Dental Low GPA, Can I still get into dental school?

[artist2022]

I've raised my freshman GPA from a 2.46 to a 3.12 in a year. Im currently ending my sophomore (2nd) year. The first two years of school were rough because my alopecia progressed rapidly into full on universal alopecia in the matter of 2 months, I had lost my eyebrows and eyelashes, etc (I'm a girly girl so it worse). I didn't know how to handle the depression and anxiety, but now I'm getting better at school. I was about to start working as a Dental Assistant but corona virus did not allow that which means I don't have any dental experience as of now. I have signed up for a dental preceptorship class next semester, so if we go back to school, I will start my hours that way. My gen chem grades were both C+ for 1&2. Bio 1 was a D, which I asked to retake but was told no because it has been over a year (Weird). Orgo 1 i got a C, but I'm in Orgo 2 now and have a projected A if I get at least a D on the final.. should be doable. I'll start biochem and physics next semester. Haven't taken the DAT yet but I am going to start to study. I know I have to get a high DAT to make up for my grades. Got 3 eboard positions for clubs for next year and joined a service fraternity to help with community service hours. I live in NY. Where should I look into? After reading forums, I'm feeling doubtful about getting into dental school. I'll be graduating a semester early so I might just do a post- bacc, I haven't looked into that yet. What should I improve? Should I still try for dentistry? I don't really see myself doing anything else, which is weird I know because I haven't done any shadowing yet.

Kudos to you for the raise in your GPA. Since you have two more years left (I wouldn't graduate a semester early, I'd just graduate on time and just take upper division/difficult science courses that last semester), you have plenty of time to raise your GPA even more. You will, however, need to retake Bio 1, as schools require a C or higher in pre-reqs. If your home university is not allowing you to retake it, look into CCs or another 4 year university that you could take it at. Keep in mind that both grades will be counted in your GPA, as the dental school application system does not replace grades. As for the DAT, I'd suggest taking it not long after you've finished Orgo 2, but you could take it after biochem as well because biochem was helpful to know when I took my DAT. Either way, you'll have to take it before/near June 2021, as you'll be applying that cycle. For now, there's not much you can do besides focus on school, but you can start talking to professors and get to know them, so that in a year's time you can ask them for a letter of recommendation. Once things are better, definitely try to get as many shadowing and volunteering hours as possible (100+ for each).

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