dental · Minneapolis, Minnesota · public
University of Minnesota School of Dentistry prerequisites
What Minnesota asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 4 lines differ from the standard dental school set, marked below.
Coursework
- Biology with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
Two semesters with lab. As universal for dental school as it is for medical.
- 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
Eight semester credits covering "both the aliphatic and aromatic series," but "only one lab is required." One-semester courses "generally do not have sufficient credits or depth to be acceptable."
- 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 composition courses are preferred; or one composition course, and one additional course in either literature, humanities, or public speaking that is writing intensive."
- College mathematicsrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
"Mathematics: A minimum of 3 semester credits of college algebra or a higher level course. Examples include: calculus I, calculus II, statistics, linear algebra, multivariable calculus."
- Anatomy and physiologyrecommended
3 credits
Named by a minority of schools and useful preparation for the first year regardless.
- Microbiologyrecommended
3 credits
Required at a meaningful minority and recommended widely; a strong pick for the spare science slot.
Experience hours
- Dentist shadowingrequireddiffers
40+ hours
Most dental schools ask for 100+ hours.
"The University of Minnesota School of Dentistry requires 40 hours of in-person exposure to dentistry by the time of matriculation." Shadowing, paid work, or volunteer experience as a dental assistant, hygienist, or therapist counts; virtual shadowing and hours completed with a relative do not. At least half the 40 hours should be in general dentistry, and applicants are strongly encouraged to exceed 40, observe more than one dentist, and see different practice settings.
- 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
Three letters of evaluation are required in total: "Two letters must be from science or math faculty (who taught you in a lecture or lab course), with a third letter being submitted from a professional of your choice." Math faculty answer this line here, not only science.
- Dentist letternot required here
No dentist letter is required: the two named letters are science or math faculty and the third is a professional of the applicant's choice, with an employer or supervisor recommended for it.
- Supervisor letterrecommendedextra here
1 letter
The third required letter is "from a professional of your choice," and "we do recommend the third letter be from an employer or supervisor (from a volunteer, work, or research position)."
Also on the school’s page
Course prerequisites come from the school's official Prerequisites document (updated April 2024), linked from this page's Quick Links and also read for this file. Incoming students need a minimum of 87 semester credits from an accredited U.S. or Canadian school, with at most 64 semester credits from community or junior colleges, and "all prerequisite courses need to be completed with a C or above by June 1 of the year you enter dental school"; a C minus must be retaken. Science coursework must include lecture and lab and "may be considered outdated if taken more than five years before the time of application," and online laboratory courses are not accepted outside COVID-era terms. Hard floors to apply: "A minimum total GPA of 2.5 and a minimum Academic Average DAT of 330 are required in order to apply to the School of Dentistry." The page states the DAT is scored on a 200 to 600 point scale, so the 330 floor is on the current scale; the entering-class averages it publishes (Academic Average 20.87 for the Class of 2029) are still on the old 1 to 30 numbers, as that class tested before the March 2025 rescore. The oldest DAT considered for fall 2027 entry is June 1, 2023, the CDAT is accepted, and letters are due through ADEA AADSAS by October 31, 2026. Strongly suggested science electives include cell biology, genetics, histology, human anatomy, immunology, microbiology, physiology, psychology or sociology, public health, statistics, and art such as drawing or sculpture.
School
dentistry.umn.eduCheck your transcript against this list
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