• Begin a career in dentistry with a pre-dentistry undergraduate major.dentist 09 image by Dragan Bombek from Fotolia.com
  
  Dental schools, which offer education and training at the master's or doctoral level, do not have requirements for an undergraduate's choice of major. There is no bachelor's degree in dentistry, but undergraduate students may choose a pre-dentistry major or concentrate in biology or some other science field. Employment in the field of dentistry is expected to continue a 10-year rise of 16 percent through the year 2018, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Undergraduate schools offering the beginning of training for the career of dentistry are available across the country.
  
  

Ball State University

• Ball State University prepares students for graduate work in dentistry with a four-year bachelor's degree in pre-dentistry (a three-year accelerated program is also available). Science preparatory coursework includes general chemistry, principles of biology, genetics, general physics, structure and development of vertebrates, and organic chemistry. Students at Ball State may get involved with the Pre-Dental/Pre-Medical Club, which offers guest speakers and volunteer and social opportunities. Ball State University graduates may transfer their credits to the Indiana University School of Dentistry, where senior-year coursework may help eliminate the need for some graduate-level classes.
  
  Ball State University
  2000 W. University Ave.
  Muncie, IN 47306
  800-382-8540
  cms.bsu.edu
  
  

University of Cincinnati

• The University of Cincinnati's McMicken College of Arts & Sciences offers a pre-dentistry program students may enroll in by enrolling in a bachelor's degree of any field, then taking pre-dentistry coursework (there is no official pre-dentistry degree at the school). The four-year program requires a curriculum including biology, chemistry, general physics and organic chemistry, plus lab study and math such as calculus or statistics. Students have access to the pre-professional advising center, which will work with them on planning their education to satisfy dental graduate school requirements. The school also offers a language lab, math center, tutoring center and writing center, plus personal counseling.
  
  University of Cincinnati
  102 McMicken Hall
  PO Box 210037
  Cincinnati, OH 45221-0037
  513-556-5860
  artsci.uc.edu
  
  

Virginia Commonwealth University

• Students in the Virginia Commonwealth University pre-dentistry program may choose any undergraduate major while fulfilling pre-dentistry coursework, then apply to the university's school of dentistry or another dental school of their choice. Undergraduate coursework includes introduction to biological sciences, calculus with analytic geometry, biological concepts, university physics, biochemistry, cell biology, endocrinology and immunology. Students may join a pre-dental email list, to receive academic and career information. Virginia Commonwealth also offers a student dental club, with trips to dental schools and presentations.
  
  Virginia Commonwealth University
  Hibbs Hall
  900 Park Avenue
  P.O. Box 842002
  Richmond, VA 23284-2002
  804-827-8648
  vcu.edu