Academics

Pre-Dentistry

Newberry College's pre-dentistry program helps undergraduate students planning to go into dentistry to prepare for further education in the field.

Training to become a dentist is a rigorous process taking about 7-8 years of college level study. Most students are expected to have completed theirBS degree at the time of starting their graduate program; however, those with an exceptional GPA and DAT scores may apply with 90 hours ofcoursework. This is true at both of the schools in South Carolina (USC and MUSC).

The typical admission committee looks at three important criteria inmaking decision for admission:

  • Score on the Dental Admission Test (DAT).
  • Courses taken and grades in those courses; the higher the GPA the better, with a minimum of about 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.
  • Showing interest in dental profession through volunteer or work experience where dentists are needed.
Recommended Coursework

In order to be best prepared for the application process, most students are either biology or chemistry majors and complete the courses listed below.

  • BIO 121: Biological Science (4 hours)
  • BIO 122: Zoology (4 hours)
  • 8 additional hours of biology courses from:
    BIO 212: Microbiology (4 hours)
    BIO 315: Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (4 hours)
    BIO 322: Genetics (4 hours)
    BIO 301: Biochemistry (4 hours)
  • CHE 113-114: General Chemistry (8 hours)
  • CHE 231-232: Organic Chemistry (8 hours)
  • MAT 211: Calculus I - Differential Calculus (4 hours) [required for physics]
  • PHY 213-214: Physics for Science and Engineering Students (8 hours)

Many dental programs, including those at South Carolina schools, expect additional coursework in the sciences, especially biology and chemistry.

Pre-Dentistry