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Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
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2022-2023

Pre-Dentistry (advising track)

VCU Student Success

 
Program description

Students interested in the pre-dental advising track must complete a minimum of 90 credit hours including the listed prerequisite courses and be on track to receive a baccalaureate degree to be considered for admission to dental school. Students interested in dental school should consult with a pre-professional health adviser to learn about requirements that are specific to the schools of dentistry to which they hope to apply.


Declaration of the pre-dental advising track through the Office of Pre-Professional Health Advising does not constitute admission to the VCU School of Dentistry. Students must apply separately to the dental school of their choice at the appropriate time.


Students with an interest in preparing for dental school must declare an academic major and should declare and maintain their pre-dental advising track. Students do not earn a pre-dental degree. Students unsure of their academic majors initially should clarify their academic interests through regular conversations with their advisers. Pre-dental students are encouraged to major in fields of greatest interest to them. To declare a pre-dentistry advising track, please see the pre-professional health advising blog.


Dental schools across the U.S. have different prerequisites for admission into their program. Students should discuss career plans with their pre-professional health adviser for additional guidance.

Career opportunities

Endodontist, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Orthodontist, Pediatric Dentist, Periodontist, Prosthodontist

Change of major requirements

To declare a Pre-Professional Health (PPH) track, students must complete the PPH module on the Canvas PPH Hub that corresponds to the new track in which they are interested.

Professional associations and resources
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin

    n/a

Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 200
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • A minimum GPA of 2.7 is required to apply to become a pre-professional health student and to stay on the pre-professional health advising track.
Transfer Maps

Contact information

Department name:
Pre-Professional Health Advising
Building/room location:
Hibbs Hall, First Floor
Phone:
804-827-8648
Email:
preprofadv@vcu.edu
https://rampages.us/preprofadv/
Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):
Monroe Park
Major map compass icon
Major map

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to review your CSI self-report, start goal planning, and choose electives.
  • Sharpen your study skills in supplemental instruction sessions at the Campus Learning Center.
  • Meet with a writing consultant to hone your writing skills.
  • Enroll in a student success course to connect with campus advisors and build community around your interests and goals.
  • Map out a 4-year course plan in DegreeWorks' Student Educational Planner.
  • Required for pre-dentistry: begin completing and excelling in BIOL 151 with its lab BIOZ 151, CHEM 101 with its lab CHEZ 101, CHEM 102 with its lab CHEZ 102, and MATH 200.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
  • Schedule an appointment with your advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
  • Talk to professors about your research interests, electives, and strategies for success in your classes.
  • Explore innovation and business/non-profit creation classes with the da Vinci Center.
  • Required for pre-dentistry: continue completing and excelling in BIOL 151 with its lab BIOZ 151, CHEM 101 with its lab CHEZ 101, CHEM 102 with its lab CHEZ 102, and MATH 200.
  • Schedule an appointment with your PPH & STEM Career Advisor on Handshake.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
  • Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit.
  • Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities.
  • Learn about the Sophomore Year Experience in Cary & Belvedere.
  • If living on campus, join the Residence Hall Association.
  • Discuss potential service opportunities with PPH & STEM Career Advisor to ensure appropriateness for dental school requirements.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Make friends with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Explore social issues, develop cultural competency skills, and engage with faculty through iExcel pop-up courses.
  • Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty.
  • Apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
  • Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
  • Explore global career options with a career advisor to set goals for getting your dream job.
  • Organize examples of your academic and professional experiences, accomplishments, and reflections in an ePortfolio.
  • Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
  • Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
  • Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
  • Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
  • Meet with a coach at The Money Spot to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Review resources at the American Dental Association (ADA) and begin to develop your own plan for applying and taking the DAT.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • See your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
  • Take a virtual library tour to learn about library spaces, services, and research help.
  • Discuss with your PPH & STEM Career Advisor whether you should apply this year or apply next year; if you take a gap year, complete year 4 of the major map prior to your dental school applications.
  • Participate in the Pre-Health Advisory Committee (PHAC) in the spring.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning.
  • Get required REAL experience and effect community change by using iExcel’s Active Citizen’s Toolkit to vote and volunteer.
  • Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
  • Prepare for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams by showcasing your interpersonal skills on your resume.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through InterviewPrep or meeting with a career advisor.
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Collect and reflect on your experiences using the Pre-Professional Health Journal on the Canvas PPH Hub every semester.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year. 

