Pre-Dental Course Plan
This is a GENERAL course plan for students interested in attending dental school and who are completing a BIOLOGY MAJOR. (Pre-dental students could also complete other majors such as chemistry or neuroscience). This plan is designed so that you can complete the necessary coursework to take the DAT (dental school entrance exam) in the summer after your sophomore year with the goal of entering dental school the fall after graduating from SLU. This plan must be personalized for you through discussions with your advisor, allowing for situations like study abroad or not going to dental school directly after graduating from SLU. The most common pre-dental prerequisites are italicized; other listed courses are biology major and general graduation requirements. Please note that some dental schools have early assurance programs to which you can apply at the end of sophomore year (ie University of Buffalo).
First-Year
Fall
- General Biology with Lab (Environmental literacy distribution)
- General Chemistry with Lab (Natural Science with Lab distribution)
- FYP
- Intro Psychology (without Lab)
Spring
- General Biology with Lab
- General Chemistry with Lab
- FYS
- Intro Sociology (Social Science distribution)
Sophomore Year
Fall
- Organic Chemistry with Lab
- Physics with Lab
- English-writing* (Arts distribution)
- Statistics (Quantitative reasoning distribution)
Spring
- Organic Chemistry with Lab
- Physics with Lab
- English - Literature*
- Diversity Course
Junior Year
Fall
- Microbiology with Lab
- Biochemistry
- Humanities distribution
- Health Coaches **
Spring
- Upper Level Biology with Lab**
- Genetics or Intro to Cell Biology
- Diversity Course
- Health Coaches**
Senior Year
Fall
- Upper Level Biology with Lab**
- Three courses: These slots can be filled with courses to complete a minor, conduct an SYE project, or to supplement courses in psychology, sociology, or the sciences.
Spring
- Upper Level Biology with Lab**
- Three courses: These slots can be filled with courses to complete a minor, conduct an SYE project, or to supplement courses in psychology, sociology, or the sciences.
* Two 200-level English courses, one literature and one writing focused, should be taken. Intro to Fiction, Intro to Creative Non-Fiction, and Intro to Poetry are recommended for the writing course, while any 200-level literature course is appropriate. Students do not need to take ENGL 250 to meet this requirement.
** Potential course options of interest: Introduction to Neuroscience with Lab, Immunology with Lab, Research Methods in Fluorescent and Confocal Microscopy, Research Methods in Molecular Biology, Research Methods in Cell Biology. One semester of SYE could also complete one of these Upper Level Biology with Lab slots.
*** Health Coaches is 0.5 units per semester. If you choose to take this course, you may choose to take another 1 unit course (total of 4.5). Discuss with your advisor to determine what the best plan is for you.
FINAL NOTE:
There is some variety in courses required by specific dental schools, such as additional math coursework, specific biology courses, and additional psychology courses. Microbiology with Lab and Biochemistry are commonly required/recommended and are specifically included above. Human Nutrition is also relevant. Identify 5-6 programs of interest to you and research their pre-requisite requirements.