The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry is one of 66 dental programs in the United States of America. The UTHSC Dental School 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
UTHSC Dental School Requirements: Prerequisite Courses
All students applying to the University of Tennessee Dental School must have completed at least a minimum of 3 years of study (97 semester hours / 150 quarter hours). Students must also complete the following prerequisite courses listed below:
| Prerequisite Course | Required | Lab Required | Credits (Semester Hours) |
| Biology | ✓ | ✓ | 8 |
| General Chemistry | ✓ | ✓ | 8 |
| Organic Chemistry | ✓ | ✓ | 8 |
| Physics | ✓ | ✓ | 8 |
| Biological Science* | ✓ | X | Read Notes |
| Biochemistry | ✓ | X | 3 |
| Composition | ✓ | X | 6 |
*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.
AP and community college credits are accepted at this University. AP credits will only be accepted if your undergraduate institution gives you credit on your transcript.
The changes COVID-19 has brought to higher education include some schools changing spring 2020 courses to Pass/Fail type grading. The Admissions Committee encourages all students to choose a grade if possible–especially for prerequisites.
University of Tennessee 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 | 3.19 | 3.58 | 3.05 |
UTHSC Dental School Requirements: Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) and Shadowing
DAT and Shadowing Overview:
The Admissions Committee strongly suggests at least 50 hours, in a general dentistry office, but will take into consideration that many offices were closed for quite some time.
UTHSC 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 |
| 20.2 | 18 | 20.4 | 17 | 19.8 | 17 |
Applicants are required to take the DAT. If an applicant has completed the DAT more than once the most recent score on the DAT 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 Tennessee Dental School Requirements: Letters of Recomendation
Letters of recommendation are not mandatory but are accepted through the AADSAS application ONLY.
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.
UTHSC Dental School Requirements: Interview
| Mandatory | By Invitation | Number of Applicants Invited | Entering Class Size |
| ✓ | ✓ | N/A | 98 |
Shortlisted candidates will be required to partake in an interview with the admissions team. A personal interview at the College of Dentistry, by invitation of the Admissions Committee, is necessary prior to acceptance. The interview will include a tour of the school, the receipt of information about financial aid, and the opportunity to talk with faculty and students. During the interview, the committee looks for evidence of such personal qualities as integrity, motivation, and maturity.
If you are looking for interview practice check out our posts on both MMI Practice Questions and Standard Interview Practice Questions.
The committee also expects applicants to have been exposed to the delivery of dental care as properly licensed participants (dental assistant or dental hygienist, for example) or as observers.
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.
