Requirements for Dental Schools in Canada: Complete Guide

This is the most comprehensive and accurate information that can be found on the internet regarding the admission requirements for each of the 10 dental schools in Canada for the 2024 application cycle. Every year 25% of applications to dental schools are rejected because not all the requirements are met.

The admission requirements are similar between the different dental schools and are categorized here in the priority of what an applicant must submit to be considered:

Academic

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

Non-Academic 

1. Dental Admission Test
2. CASPer Test
3. Personal Statement/ Essays
4. Interview

Each dental school in Canada has different requirements within each of the above categories.

This blog post compares and contrasts the dental school admission requirements for all 10 dental schools in Canada in one place to help you determine which school is the best fit for you. It will also help guide your undergraduate studies by helping you to figure out which courses you should be taking.

Those interested in seeing the dental school requirements for the American Universities click on this link.

If you would like an in-depth analysis of the dental school requirements for a specific dental school in Canada including average admitted GPA and DAT scores as well as detailed information about the interview, autobiographical sketch, and admissions weighting statistics, click on the links below:

• University of Toronto (UofT) Dental School Requirements
• University of Western Ontario (UWO) Dental School Requirements
• University of Alberta Dental (UofA) School Requirements
• University of Manitoba (UofM) Dental School Requirements
• University of British Columbia (UBC) Dental School Requirements
• University of Saskatchewan (UofS) Dental School Requirements
• Université Laval Dental School Requirements
• McGill University Dental School Requirements
• Université de Montréal (UdeM) Dental School Requirements
• Dalhousie (Dal) University Dental School Requirements

Requirements for Dental Schools in Canada: Prerequisite Courses

All students applying to each of the Canadian dental schools must meet certain prerequisite course requirements. The number in the box represents the length of study for each prerequisite (0.5 indicates a half-course and 1 indicates a full course).

Each dental school requires that you take each prerequisite course for a certain number of credits. Some dental schools only require a half-year course, others require a full year (2 half-year courses) course of study. 

Requirements for Dental Schools in Canada: Undergraduate and GPA Requirements

If you’re looking for tricks to improve your undergraduate grades check out our post on the top study habits to get maximum grades in minimum time!

Requirements for Dental Schools in Canada: DAT and CASPER Requirements

Dentistry Admission Test:

• Some dental schools in Canada take into consideration only specific sections
• If an applicant has taken the DAT multiple times, some Universities will take the highest score and some will use the most recent scores

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. For those looking for DAT prep courses, we recommend those offered by the Princeton Review. They are a reputable long standing company that offers a variety of different course options to meet individual needs.

CASPer Test:

• The Canadian Professional Health Sciences test (CSP10201) is the required CASPer test for dental schools requiring the CASPer 

Each university has different deadlines for CASPer and DAT submissions. Use the links at the bottom of this post to access specific information on the University you are looking to apply to.

Requirements for Dental Schools in Canada: Interview and Autobiographical Sketch

All dental schools in Canada require an interview in their admission process, which is granted to the most qualified applicants. There are two main types of interviews, multi-mini interviews and traditional interviews. If you are looking for interview practice check out our posts on both MMI Practice Questions and Standard Interview Practice Questions.

Some Universities require specific autobiographical sketches, with their own unique questions, to be completed by applicants. 

Requirements for Dental Schools in Canada: Final Admission Decisions

Every dental school weighs each section of your application differently when making the final admission decisions. This will play a large role in your application process and should be taken into consideration. All this information can be found above in any of the links listed for the university you are interested in.

In-Depth Look at the Requirements for Each Dental School in Canada:

If you would like an in-depth view of the dental school requirements for a specific dental school in Canada, including average admitted GPA and DAT scores as well as detailed information about the interview, autobiographical sketch, and admissions weighting statistics, click on the links below:

• University of Toronto (UofT) Dental School Requirements
• University of Western Ontario (UWO) Dental School Requirements
• University of Alberta Dental (UofA) School Requirements
• University of Manitoba (UofM) Dental School Requirements
• University of British Columbia (UBC) Dental School Requirements
• University of Saskatchewan (UofS) Dental School Requirements
• Université Laval Dental School Requirements
• McGill University Dental School Requirements
• Université de Montréal (UdeM) Dental School Requirements
• Dalhousie (Dal) University Dental School Requirements

For those interested in applying for Canadian medical schools check out our page on the requirements for medical schools in Canada.

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