Text III. Harvard School of Dental Medicine

The first university-based dental school in the country, Harvard Dental School was founded in 1867. It was also the first to be established in close affiliation with a medical school (Harvard Medical School). In 1940, under President James B. Conant, the School was reorganized as Harvard School of Dental Medicine to place stronger emphasis on the biological basis of oral medicine and to institute multidisciplinary programs of dental research. A unique feature of the curriculum placed dental students in joint classes with medical students for two years of basic science and pathophysiology and for an introduction to clinical medicine on the wards of Harvard teaching hospitals and in community health centers.

A complete application includes:

1. Letters of recommendation.Applicants may submit one letter from the school's advisory committee or three letters from professors at the undergraduate school. Although the admissions committee prefers letters from science professors, letters from current or former employers and dentists may be acceptable. Letters from relatives and friends cannot substitute for letters from college faculty members.

2. College transcripts. All transcripts must be official and sent from the school registrar.

3. Official Dental Admission Test scores. All applicants must take the Dental Admission Test (DAT). The U.S. version is administered on computers at Sylvan Learning Centers nationwide throughout the year. The DAT exam has sections on biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry. Therefore, it is a good idea to take these courses prior to taking the exam. If you want to take the exam a second time, you must wait 90 days before retaking. It may take a few weeks for your official scores to reach the Admissions Office.

Applicants who have been educated in universities outside the U.S. or Canada are required to complete at least one year of college and all the dental prerequisite courses in the U.S. or Canada. Listed below are the recommended college courses necessary to insure adequate preparation for professional school. One year is required in each of the following subjects:

? Biology - with laboratory

? Inorganic or General Chemistry

? Organic Chemistry

? Physics

? Calculus

? English - preferably composition

It is also recommended that applicants have at least two or three advanced science courses such as biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, or genetics. Study of the social and behavioral sciences, the arts and humanities, a foreign language, computer science, statistics and technology is also encouraged.

Students who are considered academically suitable for admission to the program are invited via telephone to interview. All interviews take place at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. The interview process gives potential students the opportunity to flesh out their written applications and to fully articulate their background, experiences, knowledge and interest in dentistry.

The selection of students is based on a total appraisal of the suitability of the candidates for the program at Harvard. Factors such as academic achievement in high school and college, performance on the Dental Admission Test, letters of evaluation and personal qualities are weighed in the decision. Equally important, the Admissions Committee considers the student's motivation to pursue a career in dentistry, familiarity with the dental profession, extracurricular interests and activities, career goals and leadership skills.

Date: 2016-06-12; view: 8