Creighton University Dental School Requirements

The Creighton University School of Dentistry program is one of 66 dental programs in the United States of America. Its requirements are categorized here in the priority of what an applicant must submit to be considered:

Academic

1. Pre-requisite courses
2. Minimum number of years of undergraduate study required
3. GPA

Non-Academic 

1. Dentistry Admission Test (DAT)
2. Dental Shadowing
3. Letter of References
4. Personal Essay
5. Interview

Creighton University Dental School Requirements: Prerequisite Courses

All students applying to Creighton University Dental School must have completed at least a minimum of 2 academic years of undergraduate study (64 semester hours or 96 quarter hours). They must include the following courses: 

Prerequisite Course	Required	Lab Required	Credits (Semester/Quarter)
Biology	✓	✓	8/12
General Chemistry	✓	✓	8/12
Organic Chemistry	✓	✓	6/9
Physics	✓	✓	6/9
English	✓	X	6/10

Creighton University 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
3.0	3.62	3.38	3.49	3.10

All university courses taken are used in the calculation of the admission GPA.

Community College coursework is not accepted for the prerequisite science courses EXCEPT Physics. Advanced Placement credit is NOT accepted for the prerequisites EXCEPT Physics and English

Creighton University Dental School Requirements: Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) and Shadowing

DAT and Shadowing Overview:

Dental Shadowing Hours	DAT Required	CAD DAT Accepted	DAT Scores Considered
65	✓	✓	Most Recent Score

65 Hours of Dental Shadowing are required. The shadowing can be with a general dentist as well as specialists.

Creighton University 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
19.6	17	20.2	17	19.2	17

Dental Aptitude Test: All sections including the Survey of Natural Sciences (SNS), Perceptual Ability Test (PAT), Reading Comprehension Test (RCT), and Quantitative Reasoning (QR) will be used by the admission team. Applicants must score a minimum of 17 in the following DAT sections: Academic Average, Total Science, and Perceptual Ability.

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. 

Creighton University Dental School: Letter of References

For consideration for admission to the Creighton University Dental School, each applicant must submit either three letters of recommendation (two written by instructors in the sciences and one written by an instructor in a field other than the sciences) or one recommendation from their college’s recommending committee.

It is strongly recommended by the admission committee that where possible applicants submit their recommendation from a college’s recommending committee instead of the three letters.

All recommendations should testify to the applicant’s potential for success in the field of dentistry, as well as to his or her character.

AADSAS Personal Essays

Crieghton University will 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.

Creighton University Dental School Interview:

Mandatory	By Invitation	Number of Applicants Invited	Entering Class Size
X	✓	N/A	115

Interviews are not mandatory for acceptance into the Creighton University School of Dentistry. If applicants choose to attend an interview the process for the Creighton University Dental School occurs in three parts:

1. ​Standard Interview: Interviews with a member of the Admissions Committee will occur.
2. ​Small Group Discussion: Small group discussion will occur with a current student so applicants can learn information from the current student.
3. ​Virtual Tours: Virtual tours of the dental building will be provided so applicants can learn about the facility.

If you are looking for interview practice check out our posts on both MMI Practice Questions and Standard Interview Practice Questions.

Creighton University Offers of Admission Decision:

The Admissions Committee for the Creighton University Dental School conducts a holistic review of the entire application. This includes the applicant’s score on the DAT, courses taken, leadership ability, shadowing, and service activities – to name a few.

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.