University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry is in San Francisco, California and offers a DDS (3 years, year-round). It is the only US dental school with a long-running three-year DDS, so you finish a year earlier than anywhere else[3]. This page lists what Pacific asks for on its own admissions pages, with the latest numbers from the American Dental Association and a section for Canadian applicants.
At a glance
| Pacific | |
|---|---|
| Degree and length | DDS, 3 years, year-round |
| School type | Private nonprofit |
| Application deadline | AADSAS deadline at the beginning of February[4] |
| Minimum GPA | None published. GPA is assessed individually, with your school and course load.[4] |
| Minimum DAT | None published[4] |
| Canadian DAT | Yes, for Canadian university applicants |
| Shadowing | 40 hours minimum, with a general dentist. Dental assisting does not count as shadowing. |
| Letters | 3 letters: two from science professors and one of your choice, or a pre-health committee evaluation. |
| Offers per 100 applications | 9.2[2] |
How it ranks among US dental schools
| Measure, 2025-26 | Pacific | Rank | Average of all schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applications received | 2,385 | 22nd of 76 1st = most applications | 1,835 |
| Offers per 100 applications | 9.2 | 31st of 76 1st = most selective | 12.3 |
| Average GPA of the entering class | 3.69 | 47th of 76 1st = highest | 3.68 |
| Average DAT Academic Average | 460 | 9th of 70 1st = highest | 437 |
| First-year class size | 148 | 7th of 76 1st = largest | 96 |
| First-year tuition, non-residents | $131,747 | 1st of 76 1st = most expensive | $80,372 |
| Canadian citizens in the first-year class | 1 | 16th of 76 1st = most Canadians | 2 |
| Share of the class from the home state | 75% | 23rd of 76 1st = most in-state | 58% |
Ranks compare the US dental schools that reported each figure to the American Dental Association for 2025-26[2].
Prerequisite courses
At least three years of undergraduate study (90 semester or 135 quarter units). A bachelor’s degree is not required but is highly recommended.[4]
| Course | Amount required |
|---|---|
| Biological sciences, with lab | 4 semesters or 6 quarters |
| Inorganic chemistry, with lab | 2 semesters or 3 quarters |
| Organic chemistry, with lab | 2 semesters or 3 quarters (or one semester each of organic chemistry and biochemistry) |
| Physics, with lab | 2 semesters or 3 quarters |
| English, speech or communication | 2 semesters or 3 quarters, including one composition or technical writing course |
Anatomy, physiology, microbiology, biochemistry and histology or cell biology are highly recommended and can count toward the biological sciences requirement. ESL courses do not count toward the English requirement.[4]
GPA and DAT
Minimum GPA: None published. GPA is assessed individually, with your school and course load.
Minimum DAT: None published[4]
What the school reports: Class entering 2026 (DDS 2029): DAT Academic Average 455, overall GPA 3.75, class size 143.[3]
What the national survey reports for 2025-26: the entering class had an average GPA of 3.69 and a science GPA of 3.61, with an average DAT Academic Average of 460, Total Science of 430 and Perceptual Ability of 470 on the new 200 to 600 scale[2]. The DAT moved from a 1 to 30 scale to a 200 to 600 scale in 2025, so some school pages still quote old-scale scores; a 20 on the old scale is roughly 420 on the new one.
How long DAT scores last: For the 2026-27 cycle, tests taken before June 2024 are not accepted. Only your most recent scores are reviewed. Scores received by November get preference.[4]
Averages by year
The charts below show every entering class from 2015 to 2025. The average overall GPA went from 3.50 to 3.69 over that time[1].
Pacific: average GPA of the entering class, by year
Overall GPA and science GPA of first-year students (the year shown is when the academic year started).
| Year | Overall GPA | Science GPA | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| 2016 | 3.55 | 3.48 | |
| 2017 | 3.57 | 3.51 | |
| 2018 | 3.55 | 3.46 | |
| 2019 | 3.51 | 3.43 | |
| 2020 | 3.60 | 3.51 | |
| 2021 | 3.59 | 3.52 | |
| 2022 | 3.63 | 3.55 | |
| 2023 | 3.66 | 3.58 | |
| 2024 | 3.60 | 3.50 | |
| 2025 | 3.69 | 3.61 | [1] |
Source: American Dental Association, Survey of Dental Education, 2015-16 to 2025-26 editions.
Pacific: average DAT scores of the entering class, by year
Old 1 to 30 scale: Academic Average, Total Science and Perceptual Ability.
| Year | Academic Average | Total Science | Perceptual Ability | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 22.0 | 22.0 | 22.0 | |
| 2016 | 21.9 | 21.8 | 21.9 | |
| 2017 | 22.0 | 21.6 | 21.4 | |
| 2018 | 22.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 | |
| 2019 | 22.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 | |
| 2020 | 22.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 | |
| 2021 | 22.1 | 21.5 | 21.3 | |
| 2022 | 22.5 | 22.1 | 22.0 | |
| 2023 | 22.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 | |
| 2024 | 22.0 | 22.0 | 21.0 | [1] |
The 2025-26 class is not on this chart because the DAT moved to a 200 to 600 scale. Its averages were 460 Academic Average, 430 Total Science and 470 Perceptual Ability.
