DDS REQUIREMENTS
Applicants to the DDS program are reviewed in a holistic manner with consideration to all components of the
application, including the criteria below.
☐ PREREQUISITES
Applicants are required to complete the following coursework with a C or better by May of the intended entering
year. Grades of C- or lower and courses taken pass/fail or credit/no credit will not be accepted. The majority of the
prerequisites should be completed at the time of application, but any in-progress or planned courses will not prevent
an invitation to interview.
Completing the prerequisite courses at an accredited four-year college or university is strongly encouraged.
Community college coursework is accepted but not recommended for the prerequisites. Online coursework is
accepted with pre-approval.
Prerequisite Subject
Semester Hours
Quarter Hours
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Biochemistry
3
5
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Microbiology
3
5
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Psychology
3
5
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Sociology
3
5
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English Composition*
6
9
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Biology (with labs)
8
12
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General Chemistry (with labs)
8
12
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Organic Chemistry (with labs)
8
12
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Physics (with labs)
8
12
Other recommended courses include anatomy, physiology, histology,
public speaking, and art.
*For the English Composition prerequisite, literature coursework is only accepted for 3 of the 6 credits - i.e., only one
literature course can count towards this requirement. English Composition courses must be taken in the US or
Canada, and ESL courses are not accepted.
General rule: Prerequisite courses should identify the subject in the course name or prefix.
The minimum requirement for admission is 90 semester hours (or approximately 135 quarter hours) of academic
coursework, but completing a bachelor's degree is strongly encouraged. Most applicants will have completed at
least a bachelor's degree before matriculation to dental school.
☐ SHADOWING
Applicants should demonstrate a confirmed interest in dentistry by participating in dental-related activities, including
direct shadowing of a dentist in a patient-care setting.
● 100 hours of dental shadowing is required and must be completed at the time of application submission.
Applicants without this minimum number of hours will not be reviewed or considered for interview.
It is expected that the majority of dental shadowing be completed under general dentists, but shadowing
experiences completed with dental specialists (ex., orthodontist, oral surgeon, etc.) are also accepted. Applicants
who show a commitment to addressing health disparities and caring for underserved communities are desirable.
Shadowing hours should be reported directly on the AADSAS application. No further documentation is required.
Dental-related activities such as volunteering or participating in a pre-dental club are encouraged and should be
reported on the application but do not count towards the 100-hour shadowing requirement (see Extracurriculars
section).
Please note: The School of Dentistry is unable to provide applicants with shadowing opportunities.
☐ EXTRACURRICULARS
Applicants should report any extracurricular activities in which they are involved, dental-related or otherwise, on the
AADSAS application. Such activities could include (but are not limited to) academic enrichment programs, athletics,
clubs and organizations, research, volunteering, and work experience.
For each extracurricular, applicants must provide the frequency and duration of the experience, a description of the
key responsibilities, and the name and address of the organization or supervisor.
☐ LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
The University of Michigan requires a total of three letters of recommendation, although AADSAS allows up to four.
Letters must be uploaded directly to the application by the evaluators. Letters sent directly to the Office of
Admissions are not accepted. Of the four allotted AADSAS uploads, applicants must have:
● Two science letters - Two letters must be written by science professors who have taught and graded the
applicant at the university level. Letters should be from basic science instructors (biology, chemistry,
physics, biochemistry, microbiology). Science letters should include the course name and number.
● One letter of choice - One letter by an evaluator of the applicant’s choice is also required. This evaluator
could be a dentist, another professor (science or non-science), an employer, a mentor, or another individual
who can write in support of the applicant.
A fourth letter of recommendation will also be accepted but is not required. This optional fourth letter can be written
by another evaluator of the applicant’s choice.
Committee letter option: If the applicant’s undergraduate institution has a pre-health committee, a letter or letter
packet composed by the committee members can be submitted in place of the above three letters. AADSAS also
allows one individual letter to be uploaded in addition to the committee letter, which is accepted but not required.
Please note: A letter packet compiled by an advisor or other individual does not constitute a committee letter and
must include the two science letters and one letter of choice mentioned above in order to meet the requirements.
☐ DENTAL ADMISSIONS TEST
Applicants are required to complete the Dental Admissions Test (DAT), which is administered by the American
Dental Association (ADA). Official DAT scores must be sent to AADSAS (see instructions for sending DAT scores
here). Unofficial or preliminary score reports are not accepted and should not be sent directly to the University of
Michigan.
While there is no minimum or cutoff, DAT scores close to the averages of the most recent entering class are
considered competitive. See Class Profile for the most current scores.
The DAT should either be taken before application or in June/July of the application year. Scores must be received
before the application deadline of October 15th. In order to meet this deadline, tests should not be taken after
August 31st of the application year. See complete application timeline.
Retake tests: If planning to retake the DAT during the application cycle, an applicant should report future test dates
on the AADSAS application. Please note that application review will not be delayed due to planned retakes.
Canadian DAT: Please note that, as of October 2017, the Canadian Dental Admissions Test (CDAT) is not
accepted. The US DAT is required of all applicants.
☐ APPLICATION FEE
Applicants are required to pay a $75 supplemental application fee directly to the University of Michigan. This fee is
separate from any payments made to AADSAS and can only be made online via credit or debit card. Checks,
money orders, and payments over the phone are not accepted. This payment should be made either just before or
at the time of application submission.
AADSAS Fee Assistance Program: The $75 application fee can be waived for applicants who qualify for the
AADSAS Fee Assistance Program. Such applicants should forward their approval email from AADSAS to our office
