If you have doubts about whether dental school is for you or
are concerned about your chances for admission, you should
schedule an appointment with your pre-health advisor. As a matter
of fact, you should be in constant contact with them anyway.
Professional Advice
Your pre-health advisor can be instrumental in helping you decide
if dental school is right for you and assessing your chances for
admission. In addition, he or she will be particulary helpful in
guiding you to the right schools, both in terms of the best
curriculum for your interests and the most likely schools that
will accept you. Finally, your pre-health advisor will have
specific data about dental school requirements, how students from
your school fared in the admissions process, and where students
with similar academic backgrounds and DAT scores were accepted.
Recommendations
In many undergraduate institutions, the pre-health office handles
the letters of recommendation. In some cases, they simply relay
the letters to the dental schools. In other cases, the pre-health
advisor — or committee — writes a letter to the admissions
offices on your behalf. It's imperative that you get to know
these people and that they know you.
Going it Alone
With the number of applications to dental schools at an all-time
high, pre-health advisors are extremely busy. It's possible that
if you're not a particularly strong candidate, you may find your
advisor less than enthusiastic. He or she may have legitimate
concerns about your competitiveness and may try to dissuade you
from applying. At that point, it's up to you. You may have to go
it alone without the full support of your school's pre-health
office. Be realistic. If everyone agrees your chances are slim,
have a backup plan just in case you're not admitted.
