A. Prerequisites

The minimum requirement for admission to the study of dentistry is two years (60 semester hours) of academic work, pursued in an approved college or university after graduation from an accredited high school. This academic preparation must include certain science and English requirements as listed on the next page. (Four quarter hours equal two and two-thirds semester hours.)

It is strongly recommended preprofessional training be as broadly cultural as possible and not be confined to the physical and natural sciences. The student should allow individual interest to dictate the area of academic concentration. For those who will have only 60 hours of preparation, science courses should be limited to those in the required list, with the remainder of the hours devoted to more diversified subjects. To obtain a well-balanced educational program, it is desirable that three or four years be devoted to the preprofessional training.

The predental education must include the following specific prerequisites, both in time and in subject credit and cannot be taken on a pass/fail basis. These requirements also apply to applicants holding academic and professional degrees.

1. English Composition. One full year covering at least six semester hours (9 quarter hours). Three semester hours of credit in literature may be used to satisfy part of this requirement. [University of Michigan Literature, Science and Arts students please note: The English Composition Board (ECB) will not fulfill any portion of the required six semester hours of English. This includes the classes that fulfill the upper-level writing requirement.] English as a second language (ESL) courses will not fulfill any portion of the required six hours of English. Canadian students may use a full year of grade 13 (OAC) English to fulfill the English requirement by providing a copy of their high school transcript with their application.

2. Chemistry. Sixteen semester hours (24 quarter hours) divided as follows:

a) Inorganic: eight semester hours including laboratory experience.

b) Organic: one academic year of two semesters or three quarters, totaling a minimum of eight semester hours and including two credit hours of laboratory experience.

3. Biological Science. One full year covering at least eight semester hours (12 quarter hours). We recommend the eight semester hours of credit be in zoology and that they include four hours of an advanced course, such as animal physiology, comparative anatomy, or developmental biology; however, four hours of credit in general biology will be accepted. All courses should include laboratory.

4. Physics. One full year. Eight semester hours (12 quarter hours) of college physics, with the usual amount of laboratory work, are required.

Grades of less than C will not be accepted to fulfill any part of the above required 38 semester hours.

Introductory courses in biochemistry, histology , and microbiology are highly recommended. An additional course in psychology or a course in sociology or anthropology is suggested. The rest of the predental work may be selected from other academic subjects in the social sciences, fine arts, communication studies (including computer literacy), and humanities.

Courses in drawing and design, education, religion, and theory of music will be allowed a maximum total credit of eight semester hours; basic courses in journalism will be allowed a total credit of six semester hours. Courses in hygiene, landscape design, medical sciences, and physical education will not be accepted to fulfill any part of the minimum total of 60 hours required for admission to the School of Dentistry.

B. Letters of recommendation - A total of three letters of recommendation are required. Science instructors from which you have taken a class must write two of the letters. The third letter may be from a non-science field. A letter from a preprofessional recommendation committee at your undergraduate institution will fulfill the entire requirement.

C. Taking the Dental Admissions Test - Each applicant must provide the Admissions Committee with an official score report for the DAT. To register for the DAT you must request a copy of the Application and Preparation Materials booklet published by the American Dental Association. They can be contacted at:

Dental Admissions Testing Program
211 East Chicago Avenue
Suite 1846
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 440-2689

More information regarding the DAT can be obtained by visiting their web site at http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/dat.asp.

The DAT is now administered via the computer. Your test results will be given to you at the end of your testing session. It generally takes about two weeks for us to receive an official score report. The DAT should be taken very close to the time that you are actually applying to dental school. Applicants without test scores will not be considered for an interview.

If you are unhappy with your results, you must wait 90 days before retaking the test. Please be aware that we are unable to delay any application should an applicant decide to take the DAT again unless it is by our request.