FREE SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR PRE-DENTAL STUDENTS
- laurensortodds
- Jan 28, 2024
- 3 min read
Have you ever wondered about some free ways to improve your dental school application?
There are a variety of free programs available to students just like you that are absolutely FREE! I participated in a Summer Pre-Dental Enrichment Program back in 2019 and I am going to share all the information about my experience below! (including links at the bottom)
What is a Summer Pre-Dental enrichment program??
These are programs that help prepare high school students, college students, and even people who have already graduated college for the dental admissions test, dental school applications, and they also help provide insight into what dental school life is like!
Which dental schools have these programs?
A variety of schools offer these but to name a few that I am aware of:
Texas A&M School of Dentistry
Columbia University College of Dental Medicine
UT Health School of Dentistry
UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry
How do you apply to these programs?
The majority of these programs are held at dental schools across the U.S. Their applications are pretty similar in the sense that they usually ask for letters of recommendation, an essay, and information about your experiences as a Pre-Dental student. Most of the applications can be found directly on the school website or by googling something alone the lines of "Summer Pre-dental program at _______________ school of dentistry."
How can I improve my chances of getting into these programs?
To improve your chances of getting accepted into these programs, things you can do right now include gathering all your information in one place. The information you are looking to organize are things that you would regularly put on a dental school application. What many of these schools ask for are:
volunteer hours
shadowing hours
an essay expressing your interest in applying
letters of recommendation
an interview
Do you think applying to these and participating is worth it?
YES!!!! I truly believe participating in one of these programs helped my application stand out and also helped me develop a variety of skills like research, communication, and team work with other pre-dental students. Not only did the program pay for my DAT, it also helped me learn about what dental school is really like. I believe the programs do a wonderful job of helping students financially during the duration of the program as well as academically by providing tutors and DAT-focused classes.
The program I participated in was 6 weeks long and included mini dental school courses like human structure and function, and subclasses that taught us different parts of the DAT - the chemistry, math, bio, PAT, and reading comprehension.
What are some of the perks the programs include?
Some perks of the programs include:
meeting faculty on campus and fostering connections with your desired school
getting a trial of dental school by seeing and practicing hands-on activities
some programs offer financial assistance for the DAT
advice on interviews, application tips, and overall enhancing your dental application by providing items like research to your resumé
Who are the SPEP class teachers?
This depends per school, but at my school it was current dental students. I had the opportunity to become a tutor for the reading comprehension section of the DAT when I was a first year dental student and enjoyed giving back to a program that helped me so much as a college student.
I have attached some photos here from my experience back in 2019 (5 years ago)
<------ Here is me learning how to use the lost-wax technique. We did a variety of hands-on experience that really solidified my interest in dentistry.
I am currently in my third year of dental school and graduate next May. Without participating in a summer program, I think I would have struggled significantly more to find all the information necessary to become a better student and better dental school applicant. It doesn't hurt to apply to these so check them out and see if you could qualify!
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Thank you for reading and let me know if you end up applying to any summer pre-dental programs. If you have any questions feel free to message me on my dental school Instagram @laurensortodds or reach out here via the contact portal. If you are in need of assistance with essay editing or mock interviews, I do offer those services as well and more info. is here on my website :)
Links to more information:
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