Pre-Dentistry
Pre-dentistry students may choose any major, but should work with a Pre-Health Advisor to plan a course of study that fulfills the prerequisite requirements as well as the requirements for the major and college. The UIC College of Dentistry notes that it is very important for applicants to demonstrate a strong science foundation regardless of the major chosen.
The table below lists the minimum course work required to apply for admission to the College of Dentistry at the University of Illinois Chicago. DMD applicants must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree conferred no later than June of the matriculation year from a United States institution. A baccalaureate degree is required to matriculate into the DMD program at the UIC College of Dentistry.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses a | ||
| ENGL 160 | Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts | 3 |
| ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| BIOS 110 | Biology of Cells and Organisms b | 4 |
| BIOS 120 | Biology of Populations and Communities b | 4 |
| Select one of the following sequences in general chemistry: | 10 | |
| Matter and Energy | ||
| Foundations of Chemical Inquiry I b,c | ||
| Chemical Dynamics | ||
| Foundations of Chemical Inquiry II b,c | ||
OR | ||
| Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry I b | ||
| Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry II b | ||
| CHEM 232 | Structure and Function | 3 |
| CHEM 233 | Synthesis Techniques Laboratory | 2 |
| Select one of the following biochemistry courses: | 3-4 | |
| Introductory Biochemistry | ||
OR | ||
| Biochemistry I (prerequisite of CHEM 234 - Organic Chemistry II) | ||
| Select one of the following sequences in physics: | 8 | |
| Introductory Physics for Life Sciences I b | ||
| Introductory Physics for Life Sciences II b | ||
OR | ||
| General Physics I (Mechanics) b | ||
| General Physics II (Electricity and Magnetism) b | ||
| Total Hours | 40-41 | |
- a
The UIC College of Dentistry does not accept Advanced Placement (AP) courses as meeting course requirements. If basic-level biological sciences, chemistry, and physics course requirements are satisfied with AP credit, students must then take the specified number of credit hours in each area from upper-level science courses. Students are advised to take an additional English course if their ACT score allows exemption from the first English composition requirement.
- b
This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category.
- c
Each of the following pairs of courses will be considered one course in meeting the LAS General Education requirements: CHEM 122/CHEM 123; CHEM 124/CHEM 125.
The College of Dentistry requires that all prerequisite science courses (except biochemistry) include labs. Additionally, all required prerequisite courses taken must be completed with a grade of C or better. Please note that a baccalaureate degree is required to matriculate into the DMD program at the College of Dentistry. Furthermore, the College of Dentistry gives strong preference to applicants who have taken three to four of the following science courses beyond the above minimum: human anatomy, physiology, microbiology, cell biology, histology, immunology, and genetics.
In addition to the course work listed above, applicants to the College of Dentistry must also take the Dental Admission Test (DAT). The DAT is offered through the American Dental Association (ADA). For more information on the DAT, please see the ADA website. Applicants to the College of Dentistry must apply through a centralized application service sponsored by the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). More information on the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) is available online.
Students may obtain information regarding the DAT and AADSAS by attending workshops sponsored by Pre-Health Advising in LAS. Students are advised to declare a pre-health educational goal upon entering UIC which will alert them to specific workshops and as well as add them to a Pre-Health Advising BlackBoard page where they will receive other pertinent information.
Students are strongly encouraged to select an undergraduate major and begin fulfilling their degree requirements as they complete their pre-dentistry prerequisites. No specific major is required. To obtain a degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, pre-dentistry students must satisfy all degree requirements of the college, including a major program.
In addition to the academic requirements, pre-dental students at UIC are strongly encouraged to become active members of the UIC Pre-Dental Club, obtain research experience, and preprofessional experiences in dental practices which may include but are not limited to shadowing a private practitioner, working as a dental assistant, working as a dental lab technician, observing in a public health dental clinic, etc. The UIC College of Dentistry recommends at least 100 hours of shadowing experience by the time of application.
The pre-dentistry information described above includes the minimum courses for application to the UIC College of Dentistry. Specific admission requirements of other dental schools are listed in The Official Guide to Dental Schools, which is published by the American Dental Education Association, 655 K. Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20001. Information on dental schools is also available online.
Students admitted to a U.S. accredited college of dentistry before earning a bachelor’s degree may be eligible to complete the baccalaureate by transferring credit from the first year of study in dental school. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences accepts a total of 32 semester hours of credit from an accredited college of dentistry to enable a student to complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree, provided that the following conditions are met:
- The student is in good standing in the college of dentistry;
- The course work taken in the college of dentistry does not duplicate previous course work;
- The courses are in fields such as biochemistry, physiology, histology, or anatomy as approved by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;
- The student satisfies the enrollment residence requirement by completing at UIC at least the last 60 semester hours prior to entry into a college of dentistry;
- The student meets all other requirements for graduation from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, including a major field and a 2.00/4.00 GPA in all course work taken at UIC and other institutions.