What is PDB?

Three dental students at University of the Pacific's Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry founded PDB after seeing similar pre-dental courses and deciding they wanted to put the Dugoni School on the map by bringing the concept to the school's campus in San Francisco. This course will teach its students the basics of the didactics of dental school, such as head and neck anatomy, while offering students hands-on experience that only dental schools can provide access to. This course will also give you valuable insight into what the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry is all about! With the knowledge and skills gleaned from this course, pre-dents can start the application cycle with confidence in the field they are about to enter.

Why should I sign up for PDB?

By signing up with PDB, you will be engaging with enthusiastic and hardworking dental students who know exactly what position you're in. They will help you not only by teaching the basics of dentistry through this course, but by also providing you with access to mentors and potentially future colleagues. Additionally, "University of the Pacific School of Dentistry Pre-Dental Bootcamp" course doesn't look too shabby on dental school applications and shows that you've put time and effort into figuring out if dentistry is the right career for you.

Who do you accept for PDB?

Anyone interested in going into the field of dentistry that is currently in undergraduate university, graduates, students in Post-Bacc programs, masters programs, Gap year, or above! 

If I enroll in PDB, does this guarantee me admission to the Dugoni School of Dentistry?

No. This course is designed to add to your application and to provide valuable experience before you fully dive into dental school. Admission into the PDB program does not guarantee an interview or admission to the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry.

Are the lectures and labs mandatory to attend?

Yes, we encourage all the students to attend all the lecture and lab sessions in order to be able to benefit from this course. Each day that you miss, you would lose four hours of valuable information. 

Lab sessions for the 2023-2024 year will take place in October 2024-February 2025 and are contingent upon evolving COVID-19 guidelines. You MUST attend at least 50% of the Lecture sessions in order to qualify for the lab sessions. You must notify us of any conflicts in lecture sessions ahead of the respective lecture session in order for you to advance to our lab sessions. A schedule for the Spring sessions will become available when we receive confirmation that they can be held this year.
In addition, students who do not attend ALL Lecture and Lab sessions will not be eligible to attend the "Bonus Day".

Can we make up for the session that we missed? 

Because of the limited time we have, we are not able to off make ups for any of the sessions. However, if you have to miss a day because of an emergency matter we would be more than happy to go over the material with you at the next session you attend. All the lectures will be made available to students via email and this website.

What is the "Bonus Day"?

The "Bonus Day" is basically a day dedicated to the dental school application process. We will have a guest lecturer, Stan Constantino, speak about the admissions process and provide some insider advice. We will also offer personal statement reviews and mock interviews. This day is only available for those students who attend all lectures and lab portions prior to this date.

Can we just enroll in fall or winter quarter?

Unfortunately, no. Students who enroll in this course must attend lectures/labs during both quarters. The fee includes both quarters. This is because the material builds up on the previous information covered in class.