Frequently Asked Questions for Pre-Dental Students
Swarthmore College Health Sciences Offices, Parrish West 219 and 223, 610-328-8356
Gigi Simeone, Ph.D., Health Sciences Advisor, gsimeon1@swarthmore.edu
Jennifer Lenway, Health Sciences Administrative Assistant, jlenway1@swarthmore.edu
http://www.swarthmore.edu/premed
What are Dental schools looking for?
Dental schools are looking for candidates who have a strong academic background and
intellectual potential as evidenced by excellent grades and DAT scores; qualities of
leadership, character, and compassion; and a knowledge of and motivation for the field of
dentistry.
There are many more people interested in dental school than there are places available.
The most recent data available shows an acceptance rate of less than half. Over the past
decade our acceptance rate has been nearly double the national average.
What are the course requirements?
Dental schools require similar basic prerequisite courses as medical schools. Some dental
schools also have additional course requirements in the sciences, math or social sciences,
and several prefer more than two biology courses. Swarthmore students typically take:
Bio 1 and 2; Chem 10, 22, 32 (38 for some schools); Physics 3 and 4; Stat 11 and Math
15, and one year of English.
The ADEA (American Dental Education Association) Official Guide to Dental Schools,
provides detailed information about course prerequisites and admission criteria for all
U.S. and Canadian dental schools. It is best to check if there are any for your state
institution (where you have the best chance of being accepted) and other schools in which
you may be interested. Many sections of the ADEA guide are freely available as
downloadable pdf chapters, or you can purchase the entire book from the ADEA.
Can I use AP/IB credit to fulfill science requirements?
Dental schools have not developed a uniform policy regarding accepting AP/IB credits.
At some schools you can use AP/IB credit to place out of an introductory science course,
other schools will only allow applicants to use AP/IB credits for electives only and then
there are schools which do not accept AP/IB credit at all. If you use AP/IB credit to place
out of an introductory science course, you must replace it with an upper level course with
laboratory in that department. The ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools provides
detailed admission criteria for all U.S and Canadian dental school.
How can I obtain clinical experience?
Many dental schools require applicants to have between 50-130 hours of observation at a
dental practice prior to applying to dental school. You can contact your family dentist to
see if you would be able to spend time shadowing in his/her office during breaks from
college. You can also search for alumni dentists through the on-line Alumni Directory
which you can access through the Career Services website. Be sure to remember to set up
a mechanism that will track your shadowing hours as you may be asked to submit
documentation of your dentistry shadowing experience as part of your application.
What can I do AFTER Swarthmore to strengthen my academic credentials or to
complete course requirements?
Many Swarthmore alums take undergraduate level courses after graduation to complete
prerequisites or to strengthen their academic credentials. This can be done on an ad hoc
basis at a local low-cost 4-year American college or university, as a continuing education
student. Often, students get jobs at universities that give tuition benefits as part of their
compensation, so they can take 1-2 courses/semester at a very reduced rate. Another
option is enrolling in a formal postbaccalaureate program, either as a "career changer" to
complete the science requirements or as a "record enhancer," to improve the science
GPA. These programs are listed in the "Useful Websites" section of our Health Sciences
website. (The listing is put together by the medical school association, but all are open to
students interested in dental school.)
Which standardized tests are required?
All dental schools require the Dental Admission Test (DAT), which is sponsored by the
American Dental Association. The test is offered year round. You should take the test
only when you feel fully prepared. The majority of applicants take the test in the spring
or early summer before applying.
The test takes approximately five hours and consists of four parts; natural sciences
(introductory biology, general and organic chemistry) perceptual ability; reading
comprehension and quantitative reasoning. The DAT scores range from a low of 1 to a
high of 30. The national DAT average of matriculated dental school applicants is in the
range of 19-20 per DAT section.
Score reports are given directly to the examinees upon the completion of the exam. DAT
scores are automatically reported in the AADSAS application, so there is no need to have
them sent separately to dental schools.
The 2014 DAT fee was $395. There is a mandatory 90 waiting period before one can
retake the exam. In addition, The ADA has implemented a life-time limit of no more
than three testing attempts per applicant.
You can find helpful information about the test on the ADA website.
How Are DAT Scores Sent To Schools?
You will receive an unofficial score on the day of the test. In 3-4 weeks your official
score will go to the dental schools you indicated when you registered for the test. These
are included in the DAT fee, regardless of the number of schools selected. You will pay
for each score report added to additional schools added after submitting your DAT
application.
Fee Assistance Program (FAP)
AADSAS has a FAP for applicants with significant hardship. You must apply for the
FAP prior to submitting your AADSAS application. The FAP becomes available in June
with the start of the application cycle and closes in November.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early for the FAP as it is awarded on a first-comefirst-served basis. Applicants who qualify will receive a fee waiver which will cover the
cost of three dental school designations on the AADSAS application.
How do I apply to dental school?
The central, primary application used by the majority of U.S dental schools is the
AADSAS (Associated American Dental Schools Application Service). The application
opens in early June and the 2014 fee was $244 for the first school and $90 for every
additional school. AADSAS is a web based application. Applicants are asked to provide
demographic information, information about dental related activities, activities requiring
manual dexterity, research, community service, honors and awards and a personal
statement. You must request transcripts from all U.S colleges you have attended.
On the application you must list all your courses to the standards outlined by AADSAS.
You will need your own copy of your transcript(s) to complete this section.
ADDSAS will in turn compute various GPAs, combining all your coursework from all
the schools you have attended. GPAs calculated by AADSAS include a BCP (Biology,
Chemistry, Physics) GPA, a BCPM (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math) GPA, a nonscience GPA and an overall GPA.
What are the Secondary/Supplemental Applications?
The policies for completing supplemental applications are posted on the AADSAS
application portal. Some schools will invite you to complete secondary applications
immediately after you submit your AADSAS, others schools wait until your application
is verified. The supplemental applications often ask you to write additional essays, and to
list courses you have taken that satisfy requirements. You will also be asked to pay
another fee, this time directly to the school.
Where do I Send My TRANSCRIPTS?
Once you open an account with AADSAS you can print a Transcript Matching Form.
You need to print out one form for every U.S. academic institution you attended. Send
the form to each school’s registrar’s office and they in turn will send the form and your
transcripts back to AADSAS. Remember to do this early, as AADSAS will not begin to
process your application until all transcripts have been received.
How do I get a Health Sciences Committee Letter?
You must notify the Health Sciences Office (gsimeon1@swarthmore.edu or
jlenway1@swarthmore.edu) in December before the summer you will be applying. You
will be sent an Information Form which you must complete and return to the Health
Sciences Office.
When you apply to dental school, you will need to have about five letters of
recommendation from faculty and others who know your work, such as supervisors,
coaches and the individual(s) who you shadowed. You will give them a signed waiver
form, that they will return to the Health Sciences Office with their letter. Gigi Simeone,
the Health Sciences Advisor, writes the Health Sciences Committee letter for all dental
school applicants, which includes copies of your individual recommendations.
Directly after you open your account at AADSAS you can print out your Letters of
Evaluation Matching Form. The Health Sciences Office will attach your predental
committee letter to this form, and will send it to AADSAS, which will distribute it to the
schools you are applying to.
What is the Difference between the DDS and the DMD Degree?
There is no difference between a DDS and a DMD degree. DDS (Doctor of Dental
Surgery) and DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) are the two degrees awarded to
graduates of dental schools. Currently, the majority of dental schools award the DDS
degree.