The University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry is one of 66 dental programs in the United States of America. The UCSF Dentistry 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
UCSF Dental School Requirements: Prerequisite Courses
All students applying to the UCSF 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:
| Prerequisite Course | Required | Lab Required | Credits (Semester/Quarter) |
| Biology | ✓ | ✓ | 8/12 |
| General Chemistry | ✓ | ✓ | 8/12 |
| Organic Chemistry | ✓ | ✓ | 6/8 |
| Physics | ✓ | ✓ | 8/12 |
| Biochemistry | ✓ | X | 3/4 |
| Psychology | ✓ | X | 3/4 |
| Composition | ✓ | X | 6/8 |
AP and community college credits are accepted at this University.
For AP credit, applicants must submit an official Score Report (School Code 5482). Science prerequisites can only be partially fulfilled using AP credit. See our admissions website for more detailed information.
Online courses taken during the COVID-19 pandemic will be accepted. If Pass/Fail is mandatory, it will be accepted.
UCSF 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 |
| NR | 3.66 | 3.28 | 3.62 | 3.10 |
UCSF Dental School Requirements: Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) and Shadowing
DAT and Shadowing Overview:
UCSF SOD does not have a minimum number of hours but recommends 100 hours of in-person shadowing.
UCSF Dental School Requirements 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 |
| 22.8 | 19 | 22.0 | 18 | 22.7 | 19 |
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!
UCSF 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.
UCSF Dental School Requirements Interview:
| Mandatory | By Invitation | Number of Applicants Invited | Entering Class Size |
| ✓ | ✓ | N/A | 88 |
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.