University of Minnesota School of Dentistry

Prerequisites

Required Courses and Minimum Credits

• English-8 semester credits. Two composition courses are preferred; or one composition course, and one additional course in either literature or humanities that is writing intensive.
• General Biology or Zoology-8 semester credits. General zoology alone is acceptable, but not preferred.
• Physics-8 semester credits. Complete basic course series required.
• General Principles of Chemistry-8 semester credits. Complete basic course series required.
• Organic Chemistry-8 semester credits. Course content must include study of both the aliphatic and aromatic series. One-semester courses generally do not have sufficient credits or depth to be acceptable.
• Biochemistry-3 semester credits. The appropriate course will have the organic chemistry sequence as a prerequisite.  Lab is not required.
• Mathematics-A minimum of 3 semester credits in one of the following courses: college algebra or precalculus by college credit or college validation, computer science, or statistics.
• Applied Human Psychology-3 semester credits in: general human psychology, child and adolescent human psychology, or business psychology.

Science Coursework Requirements

Science coursework must include both lecture and lab instruction. Exemptions and advanced courses with fewer credits will be recognized, but transcripts or other academic records must clearly identify them and individual evaluations will be made. Courses in biology, chemistry, and physics may be considered outdated if taken more than five years before the time of application.

Required Courses Completion Recommendations

Required courses must be completed by the end of the regular academic year (spring semester) for enrollment the following fall. No courses may be taken during the summer before enrollment.

Recommended Elective Courses

Elective courses should be selected to achieve as broad and liberal an education as possible. However, competitive students will take some combination of the following courses: art, cell biology, histology, human anatomy, microbiology, and physiology. These electives are especially important for persons who have completed only the minimum credits required (87 semester/130 quarter) to enter dental school. Additional electives can be chosen from among the following subjects: accounting, analytical chemistry, anthropology, business (practical courses), classics, comparative anatomy, economics, etymology, genetics, history, humanities, immunology, higher mathematics, logic, microscopic anatomy, political science, sociology, and a foreign language.

GPA Requirements

An overall GPA of 2.70 is the minimum required for admission consideration. However, acceptance is on a competitive basis and an average well above this is usually necessary to be admitted.

D.D.S. Student Data 

In 2006, 855 applicants applied for the 96 positions in the first-year class. Of those admitted, 65 were Minnesota residents. For admitted students, the mean overall GPA was 3.63; mean academic average on the DAT, 19.5; and mean perceptual-motor ability score, 19.2. 

D.D.S. Curriculum

A first-year class is admitted each fall. Fall semester begins in mid-August and spring semester in January. Semesters run for 16 weeks and the required summer sessions, which begin in May, run 12 weeks. 

The D.D.S. curriculum includes: 

• Basic sciences – gross and microscopic human anatomy, human neuroantaomy, biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, human physiology, pathology, oral histology and embryology, and genetics.
• Dentistry courses – oral anatomy, operative dentistry, oral diagnosis, pediatric dentistry, oral surgery, removable prosthodontics, management and supervision of dental practice, jurisprudence, and ethics. 
• A variety of elective experiences is also available.  Students also participate in dental outreach clinics, including the Hibbing Community College Dental Clinic, Mobil Dental Unit, Community University Health Care Center and NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center. 

Special Programs for D.D.S. Students

The School of Dentistry also offers its students a variety of special programs, including a Summer Research Fellowship Program, an Exchange Student Program, a Guarantee of Quality Program and a Re-entry Program for dentists.