What is better, majoring in Chemistry or Biology to attend Dental School ?
I am a sophomore in college. I was in a pre-dentistry program but unfortunately it was removed due to few people going for pre-dentistry. So now I have to choose between Chemistry or Biology. I need Help Please. #dentistry #dentist #pre-dental #dental-school #chemistry #biology #college
2 answers
ellyn’s Answer
Congratulations on your desire to make smiles brighter!
I completely understand how choosing a major feels paramount, and it is. However, the most important thing to know on your path to dental school is that it is just as (if not more) important to do well in school, and complete the prerequisites.
What do you find exciting in school? By pursuing this can you get awesome grades AND add prerequisites as needed? Prerequisites are usually, chemistry, biology, organic chemistry, microbiology, anatomy, physiology, sometimes pharmacology, and I would encourage histology as well. Some schools have physics requirements too.
If you know what dental school you *might* be most interested in, look at their website, compare a few others and figure out the basic prerequisite classes.
While I was in undergrad, I was fortunate to have a major that combined what I loved, and fulfilled all prerequisites for most healthcare professional schools. That major was called biomedical science, does your school have something like that? Additionally, I realized my passion for Spanish and was able to squeeze those classes in too. But to be frank, I graduated a tad late to do that, but I knew I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't finish both degrees.
I hope you find this helpful and good luck with your pursuits!
ellyn recommends the following next steps:
Steven’s Answer
Either major successfully completed will serve well and will enable you to complete basic course requirements. My dental school, NYU College of Dentistry requires 2 years of chemistry, 8 credit hours of biology, and has requirements for English and physics as well:
https://dental.nyu.edu/academicprograms/dds-program/admission-requirements.html
Ordinarily, physical sciences such as chemistry and physics will have math requirements as well--usually including calculus.
Once you are in dental school you will study biochemistry, histology, microbiology, pharmacology and pathology. It is unlikely you will be able to test out of your requirements, so unless you wish to take similar courses again, you may NOT wish to take all of these as an undergraduate, even if they are available. (As a chemistry major, I took biochemistry twice--with the abbreviated version of the same textbook, no less).