Breanna Tyner is a first-year student at Western University College of Dental Medicine in Pomona and a UCSB graduate. Her path into dentistry was built on hands-on clinical work — she spent three years as a dental assistant, both part and full time, before applying. That experience shaped how she mentors: practical, detailed, and grounded in what actually happens chairside.

Breanna applied with a 3.81 GPA and a 23 AA (470) on the DAT, and was accepted to both WesternU and Temple. As an undergrad she held a leadership role with a UCSB non-profit and joined a dental mission trip to Panama — experiences she leaned on to show depth beyond a list of dental hours.

She mentors because she genuinely enjoys working with pre-dental students. Through WesternU volunteer events she has worked with both high school and college applicants, and as part of ADEA she mentors D1 students — including one she helped prep who went on to interview and earn acceptance at WesternU. Her sessions are best for applicants who want honest, detailed feedback on their application, DAT planning, mock interviews (especially for WesternU), and a realistic study plan.

Accepted at WesternU and Temple (PA) · chose WesternU for its strong clinical training and proximity to Orange County

Breanna got into dental school on the strength of her clinical experience, and she's candid about what made her application work: lots of real chairside hours, plus details outside dentistry — like drawing, which she used to show manual dexterity. Her biggest piece of advice to applicants is the mistake she sees most often: being too thin on detail and only including dental experiences.

She mentors because she loves it. Through WesternU volunteer events she's worked with high school and college pre-dental students, and as an ADEA mentor she supports D1 students — including one she coached to an interview and acceptance at WesternU. Her honest take on dental school: generally difficult but manageable, with a collaborative culture, approachable faculty, and a genuinely fun social scene (students affectionately call it "Wild Wild Western"). On the DAT, her advice is simple — start early and stay committed.