church activities

Involve yourself in activities which will improve your academic credentials:

  1. Participate in undergraduate research and/or independent studies, especially those leading to a scholarly publication.
  2. Participate in the honors program.
  3. Enroll in writing-intensive courses to improve your communication skills.

Don't give up too easily if you are not admitted the first time you apply to dental school. Recognize any academic or nonacademic deficiencies brought to light by your application and take steps to correct them. Make realistic contingency plans. Keep the doors open to do any additional graduate or undergraduate work needed to improved your qualifications for admission.


WHY SBU?

As a student selects a school for his undergraduate education, a basic question to be answered is "Why go to SBU and not someplace else?" There are a number of factors about SBU that should be considered in answering this question:

  1. SBU is committed to Christian, higher education. The primary purpose of the SBU faculty is academic excellence, with Christ as the focal point of all activities, both in and out of the classroom.
  2. SBU has a history of success. SBU graduates applying to dental schools are accepted at a very high rate - essentially 100% over the last decade. Once in dental school, the performance of SBU's graduates has been outstanding.
  3. Most upper-level classes at SBU are small (usually less than 20-25 students). This has a number of important results. Closer interactions between faculty and students will occur at SBU than at most other institutions. You will get to known everyone "up close and personal." Life-long friendships will be established with both the faculty and other students because you will have many of the same classes. Individualized, one-on-one attention, assistance, instruction and counseling are available from the SBU faculty. Students do not have to push through a maze of graduate students, teaching assistants and secretaries to meet with their professors.
  4. SBU has a Pre-Health Committee, consisting of faculty from the departments of biology and chemistry. This committee is dedicated to preparing and sending out those SBU students who wish to become dentists. The SBU Pre-Health Committee provides a number of services to the pre-dental students. Some of these services are include Information and assistance about dental schools, dental school catalogs, admissions policies, grade requirements, application procedures, DAT, preparing letters of recommendation, etc.

INTERNET RESOURCES FOR PRE-DENTAL STUDENTS

SELECTED DENTAL SCHOOL HOME PAGES:

UMKC School of Dentistry

DENTAL ASSOCIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS:

American Dental Education Association
American Association of Dental School Application Service
American Dental Association
International and American Association for Dental Research

OTHER INTERNET RESOURCES

ADEA List of U.S. and Canadian Medical Schools
Dental Admission Testing Program - information from the ADA
Dental Related Internet Resources - includes dental school admissions, dental hygiene, dental assistant programs, dental associations, FTP sites, etc.
DentalStudents
Dentistry INDEX - alphbetical listing of everything from Ability, an organization in the U.K.
fastWEB - financial aid search through the web
Financial Aid Information Page - contains links to other sites
HSLS Dentistry Internet Resources - links to a variety of organizations in U.S.A. and abroad
KAPLAN - information on the DAT and Dental School
List of Dental Schools and Organizations - at Dalhousie University
Occupational Outlook Handbook - data for dentists
Penn State Pre-Dental Society - links to dental schools and organizations
PreDental.com
Sallie Mae - financial aid information
University of Michigan Dentistry Library