UM Dental School Requirements

The University of Maryland School of Dentistry is one of 66 dental programs in the United States of America. The UMSOD 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

University of Maryland School of Dentistry Requirements: Prerequisite Courses

All students applying to the UMSOD 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	✓	✓	8/12
Physics	✓	✓	8/12
Biochemistry	✓	X	3/6
Composition	✓	X	6/9

AP and community college credits are accepted at this University.

AP credits for prerequisites will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Credit must have been given for specific courses by the undergraduate institution.

Pass/Fail grades will be accepted, but letter grades are preferred. Opinions of Pass/Fail grades are based on previous achievements.

UMD 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	3.57	3.15	3.47	2.95

University of Maryland School of Dentistry Requirements: Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) and Shadowing

DAT and Shadowing Overview:

Dental Shadowing Hours	DAT Required	CAD DAT Accepted	DAT Scores Considered
40	✓	✓	Most Recent Score

100 hours of shadowing were preferred previously, however, UMSOD will be lenient with this number. UMSOD hopes that the decision to pursue dentistry hasn’t been a recent one so “some” shadowing has been accomplished.

UMSOD 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
21.2	18	21.0	16	21.0	18

Applicants are required to take the DAT. If an applicant has completed the DAT more than once all scores will be reviewed with emphasis on the most recent set of scores 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!

University of Maryland School of Dentistry Requirements: Letters of Recomendation

The Committee on Dental Recruitment and Admissions strongly prefer to receive a recommendation package from the applicant’s institutional pre-professional committee and a letter from a general or specialized dentist documenting at least 100 shadowing hours.

If no such committee is available, letters of recommendation from one science professor may be substituted. There are no substitutions for the letter of recommendation from a general or specialized dentist.

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.

UMD Dental School Requirements:Interview:

Mandatory	By Invitation	Number of Applicants Invited	Entering Class Size
✓	✓	N/A	133

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. Those looking to compare the costs of dental schools can click here.