collageIf you’re reading this, it probably means you’re excited about applying to the UC Davis Dental School. We are, too! It’s an exciting step in your career.
The good news is that we can help you successfully move through this process.
Future dentists at the UC Davis Dental School have a lot on their plate. Most have already graduated from a college or university and will be juggling courses in subjects such as anatomy, pharmacology, histology, dental radiology, materials science and many more. Have you ever wondered what UC Davis dental school requirements and prerequisites were? Don’t worry! We’ve got all the details for you right here:
Read on to learn more about UC Davis dental school requirements, UC Davis dental school tuition, dental school requirements by school, UC Davis dental school ranking, UC Davis dental hygiene program, and dental schools in california requirements.
There are many pieces to the dental school application, including your GPA, DAT score, personal statement, list of experiences, letters of recommendation, and biographical information. Use the information below to explore each aspect of preparing for dental school.
UC Davis Dental School Program
We are the School of Dentistry at the University of California, San Francisco. Since our founding in 1881, we have strived to educate the leading practitioners, scholars and faculty members of the next generation. As a leading institution of oral and craniofacial health, our educational programs have grown to include, in addition to our DDS programs, an array of PhD, post-graduate and residency programs. Our students dentists, residents and faculty handle over 120,000 patient visits a year in our comprehensive UCSF Dental Center, and our students staff numerous community-based externship sites. The school is one of the top oral and craniofacial research enterprises in the world, ranked the top dental school in the country in research funding from the National Institutes of Health for 25 years, and home to several leading translational research programs.
To become a dentist through UC Davis you need the following:
- Obtain an undergraduate degree (4 years)
- Attend dental school and obtain a D.D.S. or D.M.D. (4 years)
- Take the National Board Dental Examinations and become licensed in the state you want to practice
After getting a D.M.D. or D.D.S, you can pursue a doctoral degree in Dental Science and go into one of nine specialties:
- Endodontics
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
- Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology
- Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology
- Orthodontics
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Periodontics
- Prosthodontics
- Public Health Dentistry
Specialties require at least two additional years of schooling.
UC Davis Dental School Requirements
To prepare academically as a pre-dental student, you’ll need to take the dental school prerequisites and coursework to prepare for the DAT. School prerequisites and DAT prep coursework overlap but are not the same. DAT prep coursework must be done before you take the DAT and prioritized over non-DAT prerequisites. You can choose any major and apply to dental school. If you choose a non-science major, you still have to take the science prerequisites required by most schools. Always cross-check your major requirements and the dental school requirements when choosing classes.
dental school prerequisites
| Dental School Prerequisites | Courses to Take at UC Davis |
|---|---|
| Most schools require: | |
| General Chemistry | CHE 2ABC |
| General Biology | BIS 2ABC |
| Organic Chemistry | CHE 118ABC |
| Physics | PHY 7ABC |
| English Composition | any combination of ENL, UWP, or COM courses |
| Some schools require: | |
| Biochemistry* | BIS 105 OR BIS 102/103 |
| Microbiology* | MIC 102/103L |
| Human Physiology | NPB 101/NPB 101L OR NPB 110C/NPB 101L |
| Human Anatomy | EXB 106/106L OR CHA 101/101L |
| Psychology | PSC 1 |
| Math* | MAT 16ABC OR MAT 17ABC OR MAT 21ABC |
Requirements
Applicants will need to submit the following:
- Official transcripts for every undergraduate institution attended
- Personal statements
- Two letters of recommendation (one science professor, one other)
Personal Statement Prompts
1. What is the value that you bring to your intended career? (Hint: Synthesize your experiences, attributes, skills, insights, and career goals to create a statement with evidence about what you intend to do in your future).
2. What happened during your undergraduate years that caused you to need a post-bac program? How have circumstances that created the challenges been resolved?
3. What do you think will be the most difficult aspect of pursuing our post-bac program? In what way(s) are you equipped to succeed?
Letter of Recommendation Criteria
1. A science professor from any institution. Specifically, you should ask this person to comment on your readiness to pursue challenging science courses and commit the time and energy required to succeed. Core Competencies they should address include: Capacity for Improvement, Critical Thinking, Adaptability, Written and Oral Communication, and Science Competency
2. A professional who has witnessed your work with others. This can include a mentor, PI, supervisor, health professional or community leader. Specifically, you should ask this person to comment on your ability to persist when challenged, solve problems creatively, resolve conflicts tactfully, and/or work with integrity. Core Competencies they should address include: Service Orientation, Social Skills, Cultural Competence, Teamwork, Ethical Responsibility to Others, and Dependability
Note: If you have been out of school for more than 2 years, a science letter of recommendation can be substituted for an additional professional letter.
Interviews
Success in our program is our top priority, so candidates being considered for admittance will be interviewed to assess maturity, readiness, and fit. Interview invites will be sent as applications are screened from May through July. Acceptances will be emailed no later than October 31st. Applicants will be interviewed via Zoom.
Deposit
Accepted applicants will be required to submit a $300 non-refundable deposit that will be applied toward tuition. Directions on where to pay the deposit will be sent upon acceptance.
Dental schools are not as readily available as a traditional college or university, for example. In fact, not every state offers an accredited dental program. As of most recently, there are 66 accredited dental schools across the United States and its territories. One of the main reasons as to why this information is so important, is because the majority of states require that in order to practice within their state, dentists must have first graduated from an institution accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA). This accreditation serves as an indicator to the public that graduating dentists have been properly trained to perform medical procedures using the highest level of skill, professionalism, ethics, and safety.
uC davis dental school tuition
The School of Medicine at University of California–Davis has an application deadline of Oct. 1. The application fee at University of California–Davis is $120. Its tuition is full-time: $39,032 (in-state) and full-time: $51,277 (out-of-state). The faculty-student ratio at University of California–Davis is 2.2:1. The School of Medicine has 1,036 full-time faculty on staff.
At the University of California—Davis School of Medicine, students master seven major competencies, such as patient care and system-based practice. The curriculum is broad, readying students to later pursue any specialty. The School of Medicine has a Clinical Education and Assessment Center, where students get hands-on training with “patients” (actors who have been trained to portray patients), and is affiliated with UC Davis Medical Center.
The UC Davis School of Medicine also has several dual degree programs for students who want to earn an M.D./Ph.D., an M.D./M.P.H. (master of public health), or an M.D./M.B.A, as well as a two specialty medical programs: Rural-PRIME, which readies students to work in California’s rural communities, and UC Merced San Joaquin Valley – PRIME, for students who want to work with underserved residents in San Joaquin Valley.
More than 80 percent of students get additional experience in the school’s seven student-run clinics in inner-city neighborhoods. For academic and emotional support outside the classroom, students are grouped into four colleges and then divided into “families” of four students and a faculty member.
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