Canadian applicants
Is the Canadian DAT accepted? Yes, for Canadian university applicants. The Canadian DAT is accepted for applicants from Canadian universities only.[4]
Your 90 semester units must come from an accredited US or English-speaking Canadian institution, so a degree from an English-language Canadian university counts without a credential evaluation. Coursework from a French-language or other non-English institution needs a WES or ECE course-by-course evaluation. Financial aid is limited to US citizens and permanent residents, so you must be able to fund all three years yourself.[4][3]
How many Canadians are in the class?
In 2025-26, 1 of the 148 first-year students at Pacific were Canadian citizens (1% of the class)[2]. That is the 16th highest number of Canadians among US dental schools. Another 7 were citizens of other countries.
Pacific: Canadian citizens in the first-year class
Number of first-year students who were Canadian citizens (the year shown is when the academic year started).
| Year | Canadian first-year students | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 1 | [1] |
6 Canadian citizens started at Pacific over these 7 years.
Comparing schools? Our table of all 76 US dental schools lets you sort by applications, GPA, DAT and tuition, and our Canadian dental school requirements cover the ten schools at home.
How to apply
- Application: through ADEA AADSAS, the shared application for US dental schools.
- Deadline: AADSAS deadline at the beginning of February[4]
- School fee and extra forms: $75 supplementary fee; no supplementary application.
- Letters: 3 letters: two from science professors and one of your choice, or a pre-health committee evaluation.
- Shadowing: 40 hours minimum, with a general dentist. Dental assisting does not count as shadowing.
- Interview: A personal interview at the school is part of the process.
- Research: Research experience is not required but is highly recommended.
Who is in the class
75% of the 2025-26 first-year class (111 of 148 students) were residents of California[2]. That leaves 37 seats that went to people from elsewhere. 7 students were not US residents.
Pacific: where first-year students live
Home state and the five most common other states or provinces, 2025-26.
Education before dental school: first-year students entered 72 with a bachelor’s degree, 4 with a master’s degree, 54 after three years of college, 18 after two years[2]. A meaningful number were admitted without a finished degree.
Women and men: the first-year class had 68 women and 80 men (46% women)[2]. Women sent 1,384 applications and men sent 997.
Students in each year of the program:
| 1st year | 2nd year | 3rd year | All years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 148 | 202 | 199 | 549 |
What the school says it weighs
Each year the American Dental Association asks every dental school how important each part of an application is. This is how Pacific answered for 2025-26[2].
DAT sections
| Rating | DAT sections |
|---|---|
| Very important | Academic Average, Perceptual Ability, Total Science, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Biology, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry |
Grades and other factors
| Rating | Factors |
|---|---|
| Very important | Science GPA, Non-science GPA, Overall GPA, Interview, Letters of recommendation, Manual dexterity, Community service, Professional experience, Overcoming personal or financial challenges |
Pacific rated 17 of the 17 items as very important. It did not rate any item as unimportant, so a weak area is unlikely to be overlooked.
Applications and class size over time
In 2025-26, Pacific received 2,385 applications, made 219 offers and enrolled 148 first-year students[2]. That is 9.2 offers for every 100 applications. Offers are higher than seats because many accepted applicants choose another school.
Pacific: offers per 100 applications, by year
Applicants offered a place, divided by applications received.
| Year | Offers per 100 applications | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 8.4 | |
| 2016 | 9.8 | |
| 2017 | 9.9 | |
| 2018 | 9.9 | |
| 2019 | 11.5 | |
| 2020 | 10.3 | |
| 2021 | 10.4 | |
| 2022 | 12.1 | |
| 2023 | 11.7 | |
| 2024 | 11.7 | |
| 2025 | 9.2 | [1] |
Pacific: applications received
By academic year (the year shown is when the year started).
| Year | Applications | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2,734 | |
| 2016 | 2,592 | |
| 2017 | 2,390 | |
| 2018 | 2,337 | |
| 2019 | 2,173 | |
| 2020 | 2,112 | |
| 2021 | 2,237 | |
| 2022 | 2,171 | |
| 2023 | 2,139 | |
| 2024 | 2,232 | |
| 2025 | 2,385 | [2] |
Pacific: first-year enrolment
By academic year (the year shown is when the year started).
