The East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine is one of 66 dental schools in the United States of America. The ECU 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
ECU Dental School Requirements: Prerequisite Courses
All students applying to ECU must have completed at least a minimum of 4 academic years of undergraduate study prior to dental school matriculation. They must include the following courses:
| Prerequisite Course | Required | Lab Required | Credits |
| Biology | ✓ | ✓ | 8 credits |
| Chemistry, general/inorganic | ✓ | ✓ | 8 credits |
| Chemistry, organic | ✓ | ✓ | 8 credits |
| Physics | ✓ | ✓ | 8 credits |
| English | ✓ | X | 6 credits |
| Mathematics | ✓ | X | 6 credits |
ECU Dental SchoolRequirements: 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 |
| 2.00 | 3.5 | 2.94 | 3.43 | 2.84 |
All university courses taken are used in the calculation of the admission GPA.
The East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine has stated that a passing grade will be accepted for Spring 2020 classes. However, they stress that the pass/fail system does not fully exhibit the applicant’s educational aptitude, thus highly recommend that applicants receive a letter grade rather than take the pass/fail option.
Advanced Placement (AP) credits will be accepted, provided that they are accepted by the undergraduate degree-granting institution. Similarly, any course taken at a community college must be validated (i.e., accepted for transfer credit) by an accredited college or university.
ECU Dental School Requirements: Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) and Shadowing
DAT and Shadowing Overview:
| Dental Shadowing Hours | DAT Required | CAD DAT Accepted | DAT Scores Considered |
| Read Below | ✓ | X | All Scores (Emphasis on most recent) |
The ECU dental school has stated that dental shadowing hours are required, however, the number of dental hours is not disclosed. We recommend that applicants have at least 100 hours of dental shadowing.
ECU 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 |
| 20.4 | 18 | 20.1 | 16 | 19.9 | 18 |
Dental Aptitude Test: The DAT must be taken within 3 years of the application deadline. 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. If an applicant has completed the DAT more than once in the 3-year window all scores will be used when calculations are made, with an emphasis on the most recent score.
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.
ECU Dental School Requirements: Letter of References
All students applying to the ECU dental program are required to submit reference letters. If it is possible the Admissions Committee requires a pre-health professions committee letter rather than individual letters of recommendation.
If no such option is available to the applicant two recommendation letters, one from a Biology professor and one from a Chemistry professor, who has taught the applicant and knows the applicant well may be substituted.
Each applicant should also provide one letter of recommendation from a (non-relative) dentist, currently practicing or retired from practice in North Carolina, describing how well the dentist knows the applicant and describing the dentist’s assessment of the applicant’s character, ethical bearing, maturity and commitment to serving the community. This letter MUST be on official letterhead.
AADSAS Personal Essays
The East Carolina Dental School 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.
Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health Interview:
| Mandatory | By Invitation | Number of Applicants Invited | Entering Class Size |
| ✓ | ✓ | N/A | 52 |
Shortlisted candidates will be required to partake in an interview with the ECU dental school admission committee. Currently, the interview format for the 2021-22 cycle is still under consideration. Final decisions on the format of these interviews will be made and communicated with applicants in the near future.
If you are looking for interview practice check out our posts on both MMI Practice Questions and Standard Interview Practice Questions.
ASDOH Offers of Admission Decision:
The ECU dental school has stated that they will make admission decisions based on the following criteria:
- Academic background and performance in post-secondary coursework, with emphasis on performance in pre-requisite and science courses
- Performance on the DAT and other available standardized tests
- Activities demonstrating the applicant’s commitment to service and care for underserved communities or populations
- Personal statement regarding your interest in dentistry.
- Faculty letters of recommendation
- Recommendation from a dentist, currently practicing or retired from practice in North Carolina, attesting to the applicant’s ethical bearing
- Knowledge of the dental profession, as evidenced by career-related activities as shadowing professionals, community service and other volunteer opportunities
- Interview conducted by members of the Admissions Committee
- Any other available, pertinent information
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.
