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Dental School Application Process

• AADSAS
• Credential Service
• Financial Aid
• DAT
• Interview
• Personal Statement/Essay
• Recommendation Letters

AADSAS

The Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) is a service available to all students applying to the 54 dental schools participating in the application service. AADSAS simplifies the application process by providing one standardized form, relieving students of the need to complete multiple applications. Dental schools benefit by receiving uniform information on all applicants. AADSAS serves only as an information clearinghouse and does not influence the dental schools’ appraisal or selection of applicants. Each dental school has the right to request supplemental information from the applicants. Only dental schools participating in AADSAS are listed (participating dental schools).

Steps in the AADSAS application process:

• Collect your student copies of transcripts from any colleges/universities you attended. This will prepare you for entering data to your application.
• Request your official transcript from the registrar prior to completing the application. Print the Transcript Request Card available on the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) website and send it to the MIT Office of the Registrar.
• Request your Letters of Evaluation/Recommendations. Recommenders are now able to submit letters of evaluation to AADSAS in printed hard copy or via an online submission process. For recommenders who wish to submit hard copy letters, print the Letter of Evaluation Matching Form from the AADSAS webpage and ask your evaluators to submit your letter with the form attached. For recommenders who wish to submit their letters online, you will be prompted inside the AADSAS application to provide recommender email addresses; AADSAS will contact these individuals via email to provide submission instructions.
• Begin completing your application online early.
• Submit your electronic application in early June.

Credential Service

The Credential Service is designed to provide a reliable, efficient means of disseminating letters of recommendation, for the use of entering Medical or Health Related Professional programs. For more detail please visit our credential service page.

Please note that the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) provides a credential service for dental students. MIT Dental students are welcome to use the Preprofessional Advising credential service as a supplement or in lieu of the AADSAS service.

Financial Aid

Typically, over 90 percent of all students rely on loans to help pay for dental school. Two major types of financial aid are available to dental students: Scholarships/Grants and Loans.

Scholarships and grants are forms of gift aid that are awarded based on merit, special interests, or particular needs. Information on Federal grants, awards, fellowships and scholarships can be found on the ADEA webpage in the left hand column.

Loans are based on eligibility requirements and must be repaid. To apply for loans you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form is designed to determine your eligibility for federal and state financial aid. The FAFSA form should be completed as soon as possible after January 1st of the year you plan to begin dental school.

DAT

The Dental Admission Test (DAT) is conducted by the American Dental Association (ADA) and has been in operation on a national basis since 1950. The Dental Admission Test is administered on Computer on almost any day of the year. The testing program is designed to measure general academic ability, comprehension of scientific information, and perceptual ability.

The DAT consists of the following four parts:

1. Survey of natural sciences (biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry)
2. Perceptual ability (two-and three- dimensional problem-solving)
3. Reading comprehension (dental and basic sciences)
4. Quantitative reasoning

While all dental schools require candidates to participate in the Dental Admission Testing Program, test results are only one factor considered in evaluating the admission potential of a candidate.

Successful participation in the Dental Admission Testing Program requires completion of at least one year of collegiate education, which should include courses in biology, and general and organic chemistry. Advanced-level biology and physics are not required. Applicants should note that test scores are developed in relationship to all candidates participating in the examination and that most applicants complete two or more years of college before taking the examination.

It is suggested that applicants to dental school participate in the Dental Admission Testing Program well in advance of intended dental school enrollment and approximately one year prior to entering dental school.

Dental Admission Test scores are based on the number of correct answers, therefore, candidates are not penalized for guessing.

Scoring

Scores used in the testing program range from 1 to 30. While there are no strict passing or failing scores, the standard score of 17 typically signifies average performance on a national basis. Dental Admission Test scores are based on the number of correct answers, therefore, candidates are not penalized for guessing. The results are reported to dental schools in terms of standard scores rather than raw scores. Through the use of standard scores it is possible to compare the performance of one applicant with the performance of all applicants.

Interview

Interviews are held by one member of an admissions committee or a group of individuals. In most cases, interviews are held on the dental school's campus. Applicants should be prepared to discuss all aspects of their application, including their specific interest in the institution at which they are interviewing. The Preprofessional Advising Staff highly recommends that applicants participate in a mock interview and review the interview workshop as well as the sample interview questions sheet in preparation for a formal dental school interview.

Personal Statement/Essay

Your Applicant Essay provides an opportunity to explain why you are pursuing a dental education and cannot exceed 1,000 words. The Applicant Essay will be printed and distributed to the dental schools that you select. Please print a copy of your applicant essay for your own records before you submit your application to AADSAS.

