Wright State University College of Science and Mathematics
Pre-Health Professions
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CoSM Pre-Dent checklist

First Year:

Meet regularly with your academic advisor

Fall
  • Attend "Intro to the Health Professions" Workshop and meet with the Pre-Health Advisor to develop your schedule
  • Develop good study habits and maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above
  • Join Wright State Pre-Medical or Pre-Dental society or other student organizations
  • Visit "Explore Health Careers" website
  • Participate in pre-health activities and seminars
Winter
  • Begin volunteer work in a dentistry field, specifically general dentistry
  • Read magazines, newspapers, novels, etc. to enhance your reading and verbal skills
  • Maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above
Spring
  • Look at a sample of the DAT to get an idea of what these tests are like
  • Meet with the Pre-Health Advisor to plan next year's schedule
Summer
  • Enjoy the summer
  • Volunteer
  • Read everything you can
  • Attend summer school, if necessary

Sophomore:

Meet regularly with your academic advisor

Fall:
  • Check in with Pre-Health Advisor and participate in pre-health activities
  • Request admission test prep books as holiday gifts
  • Get A's in Organic Chemistry
  • Find out about research opportunities and summer internships
  • Participate in volunteer/paid medically related clinical activities
  • Stay involved in student organizations; develop leadership role
Winter:
  • Maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above
  • Seriously look at DAT sample questions
  • Get to know your professors
  • Continue volunteering
Spring:
  • Meet with the Pre-Health Advisor to plan next year's schedule
  • Maintain your grades
Summer:
  • Enjoy the summer
  • Volunteer
  • Start studying for the DAT
  • Attend summer school, if necessary

Junior:

Meet regularly with your academic advisor

Fall:
  • Check in with Pre-health Advisor and participate in pre-health activities
  • Continue participation in volunteer/paid medically related activities
  • Continue involvement in Wright State Premedical or Pre-Dental Society (run for office, be a mentor)
  • Investigate:
  • Official Guide to Dental Schools; Admission requirements for all U.S. and Canadian dental schools (www.adea.org)
  • Information about the Dental Admission Test (DAT) and Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS)
  • Begin preparation for DAT administration
  • Successfully complete first-quarter required pre-dental coursework and other degree requirements
  • Maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above
  • Get to know your professors
Winter
  • Meet with the Pre-Health Advisor
  • Register for DAT online at www.ada.org
  • Start to get letters of recommendation
  • Do serious studying for the DAT and/or take an DAT prep course
Spring
  • Consult regularly with Pre-Health Advisor regarding:
  • Schedule for completion of school-specific requirements for advisor evaluation
  • Advice about dental education options
  • Continue participation in volunteer /paid medically related activities
  • Take DAT
  • Work on personal statement for AADSAS
    • How did you become interested in studying dentistry?
    • What have you done to demonstrate your interest in dentistry?
    • What have you done to demonstrate your commitment to others?
    • Do you have any special talents or leadership skills?
    • Did you have to work to pay for your education? How has that made you a stronger applicant?
    • Have you had to overcome hardships or obstacles to get where you are today? How that influenced your motivation for advanced education?
  • Begin preparing your AADSAS application
  • Application becomes available in mid May
  • Begin lining up your letters of recommendation
  • Collect copies of transcripts
  • Complete application early so that you can submit well in advance of the application deadline. AADSAS verification can take four to eight weeks!
Summer
  • Participate in summer health careers program, if available
  • Complete AADSAS application
    • After submission, check with the schools you are applying to for supplemental materials or fees that are required
    • Log onto AADSAS application to monitor that status of your application
    • Update any changes of address or other contact information in your application
    • Retake DAT, if necessary
    • Attend summer school, if necessary
    • Receive a copy of your DAT scores
    • If letters of recommendations are being sent to Pre-Health Advisor, keep up-to-date that all letters of recommendation have been received and indicate where the letters should be sent

    Senior

    Meet regularly with your academic advisor

    Fall:
    • Complete supplementary application materials for schools applied to
    • Consult regularly with Pre-Health advisor regarding:
    • Completion of school-specific requirements for advisor evaluation
    • Status of application/admission process at dental schools applied to
    • Continue participation in volunteer/paid medically related activities
    • Continue involvement with Wright State Premedical or Pre-Dental Society
    • Visit schools when invited for interviews (see the Pre-Health Advisor interviews to help prepare)
    • Interview at dental schools
    • Continue review of dental education options
    • Investigate:
    • Financial aid planning process with AADSAS
    • Financial aid forms required by school of interest
    Winter
    • Maintain your grades (if you are not successful in gaining admission to dental school this year and you decide to try again next year, these grades will be important
    • Decide if you need to retake the DAT
    Spring
    • Celebrate your acceptance into dental school
    • Make interm and final decisions about dental school choice
    • Immediately notify dental schools that you will not be attending
    • Graduate
    Summer
    • Enjoy your summer off before starting dental school
    • Prepare for dental school enrollment: purchase books and equipment and make appropriate living arrangements
    • Relax and prepare for dental school
    • Attend orientation programs and matriculate in to dental school
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