The University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics is one of 66 dental programs in the United States of America. The University of Iowa Dental School Requirements are categorized here in the priority of what an applicant must submit to be considered:
Academic
- Pre-requisite courses
- Minimum number of years of undergraduate study required
- GPA
Non-Academic
- Dentistry Admission Test (DAT)
- Dental Shadowing
- Letter of References
- Personal Essay
- Interview
University of Iowa Dental School Requirements: Prerequisite Courses
All students applying to the University of Iowa Dental School must have completed at least a minimum of 3 years of study (90 semester hours / 120 quarter hours). These courses must include the following prerequisite courses listed below:
| Prerequisite Course | Required | Lab Required | Credits (Semester/Quarter) |
| Biology | ✓ | ✓ | 8/12 |
| General Chemistry | ✓ | ✓ | 8/12 |
| Organic Chemistry | ✓ | ✓ | 8/12 |
| Physics | ✓ | ✓ | 8/12 |
| Biochemistry | ✓ | X | 3/5 |
| English | ✓ | X | 3/5 |
Both AP Credits and community college credits are allowed for prerequisite and elective courses.
The University of Iowa College of Dentistry expects that pre-requisite courses are taken for a grade.
If you attend an institution that has mandated that all coursework change to Pass/Fail during the spring or summer 2020 sessions due to COVID-19, the University of Iowa College of Dentistry expects that your institution annotates this mandate on your transcripts.
University of Iowa Dental School Requirements: GPA Calculation and Requirements
| Minimum Overall GPA to Apply | Average Overall GPA of accepted applicants | Lowest Overall GPA Admitted | Average Science GPA of accepted applicants | Lowest Science GPA Admitted |
| 3.00 | 3.68 | 3.20 | 3.62 | 3.07 |
University of Iowa Dental School Requirements: Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) and Shadowing
DAT and Shadowing Overview:
Dental shadowing is not required but is recommended by this University. It is important that applicants diversify their shadowing experiences and show knowledge of the dental field.
University of Iowa Dental School Requirements DAT Admission Score Statistics:
| Mean Academic Average Score | Minimum AA Score Given Admission | Mean Perceptual Ability Test | Minimum PAT Score Given Admission | Mean Total Science | Minimum Total Science Score Given Admission |
| 21.0 | 19 | 21.2 | 17 | 20.5 | 18 |
Applicants are required to take the DAT. If an applicant has completed the DAT more than once the most recent DAT scores will be considered when calculations are made.
Students looking to test their knowledge in preparation for the DAT can click on this link to access our free practice tests for both the Canadian DAT and American DAT. Additionally, check out our 10 tips to Ace the DAT from a 25+ AA test taker!
University of Iowa Dental School Requirements: Letters of Recomendation
The University of Iowa College of Dentistry requires 3 letters of evaluation. They do not specify who your letters need to be from. Instead, ask sources who can speak to your character and life experience.
AADSAS Personal Essays
This University may take into account the AADSAS personal essay you submit to the ADEA. Your personal statement is a one-page essay (not to exceed 4,500 characters, including spaces, carriages, numbers, letters, etc.) that gives dental schools a clear picture of who you are and, most importantly, why you want to pursue a career in dentistry. For more information on the personal essay click on the link above.
University of Iowa Dental School Requirements Interview:
| Mandatory | By Invitation | Number of Applicants Invited | Entering Class Size |
| ✓ | ✓ | N/A | 82 |
Shortlisted candidates will be required to partake in an interview with the admissions team. The interview process for this dental school is unknown. If you are looking for interview practice check out our posts on both MMI Practice Questions and Standard Interview Practice Questions.
Requirements for other Dental Schools in America:
If you would like an in-depth analysis of the dental school requirements for other dental schools in the United States of America click on this link.