Application Guidelines For Doctor of Dental Surgery Program

All prospective applicants must apply through the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS). The application cycle opens in May and the deadline for submitting applications is February 1st of the year you expect to enter dental school. It is recommended that students submit applications before November 1st. Interviews for first round are completed in November. Applications submitted after November 1st are considered on a rolling basis after January 15th if spaces are open in the incoming accepted class.

All accepted students must earn a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States prior to enrollment. Also, accepted students must complete any degree program in which they are currently enrolled prior to enrollment into the College of Dentistry.

Program Details

· Degree Classification: Professional

· Related Degree: Doctor of Dental Surgery

· Format: In Person

· Length: 4 Years, Full Time

· Class Size: 75-80

Admission Requirements:

All applicants must take the Dental Admission Test (DAT). DAT scores may not be more than two years old. Applications are not considered without DAT scores, and only the most recent scores are considered. Unofficial DAT scores may be sent via email to HUCDAdmit@howard.edu.

Please note that pre-requisite courses must not be older than 5 years at the time of your application. Should a student take multiple gap years following undergraduate studies, applications may be considered for upper-level science courses (masters level or post-baccalaureate) prior to the application. A masters degree in Biomedical Science or Natural Sciences is preferable when considering applications.

If you are an international student, you are also required to demonstrate English language proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or providing some other assurance of proficiency in English.

Minimum Required Scores:

· 18-Total Science/18 Academic Average

Our more successful applicants score 19 or above for Total Science and Academic Average.

PAT scores are valued heavily as well for future dentists!!!

The average grade point average for successful candidates in 2022 was 3.20.

Application Schedule

AADSAS Application Dates for HUCD and other Dates of Importance

AADSAS Filing Period June 1st through February 2nd
Early application submission is highly encouraged. Howard University application and supporting documents/fees should be submitted no later than November 1st to be strongly considered for an interview. Final interviews are held in November. Interviews will only be conducted in February when the incoming class is not completely filled.
DAT scores at the time of submission cannot be older than two (2) years.
Pre-requisite courses at the time of submission cannot be older than five (5) years. All pre-requisite classes must be completed by the end of the Fall semester in the application cycle. Applications will not be considered for applicants with pre-requisites outstanding after December 31st of the application period.
Conditional Acceptance may be offered to students who are enrolled in pre-requisite courses during the Fall semester of the application period.
Application files will be acknowledged via email. The Howard University supplemental fee may be paid at that time.
Following a review of files and payment of the supplement fees, interviews are scheduled on a rolling basis from August to November for competitive applicants.
Letters of recommendation MUST be on letterhead and include the writer's signature. Two letters must be written by a Professor in a science course. Noncompliance will render the application incomplete.
First decision notices will be e-mailed to applicants on December 15th
After December 15th, decision notices are mailed to Wait-list applicants on a rolling basis as deemed necessary. Please do not inquire about the application status via email or phone. All applicants who have an update to their application will be notified.
Applicant must respond to acceptance within thirty (30) days of receiving the December 15th offer.
Requests for future consideration (deferment) after acceptance must be in writing. The request may be honored for one (1) year only and may require a second interview.
Admission to HUCD is highly competitive. The applicant's previous academic record(s), performance on the Dental Admission Test (DAT), community service initiatives, leadership roles, and letters of recommendation are significant credentials in the selection process.

Prerequisites:

All matriculants must have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university at the time of enrollment. Applications where the academic record indicates the student will not complete all pre-requisite courses at the end of the Fall semester during the application period will not be eligible for interview.

Online courses are not acceptable for the pre-requisite coursework.

Advanced placement and/or college-level entrance program credits taken during high school are not acceptable for pre-requisite courses at Howard University.

Community College credits from an accredited college are accepted for pre-requisite courses if the student receives an Associate of Science Degree from the same college. 12 Semester Hours/18 Quarter Hours of Community College credits for students enrolled for pre-requisite completion only will be accepted.

REQUIRED FOR ADMISSION TO HUCD:

Semester Quarter

English Composition and Literature 6 9
General/Introductory Biology with Lab 8 12
Inorganic Chemistry with Lab 8 12
Organic Chemistry with Lab 8 12
Biochemistry 3 6
Human Anatomy with lab 4 6
Physics 8 12
Electives 22 33

Recommended Coursework:

Physiology (unless taken with Human Anatomy) 4 6

Microbiology 4 6