Pre-Dentistry (minor)
College of Humanities and Sciences
The pre-dentistry minor provides foundational courses for students that are preparing to be competitive applicants for Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) programs after completing their bachelor’s degree at VCU. The pre-dentistry minor can be completed as a part of any undergraduate degree. Completing this minor does not guarantee admission into any dentistry program. This minor is structured to academically prepare students to apply for dentistry school broadly. Clinical and non-clinical experiences are a requirement of application to most dental schools. In addition to this minor, students should participate in clinical and non-clinical experiences to develop a competitive application for dental school. Visit the VCU Career Services - Pre-Professional Health Career Advising website for more information and to schedule an appointment with a pre-professional health and STEM career counselor.
Dental schools across the U.S. have different prerequisites for admission. The list below shows courses that may be required by various schools including the VCU School of Dentistry. It is always recommended that a student visit each program’s webpages and/or attend an information session to obtain requirements for specific programs. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic adviser to integrate these courses into their academic plan. In addition, students are encouraged to discuss career plans with their pre-dentistry minor adviser and VCU career counselor for additional guidance.
To declare the minor:
- Students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours to be eligible to declare the minor
- Students must obtain a minimum cumulative VCU GPA of 3.0+
- Students must complete BIOL 151 and BIOZ 151 with minimum grades of C
- Dentist
- Endodonist
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
- Orthodontist
n/a
- MATH 200
- 5+ additional science courses
- No
- No
- 3.0+
Contact information
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
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- Required for pre-dentistry: complete the Pre-Dental Track Declaration Module on the Canvas PPH Hub.
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Explore innovation and business/non-profit creation classes with the da Vinci Center.
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- Schedule an appointment with your advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
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GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
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- Learn about the Sophomore Year Experience in Cary & Belvedere.
- 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.
- Discuss potential service opportunities with PPH & STEM Career Advisor to ensure appropriateness for dental school requirements.
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- Apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
- Explore social issues, develop cultural competency skills, and engage with faculty through iExcel pop-up courses.
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- Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
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- Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
- 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.
- Meet with a coach in the Financial Success Center 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.
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.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
- Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood association, city council, or state legislative sessions.
- Design a community-engaged research project.
- Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities, such as the Fulbright Student Scholarship.
- Motivate your peers by presenting at Leaders Unleashed: Student Leadership Conference or at TEDxVCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning.
- Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
- Get required REAL experience and effect community change by using iExcel’s Active Citizen’s Toolkit to vote and volunteer.
- Prepare for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams by showcasing your interpersonal skills on your resume.
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- Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
- Get expert advice from VCU Alumni ranging from graduate school to your career simply by asking a question through Ask A Ram.
- Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor.
- Collect and reflect on your experiences using the Pre-Professional Health Journal on the Canvas PPH Hub every semester.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
- Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services.
- Make a plan with your 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.
- Discuss your timeline to apply to programs with a Pre-Professional Health Career Advisor or your Academic Advisor.
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
- Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
- 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.
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- Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, Richmond Teacher Residency, or AmeriCorps.
- Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships.
- Serve in a leadership role on campus in a local community organization.
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- Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
- Master your answers to interview questions about your experience working with diverse populations.
- Plan for how you will grow your cultural agility after graduation.
- Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
- 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
- Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
- 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.
- Discuss your timeline to apply to programs of interest or consider navigating a gap year with a Pre-Professional Health Career Advisor or your Academic Advisor.
Pre-Dentistry (minor)
College of Humanities and Sciences
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