Dentist
The field of dentistry aims to maintain the health of teeth, gums, and other various tissues of the mouth. Dentists are vital to overall health including the prevention of cancer and heart disease. Dentists are dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of all oral diseases and conditions. They are licensed in each state and can prescribe medicine.
CAREER DESCRIPTION*
- National median salary: $179,210
- National projected career growth: 4%
- Diagnose and treat problems with patient’s teeth, gums, and related parts of the mouth
- Provide instruction on oral care and choices affecting oral health
- Examine x-rays to diagnose problems
- Make models and measurements for dental appliances
TYPICAL EDUCATION**
- Years of School (including undergraduate): 8 years
- Average Entering GPA: 3.74; Science GPA: 3.66
- Bachelor’s degree is strongly recommended
- Average Dental Admission Test (DAT): 20
- (420 with new scoring scale)
COMPETITIVE STUDENTS ALWAYS...
- Maintain a competitive academic record
- Take BIOL 1060 Intro to Medical Careers and Ethics
- Shadow professionals in the field
- Obtain direct patient health care experience
- Stay active in volunteer and leadership opportunities
- Obtain competitive DAT Score
- Gain hands-on experience in dental care
CAREER OPTIONS
- General Practice
- Dental Public Health
- Endodontics
- Oral Pathology
- Oral Surgery
- Orthodontics
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Periodontics
- Prosthodontics
NEARBY SCHOOLS
- University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Creighton University
- University of Iowa
- University of Colorado
- University of Missouri-Kansas City
- University of Illinois at Chicago
Prerequisites vary by program. Students are responsible for ensuring all entrance requirements are met. Most schools prefer science classes to be taken in-person versus online.
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER’S PREREQUISITES
Biological Sciences (minimum credits: 8-10)
| Course | Credits | Semester | Prerequisites |
| BIOL 1450 Biology I & Lab | 5 | F, S, M | High School Biology and Chemistry |
|
BIOL 1750 Biology II & Lab |
5 | F, S, M | BIOL 1450 |
Chemistry (minimum credits: 16)
| Course | Credits | Semester | Prerequisites |
| CHEM 1180 & 1184 General Chemistry I & Lab | 4 | F, S, M | MATH 1300 or 1320 or CHEM 1140 and 1144 |
| CHEM 1190 & 1194 General Chemistry II & Lab | 4 | F, S, M | MATH 1300 or 1320 and CHEM 1180 and 1184 |
| CHEM 2250 Organic Chemistry I | 3 | F, S, M | CHEM 1190 and 1194 |
| CHEM 2260 & 2274 Organic Chemistry II & Lab | 5 | F, S | CHEM 2250 |
Physics (minimum credits: 10)
| Course | Credits | Semester | Prerequisites |
| PHYS 1110 & 1154 Physics for Life Science I & Lab | 5 | F, S, M | MATH 1300 or 1320 |
| PHYS 1120 & 1164 Physics for Life Science II & Lab | 5 | F, S, M | PHYS 1110 and 1154 |
English Composition (minimum credits: 6)
| Course | Credits | Semester | Prerequisites |
| ENGL 1140 English Composition I with Support OR | 4 | F, S | ACT Composite score <13, SAT Composite score <760, High School GPA <2.3, or Last Known College GPA <2.0 |
| ENGL 1150 English Composition I | 3 | F, S, M | AP Score 3, ACT 14-26, HS GPA 2.3+ |
| ENGL 1160 English Composition II | 3 | F, S, M | AP Score 4, ENGL 1140 or 1150, or ACT 27+ or Reading or English ACT score of 29+ |
Strongly Recommended Courses
| Course | Credits | Semester | Prerequisites |
| BIOL 2740 Human Anatomy & Physiology I & Lab | 4 | F, S, M | High School Biology and Chemistry |
| BIOL 2840 Human Anatomy & Physiology II & Lab | 4 | F, S, M | BIOL 2740 |
| BIOL 2140 Genetics & Discussion | 4 | F, S, M | BIOL 1450, 1750 and CHEM 1140 or 1180 |
| BIOL 2440 Biology of Microorganisms & Lab† | 4 | F, S, M | High School Biology and Chemistry |
| BIOL 3020 Molecular Biology of the Cell | 3 | F, S, M | BIOL 2140 and CHEM 1140 or 1180 |
| BIOL 3240 Introduction to Immunology | 3 | F, S | BIOL 1450, 1750, and 2140 |
| CHEM 4610 Biochemistry of the Metabolism OR | 4 | S | CHEM 2260 and 2274 |
| CHEM 4650 & 4654 Biochemistry I & Lab AND | 4 | F | CHEM 2260 and 2274 |
| CHEM 4660 & 4664 Biochemistry II & Lab | 4 | S | CHEM 4650 and 4654 |
| PSYC 1010 Introduction to Psychology | 3 | F, S, M | N/A |
|
AND one of the following: |
|||
| BIOL 2020 Statistics for Life and Environ. Science | 3 | F, S | MATH 1120, 1130, 1300, or 1320 |
| STAT 1530 Elementary Statistics | 3 | F, S | MATH 1210 or ACT 19 or ALEKS 3 |
| STAT 3000 Statistical Methods I | 3 | F, S | MATH 1300 or 1320 |
| PSYC 3130 Statistics for Behavioral Sciences | 3 | F, S, M | MATH 1120, 1300, 1320, or STAT 1530 |
| SOC 2130 Social Statistics | 3 | F, S, M | MATH 1120, 1130, 1300, 1320, or STAT 1530 |
Additional Information
- A minimum of 90 credit hours are required prior to matriculation for UNMC, and 64 credits for Creighton University. Students should take additional courses in the natural sciences, as well as the humanities and social sciences.
- It is recommended students take courses in chemistry and biology beyond the required minimum, especially to prepare for the DAT and rigor of Dental School.
*Data and information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
**Data and information from UNMC
Last update: 9.2025
† Strongly recommended by first year Dental students.