Post-Baccalaureate Program
The LLUSD, UCLA, and USC Post-Baccalaureate students convene at the
Loma Linda University campus.
Loma Linda University School of Dentistry offers a specially designed Post-Baccalaureate Program, to pre-dental students who have not been successful in gaining entry to a dental school. This Program provides academic support, caring guidance, and clinical observation to academically and/or economically disadvantaged students who have a strong dentistry commitment and a desire to serve in their respective communities.
The LLUSD Post-Baccalaureate Program is one of three universities represented in the Southern California Regional Post-Baccalaureate Program (the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California (UCLA) are also members of this Regional Program). The Southern California Regional Post-Baccalaureate Program is designed to provide knowledge, skills, and experience that enhance acceptance into a dental school. Thus, all three universities share their knowledge and make every effort to help Post-Bac students become more competitive dental school applicants. Completing the Post-Bac Program, however, is not a guarantee of acceptance in a dental school.
The number of students accepted each year at LLUSD is limited.
LLUSD Curriculum
Loma Linda University’s Post-Baccalaureate students begin their 11-month Program in July by visiting the Loma Linda University campus. They attend an orientation, tour the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, and are introduced to faculty and staff. In addition, students receive registration, curriculum, and other LLU important information and/or guidance at this time.
Next, LLUSD’s students join all Southern California Regional Post-Bac students by attending a four-week Summer Program held at USC, UCLA, and LLUSD. The curriculum for this Summer Program includes various dental workshops, programs, and lectures.
After the Post-Bac Summer Program concludes, LLUSD’s Post-Baccalaureate students return to the LLU campus and enroll in courses each quarter either at LLUSD, a state college, or a private college. They may choose to retake important science courses or continue their study through advanced science courses.
During the 11-month LLUSD Program students take practice tests that monitor their improvement, are tutored for the Dental Admissions Test (DAT), and enroll in a Kaplan DAT Prep Course. Finally, students receive mentoring and counseling on the complete application process for dental school. They also participate in simulated interviews.
Loma Linda University’s Post-Baccalaureate Program concludes in June, after the Spring Quarter.
Program Requirements
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A minimum science GPA of 2.7
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A DAT academic average of 17 or higher
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Undergraduate degree or higher from an accredited United States college or university
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Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.
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Must be a member of an underrepresented population, having an academically and/or economically disadvantaged status
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Applied, but have not been successful, in gaining entry to a dental school
Daniel Tan, DDS
Director, Post-Baccalaureate Program
School of Dentistry
Loma Linda University
11092 Anderson Street
Box 616-PB/BD
Loma Linda, CA 92350
Marlise Perry
Assistant Director of Admissions and Recruiting
Phone: (909) 558-4621
Fax: (909) 558-0195
Email: mdperry@llu.edu