Dentistry
*Pre-Dental students are NOT required to register with the Health Professions Advisory Board
General Advice
As you explore the application process to schools of dental medicine, you will find that several schools allow students to apply after completing only two or three years of undergraduate coursework. You will discover that some schools offer the Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree while others offer the Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.). The D.M.D. and the D.D.S. are equivalent degrees with regard to both the type of academic program pursued as well as the scope of practice allowed upon degree completion.
Number of Schools
55 in United States, 10 in Canada, and 1 in Puerto Rico
Curricular Prerequisites
Recommended courses can and do vary among the schools. It is recommended that you consult the websites of individual schools of interest early in your academic career to determine their requirements and to plan your courses accordingly. In general, you should plan for:
- English Composition-- 1 year
- Biology-- 1 year (with lab)
- General Chemistry-- 1 year (with lab)
- Organic Chemistry-- 1 year (with lab)
- Physics-- 1 year (with lab)
Additional requirements might include: statistics, biochemistry, humanities, calculus, speech, psychology, and others. Please remember that a particular undergraduate major is not required or recommended by any school of dental medicine.
Outside of Class Experience
Dental schools do not require a set number of hours or specific type of extracurricular experience. Obviously, any experience that allows you to demonstrate knowledge of the dental profession, such as shadowing a dentist, will benefit you. You will be a more attractive applicant if you are able to show a commitment to community service, participation in college extracurricular activities, and research of any kind.
Application Process
Application: The Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) is an on-line centralized application that allows you to apply to 52 US and 2 Canadian dental schools. For information about schools that do NOT participate in AADSAS, please visit these websites: Medical College of Georgia, Louisiana State University, University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, University of Manitoba, University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario, Universite Laval (Montreal), McGill University, and Universite de Montreal.
Transcripts, Letters of Recommendation, and Institution-Specific Applications: Each dental school has its own policy regarding these supplemental materials. You should consult the website of the individual school, read Part II of the ADEA's Official Guide to Dental Schools (available in the UCS Library), and/or look at the chart provided in the AADSAS application instructions.
Entrance Exam: The Dental Admissions Test (DAT) is required by all US and Canadian dental schools. The DAT is administered on computer almost every day. You must submit an application form and fee payment to the DAT program; then, you will be given an 800 number to call to set up the date, time, and location of your exam. To request information about the DAT, please write to:
Division of Educational Measurements
American Dental Association
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611-2678
312.440.2500
You may also register online to sit for the DAT. Please visit www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/dat/index.asp for the application and instructions.
Interviews: Personal or telephone interviews are required at almost all dental schools and generally take place between late September and early February of the year prior to matriculation.
Deadlines: There is no set deadline for applying to dental school. Depending on the individual program, the deadline may range between October and March of the year prior to matriculation. Since most schools will fill a large percentage of their first year class by December, it is highly recommended that you apply as early as possible.
Websites of Interest
American Dental Association (www.ada.org)
American Dental Education Association (www.adea.org)
American Student Dental Association (www.asdanet.org)
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