The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry is one of 66 dental programs in the United States of America. The VCU 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
VCU Dental School Requirements: Prerequisite Courses
All students applying to the Virginia Commonwealth Dental School must have completed at least a minimum of 3 years of study (90 semester hours / 145 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 | 3/5 |
| Math/Statistics | ✓ | X | 3/5 |
AP and community college credits are accepted at this University but they must be accepted by the undergraduate institutions.
Pass/Fail grades will be accepted for any courses taken in spring 2020 through fall 2021, including prerequisite courses.
Virginia Commonwealth 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 | 3.23 | 3.62 | 3.21 |
VCU Dental School Requirements: Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) and Shadowing
DAT and Shadowing Overview:
Applicants are strongly recommended to complete 100 hours of dental shadowing, with at least 50 of which are with a general dentist.
VCU 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 |
| 21.4 | 19 | 20.6 | 18 | 21.0 | 19 |
Applicants are required to take the DAT. If an applicant has completed the DAT more than once the highest 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!
Virginia Commonwealth Dental School Requirements: Letters of Recomendation
Three (3) letters of recommendation are required by applicants.
- Two letters from life science professors who have had the candidate as a student
- One letter from a dentist practicing in the U.S. or Canada who knows the candidate’s professional abilities through shadowing or volunteer work
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.
VCU Dental School Requirements: Interview
| Mandatory | By Invitation | Number of Applicants Invited | Entering Class Size |
| ✓ | ✓ | N/A | 94 |
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.