Taken from the ADEA's Preparing for Dental School website.

The majority of dental students possess a bachelor’s degree before they enter dental school. Some have graduate degrees. A few dental schools will admit a few students through early admissions programs with two to three years of undergraduate preparation. However, you should plan to earn your bachelor’s degree before starting dental school.

At least 66 U.S. and 10 Canadian dental schools will be accepting applications to the first year of their Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) programs in 2016–17. The D.M.D. and the D.D.S. are equivalent degrees that are awarded to dental students upon completion of the same types of programs.

Here are some other things you may want to consider as you prepare for dental school:

• Confirm your passion for entering a dental profession. Seek out opportunities to connect with current students.
• Do your homework. Research the profession and research various schools, etc.
• Understand the academic requirements for applying and acceptance.
• Develop a plan for shadowing.
• Review and consider other health professions.
  

COST TO APPLY

There are a number of costs associated with applying to dental school that many students do not think about ahead of time. Make sure to set aside money to cover these expenses before you start the application process so you don’t find yourself in a bind later on.

ADEA AADSAS® Application Fees: The ADEA AADSAS application fee for your first dental school is $264. Each additional school you apply to is $115. ADEA AADSAS does offer application fee assistance to those who demonstrate extreme financial need.

Dental School Supplemental Fees: Most dental schools require applicants to pay a supplemental fee. The fees vary by school, so check specific schools to determine their supplemental fees.

Interviews: Keep in mind that if you secure an interview with a dental school, you may have to travel and stay in a hotel near the school. It is important to put aside funding for these visits because money is the last thing you want to worry about on the day of your dental school interview. Consider the cost of travel (plane, train, car), hotel and food while you are interviewing. You may also have to purchase a suit for the interview if you do not already have one, so be sure to factor in that cost as well.

Deposit: When you are accepted to a dental school and decide to attend, you will have to give the school a deposit to hold your spot in the first-year class. This deposit is often applied to your first-year tuition and is usually non-refundable, even if you decide last minute not to attend the school. These deposits tend to range from $500 to $2,000.

10 TIPS TO APPLY

1. Apply early.
2. Ask for letters of evaluation early.
3. Put aside some money for applying, interviews and other fees associated with the application process.
4. Utilize your health professions advisor throughout the process and meet with him or her as early as possible.
5. Read all of the application instructions before beginning your application.
6. Make your personal statement stand out and make it original.
7. Proofread your application.
8. Research the requirements of each dental school you wish to apply to well before the application opens and check to see if they have supplemental materials and fees required to apply.
9. Keep all of your application information in one central folder or document. Be sure to include information and requirements of all the schools you will apply to and their application deadlines. Store information on all of the extracurricular activities you participate in during your undergraduate years as well as community service, leadership, shadowing and research so that when it comes time to fill out your application, it will be easy to list everything you have done in college.
10. Make sure your social media profiles are either on private or are very professional. You don’t want your online presence and silly things you did in high school to impact your likelihood of getting in to dental school.

DENTAL ADMISSION TEST (DAT)

The DAT measures…

• Academic ability
• Scientific understanding
• Perceptual ability

The DAT is…

• In English
• Multiple choice
• Computer based
• Visit the American Dental Association (ADA) website for test costs.
• Given most days of the year
• Required by all U.S. Dental Schools
• Half-day long test: Over four hours in length
• Taken at specified testing centers throughout the country

What are the sections of the DAT?

• Natural sciences (biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry)
• Perceptual ability (two- and three-dimensional problem solving)
• Reading comprehension (dental and basic sciences)
• Quantitative reasoning (mathematical problems in algebra, numerical calculations, conversions, etc.)

When should I take the test?

• When you have completed your prerequisites in biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry.
• It is recommended that you take the test at least one year before you want to go to dental school. Most of those who take the DAT do so after their third year of college.

How do I study for the test?

• Review the content and outline of the exam itself.
• Study the key principles you learned in biology and chemistry.
• Take practice tests to gauge your abilities before the exam and try to improve each time you take one.
• Check out all of the DAT information on the ADA website, such as the DAT Candidates Guide and online tutorial.

What are the rules and regulations?

• You can only take the test once every 90 days.
• You can only take the test three times, no more unless you get special permission from the ADA.

How do I sign up to take the test?

