The dental school acceptance rate for NDSU pre-dentistry students more than doubled the national average this academic year, according to pre-health professional adviser and lecturer Julie Schroer.
The university had six of seven students accepted to dental schools in 2014. The seventh student plans to attend graduate school. The national dental school acceptance rate in 2010, the most recent statistics available, was 41.2 percent, Schroer said.
“I think this shows that our students are preparing very well,” Schroer said. “We’ve got a number of programs in place that the students are taking advantage of to make them very successful. We are so excited about that.”
One of the activities helping pre-dentistry students hone their skills the last few years is multi-disciplinary, student-driven innovation team Bison Microventure.
Bison Microventure, which includes students from several colleges at NDSU, is working to create a ceramic tooth implant to replace traditional titanium. The group has earned the top award in the university’s Innovation Challenge, which annually highlights the innovative work of students.
Schroer said students also have used the university’s advisers and taken advantage of opportunities to be directly involved in research.
“Dental schools are looking more and more for students with research experience,” Schroer said. “That is a big focus at NDSU. And it’s definitely paying off for the pre-professional students.”
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation’s top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.