SIU School of Dental Medicine Requirements

The Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine is one of 66 dental programs in the United States of America. The SIU School of Dental Medicine 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

SIU School of Dental Medicine Requirements: Prerequisite Courses

All students applying to the SIU dental school must have completed at least a minimum of 3 years of study (90 semester hours / 120 quarter hours). They must include the following courses: 

AP credits are accepted for electives and community college credits will be accepted for both required courses and electives.

SIU School of Dental Medicine Requirements: GPA Calculation and Requirements

SIU School of Dental Medicine Requirements: Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) and Shadowing

DAT and Shadowing Overview:

The SIU School of Dental Medicine does not require dental shadowing experience but highly recommends that applicants have at least 30 hours of experience before applying.

SIU Dental School DAT Admission Score Statistics:

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!

SIU School of Dental Medicine Requirements: Letter of References

Letters of Evaluation are required by the SIU Dental School. There are two options that are accepted by this school:

• TWO Science Letters – Letters must be from science professors who have taught and graded the applicant at the university level. Science letters should include the course name, number and professors signature.
• ONE Letter of Choice – One letter by an evaluator of the applicant’s choice. This evaluator could be another professor, a mentor or dentist. This letter should include letterhead and a signature.

OR

• Pre-Health Professions Committee Letter – If the applicant’s undergraduate institution has a pre-health profession committee, a letter or letter packet by committee members can be submitted in place of the three required letters of recommendation. This packet or letter will be submitted to AADSAS as one individual letter.

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.

SIU School of Dental Medicine Requirements Interview:

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.