Pre-Professional Dental Scholars
As a Creighton student, you are encouraged to take advantage of Student Success, our one-of-a-kind program designed to give you the edge as a student and beyond. Traditional academic advising at other universities focuses on keeping students on track so they can check all the boxes for their degrees (major, minor, core). In contrast, at Creighton, you will receive specialized advising through Student Success faculty advisors, who will provide in-depth one-on-one discussions and advising regarding your academic and co-curricular requirements for professional school, as well as guidance through the professional school application process, including shadowing, mentoring and research experiences.
As part of the Creighton Pre-Professional Dental Scholars Program (CPPSP), you will be in good company as you become part of this elite and comprehensive pre-professional program that you won’t find at other universities. CPPSP marries the strength of our undergraduate preparation with the quality of our professional programs on two campuses and online, giving you a powerful and extensive background.
You will receive the unique benefits of Student Success and a variety of other advantages, including guaranteed admission to the Creighton Dental School, a Creighton Pre-Professional Scholars Program Scholarship, individualized faculty meetings, networking, and more.
Creighton Benefits
Every Creighton student who is interested in pre-professional studies can take advantage of these benefits.
- Pre-Professional Communities: series of workshops, events, classes, presentations, and activities designed to help strengthen the candidacy of students as they prepare for the graduate/professional school application process.
- Access to pre-health advisors in the Center for Advising Resources and Support for individual advising meetings
- Practice interviews for professional school
- Personal statement advice and assistance
- Guidance on seeking internship, shadowing, and experiential learning opportunities
- Mentoring program with current professional school students
- Mentorship from the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (CURAS) to seek research opportunities on campus
- Shadowing opportunities beginning sophomore year in Creighton’s dental clinic and/or One World Health Center
Pre-Professional Dental Scholar Benefits
Eligible students must apply and be accepted to the Creighton Pre-Professional Scholars Program (CPPSP) to take advantage of these benefits.
- Guaranteed admission to Creighton Dental School, upon meeting the requirements for admission listed below
- Access to a dedicated pre-health advisor in the Center for Advising Resources and Support for individual advising meetings.
- Networking event(s) each semester with admissions representatives and/or alumni from Creighton School of Dentistry.
- Shadowing opportunities beginning second semester freshman year in Creighton’s dental clinic and/or One World Health Center
- A minimum of a $4,000 ($1,000 annually) scholarship to Creighton’s Dental School if meeting guaranteed criteria outlined here
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Consideration Criteria for Pre-Professional Dental Scholars
- Minimum high school GPA of 3.8 on 4.0 scale
- No grade lower than a C in high school math or science courses
- Engage in meaningful volunteer and shadowing experiences to gain exposure to dental field
- Leadership experiences in school and community
In order to be considered for CPPSP, your Application for Undergraduate Admission must be submitted by December 1 of your senior year. A separate CPPSP Application is required, with a deadline of January 10 and must include:
- A completed CPPSP application
- An essay explaining your interest in the dental field
- Resume outlining experience and extra-curricular involvements
- A letter of recommendation from a dental professional
- An interview with a member of the selection committee will be scheduled for select finalists
CPPSP Applications will be available in the student portal of eligible students.
Requirements for Admission & Scholarship to Creighton University Dental School
- Creighton Bachelor’s degree
- Advanced Placement (AP credit) is acceptable for all non-science prerequisite courses. AP credit is not acceptable for the following science prerequisites: 2 semesters of Biology, 2 semesters of General Chemistry, and 2 semesters of Organic Chemistry. The only science pre-requisite that AP credit can satisfy is Physics.
- Completion of all prerequisite courses listed on the School of Dentistry web page. These courses are subject to change, but you will be guided by your pre-health advisor. All prerequisite science courses must be completed at Creighton University prior to dental school matriculation.
- By October 1st of the calendar year prior to intended dental school matriculation, students are required to attain a minimum score of 20 in each of these areas of the Dental Admissions Test (DAT): the overall academic, total science, and perceptual ability.
- Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.60 as a Creighton undergraduate student at the time of application and matriculation to the Dental School.
- Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.6 for Creighton pre-dental science courses as a Creighton undergraduate student at the time of application and matriculation to the Dental School.
- Students are required to complete a minimum of 75 hours of shadowing as a Creighton undergraduate.
- A completed dental school application must be received by the Creighton University School of Dentistry’s Admission Office by October 1st of the calendar year prior to intended dental school matriculation.
- An interview may be required.
of Creighton graduates applying to Creighton School of Dentistry are admitted (as of 2020)
