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University of Kentucy College of Dentistry 
Building a Foundation for the Future
 
DMD Program

Recommendations to Consider . . .

• Plan ahead — No matter where you are at in your collegiate experience, you can refer to this timeline for some advice on what you can be doing to prepare for your application to dental school.

• Complete your bachelor’s degree— Before enrolling in dental school. Admission Committees give preference to persons who earn their degree prior to matriculation. Also graduates are usually better prepared to enter a rigorous dental school curriculum. And finally, the absence of an undergraduate degree may keep you from being a competitive applicant for admission to a postdoctoral dental specialty residency or graduate program. Many programs award a Master’s degree and, as a result, prefer persons who have received a bachelor's degree.

•  Apply early— Each year some very competitive applicants do not receive full admissions consideration. In some cases, the applicants did not develop a plan or strategy far enough in advance and as a result did not complete their admission file on time.
The American Association of Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) processes applications between June 1 and April 1 each year. AADSAS applications take approximately three weeks to process. Only the most competitive applicants will be asked to complete their files by supplying official transcripts from all institutions attended, DAT scores (if available), letters of evaluation, Supplemental Data Form, Observation Report Form, and related documents to the Admissions Coordinator.

The University of Kentucky College of Dentistry uses a "rolling admission system" whereby applicants are interviewed beginning in September, the first offers of admission are made on December 1, and the Admission Committee continues to interview applicants until the class is filled. The entering class is typically full by February 1. Applicants are advised to apply in early fall of the admissions cycle, preferably by September 1.

• Take the DAT on time— The Committee prefers to have DAT scores on file at the time of the applicant's interview. Applicants who wait until their senior year to take the DAT will find themselves at a disadvantage in competing for space in the entering class.

• Maintain contact with the College— We encourage you to maintain contact with the College's Office of Admissions and Student Affairs throughout the application process. Staff will be contacting the most competitive applicants to schedule an interview day.

All applicants are responsible for ensuring that their credentials are on file. Contact the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs if you have questions that cannot be resolved through your AADSAS portal.

• Remember the competition for admission is increasing—The College receives approximately 200 Kentucky and 1300 out-of-state applications for the 40 resident and 17 non-resident spaces in the entering class. The American Association of Dental Schools is forecasting that U.S. dental schools will experience further increases throughout this decade as undergraduates discover the outstanding opportunities in the dental profession. The American Dental Association is predicting a shortage of dentists in the years ahead. While the incidence of cavities in our society is decreasing, the demand for dental care, especially preventive care, is increasing as our population ages.

You will want to ensure that you do everything necessary to be a competitive applicant for admission to the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, one of the nation's truly outstanding dental schools.