Pre-Dental Track

At the Lander College of Arts & Sciences (LAS), you’ll complete the prerequisite coursework required for dental schools across the country. Whether you're planning to apply to NYU, Rutgers, Columbia, or Touro College of Dental Medicine, you’ll get the science foundation, academic guidance, and real-world exposure you need to succeed.

What to Expect as a Pre-Dental Student at LAS

As a pre-dental student at Touro LAS, you’ll complete a rigorous science curriculum that prepares you for the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) and dental school. 

Most students choose to major in biology, which allows them to complete all the required coursework while staying on track for graduation. Other students pursue different majors while working closely with an advisor to ensure they fulfill dental school prerequisites.

Here’s what sets the pre-dental experience at LAS apart:

Where You Can Go as a Touro LAS Pre-Dental Student

Our alumni are known for their professionalism and commitment to bringing Torah values into everything they do professionally. Touro LAS graduates have been accepted to top dental schools, including:

• Touro College of Dental Medicine
• New York University College of Dentistry
• University of Maryland School of Dentistry
• Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
• Columbia University College of Dental Medicine
• University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine

Prerequisite Course List for Pre-Dental Students

Each dental school has its own admissions and prerequisite requirements, but the following courses are commonly required, strongly recommended, or a Touro College of Dental Medicine (TCDM) requirement:

• 2 semesters or equivalent of General Biology (with labs)
• 2 semesters or equivalent of General Chemistry (with labs)
• 1 semester or equivalent of Organic Chemistry (with labs)
• 1 semester of Biochemistry 
• 2 semesters or equivalent of Physics (with labs)
• 2 semesters or equivalent of English (or successful completion of the English requirements to graduate from Touro LAS)

Your advisor will help ensure that your academic plan aligns with the requirements of your target dental schools. After earning your DDS from an accredited dental school, you’ll be eligible to sit for the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE) and begin the process of becoming a licensed dentist.

Composite Letters and the Pre-Professional Committee

Many dental schools request a composite letter of recommendation from a university committee. At Touro LAS, our Pre-Professional Committee offers dedicated support to help you navigate this process with confidence, including:

• Personalized advising beyond general course planning
• Mock interviews to help you prepare for the real thing
• Guidance on your personal statement and how to tell your story
• A composite letter of recommendation that combines feedback from your professors, advisors, and mentors

It’s important to register with the committee as early as possible — ideally once you know you’re on the pre-dental track. Then, after you do well in a course, ask your professor to send a recommendation letter to the committee. Don’t wait until your senior year, because professors may be on sabbatical, have retired, or simply not remember your work in detail.

Strengthen Your Foundation for Dental School

At Touro LAS, you’ll strengthen your academic foundation, gain hands-on experience, and build lasting relationships with faculty and peers who are invested in your success. Here are some additional opportunities you’ll get as an LAS student:

• Faculty-Led and Offsite Research: As a pre-dental student majoring in biology, you’ll have the opportunity to work closely with faculty on hands-on research projects in physiology, microbiology, and other medically relevant areas
• The Science Journal: Submit original research to The Science Journal, the Touro LAS peer-reviewed publication showcasing original student research, and start building your resume early.
• Student Science Society: Join a vibrant pre-professional community of students who are also starting their journey toward a career in health and science.

The Touro Dental Honors Pathway

If you’re ambitious and want to stay within the Touro University system, the Touro Dental Honors Pathway could be a perfect fit. There is an accelerated 3+4 program lets you earn both your bachelor of science (BS) and doctor of dental surgery (DDS) in just seven years — if you come straight from high school, and a 4+4 program is you studied in Israel first.

In the 3+4 program, you’ll take your prerequisite courses at Touro LAS in Flatbush and then, after three years, begin dental school at TCDM in Westchester, NY. After the first year of dental school, you’ll receive your BS degree retroactively. In the 4+4 program you’ll take your prerequisite courses at Touro LAS in Flatbush, from LAS benefit from mentorship and guidance at LAS, and graduate with your bachelor of science (BS) from LAS, before starting at Touro College of Dental Medicine.

This program is available only to high school seniors or post-seminary/yeshiva students entering Touro LAS as new students. It is not available to students already enrolled at LAS. For more information about admissions requirements, visit the Touro College of Dental Medicine website.