{"id":16552,"date":"2017-10-27T12:05:20","date_gmt":"2017-10-27T17:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=16552"},"modified":"2020-09-11T20:42:15","modified_gmt":"2020-09-11T20:42:15","slug":"dental-school-admission-by-the-numbers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/dat\/dental-school-admission-by-the-numbers\/","title":{"rendered":"Dental School Admissions By The Numbers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether you want to focus on the clinical practice, research or surgical branches of dentistry, you’ll need to get your Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) first. The application process for a four-year dental program is similar to that of many other graduate programs. In order to be considered for an accredited program, you’ll need to have completed your undergraduate degree at a four-year college or university, as well as provide scores for the\u00a0DAT (Dental Admission Test)<\/a>.
\nLet’s take a deeper look into the Dental School Admissions Process:<\/p>\n

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Is Dental School Right for You?<\/h3>
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\nBefore you apply to dental school, one crucial question you should ask yourself is “Why are you going?” Although you are not expected to map out your entire life plan, you should be able to provide at least a thoughtful, well-reasoned response.
\nThere are plenty of great reasons to pursue a career as a dentist. A good salary, continuing intellectual challenge, job autonomy and security, enjoyment of contributing to research, and the opportunity to work with people are just a few. However, it’s important that you establish why attending dental school is the right choice for you. A dental degree can open up a world of opportunity, but attending school is hard work. Whatever your reasons for going back to school, you should be prepared to make a serious commitment.
\nSo is it right for you? Ultimately, that’s a decision you have to make. Dental school is a serious time and financial commitment. But if you have specific career goals and apply yourself, the pay off can be extraordinary.
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Planning Your Dental School Search<\/h3>
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\nThe trick to assessing your chances of getting into a particular program is knowing where you stand with regard to the various factors that programs consider when making admissions decisions. A good way to get a sense of how dental schools perceive you is to create a fact sheet with your DAT scores (or projected scores), overall GPA, and GPA in your major (and minor, if applicable). Relevant outside activities, work experience, internships, publications, etc. will also contribute to the overall strength of your application.
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Use A Guidebook<\/h4>
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\nThe next step is to find a current source of information about dental programs. There are several guides published every year that provide rankings of schools, as well as data about acceptance rates and median GPA and DAT scores. In addition, some rank schools according to their reputations among students, professors, or prominent people in the field.
\nPut your DAT score and GPA alongside the median numbers of schools that interest you. The comparison will give you a rough idea of where you stand. But remember, DAT and GPA are not the only criteria for admissions. Many other factors like recommendations and “intangibles” like activities and relevant experience can factor prominently into the admissions equation. Once you have some idea of where you fall in the applicant pool, you can begin to make decisions about your application strategy.
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Make Sensible Choices<\/h4>
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\nA sensible application strategy will include schools in three general categories:<\/p>\n