2002-2003 UAF Catalog

Dentistry

Pre-Professional Advising
(907) 474-6396

Dentistry concerns itself with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of oral disease and disorders. Professional dental study typically involves a four-year program of graduate study combining classroom instruction, lab work, and hands-on patient treatment. Students can specialize within the dental field by pursuing advanced training at the post-doctoral level. Specialists and general dentists must be licensed by the state before practicing.

While a definitive pre-dentistry curriculum is not required for admission into dental school, it is recommended that students include specific courses as part of their undergraduate studies. At UAF, these courses are: biology (BIOL 105X and 106X), chemistry (CHEM 103X and 104X; or 105X and 106X), organic chemistry with lab (CHEM 321, 322 and 324), and physics (PHYS 103X and 104X). Some schools also suggest additional science coursework in areas such as anatomy and physiology (BIOL 211X and 212X).

Dental schools expect students to have a broad general background in the social sciences and humanities. While some dental schools will accept students after they have completed three years of undergraduate work, the majority of students entering dental school have already completed a bachelor's degree. A strong academic record at the undergraduate level and high scores on the Dental Admission Test (DAT) are desirable for admission.

Students whose career goal is dentistry, or who are considering this career choice, should contact the Academic Advising Center to be assigned an academic advisor. Program advisement, exploration of professional schools and licensing requirements and financial planning are available.