Applying to Dental School
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Choosing a dental school
- Choose a dental degree program carefully based upon factors that are important to your own learning needs. Consider program content, geographic location, faculty; facilities, experiential training opportunities, class size, student demographics, extracurricular opportunities, and cost.
- Residency: For state-supported public institutions, legal residence may have a significant impact on admissions decisions. Private institutions may offer out-of-state and foreign applicants a greater number of positions as compared to state-supported, public institutions.
Admission factors
1. Academic ability and other important factors:
- Successful completion of prerequisite coursework
- Minimum recommended GPA for most schools is 3.0/4.0; average GPA for accepted applicants is closer to 3.4 and higher
- Dental School Admissions Test (DAT) scores are required by all U.S. dental schools:
- The test is available at designated test centers nearly every day and requires advance registration
- The test takes about four hours to complete
- Four sections - Survey of Natural Sciences, Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning
- Scores range from 1 (lowest) to 30 (highest)
- Good manual dexterity
- Ability to relate to patients in a realistic, yet compassionate, manner
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
- Leadership ability
- Motivation and knowledge of the field of dentistry
2. Clinical Experience
Students should strive to obtain exposure to the dental health field through volunteering in a dentist's office or clinic, shadowing a dentist and/or informational interviewing.
Such experience is vital in determining whether dentistry is a good fit for you and will be necessary in answering the personal essay/interview question "Why do you want to be a dentist?"
Obtaining clinical experience:
- The UAAC has a list of dental shadowing/informational interviewing opportunities.
- Joining the Northwestern University Pre-Dental Society may give you access to different shadowing opportunities.
- Consider your own personal/professional network.
- The Northwestern Externship Program (NEXT) may include dentists as part of their program. Students can sign up for NEXT in January for shadowing experiences that take place during spring break.
3. Letters of Reference
Generally, dental schools prefer letters from science faculty, faculty/others with whom the applicant may have special experience (e.g., research, internship, special project, summer enrichment program, etc.) and a dental professional with whom the applicant has mentored, shadowed and/or discussed experiences as a practicing dentist.
Resources:
- NU students applying to dental schools can use the UAAC Recommendation File Service.
- The ADEA-AADSAS website provides information about letters of recommendation.
- Refer to individual schools web sites to check for specific requirements.
4. Interview
- Be prepared to discuss why you wish to pursue a career in the dental profession and how you perceive the role of the dentist in health care.
- You may be evaluated on your knowledge of the profession and your motivation to pursue a career in dentistry.
- Be sure to read over the dental school interview feedback for specific schools as part of your preparation.
Application Procedures
- Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS)
Almost all dental schools use this centralized application service. - Supplemental materials
Letters of recommendation, academic transcripts and any other required institution-specific materials (see individual schools for more information) may have to be submitted in addition to AADSAS - Deadlines
Some institutions are on a "rolling admissions" process, and give special consideration to applicants who submit applications earlier in the admissions cycle. Applicants should try to apply before August 1 for the upcoming year's enrollment, as most dental schools fill a large percentage of their entering class by December.
Resources
- American Dental Education Association (ADEA)
- ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools - available for review at the University Academic Advising Center and can be purchased online
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, dentists
- Explore Health Careers, dentistry
