Creighton University

The goal of the Post-Baccalaureate program is to strengthen the academic abilities (science, mathematics, perceptual ability, writing, analytical reading, and critical thinking) of students who are disadvantaged academically, environmentally, financially and socially and who, for one reason or another, have previously been denied admission to a school of medicine/dentistry. The post-baccalaureate program will enhance the students' test-taking skills and their competitivesness for re-application to medical/dental school and provide them with cultural competency and other professional skills that will prepare them to be capable health care providers and members of increasingly global social and professional communities.  Predental Post-baccalaureate program consists of the following components:

(8 weeks) (begins first Monday of June) Call department (402-280-3029) for starting dates

• Curricular review sessions in Biology, Chemistry, Perceptual Ability, Mathematics, and English
• Training in study skills, test taking, time management, library resources, and personal wellness
• Professional Interviewing techniques

Note: There is a short break between the Summer Session and the Academic Year Program

Academic skills assessment

(2 semesters)

Fall Session: mid-August thru mid-December.
Spring Session: mid-January thru first week of May.

• Kaplan DAT preparation course
• Computer skills training
• Professional clinical shadowing in the Dental Clinics

Intensive coursework in Biology, Chemistry, Biomedical Science, Perceptual Ability, Mathematics, and English

(6 weeks)

Program in May and June (call department for starting dates). 

 

Preview of dental school curriculum including Histology and Embryology, Biochemistry, Anatomy (Lecture/Lab), Physiology, Dental Anatomy, and Dental Materials.  These sessions will be taught by the same School of Dentistry faculty that the students will have during their dental school tenure at Creighton University.

• Training in academic and personal skills necessary to successfully pass their dental school coursework. 
• Clinical field trips
• Dental shadowing

• Computer services in the Office of Health Sciences' Multicultural adn Community Affairs (HS-MACA)
• One-on-one mentoring organized by HS-MACA staff through the HS-MACA Mentoring Program
• Mentoring by Program Director
• Tutoring Services provided by HS-MACA Tutoring Program
• Social and support group opportunties

The successful Pre-Dental Post-Baccalaureate student will achieve at least an overall GPA of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) in the post-baccalaureate program and minimum score of 17 on the DAT in Academic Average, Perceptual Ability and Total Science.

The successful student will be guaranteed a seat in the fall, 2013 entering class at Creighton University School of Dentistry.  A scholarship of $10,000 will be awarded per year per student as part of the admission to Creighton University School of Dentistry package. Students will also be eligible for additional scholarship assistance such as the Raymond Rucker Endowed Scholarship ($1,000) and the Robert Wood Johnson Scholarship ($1,500).  In order to retain the $10,000 guaranteed scholarship students must pass all dental school courses each academic year and advance with their class.

To be eligible to apply for the Creighton University School of Dentistry Post-Baccalaureate Program, an applicant must :

• Be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or foreign national who possess a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States.  
• Must have earned a baccalaureate degree with a significant science focus.
• Must not have been previously accepted to a dental school.
• Must have applied to and been declined entry into dental school.
• Must not be currently enrolled in dental school or another health or allied health professions degree-granting program.
• Creighton University requires that each accepted applicant withdraw any active applications to such degree-granting programs as a condition of acceptance to the Post-Baccalaureate Program at Creighton University School of Dentistry.

The Federal definitions used to gauge eligibility are listed below (P.L. 105-392, The Health Professions Education Partnerships Act of 1998).

An individual is considered educationally/environmentally disadvantaged if they come from an environment that has inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge skills and abilities required to enroll in and graduate from a health professions school, or from a program providing education and training in an allied health profession.