Dentistry

Nature of the Work

Dentistry is a branch of the healing arts and sciences devoted to maintaining the health of the teeth, gums, and other hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity and adjacent structures. Dentists should have good visual memory, excellent judgment of space and shape, a high degree of manual dexterity, and scientific ability. Good business sense, self-discipline, and communication skills are helpful for success in private practice. As of 2022, 188,074 dentists were professionally active in the U.S.

Earnings and Occupational Outlook

Though earnings vary according to number of years in practice, location, hours worked, and specialty, dentists in general practice who owned their practice earned an average net income of $163,220 in 2021. Specialists earned between $100,950 to $208,000 or more during that same year. Employment of dentists is expected to grow about as fast as average for all occupations through 2031.

Dental Education

Currently there are 70 dental schools in the United States (6 in California). Most dental schools award the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.). Dental school usually lasts 4 academic years. It is important to keep in mind that, unlike medical school, an applicant does not have to have a bachelor’s degree for entry to dental school. However, more than 90% of students entering dental school had completed four or more years of college. In 2021, the mean GPA for accepted students to a US dental school was 3.45 (Total) and 3.33 (Science). More information about dental school can be found here.

Major

Any major is appropriate for dental school preparation. While science majors such as Biology and Chemistry require many of the same basic prerequisites, selecting a science major is not required for admission to any dental school. Students are advised to select a major they find interesting, can do well in, and use if they do not enter or finish dentistry.

Undergraduate Majors of Dental School Applicants (2021):

Predental Major Applicants
Biological and Biomedical Science 61.7
Health Professions/ Dental Prep 8.9
Physical Sciences 3.8
Psychology 4.2
Parks, Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies 2.9
Multi-Interdisciplinary Studies 2.9
Business, Management, Marketing and Related Support Services 2.1
Family and Consumer Sciences or Human Sciences 1.8
Social Sciences 1.7
Engineering and Engineering-Related Fields 1.7
Other Majors 8.5

Admission Requirements: 

When selecting students, schools consider scores earned on the Dental Admission Test (DAT), the applicants’ grade point average, and information gathered through recommendations and interviews. Aside from prerequisite courses, it is recommended that students engage in extracurricular activities such as volunteering in a dental office and/or lab and community service. Pre-dental students should be able to demonstrate their potential for independent critical thought, leadership, concern for others, and an understanding of the dental profession. Additionally, pre-dental students should work at developing and/or improving manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination.

Pre-Dentistry Courses at PCC

  • English 001A, 001B
  • Biology 010A, 010B, 010C
  • Chemistry 001A, 001B, 008A, 008B
  • Physics (031A, 031B) or (008A, 008B, 008C) or (002A, 002B*)
  • Math requirements vary from school or school
  • Recommended: Art 032A, 038A


* Physics 031A & 031B is preferred by most dental schools. Students who choose to have majors other than biological sciences or chemistry may take Physics 002A & 002B in preparation for dental schools. Students who major in engineering should complete Physics 008A, 008B, 008

Note: The above lists of classes are requirements for most dental schools. For more specific requirements, students should check with individual dental schools.

Dental Admission Test (DAT):

The DAT is entirely multiple choice responses and consists of four separate sections:

  • Survey of Natural Sciences (Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry)
  • Perceptual Ability (Two- and three-dimensional problem-solving)
  • Reading Comprehension (Dental and Basic Science)
  • Quantitative Reasoning (Mathematical problems, numerical calculations, conversions, etc.)

Recent Statistics for Dental Schools in California: 

Dental Schools Average GPA BCP* GPA Average DAT
University of California, Loa Angeles (2021) 3.72 3.67 22.0
University of California San Francisco (2021) 3.66 3.6 22.8
Loma Linda (2021) 3.57 3.49 20.52
University of the Pacific (2020) 3.6 3.5 22.0
Western University (2021) 3.35 3.22 20
USC (2022) 3.67 3.59 20.5

*BCP = Biology/Chemistry/Physics

Helpful Websites for Pre-Dental Students:

American Dental Education Association
American Dental Association
American Association of Dental Schools