University of Minnesota Dental School Requirements

The University of Minnesota School of Dentistry is one of 66 dental programs in the United States of America. The University of Minnesota 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 Minnesota School of Dentistry Requirements: Prerequisite Courses

All students applying to the University of Minnesota Dental School must have completed at least a minimum of 3 years of study (87 semester hours / 130 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	3/5
English	✓	X	8/12
Mathematics	✓	X	3/5

AP and community college credits are accepted at this University. For more information regarding credit awarded for AP exams, please visit http://admissions.tc.umn.edu/academics/ap.html

Only under unusual circumstances will credits graded on a satisfactory/no credit evaluation system be accepted for required courses. For example, they will accept S/N courses and online labs for spring and summer 2020 semesters for prerequisite courses due to COVID-19.

University of Minnesota 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	3.62	3.18	3.56	3.04

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

DAT and Shadowing Overview:

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

50 hours (minimum) of shadowing a general dentist who is not a parent is required by this university.

University of Minnesota 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
20.9	18	21.1	17	20.4	17

Applicants are required to take the DAT. If an applicant has completed the DAT more than once the most recent set of scores will be assessed 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 Minnesota Dental School Requirements: Letters of Recomendation

Three letters of recommendation are required by this university. They must include:

• Two (2) letters from science or math professors who taught you in a lecture or lab course. Letters from teaching assistants are also acceptable.
• One (1) letter from an employer or supervisor from a volunteer, work, or research position. Letters from a research faculty will be counted as a supervisor letter, even if academic credit was earned. Shadowing letters typically are not counted as supervisor letters, unless you also worked or volunteered in the office.

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 Minnesota Dental School Requirements: Interview

Mandatory	By Invitation	Number of Applicants Invited	Entering Class Size
✓	✓	N/A	105

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.