Pre-dentistry, minor in

The pre-dentistry minor provides foundational courses for students that are preparing to be competitive applicants for Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) programs after completing their bachelor’s degree at VCU. The pre-dentistry minor can be completed as a part of any undergraduate degree. Completing this minor does not guarantee admission into any dentistry program. This minor is structured to academically prepare students to apply for dentistry school broadly. Clinical and non-clinical experiences are a requirement of application to most dental schools. In addition to this minor, students should participate in clinical and non-clinical experiences to develop a competitive application for dental school. Visit the VCU Career Services - Pre-Professional Health Career Advising website for more information and to schedule an appointment with a pre-professional health and STEM career counselor.

Dental schools across the U.S. have different prerequisites for admission. The list below shows courses that may be required by various schools including the VCU School of Dentistry. It is always recommended that a student visit each program’s webpages and/or attend an information session to obtain requirements for specific programs. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic adviser to integrate these courses into their academic plan. In addition, students are encouraged to discuss career plans with their pre-dentistry minor adviser and VCU career counselor for additional guidance.

For the pre-dentistry minor, a minimum of nine credits in upper-level science (300-level or higher) courses must be taken at VCU. All upper-level science courses at a 300-level or higher listed in this minor are strongly recommended to be completed at VCU. It is encouraged to demonstrate future academic success in dental school through a rigorous course schedule. Dental schools may prefer students complete these courses at a four-year institution in order to demonstrate future academic success in dental school course work. 

Declaring the pre-dentistry minor

To declare the pre-dentistry minor:

• Students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours to be eligible to declare the minor
• Students must obtain a minimum cumulative VCU GPA of 3.0
• Students must complete BIOL 151 and BIOZ 151 with minimum grades of C

Maintaining the pre-dentistry minor (progression policy)

• Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 VCU cumulative GPA.

  • If a student’s VCU cumulative GPA drops below 3.0, they will be placed on probation in the minor and allowed one semester to raise their cumulative GPA to 3.0 — provided it is mathematically possible to do so. If it is not mathematically possible to do so, or if the student fails to raise their minimum cumulative GPA to 3.0 during their probationary semester, they will be removed from the pre-dentistry minor and can re-declare the minor once eligible. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their minor adviser to discuss their academic plans/progress.

• Students cannot exceed more than three attempts of any course within the minor including withdrawals and historical repeat attempts. If a student exceeds three attempts for any course within the minor, they will not be eligible to maintain and graduate with the minor.

Required courses

Additional recommended courses and information

Dental schools across the U.S. have different prerequisites for admission. Students should discuss career plans with a pre-professional health career counselor for additional guidance. If the 300-level science course requirements have been completed, students are encouraged to continue taking upper-level science courses to demonstrate academic rigor and success. The list below shows courses required by various dental schools beyond the courses listed above for the pre-dentistry minor. Completing courses from the list below will not contribute to the pre-dentistry minor requirements.