Dentist School in Texas - TX

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: August, 4 2010

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Dental schools in Texas are known for producing top-notch dental clinicians, with programs that emphasize a dental curriculum along with research and community service.

Research is regarded as significant to the clinical practice of dentistry and financial grants from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research are enabling students at some dentist schools in Texas to conduct research into a range of areas. Among the topics being researched are dental implants and periodontal disease management, as well as diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome.

Community service is another important part of dentistry training in Texas. For example, students may provide dental screenings and fluoride varnishes during back-to-school fairs held by Texas dental and medical schools. Dental schools also direct dental clinics at local children’s hospitals, community centers, and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Admission to a College of Dentistry in Texas is competitive. While a specific undergraduate degree is not required, many major in the biological or biomedical sciences. A minimum of 90 semester hours is recommended, including six semester hours of English, eight hours of inorganic chemistry, eight hours of organic chemistry, eight hours of physics, three hours of biochemistry and fourteen hours of biology, with 12 hours of lecture and two hours of lab work, and three hours of statistics.

In an effort to attract more minority groups to dentistry programs, several universities in Texas have established summer enrichment programs for high school and college students to help them increase their chances for admission to dental school.