University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine prerequisites

2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

"Biology or Zoology, 8 credits." A zoology sequence satisfies this line outright, which is unusual. The laboratory is not optional: "All science courses must include theory and laboratory," though the booklet notes pandemic-era lab exceptions are evaluated individually.

2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

Two semesters with lab. The DAT's general chemistry section assumes the full sequence.

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.

1 semester · 3 credits

Most dental schools ask for 1 semester · 3 credits and list it as required.

Not a UPR requirement. Biochemistry heads the list of optional "courses of greater academic complexity" the school encourages, alongside cell or molecular biology, histology, physiology, anatomy, microbiology, genetics, psychology and ethics. These may be in progress at the time of application.

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.

4 semesters · 12 credits

Most dental schools ask for 2 semesters · 6 credits.

Twelve credits, double the usual dental ask, and matched by a separate 12 credits of Spanish that this vocabulary has no key for. At most 6 of the 12 may be earned through CLEP or College Board Advanced Level or Placement and must be validated by your institution on the official transcript; alternatively "6 credits in approved honors, advanced, or literature courses with a grade of A, B, or C can substitute for the 12 credits required in these subjects."

3 credits

Named by a minority of schools and useful preparation for the first year regardless.

3 credits

Required at a meaningful minority and recommended widely; a strong pick for the spare science slot.

4 semesters · 12 credits

Twelve credits of Spanish, inside the 90 credits UPR requires before matriculation. The school states that "Only fully bilingual candidates are considered," so this sits alongside the twelve credits of English rather than replacing them. No other US dental school in this catalog names a language requirement.

2 semesters · 6 credits

Six credits of social and behavioural sciences, with the accepted disciplines named in the booklet as "(Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, Economics, Anthropology, or Ethics)." The English translation prints the block heading as "Social and Chemical Sciences" with "Behavior" on the following line, an evident slip for social and behavioural sciences; the parenthesised list is what defines the requirement. Note the separate rule that "Only courses taken in the departments of the disciplines they represent will be considered," so the course must sit in the matching department.

100+ hours

Shadowing dentists. Schools that publish a number most often say 100 hours, and admissions committees read breadth across general and specialty practice. Hours shadowing physicians do not answer this; log dental chairside time here. Across the 77 school overlays, 36 require shadowing, 22 recommend it and 19 publish nothing; the numbers those schools name range from 30 hours to 100, so this baseline figure is a planning floor rather than a common standard.

100+ hours

Few schools publish a number; committees still read for a service habit held over time.

1 letter

Accepted nearly everywhere in place of individual faculty letters where your college offers one.

2 letters

Two science professors, or a committee letter where your school offers one.

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.