Pre-Dental

Getting into dental school requires a lot of work. Check out our pre-dental articles and learn what you need to know to apply to dental school successfully.

The Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT) : What We Know So Far

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Last year, the American Dental Association (ADA) introduced a new exam called the Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT). This was in response to the lack of scores from other standardized dental exams such as the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part I/II and the dental colleges having switched to using a Pass/Fail system. Advanced dental/specialty programs are now signing up to use the ADAT as the means to quantitatively compare applicants in an objective manner. Therefore, foreign dentists applying to advanced dental programs and dental graduates applying to specialty programs may have to take this additional exam as a part of the admission process.

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Maximizing Your Predental Experience

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Being a dentist is a lifelong dream for many people. Yet few are able to make this dream a reality. Year by year, the application pool for dental schools has become more competitive, and selection committees have a more difficult time choosing the best candidates. As the number of applicants increase, it has become more vital to stand out from among other applicants. Strategically planning your undergraduate years can significantly increase your chances of acceptance at your dream dental school. Looking back at my experience, this is the advice I would give a friend to maximize the experience and overall results to yield the best outcome.

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How To Keep Calm and Succeed on the DAT

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DAT Week

This article originally ran on ASDA’s blog, Mouthing Off, on July 20, 2016.

Is the DAT stressing you out? You’re not alone. Preparing for the DAT is probably the most intimidating part of the dental school application process. But don’t get lost in counting cubes or memorizing reactions! Below are tips on how to succeed at the DAT and stay calm at the same time.

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My Top 5 DAT Study Tips

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This article originally ran on ASDA’s blog, Mouthing Off, on Feb. 3, 2016. ASDA encourages all predentals to join us in celebrating DAT Week 2016 and becoming a member of the association. 

Remember studying for the SATs? Or maybe you don’t because you didn’t need to. Now we’re older and smarter, and have made the decision to pursue dentistry as a career. With that though comes its own set of preparation, most notably the Dental Admission Test (DAT). This past summer, I prepped and took the DAT. This exam is certainly no SAT, and anyone who’s set on taking it has to prepare. In my preparations for the DAT, I acquired some helpful strategies and tips that I have compiled into five simple steps to help you succeed on the DAT.

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A Timeline For Your Ultimate Predental Experience

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This article originally ran on ASDA’s blog, Mouthing Off, on Dec. 2, 2015. ASDA encourages all predentals to join us in celebrating Predental Week 2016 Feb. 21-27 and becoming a member of the association. 
Yesterday was dental school acceptance day – the first day that dental schools start extending offers. If you aren’t quite at the point where you’re checking the mail for your acceptance letter, here are some tips on creating a compelling application.
There are endless opportunities available for predental students to enhance their applications. Most students are aware of the basic elements needed for applying to dental school: a great GPA, a high score on the Dental Admission Test, dental shadowing hours. These components are surely respected, but there are also other avenues available to leverage your experiences. It is important to discover, participate in, and highlight all potential prospects during your undergraduate career. As an enthusiastic predental student embarking on your journey toward the application and acceptance process, here are several recommendations to consider:

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Refuse To Take No For An Answer: How I Got Into Dental School After 6 Tries

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By Travis Barr, DDS

This article is reprinted with permission from the American Student Dental Association. It originally appeared in December 2014 issue of ASDA News.
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For me, the road to dentistry has been more like a grueling endurance race. The ride consisted of three DAT tests, 19 drafts of personal essays and six application cycles in a row—not to mention three-and-a-half years of chair-side experience as a dental assistant, umpteen semesters of graduate courses and some intensive on-the-job training in the roles of husband and father.
I was not what you’d call an ideal candidate. I started college on a football scholarship as a defensive end in Peru, Nebraska, and I was more concerned with making weight, winning games and having a good time than I was with books and grades. Even after I transferred to the University of Northern Colorado, it wasn’t until my junior year that I started thinking seriously about my future and my academic performance. By the time I graduated the following year, I was proud of how far I’d come. I’d turned my performance around, raising my GPA from 2.0 to 3.2 and earning a biochemistry degree while holding down a full-time job and a tutoring position on campus. I had met the girl of my dreams, and I had set my sights on what seemed to be a perfect career for me: dentistry.

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What You Should Know Before Your First Interview

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This article is reprinted with permission from the American Student Dental Association. It originally appeared in the February 2014 issue of ASDA News.
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Interviewing is a stressful experience. Knowing some typical interview formats and the expectations of your interviewer can help put your mind at ease while pursuing acceptance into dental school.

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My Most Influential Predental Experience

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This article is reprinted with permission from the American Student Dental Association. It originally appeared in June 2013 in mouthing off, The Blog of the ASDA.
As far as career choices go, dentistry has only recently come into my life. As a boy I wanted to be Batman, but over time I realized I wouldn’t have sufficient funds to run my evening escapades (not to mention, keep up the daytime billionaire guise). Then I settled upon engineering. Through engineering, I discovered my true passion for crafting and restoring balance in people’s lives. It was my desire to create that motivated me to make a life changing decision to pursue dentistry.

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