Program

SHU biology and chemistry majors are eligible for the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine’s early acceptance program, which grants qualified students provisional early acceptance to LECOM’s School of Dental Medicine, School of Pharmacy, School of Podiatric Medicine or College of Osteopathic Medicine.

SHU offers the prerequisite coursework required by the majority of dental schools: one year of biology with lab, two semesters of general chemistry with lab, two semesters of organic chemistry with lab, and two semesters of physics with lab. Requirements vary, so please see the specific prerequisites for the dental schools you wish to apply to. Dental schools do not post a minimum GPA requirement, but the average overall GPA of applicants is around 3.5. Most medical schools require a Dental Admission Test (DAT) score, and SHU has DAT preparation books. The average DAT score of those who enter dental school is 20 or higher on each subset. We strongly recommend studying more than 3 months for the DAT and taking the test after completing the junior year, but before the senior year.

SHU supports extracurricular activities for your dental school application. Through Siena Serves, students can complete community/volunteer service through the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry, and many others. Lenawee County is home to numerous dental practices, where students can shadow dentists. SHU also offers studio arts classes, where students can improve their manual dexterity needed for dentistry. Students can also gain health-related research experiences working one-on-one with a SHU faculty member or by enrolling in a SHU Sustainability Internship focused on air-, water-, or food-quality. SHU has active chapters of Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honors Society, Greenlight Environmental Science Club, and a Chemistry Club, where students can develop essential leadership skills. The Center for Student Success provides dedicated advisors to assist students with academic development. Siena Heights’ Career Services offers valuable networking, internship, and career opportunities through workshops, job boards, and career fairs.

SHU biology graduates have gained successful admission to the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ohio State University College of Dentistry, Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, New York University College of Dentistry, and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry.