Pre-Dental Program - NMU Bulletin

Advising for students interested in the pre-dental program is done by Dr. Erich Ottem, Biology Department, 906-227-1072; email: eottem@nmu.edu.

1. Students pursuing this program are assigned to the pre-dental adviser who assists them in selecting the courses required and recommended for admission into dental school and for general advisement on other required pre-dental activities. The choice of major is not restricted and students should choose a major that will interest them and provide a possible career opportunity for them upon graduation. Regardless of the major, students must take the science courses required by dental schools for admission. It is also recommended that other upper level biology courses be taken to enhance preparedness for dental school success. Please see the course listings below. A pre-dental handbook is available from the adviser in the Chemistry Department.
2. The predental advisor provides students with information about the profession, application procedures to dental schools, and the Dental Admission Test (DAT)]. NMU has a predental advisory board comprised of practicing dentists and NMU professors. The Board works in conjunction with the advisor and may interview students who qualify based on GPA and DAT scores. The predental advisor will then construct a letter of evaluation (Board letter) based on the interview and letters of recommendation.
3. Regardless of major selected at NMU, students will be required to complete one year each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics from the courses listed below. In addition, other courses in the list should be completed to strengthen their application. Students should consult with the advisor on this to gain a complete understanding of the course requirements for dental school.
4. The course listing below shows those courses which are required by all dental schools for admission and also lists additional recommended courses. It should be noted that all the courses in the list are part of a biology/physiology or biochemistry major. Dental schools may require an additional course or two for entry so students should investigate dental schools at an early stage in their undergraduate careers.

Minimum course requirements for U.S. dental schools. All of these science courses have an associated laboratory requirement. 

For department information or additional degree requirements, go to the Pre-Professional Programs department page.

For related information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dentists.htm

Bulletin Year: 2023 - 2024 Undergraduate Bulletin | View the current NMU Catalog.