  Information for Pre-Dental StudentsIf you are considering dental school, UWM will provide you with a solid foundation to help you reach your goal. Of course you must do your part by meeting the rigorous admission standards of the dental schools to which you apply. There are 53 dental schools in the United States. Marquette University School of Dentistry is the sole one in Wisconsin. A minimum of three years (90 credits) of college coursework is required before students are considered for admission to a school of dentistry; however, the majority of students who enter dental school have a bachelor's degree. Although admission requirements may vary among schools, the following courses are typically required:
Due to the variance in admission requirements, it is very important that students meet with the pre-professional health advisor every semester. In addition to helping you select your courses, the pre-dental advisor will discuss a timeline of suggested activities. UWM offers a shadowing program through the Greater Milwaukee Dental Association for UWM pre-dental students. This unique opportunity gives students the chance to meet with a dentist and observe first-hand the rewards and challenges of modern dentistry. In addition to the required pre-dental academic work, students must take the Dental Admission Test (DAT). The DAT is administered on computer throughout the United States and its territories. Students may be scheduled for the computerized DAT on almost any date. (The written DAT is no longer administered.) The DAT consists of four tests: 1) Quantitative Reasoning; 2) Survey of Natural Sciences; 3) Reading Comprehension; 4) Perceptual Ability. All biology and chemistry coursework should be completed prior to taking the DAT. In some circumstances, dental schools will consider a student for admission who does not have DAT scores, but in all cases the test must be taken prior to enrollment. According to the "2008-09 Occupational Outlook Handbook," dentists held about 161,000 jobs in 2006. About one third of dentists were self employed. Almost all dentists work in private practice. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), about 3 out of 4 dentists in private practice are sole proprietors, and 1 in 7 belong to a partnership. A small number of salaried dentists work in hospitals and offices of physicians. Employment for dentists is projected to grow nine percent through 2016, about as fast as average for all occupations. The demand for dental services is expected to continue to increase. Median annual earnings of salaried dentists were $136,960 in May 2006. Earnings vary according to number of years in practice, location, hours worked, and specialty. Self-employed dentists in private practice tend to earn more than salaried dentists. A relatively large proportion of dentists are self-employed. Like other business owners, these dentists must provide their own health insurance, life insurance, and retirement benefits. For more information about the Pre-Dental studies at UWM, please contact Jenny Rahmer (Pre-Professional Dentistry Advisor) at (414) 229-5873 or email here at: jlrahmer@uwm.edu. If you would like to make an appointment to see Ms. Rahmer, please call (414) 229-4654. Links to Dentistry Programs. |
