Admissions

Applicants must have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours — two full years — of study at an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university prior to application.

Applicants must complete a minimum of 90 credit hours of study at an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university prior to enrollment in the DDS program. Students are strongly encouraged to earn a bachelor’s degree prior to enrollment in the DDS program. Students who will not earn a bachelor’s degree prior to enrollment must demonstrate a higher level of academic performance.

All applicants must complete the following prerequisite courses at an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university:

• 2 semesters = 6 credit hours = 8 quarter hours of English including composition
• 2 semesters = 8 credit hours = 12 quarter hours of General, inorganic chemistry (including laboratory)
• 2 semesters = 8 credit hours = 12 quarter hours of Organic chemistry (including laboratory)
• 2 semesters = 8 credit hours = 12 quarter hours of General biology (including laboratory)
• 2 semesters = 8 credit hours = 12 quarter hours of General physics - algebra or calculus based (including laboratory)
• 1 semester = 3 credit hours = 5 quarter hours of Biochemistry (does not require a laboratory component)

Students are strongly urged to complete all prerequisite courses at a four-year institution.

Histology coursework is strongly recommended prior to matriculation.

In addition, while dentistry is a discipline based in the biological sciences, the practice of dentistry is very much a “people” profession based on communication skills and an understanding of human behavior. Prospective dental students are encouraged to take courses in psychology, sociology, public speaking, composition and the humanities to better interact with patients.

Although most applicants choose to concentrate their academic efforts in the sciences, there is no required undergraduate major area of study. Students are encouraged to pursue a major in an area of interest. Students who do not major in the sciences are strongly encouraged to pursue additional coursework in biology and chemistry beyond the minimum required courses as our DDS curriculum is scientifically rigorous.

All applicants must have an undergraduate minimum overall and science college grade-point average of 3.0 (as calculated by ADEA AADSAS) . Exceptions to the minimums are given to all applicants who have completed the equivalent of two semesters of full-time graduate coursework.

• DAT (or CDAT) scores are required for admission consideration. There are no exam waivers.
  
• Applications will not be considered before official DAT or CDAT scores are submitted to AADSAS.
• When more than one DAT or CDAT score is reported, the most recent set of scores is considered to meet our admissions requirements.
• Only scores from tests taken in 2023, 2024, or 2025 will be considered for Fall 2025 admission.
• It is recommended that the DAT or CDAT be taken no later than December 1 so your scores may reach AADSAS by the UB School of Dental Medicine application deadline of January 15, 2025.

The Student Admissions Committee strongly encourages applicants to acquire adequate numbers of hours in health care settings in order to maximize their understanding of the health care field. While this number will vary among applicants, we believe a minimum of 75 - 100 hours is a reasonable expectation. Additionally the committee values a breadth of unique experiences over multiple hours in one setting.

The UB School of Dental Medicine requires applicants to submit either a minimum of one [1] composite committee letter/report or three individual letters of evaluation.

ADEA AADSAS allows applicants to submit one committee letter and one individual letter, or four individual letters.  

• Our Admissions Committee accepts a composite committee letter/report. If the undergraduate school does not have such a committee or a mechanism for providing a composite letter, applicants may submit individual letters of evaluation.
• If you are submitting three individual letters, we encourage you to obtain letters from those individuals who can best attest to your academic abilities, personal attributes, and why you are a good candidate for dental school consideration.
  
• All letters of evaluation must be submitted to AADSAS through the AADSAS Portal. ADEA AADSAS allows applicants to submit a maximum of four individual letters of evaluation or one committee letter/report plus the option of one additional individual letter. Although the School of Dental Medicine only requires three letters of evaluation, the Student Admissions Committee will consider all letters of evaluation submitted to AADSAS.
  

The personal statement provides you the opportunity to let our committee know who you are. Candidates can share their academic, professional, and personal goals; why they are choosing to pursue dentistry; and how the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine can help candidates achieve these goals.

Because command of the English language is essential for successful professional school study, applicants whose first language is not English, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate their English proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Students who have completed a full undergraduate degree in the United States or an English speaking Province of Canada can be considered for a waiver of the TOEFL requirement.

• Official TOEFL Score Reports must be submitted by using the following codes:

UB’s English Language Institute offers programs during the summer and the academic year for those students who want or need to improve their competence in reading, speaking, or writing English prior to applying to dental school.

If admitted, International students must document their ability to meet all educational and personal expenses for the duration of the program. Foreign students are eligible for assistantships and fellowships, but not for New York State or federal financial aid. Students should contact their own government or the American Embassy or Consulate for financial information.

All offers of acceptance and admission are conditional pending completion, at the applicant’s expense, of an acceptable Background Check from a vendor approved by the UB School of Dental Medicine. Once accepted, applicants will receive instructions on how to apply for the Background Check. Admission offers may be withdrawn for applicants who refuse to submit to the Background Check or who receive an accurate unacceptable Background Check.