Western Dental School Requirements

The Western Dental program is one of ten dental programs in Canada and is considered the fourth-best dental school in Canada.

In 2021, the UWO dental school acceptance rate was 10.4%. Of the 536 undergraduate students that applied, only 56 were admitted into the program. The Western dental school requirements and admission statistics 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. CASPer Test
3. Personal Statement/ Essays
4. Interview

Western Dental School Requirements: Prerequisite Courses

All students applying to the Western Dental program must have completed at least 4 years of undergraduate study. They must include the following coursers: 

All academic prerequisites have to be completed by April 30 of the year in which the application is submitted. If you do not know if the course you are taking is an approved course to meet the requirements listed above these links have a full list of approved courses from various universities:

• Physiology Approved Courses
• Biochemistry Approved Courses

Western University Dental School Admission Requirements: GPA Calculation 

Courses taken during the year of application are not considered in GPA calculation.

Western Dentistry considers only the best 2 years of a four year undergraduate degree in the calculation of the academic average GPA, each of these years must meet the following conditions:

• At least 80 % average
• Full course load: five full or equivalent courses (30 credit hours) taken between September and April
• At least three full-course equivalents whose published level is at or above the year level of study ( Exception: Fourth Year: at least 3 courses at or above third year level)
• No more than one full or two half pass/fail (credit) courses
• If more than a full course load is taken, all grades are included

Due to COVID, the Winter 2020 term will not be used in the academic average calculation. However, the Fall 2019 semester is eligible for academic average calculation.

UWO Dental School Requirements: Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) and CASPer

Your DAT must be written within two years prior to the application deadline. The manual Dexterity section is not required and is not used in the admission process.

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. For those looking for DAT prep courses, we recommend those offered by the Princeton Review. They are a reputable long standing company that offers a variety of different course options to meet individual needs.

Western Dentistry Autobiographical Sketch and Personal Statement:

In addition to the above requirements, applicants are required to provide an autobiographical sketch and a personal statement which together are one document. The autobiographical sketch should be used to outline any achievements that may have not been portrayed in the application and academic transcripts. The personal statement is to expand on the autobiographical sketch highlighting your achievements and goals.

UWO Dental School Interview:

Invitations to panel interviews are based on a holistic assessment of the applicant’s academic and non-academic achievements. “Interviews will be 30 minutes in duration, structured and standardized, and conducted by a three-person panel consisting of a dentist, a community member, and a senior dental student.” Interviews are held in late February.

Those looking for practice can check our posts on both MMI Practice Questions and Standard Interview Practice Questions here.

Offers of Admission Decision:

“Candidates will be ranked based on a compiled score representing scholastic achievement, DAT score, autobiographical sketch & personal statement, and an interview.”

Requirements for other Dental Schools in Canada:

If you would like an in-depth analysis of the dental school requirements for other dental schools in Canada click on the links below:

• University of Toronto (UofT) Dental School Requirements
• University of Alberta Dental (UofA) School Requirements
• University of Manitoba (UofM) Dental School Requirements
• University of British Columbia (UBC) Dental School Requirements
• University of Saskatchewan (UofS) Dental School Requirements
• Université Laval Dental School Requirements
• McGill University Dental School Requirements
• Université de Montréal (UdeM) Dental School Requirements
• Dalhousie (Dal) University Dental School Requirements

We also have a comprehensive comparison of all 10 dental school requirements in Canada.