You should speak to the predental advisor on your university campus, Admission Offices of Dental Schools, the family dentist, other dentists in general practice and those involved in the various fields of dentistry such as public health, dental research, etc. Observation in the office of a general dentist is required. Information is also available from the American Dental Association, (ADA website www.ada.org), and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA website http://www.adea.org/).
Yes. These students should take courses that will prepare them for admission to the predental college of their choice. In general, high school courses should include Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, English and courses that involve the development of hand skills.
We do not recommend specific colleges or universities. The college must be accredited and those having an active pre-health advisory committee and predental society are recommended.
The College of Dentistry provides complete information about admission requirements to predental advisors and to predental students. Counseling is available.
Texas A&M College of Dentistry requires a minimum of ninety semester hours; however, most students complete a degree before beginning the program. A grade of "C" or better is required for all required courses. An applicant must include the required hours:
| Anatomy with Lab* | 4 semester hours |
| Physiology * | 3 semester hours |
| Microbiology | 3 semester hours |
*Note: The Anatomy and Physiology requirements can be satisfied by either individual courses or the combined A&P 1 and A&P 2 (with both labs) for science majors. Predental students who take the individual courses of Anatomy and Physiology (3000 level or higher) will be better prepared and therefore more competitive as an applicant; however, the approved, combined Anatomy & Physiology 1 & 2 courses will meet the requirement.
To help verify that you are taking approved science major's courses, please refer to the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) website. They have a Prescribed Course Listing by University of approved courses http://www.tmdsas.com/PLAN/references/COURSE_LISTINGS/index.html.
No course should be planned for Summer Session 2 of the year of entry as it conflicts with our start date.
Histology, Neuroscience, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Immunology and Biochemistry II are suggested to strengthen the student's science background.
Although we do not require a specific major, the majority of successful applicants have majored in the Biological or Biomedical Sciences. Taking more than the minimum number of biology courses and performing well in them will make the applicant better prepared and therefore, more successful in gaining admission.
The applicant should take the DAT in the spring or summer prior to applying. The DAT is offered at Prometric Testing Centers with locations throughout the country. An applicant with below average scores on the test may wish to retake the test in order to become more competitive. A 90-day waiting period is required before re-testing.
The School participates in the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS). This central processing service allows the applicant to apply to any or all of the dental schools in the State of Texas. Texas Residents MUST apply through the TMDSAS.
Texas A&M College of Dentistry requires the submission of a secondary application in addition to the primary application. This application can be accessed from links on the TMDSAS Web site or at the our application site TAMHSC APP.
THE APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION IS NOT COMPLETE UNTIL THE SECONDARY APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED.
The School participates in the American Association of Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) for out-of-state students only. Out-of-state applicants have two application options. They may apply through the TMDSAS, our preferred application service, or through AADSAS. Please note: Out-of-state applicants who apply through AADSAS must also apply with the Texas A&M College of Dentistry application. The College of Dentistry application is available online at the application site TAMHSC APP.
To apply to the program leading to the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree the applicant should:
Access full information and the on-line application at the website for
www.tmdsas.com
Timetable for filing application:
Earliest date: May 1, year prior to desired admission
It is to the applicant's advantage to apply as early as possible.
The TMDSAS has a flat fee; we recommend applying to all of the Texas dental colleges. Texas A&M College of Dentistry requires a secondary application but charges no additional processing fee.
Yes, an interview is required. The applicant may be invited for an interview with the Admissions Committee. Interviews are scheduled by the Office of Recruitment and Admissions. Although an official interview is not granted to all applicants, the College of Dentistry gladly provides complete information and counseling for all prospective students. Visits to the campus are offered during the spring semester.
The quality of academic achievement is the first point of consideration. The grade point average (GPA) and the Dental Admission Test (DAT) are the primary factors used in this evaluation. The interview with the Admissions Committee gives the opportunity for evaluation of noncognitive factors. Preference is given to residents of Texas and the surrounding states which do not have a college of dentistry. Consideration of any factors that may have impacted academic or personal history is important in interview selection and final acceptance decisions. Additionally, applicants seeking to enter dental school must be able to perform the essential functions required to complete the curriculum successfully.
The application for admission to Texas A&M College of Dentistry may be strengthened by the following:
A comprehensive (whole-file review) of the application is performed to reveal characteristics critical to the practice of dentistry, factors that indicate success in the dental curriculum that are not evident from academic history or standardized test performance, and potential for future contributions to the dental profession. They include:
The School will consider transfer applications based on the space availability in our class. Please refer to the Transfer Guidelines, listed on the Application Procedures page, for full details.
The College of Dentistry operates on a semester system with new classes beginning only once a year in August. A current calendar is available upon request.
The tuition and fees for the student in the College of Dentistry can be found here.
To view the Cost of Attendance (COA) estimate provided by the Financial Aid Office please visit the website Scholarships and Financial Aid - Aggie One Stop and select College of Dentistry.
(Tuition refund guideline is available on request and is published in our catalog.)
For a complete listing of tuition and fees, see the Health Science Center Catalog available on TAMU the web site.
To view the Cost of Attendance (COA) estimate provided by the Financial Aid Office please visit the website http://financialaid.tamu.edu/Professional/Cost and select College of Dentistry.
Students are discouraged from holding any outside employment which may be detrimental to the pursuit of their education. In no case may a student accept a position which conflicts with regularly scheduled school hours. When scholastic progress is questionable, students may be asked to discontinue outside work.
Yes, the College of Dentistry participates in several types of loan and scholarship programs. Students are classified as independent for consideration in professional school so aid is available based upon your documented need. Students complete FAFSA and submit requests for aid to the Office of Student Aid.
Because of the intense efforts in selecting only highly qualified students, few students fail to complete our programs.
A Summer Predental Enrichment Program exists to strengthen academic background, introduce the profession of dentistry, improve study skills and increase preparedness for admission to Dental School. For information, contact the Office of Student Development. Web address - https://dentistry.tamhsc.edu/student-development.
Most D.D.S. graduates are in the private practice of dentistry. There is also a need for dentists who are interested in scientific research and teaching. Specialty areas in dentistry include Dental Public Health, Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, and Prosthodontics. Competition for admission to these graduate programs is high. Dentists also serve in public health agencies, educational institutions, the military and dental industry.