Reserved Admission

 The UMKC School of Dentistry established the Reserved Admissions Program to enable highly qualified, ambitious, and talented students to reserve a seat in a future dental class. Participating students must be a Missouri or Kansas resident OR be from another state but started attending UMKC as a first-time college freshman with plans to complete a bachelor’s degree at UMKC.

The program allows students who meet specific criteria to apply to dental school in their sophomore year of college and then engage in developmental opportunities with the Office of Student Programs throughout the remainder of their college experience. Once a candidate meets the full criteria, a seat is reserved and they are allowed to bypass the traditional dental application process.

If a student has a 3.6 science & math GPA upon completion of their fourth college semester, they may apply for the Reserved Admissions Program. At the time of application, the student should also be able to show a strong understanding of dentistry through shadowing experiences and a commitment to service through ongoing community service activities. Following submission of the application, candidates must maintain a 3.6 science & math GPA while completing a bachelor’s degree and the prerequisites. Continuation in the program is based on scoring a 420 (20) on the DAT, meeting expectations of the personal attributes and experiences criteria, and successfully completing a faculty interview. Below are details regarding the admissions criteria and program

Criteria

Academic Assessment and Coursework

  • Science & Math GPA (SGPA): 3.6 SGPA to apply and remain eligible
  • Completion of 15 credits hours or more each semester leading to the culmination of a bachelor’s degree
  • DAT Academic Average (AA): 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).
  • Complete the following prerequisite courses by the end of the spring semester immediately prior to the fall start of the DDS 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 when applying and to maintain eligibility in the program. 

  • 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.
  • 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

  1. At the completion of the candidate’s fourth college semester, complete the math and science GPA calculator spreadsheet to determine if you have the 3.6 math and science GPA needed to apply to the Reserved Admissions Program.
    • Indicate the name of the course, year, semester, hours, and whether the course is a repeat. Indicate the letter grade you received and do not include +/-.  The formula is already created within the spreadsheet so after inputting the information listed above, it will self-calculate your math and science GPA at the bottom.
    • Include all college level math and science courses taken. If you have taken courses at multiple institutions, make sure you include all of the math and sciences courses in the spreadsheet.
    • If you have retaken a math or science course, only include the grade you received on the most recent retake.
    • If you have questions about whether a course is considered a math or science course you can refer to the ADEA AADSAS course subjects.  Please note that Behavioral Science, English, and Non-Science categories are not included in the science and math GPA
    • Submit your saved math and science GPA calculation along with the rest of your application materials to dds@umkc.edu by July 1.
  2. Complete and return the application to dds@umkc.edu.
  3. Submit official college transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and a digital personal photo along with your application and math/science GPA calculation to dds@umkc.edu by July 1.  (The LORs must include at least one from a faculty member and one from a dentist)

All application materials must be emailed to dds@umkc.edu by July 1st.

Maintaining Status After Provisional Acceptance

  1. Complete regular semester update forms
  2. Fulfill criteria outlined above and continue going above and beyond in your preparation for dental school. Failure to meet any of the criteria will result in the loss of Reserved Admission Program status.