Doctor of Dental Surgery Program
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Admissions Information | Dentistry is an exciting profession, and the University of Maryland offers exceptional educational programs for prospective members of the oral health professions. We are pleased to provide this information about the Doctor of Dental Surgery Program at the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, the first school in the world to offer a science-based curriculum in dentistry. The Doctor of Dental Surgery program combines a strong base of biomedical sciences and an outstanding clinical education, with a focus on application of latest research findings. Working in a highly collegial manner, nationally recognized faculty provide excellent educational services for students. Students have the opportunity to utilize innovative educational methodologies, including on-line learning activities. The outstanding clinical education program, featuring patient-centered and student-centered General Practices, simulates the structure of a dental practice. Various cooperative efforts with local, state, and federal agencies provide dental services for special-needs populations. Dental graduates are well prepared to enter advanced dental education programs and to practice their professions in a wide range of private practice, public service, and academic settings. The Doctor of Dental Surgery curriculum effectively integrates the biomedical, behavioral and clinical sciences. The Dental School has its own biomedical science faculty who assure that students develop a solid understanding of oral and craniofacial health and its relationship to overall health. Students begin their patient care experiences during their first year of study. Students acquire a full range of clinical experiences including treatment of emergency, medically compromised, and physically and mentally challenged patients. The comprehensive patient care approach to clinical education prepares students for the demanding responsibilities of dental practice.
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General Requirements for Admission
| The Dental School seeks to enroll the highest caliber of students who will become exemplary health care professionals. Quality is the preeminent criterion in the admissions process. The Dental School has established admissions criteria which permit flexibility in the choice of an undergraduate program, while maintaining an emphasis on strong scholastic achievement. Students who are majoring in either science or non-science disciplines are encouraged to apply. In addition, those individuals who are interested in changing their careers will receive careful consideration for admission. Our admissions process strives to identify applicants who possess the ability to think critically and who have demonstrated independence and self-direction. In all respects, applicants must give every promise of becoming successful students and practitioners of the highest ethical standards. |
Academic Coursework and Prerequisite Experiences | Non-science as well as science majors are encouraged to apply. Applicants should be able to show evidence that they have undertaken a challenging program in their respective disciplines, supplemented by a broad selection of courses in the social sciences, humanities and arts. Experience in the development of fine manual dexterity is strongly recommended. Applicants are expected to have knowledge and understanding of the nature of the profession acquired through observation of dental practice and by reading appropriate literature. Prior research experience is also desirable. While the Committee on Dental Recruitment and Admissions strongly encourages applicants to earn a bachelor's degree prior to dental school matriculation, applicants who have successfully completed at least three academic years (90 credit hours) in an accredited university may be considered for admission. No more than 60 of the minimum required credits will be accepted from a community college or junior college. Furthermore, these credits must have been validated (i.e., accepted for transfer credit) by an accredited college of arts and sciences. All applicants’ undergraduate curriculum must include, at a minimum, the following: - 8 Semester Hours of General Biology (including laboratories)
- 8 Semester Hours of Inorganic Chemistry (including laboratories)
- 8 Semester Hours of Organic Chemistry (including laboratories)
- 8 Semester Hours of Physics (including laboratories)
- 3 Semester Hours of Biochemistry
- 6 Semester Hours of English Composition
Applicants are urged to complete these courses at a four-year university. Since these courses best predict performance in the biological sciences of the dental curriculum, applicants are expected to achieve superior grades. All admission requirements must be completed by June 30 of the desired year of matriculation. Applicants will not be admitted with unabsolved conditions or unabsolved failures. The Committee on Dental Recruitment and Admissions reserves the right to modify the prerequisites when additional courses are necessary to improve an applicant's preparation for dental school. Admission requirements are subject to change without prior notice. | | |
Academic transcripts should NOT be sent directly to the University of Maryland, unless specifically requested by the Office of Admissions. The Dental Admission Test All applicants are required to take the Dental Admission Test (DAT). The Committee on Dental Recruitment and Admissions uses the DAT as an adjunct to the applicant's educational credentials to assess potential admissibility. All applicants are urged to take the Dental Admission Test (DAT) no later than December of the year prior to desired matriculation. Applicants must arrange for official transcripts of their DAT scores to be sent directly from the testing agency to the University of Maryland. Applicants may obtain information regarding the DAT by directly contacting:
