Pre-Dentistry

2024-25 catalog 

Coordinator: JASON KOONTZ, Professor (Biology) B.S., Iowa State; M.S., Miami University (Ohio); Ph.D., Washington State

Augustana's pre-dentistry program prepares students for admission to dental school. All U.S. dental schools require three or more years of pre-dental training and preference is given to applicants who are bachelor's degree candidates.

Dental schools also place emphasis on the importance of a broad, general program of study. Students seeking admission to dental school should include in their course of study BIOL-130, BIOL-140, BIOL-250, BIOL-343, and BIOL-360 or 362; CHEM-131, CHEM-132, CHEM-321, CHEM-322, and CHEM-441; PHYS-151, PHYS-152.

Recommended electives include statistics or math, and advanced courses in art, English, history, philosophy, psychology, and social and political science. It is recommended that elective courses be chosen to broaden the student's intellectual background.

Augustana's dentistry program is not a graduation major, so a departmental major must be completed if the student intends to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree. The choice of graduation major is not critical for acceptance by a dental school, though nationwide the majority of matriculating dental students have a major in biology.