Admissions Requirements

Admissions Criteria

The admissions process is competitive. A holistic review is provided for each candidate considering academic records, personal statement, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, interview assessment and any other information provided by the candidate.

As a public institution financially supported by the state of Missouri, our first obligation is to qualified residents of Missouri. Additionally, we have agreements with Kansas, New Mexico, and Hawaii to accept qualified residents of those states. Preferred consideration will be given to applicants who are residents of the four states listed above. Applicants from other states are welcome to apply and are considered on an individual basis for highly qualified candidates.  Applicants must be a citizen of the United States or a foreign national with a visa permitting permanent residence (only exception is for candidates who are part of the “UMKC-Kuwait Dental Agreement” or dentists trained outside the U.S. that desire to pursue an Advanced Standing Dental Program). 

Academic Assessments & Coursework

  • Have completed 90 college credit hours toward completion of a bachelor’s degree and are eligible to enroll after completing 120 hours of college credit and/or a baccalaureate degree.
  • DAT Academic Average (AA): 350 (16) minimum / 370 (17) preferred / 420 (20) average for accepted students
    • Multiple subscores below a 17 (old scale) will impact a candidate’s competitiveness. Use the linked chart to determine concordance of sub scores with new scoring model (changed March 1st, 2025).
  • Science & Math GPA (SGPA): 3.0 minimum, 3.4 and above preferred, 3.6 average for accepted students.
  • Complete the following prerequisite courses by the end of the spring semester immediately prior to the fall start of the program.  Candidates are allowed to take prerequisite courses while applying.

One semester of the following, with lab, if lab is offered

  • General Biology
  • Anatomy (or Anatomy & Physiology I and II sequence)
  • Physiology (or Anatomy & Physiology I and II sequence)
  • Biochemistry
  • One of the following courses: Cell Biology / Histology / Microbiology / Molecular Biology

First and second semesters of the following with lab, if lab is offered

  • Chemistry I &II
  • Organic Chemistry I & II
  • Physics I & II
  • English Composition I & II (or other writing intensive courses)

Additional recommended courses include cell biology, histology, microbiology, molecular biology, immunology, genetics, ethics, statistics, public health, social sciences, psychology, nutrition, business, communications, art, ceramics, 3-D design, and Spanish (other foreign languages)

Personal Attributes and Experiences

The following areas are important for candidates to fully develop and present evidence of completion so our Admissions Committee can provide a full holistic review on a candidate’s application:

  • Demonstrated investigation of the profession of dentistry. It is strongly suggested that candidates observe in a minimum of 3+ different dental offices (the offices of general dentists and specialists) and acquire a minimum of 80-100 hours of dental office observation or dental work experience.
  • Evidence of social conscience and compassion (i.e., caring attitude, sensitivity to those in need, significant community activities). It is strongly suggested that this be active and ongoing participation in 3+ volunteer activities.
  • Indication of fundamental personal character (i.e., integrity, maturity, self-reliance, leadership skills, professionalism). A minimum of three letters of recommendation or one pre-health advisory committee letter is required. If there is not a pre-health advisory committee at least one letter from a faculty member and one from a dentist is required.
  • Evidence of critical thinking and problem-solving ability (e.g., performance in courses requiring this skill such as in laboratory segments, in formal logic or in research experiences).
  • Established effective interpersonal/communication skills (i.e., an ability to communicate orally and in writing, a capacity to listen, a personality conducive to forming personal and/or professional relationships, an involvement in a range of extracurricular activities, especially those in which significant leadership roles have been taken).
  • Demonstrated ability to balance full academic schedules with extracurricular involvement and/or employment (i.e., effective/efficient management of time).

Other Requirements

  • Interview – Successfully complete an interview with dental school faculty. Interviews are by “invitation only” and are an important part of the selection process.
  • Technical Standards - Candidates must attest to having the abilities and skills in the following areas to satisfactorily complete the curriculum: (1) Observation (2) Communication (3) Motor (4) Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities (5) Emotional and Behavioral Attributes. Full details available at Technical Standards.
  • UMKC General Application – Following acceptance, complete the UMKC general admissions application, including a $45.00 fee.
  • Criminal Background Check – Following acceptance, successfully pass a criminal background check.
  • Immunizations – Prior to matriculating, candidates are required to provide appropriate and up-to-date immunizations as a requirement of the school’s infection control program. Exemptions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis for religious and medical reasons. 

 How to Apply and Timeline

  • Submit an application for admission with the American Association of Dental Schools Application Service. The centralized application includes candidate’s personal information, experiences, personal statement, coursework and recommendation letters. Priority deadline for applications is September 1. It can take up to six weeks to process and deliver an application. Therefore, competitive candidates should apply the June or July of the year prior to anticipated entry into dental school.

 Costs and Aid

The DDS program is a four-year professional degree program. Students are required to attend and pay tuition and fees for classes during the Summer, Fall, and Spring Semesters. 

We offer a full waiver on the nonresident tuition to a limited number of residents from Hawaii, Kansas and New Mexico. Qualified candidates from other states may be eligible for an award that waives 50% to 100% of the nonresident tuition rate.

Limited scholarships are available to incoming students based on academics, leadership, service and financial need. Scholarships typically range from $5,000-$20,000 per year.

DDS students are not eligible for federal, state or institutional grants, but can apply for financial aid each year of the program. The majority of financial aid is in the form of loans from a range of sources.