Specific Application Guidelines and Procedures Applicants must apply through the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS). AADSAS information is available from: | American Dental Education Association
1400 K Street, NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-289-7201
Fax: 202-289-7204 http://www.adea.org/ | | Resource publications, including Admissions Requirements of U.S. and Canadian Dental Schools and Opportunities for Minority Students in United States Dental Schools, are also available from the American Dental Education Association. The AADSAS application for admission must be completed and submitted prior to January 1. Because of the rolling basis of the admissions process, applicants are urged to apply much earlier than the application deadline. At the same time the AADSAS application is filed, applicants should send a check in the amount of $75, payable to the University of Maryland, directly to the Office of Admissions. The application fee should be accompanied by the applicant’s full name, social security number, current mailing address and telephone number. This application fee must be received before the AADSAS application can be processed. Once applications are processed they are then carefully reviewed. This evaluation includes a review of the academic record, DAT scores, essay, and other information included as part of the AADSAS application. Some applicants will be invited to continue the admissions process at Maryland; others will not. Candidates whose applications meet preliminary screening criteria will receive the Dental School's supplemental application form, which should be completed and returned to the Dental School's Office of Admissions within two weeks. Upon receipt of the completed supplemental application, applicants will be invited for an interview with members of the Committee on Dental Recruitment and Admissions. All applicants who are seriously being considered will be interviewed; a personal interview does not, however, guarantee admission. |
Letters of Recommendation
| The Committee on Dental Recruitment and Admissions strongly prefers to receive a recommendation package from the applicant’s institutional pre-professional committee. If no such committee is available, letters of recommendation from one professor each in the departments of biology and chemistry may be substituted. The Committee prefers that letters of recommendation be included as part of the application materials submitted to AADSAS. Letters of recommendation should NOT be sent directly to the University of Maryland, except upon specific request by the Office of Admissions. |
The Admissions Decision
| The admission decision will be based upon performance in previous academic programs, the corresponding quality of those programs, and performance on the Dental Admission Test (DAT). All applicants should present science and cumulative grade point averages (GPA) and Dental Admission Test (DAT) scores which exceed the national averages and demonstrate the applicants’ capacity for exceptional academic achievement. Personal factors, as reflected in the AADSAS essay and as evidenced by letters of recommendation, knowledge of the dental profession, extracurricular and leadership activities and the outcomes of the personal interview are also key factors. |
Offers of Admission
| The Committee on Dental Recruitment and Admissions, composed of members of the faculty, students and alumni, selects the most highly qualified applicants to receive offers of admission. All admissions decisions are made by the Committee. Offers of admission are made on a rolling basis until the class is filled. Applicants are notified in writing once the admissions decision has been made. For candidates who receive an offer of admission, a deposit of $500 must accompany the applicant's acceptance of the offer of admission. This sum will be credited toward the applicant's tuition and is non-refundable. An additional $500 deposit is due by April 1 to confirm intent to enroll. Offers of admission are contingent upon successful completion of any outstanding pre-requisite courses (by June 30), continued satisfactory academic performance and behavior during the period between acceptance and enrollment, and candidates' certification of their capacity to meet the Dental School's established Technical Standards for Admission and Matriculation. |
Special Notes
| Prior to matriculation prospective students should review the University of Maryland, Baltimore policy concerning prevention and management of student and employee infection with bloodborne pathogens http://www.umaryland.edu/hrpolicies/section6/t61100Asa.html. In addition, while the admissions process does not include questions concerning any prior criminal activity, individuals who may have had a prior or subsequent conviction or nolo contendre plea for a felony may encounter denial or removal of licensure. |
Residency
| There are no specific residency requirements for admissions, although Maryland residents receive preferential consideration. International students should understand that they are ineligible to receive financial assistance from federal or state programs and must meet all University-monitored visa requirements. Information on the regulations for the determination of residency status for admissions and tuition, as well as specific information for international students, may be obtained from: Office of Records and Registration
222 N. Pine Street
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 706-7680
http://www.umaryland.edu/orr |
Link to Tuition and Fees
Baltimore College of Dental Surgery
Dental School, University of Maryland, Baltimore
Office of Admissions
Dean's Suite, 6-S
650 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 706-7472
Fax: (410) 706-0945
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