1. Visit the ADA website to submit an application to take the DAT (non-refundable fee is associated).
2. You will be asked to create a DENTPIN, your Dental Personal Identifier Number, before you can complete the application to register for the DAT. This number will be used throughout the dental school application process and for any other testing conducted by the ADA.
3. Receive eligibility letter from the ADA.
4. Once you have received the eligibility letter, you can schedule an appointment to take the test with Prometric testing. You should schedule the test 60-90 days in advance of the day you would like to test. Check out the list of test centers here.
5. If you require special testing accommodations, visit the Special Accommodations section of the Prometric website.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Taken from the ADEA's Timeline to Apply website.

This is a general application timeline for students studying at a four-year undergraduate institution. This timeline should be used as a guideline and not as a concrete checklist. Make sure to talk with your advisor about your timeline, as he or she can help you develop one more specific to you. 

FRESHMAN YEAR

• Meet with a health professions advisor. 
• Enroll in either biology or chemistry courses, as recommended by your advisor.
• Join a pre-dental or pre-health professions club at your school. This is a great opportunity to meet other like-minded students, network, become involved in community service and form study groups for your science courses. Meeting upper-class predental students gives you the opportunity to learn about the dental school application process.
• Learn more about careers in the dental profession. Speak with your own dentist and learn more about the advantages and challenges of the profession. Based on what you learn, why does a career in dentistry appeal to you?
• Learn about personal finance. Does your university offer a course? Consider how your student budget, spending habits and use of credit cards impact your student loan debt. You may also want to look into scholarship and fellowship options. How can you balance a demanding academic schedule, work, and a comfortable, yet frugal, student lifestyle?

FRESHMAN YEAR—SUMMER

• Participate in a summer academic enrichment program like the Summer Health Professions Education Program(SHPEP). This program is a free (full tuition, housing and meals) six-week summer medical and dental school preparatory program that offers eligible students intensive and personalized medical and dental school preparation.
• Work or volunteer in a health care environment. Ideally, work in a dental office or clinic. Your goal is to gain exposure to the health care environment in general and to learn more about the work of dental professionals. Talk to practicing dentists, learn about the delivery of dental care, and find out about the issues impacting the profession.

SOPHOMORE YEAR

• Start thinking about selecting a major. Remember, you do not have to be a science major to attend dental school, but you do need to complete specific science courses.
• Work with your advisor to identify special opportunities for the upcoming summer.  If you qualify and were unable to attend the previous summer, consider applying to an SHPEP program.  Many universities and dental schools offer summer workshops to enhance study skills, to expose undergraduates to the profession, prepare for the Dental Admission Test (DAT), and expose students to various fields of dental research. Check application deadlines.
• Become actively involved in your predental club. Sign up for committee work, help organize events and participate in activities.

SOPHOMORE YEAR—SUMMER

• Participate in a summer program, enroll in summer school, or work/volunteer in the dental profession.
• Get a job! Keep that student loan debt as low as possible during your undergraduate years.
• Start putting together a financial plan for applying to dental school. Take into consideration feesfor the DAT, the ADEA Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (ADEA AADSAS^®) application, supplemental application fees to the dental schools, plus the cost of participating in on-site interviews.

JUNIOR YEAR

• Complete biology and chemistry courses in preparation for taking the DAT in late spring of your junior year.
• Review the dental school application process and create a timeline for the submission of your application materials. Most dental schools participate in ADEA AADSAS, the centralized dental school application service offered through ADEA. Look over the application and begin formulating your application information.
• Meet with your advisor to find out how your school handles letters of evaluation. Identify individuals who are willing to write letters of evaluation on your behalf and communicate submission deadlines to them. Be able to document your dental office observation experiences.
• Start making decisions about the type of dental school you want to attend: location, size of school, composition of the student body, curriculum and the program’s emphasis. View websites and talk with classmates and upper-class students who are now enrolled in dental school.
• Participate in visitations from dental school admissions officers, visit dental schools and talk to dental students and admissions/minority affairs officers.
• Continue to actively participate in predental organization activities.
• Identify a strategy to prepare for the DAT. Obtain a sample DAT test from the American Dental Association (no charge). Consider purchasing a DAT review book and/or a CD that offers sample tests. Some students opt to enroll in DAT review courses, offered at dental schools, colleges and universities, and private companies. Some of these courses are offered free of charge, while others are costly. If you decide to purchase a book, CD or participate in a commercial DAT preparation workshop, make sure the content matches the actual content of the DAT.
• Register for the DATwith the American Dental Association. After submitting your application, you will receive instructions for contacting a Prometric Testing Center to schedule your test date. The DAT is a computerized examination and can be taken at a date and time of your choosing. Your registration is valid for six months.
• The ideal time to take the DAT is at the end of the spring semester, junior year or immediately after you have completed your organic chemistry courses. If your test scores are not what you would like, you must wait 90 days to re-take the test. The DAT can only be taken up to three times, so plan to score well the first time you take the test.