Your essay needs to be well thought out, concise, compelling and interesting to the reader. Remember, admissions officers read hundreds of personal essays, it will be important for you to keep in mind the following suggestions:

1. Start your essay with something that will grab the readers attention. Often personal anecdotes can help draw the reader into the essay and keep them reading.
2. Make the essay personal. Try not to simply repeat the information that can be read elsewhere on your application. Provide the reader with an inside view on your thoughts, interests, and motivation to go into the dental profession.
3. Make your motivation and drive clear to the reader. The admissions officer wants to get a sense from the essay that you are extremely interested in dentistry and motivated to enter dental school.
4. Create a well-written document. Your essay is a sample of your writing abilities. Therefore, it is important that you convey your thoughts clearly, effectively and with grammatical accuracy.
5. Attend an essay writing workshop.
6. Have your essay critiqued by a member of the Preprofessional Advising staff and by your advisor.

Recommendation Letters

Applicants may submit official Letters of Evaluation/Recommendation directly to AADSAS by having recommenders submit materials through mail or online directly to this centralized application service. AADSAS will copy the official letters submitted on behalf of the applicant and forward copies to the applicant’s selected schools. Dental applicants who have a MIT prehealth advisor must also have each recommender send a hard copy of his/her letter to the MIT Careers Office. Please note that all Dental applicants are also welcome to use the MIT Careers Office’s Credential Service in addition to the AADSAS recommendation service.

All applicants need three to four letters of recommendation. Your advisor's letter will count as one of your letters and will also act as a cover letter for your other recommendation letters. It is preferred that at least two of the letters come from science faculty members. Please be sure to check the individual requirements regarding Letters of Evaluation/Recommendation for each school to which you are interested in applying. Some schools require additional letters of evaluation/recommendation aside from the letters submitted with the AADSAS application.

Prehealth Advisor Letter

Your advisor's letter is not a composite letter (a letter that compiles information from your other letters and is sent on its own to dental schools), as it is at some other schools. Rather, it serves as a letter from the Advisory Board at MIT and is sent with all of your other letters to the schools that you designate through AADSAS. Your advisor has access to all of your letters of recommendation, and we feel that it is to your advantage that he or she reads them. Many advisors quote students' other letters of reference in their own letter. Because we send all your letters of recommendation, it is important to choose your writers with care and good judgment and to be certain that the people you ask to write letters for you will be writing the letter you expect. We cannot simply take out letters that are not good. Therefore, please be certain that the people you ask to write letters for you will be writing the letter you expect. Meet with you recommenders to discuss your reasons for wanting to be a dentist and ask them if they can write a strong letter of recommendation on your behalf.

Requesting Recommendations

As a courtesy, it is recommended that you give each recommender at least a month to write your letter of recommendation. Be sure you have spent enough time with each recommender so that they fully understand your interest in dentistry. Second, be sure to give them a copy of your personal statement. You are also advised to write out a brief synopsis of any other activities, research experience, community efforts, or volunteer work you have done. Providing your recommenders with detailed information will help them write more comprehensive letters and will ensure you that your letters will have accurate information regarding your activities, such as dates and places you worked. If you take responsibility for giving your recommenders solid information in writing, you help yourself in getting strong, informative letters of reference.

Waiving Your Rights

When designating who you will have write your recommendations, you will have to decide whether you would like to waive your rights to access the letter of recommendation. The decision whether or not to waive your rights is one that only you can make, and it is important that you make this decision for yourself. Our main advice on this decision is to encourage you to apply the same decision to all your letters because it shows consistency. An exception to this general advice is that some professors require that you waive your rights to read their letters. If so, it is necessary to follow their request. Please note that schools receiving waived letters often view the information provided as more honest or useful in getting a better understanding of your personal qualities and characteristics.

If you do not waive your rights, you may read the letters in your file. If you do waive your rights, you do not have access to your file and you cannot read your letters. Please review the waiver form, and feel free to speak to a member of the Preprofessional Advising staff if you have any questions.

Final Tips

For those students with a Prehealth Advisor, all letters of recommendation should be in to the Careers Office Credential Service as soon as possible. Once all of your letters are received, they will be sent to your advisor to read and possibly be used as a basis for writing their cover letter to your recommendations. Please note the following:

1. Receipt of your recommendation letters in a timely fashion. It is best to have each letter in to MITCO by late spring/early summer of the year prior to intended matriculation. It is your responsibility to check in on the status of your recommendation letters by corresponding with your recommenders and MITCO.
2. Your advisor will be waiting to receive your recommendation letters in order to write their cover letter. It will be up to you to make sure that these letters are in on time.
3. Be sure to notify us to which schools you would like MITCO to mail your recommendation packet by submitting the School Designation form and return it to MITCO with a $60 check to cover the credential service fee.

Please review the Credential Service policy for more details and steps to follow.

Last updated on Monday, March 10, 08 at 08:42:22 AM EDT.