In continuation of one of our previous articles, Window to Dental Specialties, there are many more different types of dental specialties to explore. After all, our mouths are such intricate elements of human anatomy that require extensive care and treatment with the development of research and science. And you might be less familiar with  some of these specialties than the more well-known practices covered in our first article, but they require just as much additional studying and training beyond dental school. Continuing education and competitive residency programs are all down the road ..read more

The DAT is a mountain every pre-dental student must climb in order to apply to dental school. While definitely daunting, that’s not what the D stands for. The DAT, otherwise known as the Dental Admissions Test, is an entrance exam administered year-round by the American Dental Association (ADA) that is required by all dental schools. More than 14,000 people take the DAT each year, so you are not alone in your journey (ADA). ​ Why is the DAT important? The reason the DAT is crucial for admissions is because the scores serve as a tool or metric for admission committees to evaluate a students’ a ..read more

Aside from your general dentist whom you see for daily check-ups, it takes a lot of different health care providers to keep your mouth healthy. They are recognized as dental specialists who deliver unique oral care to a specific area of study as a branch to dentistry. The profession requires additional training to the four-year dental program to obtain a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree. Some specialty programs require applicants to take the Advanced Dental Admissions Test (ADAT) during their last years of dental school. Graduates can then complete a den ..read more

Huge thanks to Reese Wilson for sharing her dental experience with us! Graduating in 2019, Reese is a UC Davis alum who is currently a third year dental student at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry. As a D3, she definitely has a busy schedule, and she’s here to share her valuable advice with Pre-Dental Society. Q: Introduce yourself!         A: “Hello! My name is Reese, and I'm a D3 at UCLA School of Dentistry. I went to undergrad at UC Davis and majored in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. I grew up in Encinitas, CA. My hobbies ..read more

As for most careers, dentistry does not have one clear pathway to follow. Every pre-dental students’ journey is unique and particular to their own situations, but they all lead to one common goal: dental school. We interviewed Victoria Nguyen, a fourth-year pre-dental student at UC Davis, to hear about where she currently is in her pathway to dental school! ​ Q: Introduce yourself! A: “Hello! My name is Victoria Nguyen, and I am a fourth-year Neurobiology Physiology and Behavior major and pre-dental student at UC Davis. I grew up in Longbeach, California and committed to UC Davis in 2018. Her ..read more

​Beyond the Pre-Dental Society at UC Davis, the dental field continues to grow as a community, adopting more clubs and resources for students interested in the field. It can be overwhelming to decide which dental club aligns with your passions and goals because there’s an abundance to choose from. But no fear, PDS is here to help you decide which dental club you’d best resonate with! Your choices, besides the Pre-Dental Society, include Youth in Dentistry, Oral Health Society, and Operation Smile. Read more to learn what toothy opportunities await: ​ YOUTH IN DENTISTRY UC Davis has recent ..read more

I had the wonderful opportunity of interviewing Sameer Iyengar, a UC Davis alumni and current second-year dental student at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry. Sameer gave us some remarkable insights into his own experiences as a former pre-dental here at UC Davis and current dental student at UCLA. As a D2, his schedule is busier with more labs and advanced coursework since second year coursework acts as a bridge connecting the lecture-heavy courses from D1 and clinic-intense coursework of D3 year. I had the wonderful opportunity of interviewing Sa ..read more

I had the pleasure of interviewing Marisa Estipona, a UC Davis alumni and current first year dental student at the Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine in Utah. Marisa’s enthusiasm was infectious, as she provided some wonderful advice from her own perspective and experience as a former pre-dental student and current D1.  ​ ​ Q: Introduce yourself!         A: “Hi! My name is Marisa Estipona, and I am a D1 at Roseman. I am originally from the Bay Area and then moved to Folsom, CA. I graduated from UC Davis in 2019 with ..read more

Applying and getting into dental school is already no easy feat, but being a dental student is another challenge. I had the pleasure of interviewing Janet Nguyen, a UC Davis alumni and current first-year dental student at the University of Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, and she gave wonderful insights into her own experiences as a former pre-dental and current dental student.  Q: Introduce yourself! A: “Hello, my name is Janet Nguyen! I graduated from UC Davis back in June 2020 with a Biological Psychology, B.S. I took one gap year to work in custom ..read more

Welcome to the first UC Davis Pre-Dental Society blog article, where we hope to help pre-dental students through their journey!  What makes teeth so interesting? What makes you want to stare into someone’s mouth all day? What makes you want to fix someone else’s smile? What makes you a pre-dental student? These are the introspective questions pre-dental students find themselves pondering when deciding if dentistry is truly for them. They put us on the spot when we are at interviews, writing personal statements, or simply having a casual conversation. But these occasions have allowed each ..read more