UCLA Dental School Requirements

The University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dentistry is one of 66 dental programs in the United States of America. The UCLA Dentistry 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

UCLA Dental School Requirements: Prerequisite Courses

All students applying to the UCLA Dental School must have completed at least a minimum of 3 years of study (90 semester hours / 135 quarter hours). Students must also complete the following prerequisite courses listed below:

AP and community college credits are accepted at this University.

Maximum AP credit of 3 semester/4 quarter units toward prerequisites.

Pass/Fail grades and online courses taken during the COVID-19 pandemic will be accepted.

UCLA Dental School Requirements: GPA Calculation and Requirements

UCLA Dental School Requirements: Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) and Shadowing

DAT and Shadowing Overview:

UCLA SOD does not have a minimum number of hours but recommends 100 hours of in-person shadowing.

UCLA Dental School Requirements DAT Admission Score Statistics:

Applicants are required to take the DAT. If an applicant has completed the DAT more than once the most recent of all 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!

UCLA Dental School Requirements: Letters of Recomendation

This university requires a substantive letter of recommendation from any objective source (minimum of 3 but 4 are recommended).

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.

UCLA Dental School 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.