dental · Dallas, Texas · public
Texas A&M University College of Dentistry prerequisites
What Texas A&M Dental asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 5 lines differ from the standard dental school set, marked below.
Coursework
- Biology with labrequireddiffers
18 credits · lab
Most dental schools ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.
"Eighteen semester hours of Biology -- (minimum) 15 hours of lecture and 3 hours of formal laboratory." The block must include anatomy with lab, physiology, and microbiology (broken out as their own lines in this file), all in courses designated for science majors: "Courses designed for non-science majors or health-career majors (such as nursing, pharmacy, allied health sciences, etc.) will not satisfy the required coursework."
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
Two semesters with lab. The DAT's general chemistry section assumes the full sequence.
- Organic chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
Two semesters with lab at most schools. A small number accept one semester plus biochemistry; confirm on the school's page before planning around it.
- Biochemistryrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
Roughly half of schools require a semester and the share grows every cycle. The DAT does not test it, but first-year dental biochemistry assumes you have seen it.
- Physics with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
Two semesters, algebra-based accepted essentially everywhere. A handful of schools want only one semester; the two-semester plan covers them all.
- English or writing-intensiverequired
2 semesters · 6 credits
Two semesters of English or writing-intensive coursework at most schools that name it.
- Statisticsrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
"Three semester hours of Statistics (from Math or Statistics Department)."
- Physiologyrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
"Physiology - 3 semester hours" inside the biology block, satisfiable individually or through the combined A&P 1 and 2 sequence with both labs. The school notes that individual anatomy and physiology courses at the 3000 level or higher make an applicant more competitive.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequireddiffers
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
Most dental schools ask for 3 credits and list it as recommended.
This line is Texas A&M's "Anatomy with Lab - 4 semester hours" inside the biology block. "The Anatomy and Physiology requirements can be satisfied by either individual courses or the combined A&P 1 and A&P 2 (with both labs) for science majors." The separate physiology line below is the other half.
- Microbiologyrequireddiffers
3 credits
Most dental schools ask for 3 credits and list it as recommended.
Required inside the eighteen-hour biology block: "Biology hours must include: ... Microbiology - 3 semester hours." Courses for non-science or health-career majors do not count.
Experience hours
- Dentist shadowingrequired
100+ hours
"Observation in the office of a general dentist is required." The page publishes no hour count; it also lists "general dental office shadowing experience" among the areas re-applicants should strengthen and says re-applicants should keep shadowing during the cycle.
- Non-clinical volunteeringrecommended
100+ hours
Few schools publish a number; committees still read for a service habit held over time.
Letters
- Committee letterrecommended
1 letter
Accepted nearly everywhere in place of individual faculty letters where your college offers one.
- Science faculty letterrequired
2 letters
Two science professors, or a committee letter where your school offers one.
- Dentist letterrequired
1 letter
One letter from a dentist, usually one you shadowed. The count is now from primary sources rather than an estimate: across all 77 schools, each read from its own published page, 17 require a dentist letter, 14 recommend one, 38 state a letter set that does not include one, and 8 name no writers at all. The first estimate here said 70 percent; the real figure is 22. The line stays required as the fallback for the 8 silent schools, because a letter obtained needlessly costs effort while one missing at a school that wanted it can cost a cycle, and every school that does require it says so in its own overlay. Awaiting the human pass like the rest of this set.
Also on the school’s page
Texas A&M applies through TMDSAS, not AADSAS: the school's DDS Admissions page directs applicants "to first apply through the central Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) between May 1 and October 1," followed by a required secondary application. A minimum of ninety semester hours from a regionally accredited U.S. institution is required, all prerequisites at the undergraduate level, and "a grade of 'C' or better is required for all required courses"; Pass/Fail and Credit/No Credit courses do not count, and foreign coursework satisfies nothing even if transferred. The distinctive ask is the biology block: eighteen semester hours including anatomy with lab, physiology, and microbiology, all in courses designated for science majors. Strong preference goes to Texas residents, and under Texas law no more than 10 percent of the entering class can be non-Texas residents; residency for admissions is determined by TMDSAS. On the DAT the page sets no minimum score, advising only that applicants test in the spring or summer before applying, with a 60 day wait before retesting. The page does not state a letters-of-evaluation policy, so the baseline letter lines stand unconfirmed here; TMDSAS handles letters centrally. Histology, neuroscience, cell and molecular biology, immunology, and a second biochemistry course are suggested to strengthen the science background.
School
dentistry.tamu.eduCheck your transcript against this list
Cyclios keeps this list beside your coursework and tells you what Texas A&M Dental still needs from you.
See it for dental school