Admissions Requirements & Prerequisites

Predental College Years: General minimum is three years of undergraduate coursework (90 semester or 135 quarter units).

Though we do not require a bachelor’s degree to apply, it is highly recommended to have one to make an application more competitive.

The following prerequisite courses represent the minimum requirements for both semester and quarter system-based universities:

Biological Sciences* (with laboratory)4 semesters or 6 quarters
Inorganic Chemistry (with laboratory)2 semesters or 3 quarters
Organic Chemistry (with laboratory)2 semesters or 3 quarters
Physics (with laboratory)2 semesters or 3 quarters
English, Speech, or Communication**2 semesters or 3 quarters

*The Admissions Committee requires that applicants complete either two semesters of organic chemistry or one semester each of organic chemistry and biochemistry.

**One course in composition or technical writing is required. Other courses should develop written or verbal communication skills. English as a Second Language (ESL) course work does not meet this requirement.

Highly Recommended Coursework: Can be used to count towards Biological Science prerequisite courses.

  • Anatomy
  • Physiology
  • Microbiology
  • Biochemistry
  • Histology/Cell Biology

Community College Work: Courses taken at a community college will be acceptable if they are transferable as equivalent to predental courses at a four-year college. 

Letters of Recommendation: We require three letters of recommendation.

Two of the letters must be from science professors and one letter should be from someone of your choice (e.g., dentist, research, or work manager/supervisor). If your undergraduate institution has a pre-health advisory committee, a committee evaluation is recommended as an alternative.

Grade Point Average (GPA): Your overall and science GPA, the schools attended, and the difficulty of your course load are all assessed on an individual basis.

Dental Admissions Test (DAT): Preference is given to students who provide Dental Admissions Test scores no later than November of each cycle. The committee will only review the most recent DAT scores in the application.

For the 2023-2024 cycle, DATs taken before June of 2021 will not be accepted, and the exam will need to be retaken to be considered for admission.

For more information about the DAT or instructions on how to schedule the exam, please visit the American Dental Association (ADA) website.

University of the Pacific Pre-Dental / Advantage Students: Admissions requirements and prerequisites vary depending on the program you are enrolled in. Please see your pre-dental / Stockton advisor for detailed information.

Supplementary Application Fee: No supplementary application is required, but there is a supplementary fee of $75.

Our application fee portal closes on the AADSAS application deadline at the beginning of February each year.

We cannot review any application submitted without payment of the $75 supplemental fee. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that this fee is submitted before the deadline.

Link is provided when you submit your AADSAS application, or you can access the link here.

Dental Shadowing Experience: 40 hours minimum (minimum hours must be completed with a general dentist).

Dental assisting experience cannot be counted towards shadowing. There is a section of the AADSAS application that asks for “Dental Experience,” where Dental Assisting can be listed.

Research Experience — Practical or Theory: Research experience is not a requirement but is highly recommended.

Technical Standards: Students must demonstrate ability to meet technical standards for advancement through and graduation from the DDS program

Experiences: The Experiences section of the AADSAS application is broken up into several categories. 

Additional Admissions Information

Transfer Students/Advanced Standing: Only under unusual and compelling circumstances does the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry accept transfer students. Incompatibility of dental education programs inhibits transition from another school to our program. Students requesting such classification usually matriculate with the first-year class. No student will be admitted to advanced standing beyond the second year. Special action regarding transfers is required.

Health Requirements, Medical and Disability Insurance: Should you be offered acceptance to the program, prior to matriculation, health requirements must be met, and documentation submitted to the Admissions Office, as follows:

  • Medical Examination: Submit our school's "Health Requirement Examination Form," signed by a health care provider confirming that a medical examination was completed within 6 months of the date of matriculation.
  • Measles, Rubella (German Measles) and Mumps: Documented vaccination (2 vaccines) with live attenuated Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) virus is adequate. A history of measles and rubella as childhood diseases is not sufficient. If documentation is not available, blood tests showing immunity will suffice.
  • Tuberculosis: Submit the report of a 2-step Mantoux tuberculosis skin test. (Commonly referred to as PPD) within 6 months of matriculation. With a history of tuberculosis OR a positive skin test, submit the provider's report of a chest X-ray taken within 6 months prior to matriculation. Chest X-rays may be required at intervals, and suppressive medication may be recommended.
  • Hepatitis B: Every dental student is required to submit documented proof of presence of antibodies to the Hepatitis B virus AND complete the Hepatitis B vaccination series. It is recommended that this be done prior to matriculation; in all cases, however, it must be done before a student is allowed to treat patients. If a student does not have documented proof of having antibodies to this virus, the vaccination series is available at our dental school for a fee.
  • COVID-19: Compliance with immunization requirements for all Dugoni School students is mandatory. Immunization requirements have been established to safeguard the health and well-being of patients, students, and all healthcare workers. Note: full vaccination against SARS-COV2 (COVID-19) with an FDA-approved vaccine is required.

Medical and Disability Insurance: All enrolled students and residents participate in mandatory medical insurance and disability insurance programs selected by the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. Unless proof of current health insurance is provided to university specification, no one shall be exempt from the mandatory health insurance. Insurance premiums are assessed with tuition and other fees.

Reservation of Powers: The Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry reserves the right to modify or change admissions standards or requirements any time without prior notice. The Executive Admissions Committee reserves the right to override admissions recommendations made by faculty interviewers. The information on this website is not to be regarded as creating a binding contract between the student and the dental school.