Doctor of Dental Medicine Program
The College of Dental Medicine offers a four-year program which leads to a Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree.

Admissions Application Procedures
Applications for the first-year class must be filed between July 1 and February 1 prior to the year in which the applicant wishes to enter. The College of Dental Medicine is a participant in the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), formerly the American Association of Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS). Applicants must complete ADEA application online at https://portal.aadsasweb.org by December 1. The ADEA application is used as a preliminary admission screening by the College of Dental Medicine Admissions Committee. ADEA charges a fee for processing the application.

Applicants receiving favorable initial review are notified to complete a supplementary application online which includes applicant appraisal forms and a supplementary application. There is a nonrefundable fee for processing the supplementary application. Before a final admission decision is made, personal interviews with Admissions Committee members are required.

Selection of the class is usually completed by April 15. Applicants must respond to an acceptance offer within 30 days (unless otherwise indicated) and must deposit a matriculation fee to hold a place in the class.

For details concerning specific and required fees, please refer to the Fee Schedule.

Entrance Requirements
Dental Admission Test (DAT) scores less than five years old are required for admission into the first-year class. Preference is given to applicants who have completed four years of college work and have earned a baccalaureate degree. In rare circumstances a minimum of three years of exemplary college work (90 semester hours) to include exceptional science GPA and superior DAT scores may be considered. The following pre-dental courses are required:

Information about the transfer course articulation among South Carolina colleges and universities may be found at http://www2.musc.edu/ES/transfer_policy/transfer_index.html. 

The DAT should be taken no later than the fall of the year preceding the year in which the applicant wishes to be admitted. DAT registration packets are available from pre-dental advisors or by writing the Office of Enrollment Services. All examinations are now administered electronically by appointment. Contact the American Dental Association at (312) 440-2689 and ask for the DAT office.

Selection Factors
Selection is based on the applicant’s total attributes, accomplishments, and potential for growth in the field of dental medicine. Intellectual ability is judged by the grade point average (GPA) and DAT scores. While undoubtedly important, the ability to accumulate and assimilate scientific facts is not sufficient. Letters of recommendation and personal interviews are used to evaluate the applicant’s noncognitive traits such as adaptability, purpose in life, and ability to establish and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships.

Preference is given to South Carolina residents. A limited number of out-of-state applicants with superior credentials are accepted.