Traditionally, dental
schools have selected candidates for admission who possessed:
- Two semesters (three quarters)
of biology with lab,
- Two semesters (three quarters)
of general chemistry with lab,
- Two semesters (three quarters)
of organic chemistry with lab and
- Two semesters (three quarters)
of physics with lab.
Some dental schools
require additional courses, such as English composition, and additional
upper-level biology courses, such as anatomy and physiology, microbiology and
biochemistry. Some dental schools will substitute one semester of
biochemistry for the second semester of organic chemistry. Many
schools strongly encourage applicants to take courses in the arts and social
sciences.