University of Iowa Dental School Requirements

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics is one of 66 dental programs in the United States of America. The University of Iowa Dental School 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 Iowa Dental School Requirements: Prerequisite Courses

All students applying to the University of Iowa Dental School must have completed at least a minimum of 3 years of study (90 semester hours / 120 quarter hours). These courses must include the following prerequisite courses listed below:

Prerequisite CourseRequiredLab RequiredCredits (Semester/Quarter)
Biology8/12
General Chemistry8/12
Organic Chemistry8/12
Physics8/12
BiochemistryX3/5
EnglishX3/5
*A semester credit hour is an academic unit earned for fifteen 50-minute sessions of classroom instruction with a normal expectation of two hours of outside study for each class session. Typically, a three-semester credit hour course meets three 50-minute sessions per week for fifteen weeks for a total of 45 sessions. For more information about how long a semester/quarter is click here.

Both AP Credits and community college credits are allowed for prerequisite and elective courses.

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry expects that pre-requisite courses are taken for a grade.

If you attend an institution that has mandated that all coursework change to Pass/Fail during the spring or summer 2020 sessions due to COVID-19, the University of Iowa College of Dentistry expects that your institution annotates this mandate on your transcripts.

University of Iowa Dental School Requirements: GPA Calculation and Requirements

Minimum Overall GPA to ApplyAverage Overall GPA of accepted applicantsLowest Overall GPA AdmittedAverage Science GPA of accepted applicantsLowest Science GPA Admitted
3.003.683.203.623.07

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

DAT and Shadowing Overview:

Dental Shadowing HoursDAT RequiredCAD DAT AcceptedDAT Scores Considered
NRMost Recent

Dental shadowing is not required but is recommended by this University. It is important that applicants diversify their shadowing experiences and show knowledge of the dental field.

University of Iowa Dental School Requirements DAT Admission Score Statistics:

Mean Academic Average ScoreMinimum AA Score Given AdmissionMean Perceptual Ability TestMinimum PAT Score Given AdmissionMean Total ScienceMinimum Total Science Score Given Admission
21.01921.21720.518

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!

University of Iowa Dental School Requirements: Letters of Recomendation

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry requires 3 letters of evaluation. They do not specify who your letters need to be from. Instead, ask sources who can speak to your character and life experience.

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.

University of Iowa Dental School Requirements Interview:

MandatoryBy InvitationNumber of Applicants InvitedEntering Class Size
N/A82

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.

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