The minimum requirement for admission to the dental school is two years (60 semester hours) of academic work. The academic work includes the preprofessional concentration plus one year of English composition. Most students, however, receive a B.S. in biology before entering dental school.
Dental Admission Test (DAT)
Predental students are required to take the Dental College Admission Test (DAT) prior to submitting applications to professional schools. Students are advised to take this exam in April of their junior year. Some students retake the DAT in the fall (October) semester and thus have two opportunities to take the DAT exam while applying to professional schools. The DAT is administered locally at the University of Detroit Mercy twice each year. Applications can be obtained from Dr. Keith A. Berven or by contacting:
Dental Admission Testing Program
211 E. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 440-2693
Preparing for the DAT
The DAT is composed of four separate examinations which include:
- survey of the natural sciences (biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry)
- perceptual ability
- reading comprehension
- quantitative reasoning
As the exam reflects what the student has studied as an undergraduate, students are urged to acquire a comprehensive mastery of all of their undergraduate course work and to have completed the concentration in preprofessional studies prior to taking the DAT.
Test preparation materials for the DAT can be ordered through the O.U. bookstore or contact Dr. Keith A. Berven. There are also commercial prep. courses offered to help students prepare for the DAT and are highly recommended. These courses have a tuition cost and further information can be obtained by contacting the following:
Test Preparation Course
Application Procedures
Beginning dental students are admitted in the fall term only, so applications to dental schools should be submitted during the summer following your junior year or one year prior to anticipated enrollment. Applications should be submitted as close to the earliest submittal date (Aug. 1) as possible since this will greatly improve your chances of being selected.
Most dental schools use the Association of Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS). The application may be obtained from Dr. Keith A. Berven, or by contacting:
AADSAS
Letter of Evaluation
1400 K Street NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 667-1886
aadss@aads.jhu.edu
Obtaining a Committee Letter of Recommendation for Dental School
Each preprofessional school undergraduate is advised to visit with Dr. Keith A. Berven, Preprofessional Advisor, in his/her sophomore year and initiate the process for his/her evaluation by the Preprofessional Advisory Committee. The professional schools prefer to receive an overall evaluation from O.U. concerning each undergraduate health sciences professional school applicant. Each student will be provided recommendation forms for evaluations by his/her professors. These letters of recommendation along with an autobiographical essay, transcripts of all undergraduate work and scores from DAT will be used by the professional committee to prepare a committee letter which will be sent to each dental school when requested.
In-State Dental Schools
University of Detroit Mercy
School of Dentistry
2986 E. Jefferson Ave.
Detroit, MI 48207-4282
(313) 446-1800
http://www.udmercy.edu
University of Michigan
School of Dentistry
Room G-306
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0178
(734) 763-3316
http://www.dent.umich.edu
