dental · San Antonio, Texas · public
UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry prerequisites
What UT San Antonio 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
14 credits · lab
Most dental schools ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.
"14 semester hours (12 semester hours of lecture & 2 semester hours of formal lab)" of biological science, which "includes all biological science courses applied toward baccalaureate degree in traditional science fields, such as general biology, biochemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, genetics, ecology, immunology, parasitology and anatomy & physiology." Courses for non-science or health-career majors do not satisfy it.
- 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
Same three hours as the baseline, but with a trap worth quoting: "This requirement is in addition to the biological science requirement of 14 hours and may not be used to fulfill the biological science requirement." The course may sit in the biology, biochemistry, or chemistry department.
- 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
"3 semester hours or 5 quarter hours of statistics. The statistics course should be taught in a math or statistics department."
- 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 shadowingrequired
100+ hours
Clinical observation is a checked line in the minimum admission standards table, but: "There is not a minimum number of hours of dental shadowing required for admission. However, the admissions committee values evidence of depth and breadth of shadowing and other means of clinical observation."
- Non-clinical volunteeringrequireddiffers
100+ hours
Most dental schools ask for 100+ hours and list it as recommended.
Community service appears as a checked line in the school's minimum admission standards table, with the footnote: "There is not a minimum number of hours required for admission. However, the admissions committee values dental-related, health-related, and interpersonal-type activities."
Letters
- Committee letterrecommended
1 letter
Accepted nearly everywhere in place of individual faculty letters where your college offers one.
- Science faculty letternot required here
The school's stated personal-evaluation standard is "3 Letters of Recommendation or HPE packet" through TMDSAS, with no writer specified, so recording a science-faculty requirement would overstate the page. Letters are due to TMDSAS by October 15.
- Dentist letternot required here
No dentist letter is named anywhere on the page; the requirement is simply three letters of recommendation or a health professions evaluation packet.
Also on the school’s page
UT Health San Antonio applies through TMDSAS: "a central application center processes dental school applications to all medical and dental schools of The University of Texas System," with applications accepted May 1 to October 1, letters due October 15, and the DAT taken no later than December 1 of the application year, all TMDSAS deadlines. The school publishes a minimum-standards table: BCPM GPA of 2.8, DAT Academic Average of 390 on the current 3 digit (200 to 600) scale, 90 total semester hours, and a grade of C or higher in every required course; Pass/Fail and Credit/No Credit courses do not count, graduate courses satisfy neither the 90 hours nor the prerequisites, and foreign coursework counts toward nothing. Unofficial DAT scores are not accepted; Canadian DAT scores are. "Preference is given to legal residents of Texas. Only outstanding nonresidents will be considered or accepted." Baccalaureate degrees are highly desirable but not absolute, at least 30 hours at a four-year school is strongly recommended, and all science prerequisites are strongly recommended in person. Up to 100 students are admitted per class, and there is no supplemental application or fee.
School
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