Preparing for Dental School

Plan Your Academic Path

Consult our list of CORE Course Requirements for Dental School.

Many dental schools require a selection of core pre-requiste courses to prepare you for dental school.  Requirements and policies differ from school to school. Review individual schools’ requirements in the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Official Guide to Dental School and on each schools’ admissions web sites. However, for planning your coursework, we strongly recommend that you consult with your academic advisor and pre-health advisor as everyone’s path to dental school will be different.

Gain Clinical Experiences

Consult our list of Clinical Volunteering Resources.

Dentists are dedicated to the highest standards of oral health through prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of oral health diseases and conditions.  The American Dental Education Association offers excellent resources to explore a career in dentistry.  Students are encouraged to explore shadowing opportunities to discover the dental field.

Serve the Community

Consult our list of Research and Extracurricular Activities Resources.

Given its urban location, Penn offers innumerable opportunities to get involved in community service projects. As a dentist, you will aim to make a positive mark on the world around you. As an undergraduate, contributing to the betterment of the urban neighborhoods around this university is a wonderful way to begin outfitting yourself for this role.