| Year | First-year students | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 144 | |
| 2016 | 141 | |
| 2017 | 143 | |
| 2018 | 145 | |
| 2019 | 145 | |
| 2020 | 146 | |
| 2021 | 150 | |
| 2022 | 147 | |
| 2023 | 148 | |
| 2024 | 147 | |
| 2025 | 148 | [2] |
The program in numbers
| Pacific | |
|---|---|
| Degree | D.D.S. |
| Calendar | Quarter system |
| Program type | Four academic years compressed into 36 months |
| Total length | 132 weeks of instruction |
| Total dental students | 549 |
| Graduates in 2025 | 171 |
| Patient visits handled by students in a year | 71,114 (349 at sites outside the school) |
| New patients screened in a year | 2,825 |
| Combined degree programs | a combined pre-dental and dental track |
| Dentists trained abroad | Admitted with advanced standing (57 in 2025-26, into 2nd year standing) |
| Transfer students | Not accepted |
Figures are what the school reported for 2025-26[2].
Pacific: total students and graduates
All dental students enrolled, and graduates each year.
| Year | Total dental students | Graduates | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 458 | 162 | |
| 2016 | 465 | 155 | |
| 2017 | 472 | 159 | |
| 2018 | 475 | 160 | |
| 2019 | 479 | 164 | |
| 2020 | 486 | 164 | |
| 2021 | 483 | 168 | |
| 2022 | 491 | 162 | |
| 2023 | 493 | 162 | |
| 2024 | 518 | 172 | |
| 2025 | 549 | 171 | [2] |
Tuition and cost
Pacific: cost in US dollars, 2025-26
Private school: the same tuition for everyone.
Figures are in US dollars and do not include living costs. Program totals are the school's estimate for a student starting in 2025-26.
Pacific: first-year tuition and fees by year
US dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
| Year | First-year tuition | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 103,950 | |
| 2016 | 107,895 | |
| 2017 | 115,658 | |
| 2018 | 116,591 | |
| 2019 | 120,387 | |
| 2020 | 122,117 | |
| 2021 | 124,531 | |
| 2022 | 126,510 | |
| 2023 | 129,035 | |
| 2024 | 133,978 | |
| 2025 | 137,945 | [2] |
Non-resident first-year tuition and fees went from $103,950 in 2015 to $137,945 in 2025, a change of +33%.
Tuition for each year of the program
| Year of the program | Tuition |
|---|---|
| 1st year | $131,747 |
| 2nd year | $131,747 |
| 3rd year | $131,747 |
| All years | $395,241 |
Fees and other required costs over the whole program
| Cost | Total for all years |
|---|---|
| Mandatory general fees | $20,808 |
| Instruments | $16,194 |
| Instructional materials | $4,395 |
| Health services | $13,170 |
| All fees and required costs | $54,567 |
These are on top of tuition and do not include rent, food or travel[2]. Canadians pay in US dollars, so the exchange rate adds to the cost.
See how this compares in our guide to dental school costs in the USA.
Frequently asked questions
Does Pacific accept the Canadian DAT?
Yes, for Canadian university applicants. The Canadian DAT is accepted for applicants from Canadian universities only.[4]
What GPA do you need for Pacific dental school?
What DAT score do you need for Pacific?
How many shadowing hours does Pacific require?
40 hours minimum, with a general dentist. Dental assisting does not count as shadowing.[4]
When is the Pacific dental school application deadline?
AADSAS deadline at the beginning of February. Applying earlier helps because interviews are offered on a rolling basis.[4]
How hard is it to get into Pacific dental school?
In 2025-26 it received 2,385 applications, made 219 offers and enrolled 148 students, about 9.2 offers per 100 applications.[2]
How many Canadians go to Pacific dental school?
In 2025-26, 1 of the 148 first-year students were Canadian citizens. From 2019 to 2025, 6 Canadians started there.[2]
What share of Pacific dental students are from out of state?
In 2025-26, 75% of the first-year class (111 of 148) were residents of California, so 25% came from elsewhere.[2]
How important is the DAT Perceptual Ability section at Pacific?
Pacific told the American Dental Association that the Perceptual Ability score is very important in its admissions decisions for 2025-26.[2]
Does Pacific have a program for dentists trained outside the US?
Yes. In 2025-26 Pacific admitted 57 internationally trained dentists with advanced standing. That is a separate application from the regular program described on this page.[2]
How much does Pacific dental school cost for the whole program?
Tuition for all years totals $395,241 for non-residents in 2025-26 dollars, plus about $54,567 in fees, instruments and other required costs. Living costs are extra.[2]
Sources
- American Dental Association: Survey of Dental Education, Report 2, editions 2015-16 to 2025-26
- American Dental Association: Survey of Dental Education 2025-26, Reports 1 and 2
- University of the Pacific Dugoni School of Dentistry: Doctor of Dental Surgery
- University of the Pacific Dugoni School of Dentistry: DDS admissions requirements
Figures were checked against these sources on November 11, 2026. Schools change their numbers every cycle, so confirm on the official site before you apply.
Does this program consider Canadians as out of state or international?