Excel
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
  • Review your true cumulative GPA, science GPA, non-science GPA, grade trend and semester course difficulty to see a full picture of your academic profile.
  • Schedule an appointment with a PPH & STEM Career Advisor to assess your progress through the application process and discuss gap year options.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
  • Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
  • Master your answers to interview questions about your experience working with diverse populations.
  • Plan for how you will grow your cultural agility after graduation.
  • Reflect on your own cultural competency, and be prepared to answer interview questions that outline how you have worked with diverse populations based on the Community Connection Competencies in the Pre-Professional Health Journal in the Canvas PPH Hub.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Consider becoming an educator through programs like RTR, which prepare graduates from a variety of majors to become teachers in high-need schools.
  • Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
  • Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
  • Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services. 
  • Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
  • Review test day information, sign up for and take the DAT. Meet with your PPH & STEM Career Advisor to review your DAT score and how it impacts your application competitiveness.
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Pre-Dentistry (advising track)

VCU Student Success

Concentration(s):
No concentration
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to review your CSI self-report, start goal planning, and choose electives.
  • Sharpen your study skills in supplemental instruction sessions at the Campus Learning Center.
  • Meet with a writing consultant to hone your writing skills.
  • Enroll in a student success course to connect with campus advisors and build community around your interests and goals.
  • Map out a 4-year course plan in DegreeWorks' Student Educational Planner.
  • Required for pre-dentistry: begin completing and excelling in BIOL 151 with its lab BIOZ 151, CHEM 101 with its lab CHEZ 101, CHEM 102 with its lab CHEZ 102, and MATH 200.
Experience Year 2
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
  • Schedule an appointment with your advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
  • Talk to professors about your research interests, electives, and strategies for success in your classes.
  • Explore innovation and business/non-profit creation classes with the da Vinci Center.
  • Required for pre-dentistry: continue completing and excelling in BIOL 151 with its lab BIOZ 151, CHEM 101 with its lab CHEZ 101, CHEM 102 with its lab CHEZ 102, and MATH 200.
  • Schedule an appointment with your PPH & STEM Career Advisor on Handshake.
  • Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
  • Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit.
  • Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities.
  • Learn about the Sophomore Year Experience in Cary & Belvedere.
  • If living on campus, join the Residence Hall Association.
  • Discuss potential service opportunities with PPH & STEM Career Advisor to ensure appropriateness for dental school requirements.
  • Make friends with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Explore social issues, develop cultural competency skills, and engage with faculty through iExcel pop-up courses.
  • Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty.
  • Apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
  • Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
  • Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
  • Explore global career options with a career advisor to set goals for getting your dream job.
  • Organize examples of your academic and professional experiences, accomplishments, and reflections in an ePortfolio.
  • Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
  • Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
  • Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
  • Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
  • Meet with a coach at The Money Spot to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Review resources at the American Dental Association (ADA) and begin to develop your own plan for applying and taking the DAT.
Year 3
  • Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • See your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
  • Take a virtual library tour to learn about library spaces, services, and research help.
  • Discuss with your PPH & STEM Career Advisor whether you should apply this year or apply next year; if you take a gap year, complete year 4 of the major map prior to your dental school applications.
  • Participate in the Pre-Health Advisory Committee (PHAC) in the spring.
  • Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning.
  • Get required REAL experience and effect community change by using iExcel’s Active Citizen’s Toolkit to vote and volunteer.
  • Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
  • Prepare for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams by showcasing your interpersonal skills on your resume.
  • Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through InterviewPrep or meeting with a career advisor.
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Collect and reflect on your experiences using the Pre-Professional Health Journal on the Canvas PPH Hub every semester.
  • Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year. 
Excel Year 4
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
  • Review your true cumulative GPA, science GPA, non-science GPA, grade trend and semester course difficulty to see a full picture of your academic profile.
  • Schedule an appointment with a PPH & STEM Career Advisor to assess your progress through the application process and discuss gap year options.
  • Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
  • Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
  • Master your answers to interview questions about your experience working with diverse populations.
  • Plan for how you will grow your cultural agility after graduation.
  • Reflect on your own cultural competency, and be prepared to answer interview questions that outline how you have worked with diverse populations based on the Community Connection Competencies in the Pre-Professional Health Journal in the Canvas PPH Hub.
  • Consider becoming an educator through programs like RTR, which prepare graduates from a variety of majors to become teachers in high-need schools.
  • Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
  • Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
  • Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
  • Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services. 
  • Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
  • Review test day information, sign up for and take the DAT. Meet with your PPH & STEM Career Advisor to review your DAT score and how it impacts your application competitiveness.