JUNIOR YEAR—SUMMER

• Submit your ADEA AADSAS application, indicating the dental schools to which you want your application materials sent. The ADEA AADSAS application cycle generally opens on or around June 1. An early application significantly enhances your chances of having your application reviewed early. Don't procrastinate and let application deadlines sneak up on you!
• If possible, work, volunteer, or participate in a summer predental program at a dental school.
• Submit your ADEA AADSAS application.
• If you’re retaking the DAT, have a study strategy in place. Remember, you must allow 90 days between test dates.

SENIOR YEAR

• Complete advanced science courses. Although most schools only require a year of biology, most dental students will tell you that additional courses, particularly in the biological sciences, prepare you better for the fast-paced dental school curriculum.
• Finish up all course requirements for your degree.
• Prepare to go on interviews. Participate in mock interviews offered by your pre-dental organization or career center.
• Obtain a good interviewing outfit. Professional business attire is the norm.
• Sometime after December 1, you will (hopefully) receive offers of admission. Depending on the date of an offer of admission, you will have specific response time. Most (but not all) schools require a deposit to reserve a space in the class at the time you accept the offer of admission.
• Initiate the financial aid application process to the dental school you choose to attend. Don't procrastinate! Many financial aid awards are based on the date of application. Work with your dental school’s financial aid office to stay on top of the application process.
• Prepare for graduation!

SENIOR YEAR—SUMMER

• Prepare for your enrollment in dental school. This could mean participating in a prefreshman experience, working and earning a few more dollars before starting school or traveling and relaxing. Have fun!
• Brush up on your reading. Once you are in a dental program the amount of reading that you will do will be different from what you have as an undergraduate student. Try reading more books, magazines, newspapers, etc. Anything where you can work on reading speed and comprehension will help you prepare for dental school.
• Keep working on your hand skills. Continue to play your instrument, participate in your sporting activity, knit, etc. All those things that you were doing to demonstrate your hand skills, don’t stop doing them once you have been accepted into dental school.   
• Develop and maintain good healthy eating habits, work out on a regular basis, learn how to relax and find things that are fun to do.

Taken from the ADEA's Shadowing website.

Students often decide they want to become dentists at different points in their lives—some know as early as middle school, while others don’t decide until their third year of college. Whenever you made your choice, you have to be sure to prepare yourself to pursue this profession and shadowing a dentist is a crucial part of that process.

Shadowing: going to a dentist’s or dental specialist’s office to observe procedures, learn terminology and techniques, observe different practice environments and ask the dental professional questions about his or her journey to practicing dentistry.

Dental schools like to see applicants with shadowing experience, as it shows that the student has a solid grasp of what is involved in the practice of dentistry. One critical aspect of practicing dentistry involves understanding patient confidentiality. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, better known as HIPAA, provides strict provisions for safeguarding medical information. Shadowing opportunities enable students to observe first-hand the vital role confidentiality plays in building and maintaining trust with a patient.

Shadowing a dentist will give you the opportunity to confirm and demonstrate your desire to pursue dentistry and also help you picture yourself as a practicing dental professional.

Here are some questions you could ask the dentist or dental specialist you shadow:

• What do you like most about your work?
• What do you find challenging about your profession?
• Would you still pursue dentistry if you could go back in time?
• What are some of the highlights of your work?
• What gets you excited about coming to work every day?
• If you were not practicing dentistry, what would you be doing?
• How do you balance work and family life?
• Do you participate in any community service?
• If you could change something about the practice of dentistry, what would it be?
• What did you think about your dental school experience? Do you have any advice?
• What was the most challenging aspect of dental school?

Where do I begin?

• Start by asking your personal dentist if he or she would be willing to be shadowed.
• If your personal dentist is unable to be shadowed, ask if he or she can recommend another practitioner.
• Ask your friends, your classmates, your friends’ parents, or your professors to see if their dentist might be willing to be shadowed.
• Talk to your health professions advisor.
• Reach out to your local dental school to see if they have local alumni who would be interested in being shadowed.

Get informed about HIPAA – it lets the dentist know you understand this important part of patient confidentiality