Focused on improving the lives of others
The path to becoming vital members of the community.
While a majority of dental school graduates go into private practice in general dentistry, the profession offers a wide range of clinical, research, and academic opportunities.
As a top career choice, dentists are key members of their communities, often having the privilege and ability to provide dental care to underserved populations.
Curriculum
Start your path today.
Pre-professional programs are undergraduate tracks that prepare you for a professional degree after your bachelor's. These aren't academic majors, they're a set of specialized courses that are typically required before you can be accepted into your next program.
Your advisor will help you decide the best major to pair with your pre-professional program and prepare you for your career goals. Students interested in the pre-dentistry pathway typically choose to major in biology or chemistry, which offers a popular biochemistry track. Double majors, or combinations of a major and minor, are also possible with a well-planned schedule and steady academic progress.
Student research guided by award-winning faculty in our teaching and research laboratories help students hone their critical thinking skills—the same skills essential for success in all professional programs.
Our faculty take pride in supporting students in their academic growth, helping prepare application materials and advise students to help them be successful on the Dental Admission Test.
Students gain experience through community collaboration and club activities, and take coursework that exceeds the requirements for their professional program of choice. Beyond core courses, students are encouraged to study classes unique to their professional interest, including Human Anatomy, General Microbiology and Immunology.
I can’t stress enough how helpful the professors have been at pointing me in the right direction, preparing me for my future, and helping me make connections.
What are the next steps?
Mount Mercy offers competitive tuition and generous scholarships.
We also encourage all students to apply for federal, state, and other kinds of financial assistance.
Learn more about:
- Federal and state grants and loans
- MMU-offered scholarships
- Tuition reimbursement from employers
- 10% tuition discount for employees of partner organizations
- Veterans benefits
We make it easy by accepting applications year-round! No deadline, no fee, no pressure.
- Create your application
- Apply under standard admissions criteria or go "test optional"
- Request official transcripts from all institutions previously attended. Mail to:
Mount Mercy University Admissions
1330 Elmhurst Drive NE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402
For more detailed instructions on how to apply, see our Admissions page.
Careers in pre-dentistry
A solid foundation to grow a career upon.
Our alumni have found success in a variety of fulfilling professions including research, education, and technical and medical fields.
Mount Mercy’s individual advising, solid academic curriculum, and proximity to multiple dental clinics have led to acceptance rates well above the national average. Some of the top dental schools that students consider applying to include:
- University of Iowa College of Dentistry
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry
- University of Michigan School of Dentistry
- Creighton University School of Dentistry