Early Admission Programs

Capitalizing on the strength of partnerships, the WVU School of Dentistry has worked with Shepherd University, Slippery Rock University, West Liberty University and West Virginia State University to develop several programs which allow selected students to receive early admission to the WVU Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) program. Promoting students' seamless progression from college to dental school, the Dental Early Admission Program helps simplify the dental school admission process while easing the financial burden of the application. The program gives a select number of motivated students an early introduction to WVU School of Dentistry faculty, students and alumni while also providing unique opportunities to help prepare them for WVU's challenging dental program.

Because the WVU School of Dentistry values diversity and recognizes its importance in addressing access to quality oral healthcare, individuals from populations that are under-represented in dental school, including African American, Latino/Hispanic, Native American, first-generation college and economically disadvantaged, are encouraged to apply.

Dentists are integral members of the healthcare team. Today's oral health professionals focus not only on the diagnosis and detection of oral health problems, but they also stress the importance of oral health to systemic health and well-being. Oral-systemic health linkages and profound oral health disparities are indicated in emerging research. The West Virginia University School of Dentistry engages students in an abundance of educational, outreach and research experiences to help reduce these disparities and prepare them to provide exemplary and culturally sensitive oral healthcare.

The need for dentists is expected to continue to increase as the demand for oral healthcare grows. There are many career options in dentistry, including private practice, public health and academic dentistry. Dentists in private practice serve as their own bosses, allowing them flexibility to balance their professional and personal lives. A career in public health focuses on community health. Academic dentistry careers combine teaching, research, community service and patient care.

There are twelve recognized dental specialties: Dental Anesthesiology, Dental Public Health, Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Medicine, Orofacial Pain, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics and Prosthodontics.