The pre-dental studies designation (“pre-dental designation”) is designed for undergraduate students who are planning on pursuing DDS or DMD. Pre-dental designation status is not intended for students enrolled in QU’s entry-level professional track programs. The pre-dental designation is not a stand-alone program and is completed in addition to the student’s undergraduate degree and major. Application to dental school may require coursework outside of a specific major. The pre-dental designation allows students to enroll in and track completion of these core requirements. While the pre-dental designation will cover the majority of standard prerequisite courses, requirements may vary by dental school. Students are responsible for checking their intended dental programs in advance of the AADSAS application process to determine if additional coursework is required.

Students may enroll in the pre-dental designation after the start of classes by attending one “Pre-Med 101” workshop held by the director of pre-health advising. Undergraduate applicants should indicate their interest in pre-dental studies when applying to QU. This will automatically add you to the director’s email list, whereby you will receive communication regarding Pre-Med 101 offerings prior to and after matriculation.  

To receive the pre-dental studies designation upon graduation, the following are required:

  1. Cumulative GPA of 3.30 or above in required pre-dental designation courses
  2. Minimum of 18 credit hours of pre-dental designation coursework must be completed at Quinnipiac
  3. All coursework for pre-dental designations must be completed on-ground (no online coursework will be accepted)
  4. All attempts for repeated courses will determine GPA elibility (grades will not be "replaced" for repeat courses)
  5. If coursework is completed elsewhere, it must be transferred in as QU credits and listed on the QU transcript

In addition to strong academic performance, pre-dental designation enrollees must actively pursue experiences and opportunities throughout their undergraduate years to gain exposure to dentistry and patient interaction. A wide range of skills and competencies should be developed through experiences such as:

  • extended exposure to healthcare and dentistry (shadowing, clinical work, volunteering, etc.),
  • research outside of the curriculum,
  • substantial volunteer efforts and community involvement,
  • leadership experiences.

Activities and experiences that develop and exhibit strong manual dexterity skills should also be pursued. Active participation in Pre-Health Advising Office educational workshops, advising and events is expected.

Transfer Students

Students who transfer to Quinnipiac University and wish to receive the pre-dental studies designation must complete a minimum of 18 credits of the required designation coursework at Quinnipiac. Grades received for pre-dental designation courses taken at other universities may be utilized for transfer student GPA calculations to determine eligibility. 

Advanced Placement Credits

Some dental schools may accept AP credits provided that applicants complete courses for which AP credit has been granted with a higher level course in the same discipline, while others do not accept AP credits for prerequisite science courses. Students are encouraged to check with the specific AP policies and course requirements of any dental schools through the ADEA website, Dental School Explorer or the ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools.

Online Coursework

In accordance with professional school admissions policies, online courses will not be accepted for any pre-dental designation course requirements. Online degree seekers are not eligible for the pre-dental studies designation.

Course Requirements

All courses listed in this section may count toward both the major (if applicable) and the pre-dental studies designation.

Required Courses (All Courses Required for a Minimum of 46 Credits)

Students must complete all of the listed required courses, as they are the minimum prerequisites for application to dental schools and cover content tested on the Dental Admission Test (DAT).

Required Courses
Select one of the following:4
General Biology I
and General Biology I Lab
General Biology for Majors
and General Biology for Majors Laboratory
Select one of the following:4
General Biology II
and General Biology Lab II
Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics
and Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics Lab
Select one of the following:4
General Physics I
and General Physics I Lab
University Physics ( (includes lab))
Select one of the following courses:4
General Physics II
and General Physics II Lab
University Physics II ((includes lab))
Required courses:
CHE 110
110L
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Lab
4
CHE 111
111L
General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry II Lab
4
CHE 210
210L
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry I Lab
4
CHE 211
211L
Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry II Lab
4
CHE 315
315L
Biochemistry I
and Biochemistry I Lab
4
BMS 370
370L
General Microbiology
and General Microbiology Lab
4
MA 141Calculus of a Single Variable3
MA 275Biostatistics3

In addition to required pre-dental designation courses, students should complete any two (2) English courses and Psychology 101 (PS 101) to meet many dental school admission requirements. Advanced sciences such as Anatomy & Physiology, Genetics, Histology, and Cell Biology, as well as ethics and philosophy courses, are highly recommended.

Dental school prerequisites vary by program. Pre-dental students should review school-specific requirements via the ADEA Dental School Explorer or via program websites.