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Preparing you for admission into any dental program
About The Program

As a dentist, you’ll provide care that has a lasting impact on patients’ health and well-being as well as their smiles. While pre-dentistry itself isn’t a major, we’ll match you with a degree program and the necessary coursework required to prepare you for admission to a school of dentistry. Whether you want to work alongside colleagues or open your own dental practice, our program will help you gain the knowledge and skills to prepare you for success in this rewarding career path.

 

Northern's placement rate into dental school for the past five years is 83 percent - see what our graduates have to say about the advantages of earning their undergraduate degree at Northern!

Wondering if this program is for you?

This program will be a good fit if you are:

  • Passionate about dentistry
  • Detail-oriented
  • Comfortable working with people in close proximity
  • Easy to talk to
  • A good communicator
  • Good with time management
  • A problem-solver
  • Flexible/adaptable
Careers

With a degree in dentistry, your career opportunities will include:

  • Dental hygienist
  • Dentist
  • Oral and maxillofacial surgeon
  • Orthodontist
  • Prosthodontist
  • Dental laboratory technician
Scholarships

The NSU WolfPACT is the highest guaranteed, four-year scholarship in the region. But that isn't the only scholarship available at Northern. See Arts and Sciences Scholarships to learn about other scholarship opportunities!

Courses

Course Requirements

Sample Plans of Study

Plan of Study

Program Success/Outcomes
  • Dental graduate school acceptance rate is 83 percent. 

          Source: College of Arts and Sciences, 2015-2019

Suggested Majors and Minors

Students in our pre-dentistry program often major in:

And they often minor in:

Study Abroad

Experience the world while earning your degree through NSU Study Abroad! With hundreds of opportunities available around the globe, Northern can make your study abroad dream become a reality. LEARN MORE

Undergraduate Research

At Northern, you'll have the chance to conduct cutting-edge research that can have real-world impact - while still an undergraduate student. Now with our brand new, state-of-the-art Jewett Regional Science Education Center, the sky is truly the limit. Learn more at Undergraduate Research!

Contact Information

Ready to take the next step? Contact us today:

Want to learn more about living and learning at Northern? Contact NSU Admissions today 605-626-2544 or admissions@northern.edu!

 

Still unsure of a major? We can help! Contact Career Services at 605-626-3007 or careerservices@northern.edu.

Guangwei Ding

Guangwei Ding
Postdoc. South Dakota State University
Ph.D University of Massachusetts at Amherst
MSc. University of London
DIC. University of London
MSc. Beijing Agricultural University
BSc. Shanxi Agricultural University
 
Dr. Guangwei Ding joined Northern's chemistry department in 2005. He has served on the editorial boards for the Scientific World Journal and the Journal of Experimental Chemistry, and as a reviewer for Geoderma, Chemosphere, and Organic Geochemistry.
 
Courses Taught
Chemistry Survey
General Chemistry I
General Chemistry II
Analytical Chemistry
Physical Chemistry I
Physical Chemistry II
Inorganic Chemistry…
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Amy Dolan

Amy Dolan
Ph.D. Portland State University
B.A. University of Oregon
 
Dr. Amy Dolan joined Northern's faculty in 2018. She grew up on a homestead in Nikiski, Alaska. Dr. Dolan attended the University of Oregon and graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology and Spanish. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in biology at Portland State University, studying genetics, reproductive biology, mate choice, and reproductive success of eastern kingbirds. Dr. Dolan lives on a farm with her husband Ryan, and their three children: Oliver, Ruthie, and Zet.
 
Courses Taught
Biology Survey
General Biology
Environmental Biology
Human Biology
Anatomy
Gross Anatomy
Bioethics
Hematology
Histology
 
Publications
Christopher M, Chutter, Lucas J. Redmond, Nathan W. Cooper, Amy C…
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Alyssa Kiesow

Alyssa Kiesow
Ph.D. University of South Dakota
M.S. South Dakota State University
B.S. South Dakota State University
A.A. Winona State University
 
Dr. Alyssa Kiesow joined Northern’s faculty in August 2007. Born in Little Falls, Minn., and raised in St. Cloud, Minn., she is Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, assists with sponsored grants and research, and serves on the South Dakota Academy of Science Executive Committee. She received multiple degrees from state institutions. Dr. Kiesow earned her Ph.D. in biological sciences with a research focus in genetics from the University of South Dakota.
 
Research Interests
Dr. Kiesow's primary research interests range from genetic structure of animal populations to epigenetics of developing embryos. Recent research focuses on the effects of various toxins on embryonic development in sea stars, sea urchins, and Xenopus laevis.…
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John Long

John Long
Ph.D. Montana State University
M.S. Montana State University
B.S. State University of New York
 
Dr. John Long joined the science and mathematics department at Northern in May 2015. He received a Ph.D. in ecology and environmental sciences from Montana State University in 2014; an M.S. in ecological and environmental statistics from Montana State University in 2011; and a B.S. in applied mathematics from State University of New York in 2008.
 

Courses Taught

Biological Statistics I

Biological Statistics II

Introduction to Physics I

Introduction to Physics II

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) I

Geographic Infromation Systems (GIS) II

Remote Sensing

Biogeography

 

Research Interests

Dr. Long's…

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Jon Mitchell

Jon Mitchell
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George Nora

George Nora

Dr. George Nora began at Northern State University in 2010 and has been promoted to associate professor of chemistry.

Courses Taught
Organic Chemistry
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Eric Pulis

Eric Pulis
Ph.D. University of Southern Mississippi
M.S. University of North Dakota
B.S. University of North Dakota
 
 
Dr. Eric Pulis joined Northern's faculty in 2018. Originally from central Minnesota, he attended the University of North Dakota, where he received his B.S. in fisheries and wildlife biology and his M.S. in biology. Dr. Pulis earned his Ph.D. at the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Coastal Sciences, where his research focused on the taxonomy and systematics of some parasitic flat worms found in fishes. He is currently the advisor for the NSU Environmental Club.
 
Research Interests
Dr. Pulis's primary research interests are in the ecology, evolution, and diversity of parasites of wildlife and fishes.…
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Jodie Ramsay

Jodie Ramsay

Ph.D. University of South Dakota

M.S. North Dakota State University

B.S. North Dakota State University

 
Dr. Jodie Ramsay started at NSU in 2001. Her area of expertise is plant science. She grew up in Minnesota and spends much of the summer there, where she co-owns a greenhouse. Dr. Ramsay is the director of NSU Regional Science Fair and serves as the faculty mentor for Rising Scholar (dual credit) biology courses taught across eastern South Dakota.
 
Courses Taught
Biogeography
Ecology
Environmental Biology
Environmental Science and Conservation
Freshman Seminar
General Biology I
General Biology II
Plants and Civilization
Plant Structure and Function
Plant Systematics
Senior Seminar
Soils and the Environment
…
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