Applying to Dental School: The Big-Picture Timeline

Most U.S. and Canadian dental schools use ADEA AADSAS, a centralized application service run by the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). ADEA notes that the AADSAS application cycle typically opens in mid-May, with submissions allowed in early June, and closes the following February.

Because many schools review applications on a rolling basis, applying early in the cycle is strongly recommended. For a traditional applicant, that usually means:

• Freshman–Sophomore year: Complete core science prerequisites and explore dentistry.
• Sophomore–Junior year: Finish most prerequisite science courses, continue to build and deepen experiences, prepare for the DAT.
• Spring of junior year / early summer: Take the DAT.
• Summer between junior and senior year (usually around the end of May): Submit AADSAS as early as possible after it opens.
• Senior year: Interview, complete any remaining coursework, and finalize your plans.

Prerequisites: Laying the Foundation

All dental schools require students to complete certain courses before they are eligible for admission. Although each dental school has their own course requirements, the ADEA highlights certain core prerequisites that almost every dental school requires:

• Two semesters of biology with lab
• Two semesters of general (inorganic) chemistry with lab
• Two semesters of organic chemistry with lab
• Two semesters of physics with lab

It is important to note that many schools have additional requirements along with these core prerequisites. These additional, school-dependent prerequisites, can easily be found on dental school’s websites – typically on the “Admissions” webpage. Some common additional requirements to the aforementioned classes include: English, biochemistry, and microbiology. Because the prerequisites to dental schools can differ between schools, it is imperative to research the requirements for each school applicants plan on applying to.

Building a Strong Application: The Big Three

Dental school admissions are highly competitive, so it is important to begin “building” your application early. Aside from requiring certain courses, most dental school admissions are holistic, meaning what applicants do outside of the classroom in addition to their grades, GPA, and DAT scores has a large impact on the competitiveness of their applications. The AADSAS application asks applicants to categorize experiences into areas such as employment, volunteer work, research, dental experience, dental shadowing, academic enrichment, and extracurricular activities. A simple framework to apply when trying to gain experiences that will enhance your application is to focus on the big three:

1. Exposure to dentistry
   • Working as a dental assistant, volunteering in a clinic, or participating in pre-dental outreach all help admissions committees see that you understand the realities of the profession.
2. Service and community engagement
   • Temple University’s pre-dental advising materials, for example, note that community service and exposure to dentistry are important parts of preparation, alongside strong academics and DAT scores
   • Academic or scientific engagement
   • Research, tutoring, or academic clubs can demonstrate curiosity, discipline, and teamwork.

It is important to note that you do not need to check all of these boxes to be accepted to dental school. Rather, dental school admissions look for commitment–consistent and active involvement–in any endeavor applicants undertake. 

Shadowing

Overall, admissions teams want to see a commitment to dentistry. One of the best ways to demonstrate this commitment is through shadowing. The ADEA defines shadowing as observing a dentist’s procedures, learning terminology and techniques, seeing different practice environments, and asking questions about their career path. The ADEA notes that dental schools typically expect extensive shadowing hours and encourage students to explore shadowing opportunities beyond traditional private practices such as community clinics, public health settings, or specialty practices.

Most dental school admissions websites include a minimum number of shadowing hours as a requirement. It is important to understand that such requirements are just the minimums, and competitive applicants should strive to exceed this number with a well-rounded mix of dental exposure. 

Who You Are: Letters of Recommendation

Aside from completing prerequisites, building a strong resume, and demonstrating a commitment to dentistry through shadowing, dental school admissions teams want to know who you are as a person. Letters of recommendation are a required part of AADSAS and must be submitted directly by your evaluators. The centralized service allows up to four letters in the main application, and individual schools may request additional letters separately.

The key to obtaining good letters is building genuine relationships with the people who help and support you along the way of your dental journey. Many pre-health advising sources recommend:

• Engaging with professors early, especially in prerequisite science courses.
• Visiting office hours, assisting with research, or serving as a teaching assistant when possible.
• Asking for letters at least three months before you plan to submit your application, to give your writers enough time.

Applicants must give their evaluators adequate time to write their letter of recommendation. This means that traditional applicants should try to identify letter writers by late sophomore or early junior year, making formal requests in the early spring of junior year.

The Last Hurdle: The DAT

The Dental Admission Test (DAT), administered by the American Dental Association (ADA), is required by almost all U.S. dental schools.

The ADA recommends that students take the DAT in the spring of their junior year or in the summer between junior and senior years. This timing lines up with the traditional application cycle: you test after completing most of your core science coursework, but before or as you submit your AADSAS application.

A typical timeline for DAT content coverage in university for traditional applicants is as follows:

• Fall–Spring of sophomore year: Complete general chemistry and at least one semester of biology.
• Sophomore summer–fall of junior year: Take organic chemistry and additional biology. Begin structured DAT prep.
• Spring of junior year or early summer: Take the DAT once you’ve mastered the content and completed practice tests.

Remember, although dental school’s admissions teams consider candidates holistically, the DAT plays a large role in evaluating your application’s competitiveness. For this reason, plan to dedicate significant time to prepare for the exam (3-6 months).

Bringing It All Together

For traditional candidates, applying to dental school is more than just cramming for the DAT and surviving organic chemistry. A successful dental school application results from a dedicated, multi-year effort. Although this seems daunting, by pacing your efforts and carefully planning courses, activities, and shadowing, you can give yourself ample time to build a robust and competitive dental school application.