Dentistry
Crafting Healthy Smiles, Enhancing Lives
Earning your Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)
Either terminal degree takes 4 years of dental school after the bachelor’s degree. Preparation for dental school involves curricular and extracurricular experiences that demonstrate communication and leadership skills, community service, research, and familiarity with the dental profession. The University of Mississippi School of Dentistry is housed at our sister campus, University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson, MS.
Explore the World of Dentistry: A Rewarding Career in Oral Health Care
Dentists are healthcare providers who diagnose and treat oral health conditions. They perform a wide variety of procedures, including:
- Check-ups to assess the health of your teeth and gums,
- Preventive care, like cleanings, sealants, to keep your mouth healthy,
- Restorative dentistry to repair or replace damaged or missing teeth, and
- Cosmetic dentistry to enhance the appearance of your smile.
Dental specialties include:
- Endodontists: Root canal specialists who focus on treating conditions inside your tooth.
- Oral surgeons: Specialists who do extractions and other complex surgeries involving your mouth and teeth.
- Orthodontists: Dental specialists who focus on aligning your bite with braces, clear aligners and other appliances.
- Pediatric dentists (pedodontists): Dentists who specialize in treating oral health conditions in children.
- Periodontists: Dental specialists who focus on treating gum disease and other conditions affecting the tissues that support your teeth.
- Prosthodontists. Dentists who specialize in making tooth prosthetics like crowns, bridges and dentures.
For more information about dentists, visit the Occupation Outlook Handbook.
Incoming freshmen indicate their interest in dentistry on the UM application. Others complete the short online form to be assigned to an HPAO advisor and notified about HPAO programs and services.
An acceptance rate that tops the national average
Our pre-dental students are highly competitive applicants, who’ve gained entrance to top-ranked dental schools.
The national acceptance rate is 48% of applicants.
UM students who engage with the HPAO office 5 times or more during their time at UM, their acceptance rate is 81%.
UM students who enrolled in the Liba 303 Dental Application class taught by Dr. Taylor, the acceptance rate is 94%.
Welcome to Pre-Dentistry
Whether you're exploring a future as a dental professional, gathering information about the field, or actively preparing to apply to a dental program at UMMC or other institutions, we’re here to support your journey. Learn more about the important role of a dentist, gain hands-on experience, and take confident steps toward a fulfilling career as a licensed dental professional. With a focus on patient care, preventive treatments, and oral health education, you'll be at the forefront of improving the well-being of individuals and communities. Take the first step today toward a rewarding career in dentistry!
Sovent Z Taylor
Director of Health Professions Advising Office
To enter dental school, you will need:
- BA or BS degree in any major that you choose. Any major is appropriate. Choosing a major that you excel in and enjoy should lead to better grades and allow you to have a more pleasant undergraduate experience. Also, choose a major that can be your contingency plan if you don’t get into dental school or choose not to go!
- Pre-requisite courses that are required for competitive DAT scores and admission to dental school (No Online Pre-requisites accepted).
- Experience in a dental setting, such as shadowing a dentist. This should be one of your first experiences as a pre-dental student. Observing a dentist in action will help you gather the information you need to fully commit to the profession you have chosen and to learn about a variety of dental specialties.
- A competitive Dental Admissions Test (DAT) score.
- Letters of evaluation. Make sure you have contact information for supervisors and dentists you shadow or work with in case you need to ask for letters of evaluation. Try to keep a relationship with someone you will most likely ask for a letter of recommendation.
- Evidence of leadership and community involvement. Because you are preparing for a humanitarian profession, it is important to have volunteer learning experiences which demonstrate a commitment to service to others. Remember that it’s best to have long-term meaningful involvement in a couple of organizations rather than shallow involvement in many organizations.
Dental School Pre-Requisite Courses
Most dental schools require the following courses. Research your particular dental school of interest to see the final required list. (Most dental schools do not accept online pre-requisite required courses).
Biology Courses Required | |
| *BISC 160/160 Biological Science I with Lab | 4 credit hours |
| *BISC 162/163 Biological Science II with Lab | 4 credit hours |
| **BISC 333 Microbiology | 4 credit hours |
| **BISC 160 Series with a grade of “C” or better required before enrolling | |
Chemistry Courses Required | |
Inorganic Chemistry | |
| *CHEM 105/115 General Chemistry I with Lab | 4 credit hours |
| *CHEM 106/116 General Chemistry II with Lab | 4 credit hours |
Organic Chemistry | |
| CHEM 221/225 Organic Chemistry I with Lab | 4 credit hours |
| CHEM 222/226 Organic Chemistry II with Lab | 4 credit hours |
| Note: The above courses (minus Microbiology) should be completed before taking the DAT. | |
Biochemistry | |
| CHEM 373 Intermediate Biochemistry 3 credit hours or CHEM 471 Biochemistry I | 3 credit hours |
Physics Courses Required | |
| PHYS 213/223 General Physics I with Lab | 4 credit hours |
| PHYS 214/224 General Physics II with Lab | 4 credit hours |
| Note: You may substitute PHYS 211/221 and PHYS 212/222 | |
Mathematics Required | |
| MATH 121 & 123, OR 115 and 125, or 115 and 261, or see advisor for more options | |
*Requires a minimum ACT Math subscore of 24 (SAT 560 or SATR Math subscore 580); OR minimum of B earned in MATH 125, OR MATH 121 & 123, OR CHEM 101.
How has HPAO helped you?
"Dr. Taylor has helped me tremendously in navigating how to complete my art degree while still being on track to apply to dental school. The knowledge and wisdom he has not only about the Ole Miss education system but college life in general is invaluable to any pre-dental student he meets with!"
Meri Parker Pigott
(B.A. in Art, Minors in Biological Science and Chemistry)
Meet some Pre-Dental Students
Aniya Howard
How has HPAO helped you?
See Aniya’s Answer
Logan Salvucci
What is your most memorable experience working with HPAO?
See Logan’s Answer
Jon Brent Weathers
What is your major and why did you choose it?
See Jon Brent’s Answer Meri Parker Pigott
Why study art as a pre-dental student?
See Meri Parker’s Answer
Elle Dennen
How has HPAO helped you?
See Elle’s Answer
Riddhi Patel
Why did you decide to pursue this health profession?
See Riddhi’s Answer
Embry Hollowell
How has HPAO helped you?
See Embry’s Answer
Destiny Van
Why did you decide to pursue this dentistry?
See Destiny’s Answer
Alison Dropp
Why did you decide to pursue this health profession?
See Alison’s Answer