Application Process & Timeline

Step 1. Apply using the ADEA AADSAS centralized application service 

Directly submit official transcripts, official DAT results, and letters of recommendation to AADSAS. (UMSOD will not accept emailed DAT scores, letters of recommendation, CVs, transcripts, or academic updates) 

Step 2. Submit your Supplemental Application and Processing Fee: 

After UMSOD receives your complete and verified ADEA AADSAS application, instructions to create your Slate account, pay your application fee of $90.00 and complete your supplemental application will be sent to you. 

AADSAS applications are not reviewed until the submission of both your supplemental application and processing fee. 

Step 3. Application Review / Interview

Applications are reviewed in relation to their date of submission. Application review status can be seen in your AADSAS portal.

Interview invitations are sent via email with instructions to self-schedule, based on availability. Interviews at UMSOD are conducted virtually and begin each cycle in mid-September and conclude in late February.

All applicants are required to take the US Dental Admission Test (DAT). We no longer accept Canadian DAT scores. The Committee on Dental Admissions & Recruitment uses the DAT as an adjunct to the applicant's educational credentials to assess potential admissibility.  

All official DAT scores (US only) must be received by December 15th of the year prior to desired matriculation. DATs taken in 2024 and later are accepted. DAT’s will be rejected if received after the December 15th deadline.

Applications submitted to ADEA AADSAS without official US DAT scores will be placed on hold, until official scores have been released. 

The DAT has recently changed its 2-digit scale to a new 3-digit scoring model, for tests taken after March 1, 2025. Dental schools have been provided with tools for accurate score conversions, and both scoring models will be accepted if they have not exceeded their three-year expiration. 

American Dental Association's DAT Website 

The Committee on Dental Recruitment and Admissions strongly prefers to receive a recommendation package from the applicant’s institutional pre-professional committee and a letter from a general or specialized dentist documenting at least 100 shadowing hours. If shadowing hours have been split between multiple practices, a letter from one general dentist is preferred over a dental specialist; however, both are acceptable.  

If no such committee is available, a letter of recommendation from one science professor may be substituted. There are no substitutions for the letter of recommendation from a general or specialized dentist. 

Letters of Recommendation must be included as part of the application materials submitted to AADSAS. Letters must bear the recommender's signature. The Office of Admissions will not accept any letters of recommendation sent directly by an applicant. 

Currently, AADSAS allows four letters of recommendation, so please ensure that the minimum of two required letters is included in your application packet. 

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 online once the admissions decision has been made so please ensure that your email address remains current,

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 applicant's 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.

For candidates who receive an offer of admission, a deposit of $1,000 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 $1,000 deposit is due by April 1 to confirm intent to enroll, also non-refundable.  Applicants who do not remit the second deposit on time will be withdrawn from our roster.

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 School of Dentistry's established Essential Requirements for Admission and Matriculation - Technical Standards - DDS Program

DEFERRALS:

The University of Maryland School of Dentistry does not grant deferrals. Candidates who wish to delay their matriculation are invited to reapply.

The University of Maryland Baltimore is supported by a central Office of Student Financial Services for all seven schools on our campus.

Tuition and Fees can be found HERE – all charges are represented per semester, unless otherwise noted.

We understand that financial considerations are an important part of the application process. Please do not hesitate to plan ahead by reaching out to our University Student Financial Aid Office.

University Student Financial Aid 

601 W. Lombard Street 
Suite 221 
Baltimore, MD 21201 

410-706-7347
TTY: 800-735-2258 
Fax: 410-706-0824 

aidtalk@umaryland.edu 

There are no specific residency requirements for admission, 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.

ALL incoming students are deemed OUT OF STATE Residents for tuition purposes. Those seeking to obtain in-state classification for tuition purposes MUST complete an Application for In-State Classification in their first term for consideration. Students can access this application as early the spring semester of the desired year of matriculation.

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 the Registrar and Residency Office
• International Services
• In-State Classification Information