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2022-2023

Pre-Dentistry (Advising Track)

VCU

Community college:
A.A.&.S. or A.S. in Science (Virginia Community College System)
Virginia Community College System
Associate degree

A.A.&.S. or A.S. in Science

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

Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

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.
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Pre-Dentistry (advising track)

Transfer major map
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)

Virginia Community College System (A.A.&.S. or A.S. in Science)

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
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills such as money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.
Experience Year 2
  • Meet with your community college advisor to finalize plans to complete your associate degree.
  • Maintain a high GPA. Use tutoring to get ahead. Be prepared to earn good grades at VCU.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Practice using flashcards and continuously assessing your knowledge of subjects that will be tested on the Dental Admission Test (DAT).
  • Apply to VCU.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Select a VCU major.
  • Review the resources on the VCU Healthcare Pathways website.
  • Participate in the VCU STEM Transitions: Transfer Success Program after you’re admitted to VCU.
  • Consider applying to the Summer Academic Enrichment Program (SAEP).
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Review resources of the American Dental Association and begin to develop your own plan for applying and taking the Dental Admission Test (DAT).

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills such as money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your community college advisor to finalize plans to complete your associate degree.
  • Maintain a high GPA. Use tutoring to get ahead. Be prepared to earn good grades at VCU.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Practice using flashcards and continuously assessing your knowledge of subjects that will be tested on the Dental Admission Test (DAT).
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Apply to VCU.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Select a VCU major.
  • Review the resources on the VCU Healthcare Pathways website.
  • Participate in the VCU STEM Transitions: Transfer Success Program after you’re admitted to VCU.
  • Consider applying to the Summer Academic Enrichment Program (SAEP).
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Review resources of the American Dental Association and begin to develop your own plan for applying and taking the Dental Admission Test (DAT).
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Pre-Dentistry (Advising Track)

Virginia Community College System (A.A.&.S. or A.S. in Science)

Virginia Community College System courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
Students who earn this associate degree before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements.
SDV 100 or 101 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education (Pre-Dentistry requirement)
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education (Pre-Dentistry requirement)
MTH 167 or MTH 245 Precalculus with Trigonometry (or MTH 161-162) Or Statistics I MATH 151 or STAT 210 5 General education (Pre-Dentistry requirement)
BIO 101 General Biology I BIOL/Z 151 4 General education (Pre-Dentistry requirement)
BIO 102 General Biology II BIOL/Z 152 4 Elective (Pre-Dentistry requirement)
CHM 111 General Chemistry I CHEM/Z 101 4 General education (Pre-Dentistry requirement)
CHM 112 General Chemistry II CHEM/Z 102 4 Elective (Pre-Dentistry requirement)
PHY 201 or PHY 241 General College Physics I or University Physics I PHYS 201 or PHYS 207 4 Elective (Pre-Dentistry requirement)
PHY 202 or PHY 242 General College Physics II or University Physics II PHYS 202 or PHYS 208 4 Elective (Pre-Dentistry requirement)
Complete general education and elective requirements for associate degree VCU equivalents 24 Elective
Community college credits transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU.
The courses listed below are required or recommended for Pre-Dentistry students. Students must also select a VCU major and complete the major requirements. The minimum number of credits required for a bachelor's degree at VCU is 120 credits.
CHEM/Z 301 Organic Chemistry I and Laboratory 5 Elective (Pre-Dentistry requirement)
CHEM/Z 302 Organic Chemistry II and Laboratory 5 Elective (Pre-Dentistry requirement)
CHEM 403 Biochemistry I 3 Elective (Pre-Dentistry requirement)
Dental schools across the U.S. have different prerequisites for admission into their program. The list below shows courses required by various schools beyond the courses listed above for the VCU School of Dentistry. Students should discuss career plans with their pre-professional health career adviser for additional guidance.
BIOL 205 or BIOL 402 Basic Human Anatomy or Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 4 Elective (Pre-Dentistry recommendation)
BIOL 303 Microbiology 3 Elective (Pre-Dentistry recommendation)
DENS 101 Introduction to Dentistry 1 Elective (Pre-Dentistry recommendation)
PHIS 206 or BIOL 411 Human Physiology or Physiology 3 Elective (Pre-Dentistry recommendation)
Courses required for VCU major and electives Other upper-level science courses in general microbiology, bacteriology, animal or vertebrate physiology, anatomy, genetics and cell biology are strongly recommended. If time permits and the courses are available, courses in immunology, embryology, or developmental biology and histology are highly recommended. Additionally, non-science courses in the behavioral sciences and those involving psychomotor skills are recommended. 36 Major
Minimum number of credits completed at VCU 60
Minimum number of credits required for a bachelor's degree 120