Chicago · Pre-Dental · Mentorship
PDI is the Chicago-area resource for pre-dental students — offering shadowing access, one-on-one mentorship, and educational programming built by dentists who've been where you are.
Why PDI Exists
Most pre-dental students struggle to find shadowing opportunities and mentors — not because they lack drive, but because they lack access. PDI was built to change that, right here in Chicago.
What PDI Offers
Whether you're figuring out if dentistry is right for you or finalizing your application, PDI meets you where you are.
Shadowing
Shadowing is the first step in any pre-dental journey — and one of the hardest to arrange on your own. PDI makes it straightforward.
Shadowing through PDI is completely free. We just ask that you come prepared, stay curious, and follow through — because the dentists who open their doors are doing it because they care about the next generation.
Email Us to Get Started1-on-1 Mentorship
Andrew is a current dental student — accelerated DMD program, class of 2028 — with a biomedical sciences background and a front-row view of what admissions committees actually look for right now. He works with students from high school through post-bacc, across all stages of the pre-dental journey.
Mentorship at PDI is selective. Not because we want to be exclusive — but because this only works when there's a genuine fit and the timing is right. Tell us about yourself and we'll be in touch.
PDI Foundations Program
Once Andrew joins practice, PDI will launch a small-group clinical education series at our Plainfield-area facility — real sessions, real environment, real dentistry explained from the ground up.
The PDI Foundations Program will open to a limited number of students. Leave your email and you'll be the first to know — including details on sessions, scheduling, and pricing.
Founded by Dentists
PDI was founded by a practicing Chicago-area dentist and his son — a current dental student — who knows firsthand what it takes to get in and what most pre-dental students are missing.
Coming from a family practice with deep Chicago roots, PDI is built on the belief that mentorship changes trajectories — and that every motivated pre-dental student deserves access to it.
Meet the Mentors
PDI's mentors are active practitioners who have navigated dental school admissions firsthand — and are committed to opening those doors for the next generation.
Born and raised in the Chicago area and a longtime Plainfield resident, Dr. Pete Gallos has been practicing dentistry for over 26 years. He earned his undergraduate degree with high honors from Benedictine University, followed by both a Bachelor's in Dentistry and his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry — graduating as Valedictorian with highest honors.
Dr. Gallos pursued extensive training in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at UIC, earning his Illinois Sedation license along the way. He has served as former medical staff at Bolingbrook Hospital and Rush Hospital, and has been inducted into the Pierre Fauchard Academy and Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society. He is a Past President of the Chicago Component of the Academy of General Dentistry and a Fellow of the American Dental Implant Association. His practice, Heritage Grove Family Dental, serves patients across all stages of life — from implants and orthodontics to sedation and cosmetic dentistry.
Andrew Gallos brings a uniquely current perspective to PDI — he is actively navigating dental school right now. He completed his undergraduate studies at Case Western Reserve University, then earned a Master of Biomedical Sciences from Roseman University before entering their competitive three-year accelerated dental program.
As a member of the graduating class of 2028 and the son of a practicing dentist, Andrew understands both sides of the mentor relationship. He founded PDI to give pre-dental students the structured guidance and real-world access that most applicants never receive — regardless of who they know.
Free Resources
PDI publishes in-depth guides on every major stage of the pre-dental journey. No email required. No catch. Just the information we wish someone had given us.
What to wear, how to act, what you'll see, and the terminology you'll hear on day one.
View Guide →GPA benchmarks, DAT score targets, shadowing requirements, and what committees actually look for.
View Guide →The structure that works, the most common mistakes, and what to include — and avoid — before you submit.
View Guide →A 6-month timeline, the resources that actually work, and section-by-section strategy for hitting a 20+ AA.
View Guide →Common questions, MMI station strategies, and what panels are actually looking for in every answer.
View Guide →Post-bacc vs. reapplying, gap year strategy, and the honest assessment most applicants never get — but need.
View Guide →Stay Connected
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