Canadian friendly dental schools are schools that accept the Canadian DAT and that don’t impose additional dental school requirements. This article will list dental schools in the US that accept Canadian applicants. We also share important admissions information and dental school acceptance rates to help you decide where to apply.
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List of Canadian-Friendly US Dental Schools
What Are Canadian-Friendly US Dental Schools?
There are many reasons why Canadians might want to apply to dental school in the US. For starters, there are not many options for dental schools in Canada, with only 11 schools to choose from. However, if you are a Canadian applying for dental school in the US you must first consider if your top schools are “Canadian-Friendly”. The schools listed above are those which treat Canadian students as out-of-state applicants, and generally will accept Canadian accreditations and standards, such as the CDAT, more easily. Given the generally low acceptance rates at US Dental schools, you also shouldn’t be applying to these schools because you think they will be easier to get into.
If you are interested in applying for dental school more broadly, make sure to check out the general dental school requirements for North American schools you're interested in. Below we will outline the general requirements and things for Canadians to consider when applying for dental school in the US.
Canadian-Friendly US Dental Schools: How to Get Accepted
1. Undergraduate Degree
Generally, most dental schools will require a set number of credits, with many requiring the equivalent of a four-year bachelor’s degree. There is a small list of dental schools without prerequisites, so in general you should check out your desired dental school’s required courses which may include courses in the sciences, mathematics, and humanities. All of the dental schools above will accept your coursework as long as you attended an accredited institution.
2. Shadowing
While shadowing a dentist is generally not required for Canadian dental school applications, you will need to shadow a dentist before you apply for most US schools, with some schools requiring up to 100 hours of experience before applying. Shadowing a dentist is a great way to gain experience in the field, boost your extracurriculars, and the dentist you shadow will be a perfect reference for your letters of recommendations.
3. DAT/CDAT
One of the biggest reasons to apply to a Canadian-friendly dental school is because most of these schools accept the Canadian version of the Dental Aptitude Test (DAT). The CDAT is administered by the Canadian Dental Association, but is broadly similar to the DAT, and you can use a similar study schedule to prepare for the test.
While you are free to take both tests, we recommend deciding on which schools you want to apply to beforehand and check our list above to see if it makes more sense for you to take the DAT or the CDAT to save time and money.
4. Dental School Application
You will submit your dental school application through the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS). can already upload some materials before this as early as May. Because US Dental schools have rolling admissions as they are received, it is recommended to submit your application as quickly as possible once the portal opens.
Generally, your application will contain similar elements to a Canadian dental school application, like personal statements and supplemental applications. Another area that US dental schools focus on is manual dexterity. Make sure you are able to answer questions about your proficiency in manual dexterity, both in the application and the interview. Given the relatively low acceptance rates of US schools you’ll want to make sure these elements of your application are stellar!
Want to learn how to write the perfect dental school personal statement? Watch this video:
5. Tuition and Fees
The last thing you need to consider as a Canadian is tuition and fees. You should budget for various fees during the application process such as DAT/CDAT fees, AADSAS fees, supplemental application fees, and costs associated with on-site interviews (although some schools won’t require this).
Once you’re in you’ll need to pay tuition! As a Canadian/out-of-state student tuition fees can be high at US schools. While you may be considered an out-of-state student for the application process, be aware that many scholarships and loans require US citizenship. There are certainly many other options for financing your schooling (such as Canadian bank loans and scholarships geared to international students), but be aware that you should start these processes very early to avoid any surprises.
FAQs
1. What are Canadian-friendly dental schools?
A US dental school is “Canadian-friendly” if it accepts Canadian applicants' degrees, coursework and prerequisite courses, and the Canadian DAT. Some US dental schools also treat Canadians as "out-of-state" applicants instead of international.
2. Can a Canadian go to dental school in the US?
Yes, many US dental schools accept Canadian applicants as out-of-state applicants. However, different schools have different requirements that may be easier or harder for Canadians to achieve.
3. Is it easier to get into dental school in Canada or the US?
Not necessarily. The eleven dental schools in Canada generally have double-digit acceptance rates between 10% and 15%, while dental schools in the US generally have acceptance rates in the single digits ranging from 5% to 9%.
4. How do I apply to US dental school as a Canadian?
If you are applying to a Canadian-friendly US dental school, you need to review its eligibility requirements to see if they accept Canadian applicants. If yes, you must submit your application electronically via the AADSAS service, or directly to the school, depending on the program you are applying to.
5. Will my Canadian prerequisites be accepted by US dental schools?
All of the programs listed above should accept your Canadian prerequisites. However, it is always a good idea to double-check with the school you are applying to that the courses you have taken are equivalent to the US counterparts.
6. When should I submit my application?
Dental school applications open between mid-May to mid-June. All dental schools advise that you apply as early as possible to receive an early response, as many US dental school use a rolling admissions process to admit students.
7. Do I have to take the American DAT?
Not necessarily, some schools accept the Canadian DAT. However, despite accepting Canadian degrees, some schools, as the ones listed above, do not recognize the Canadian DAT meaning you must take the American Dental Assessment Test to apply to these particular schools.
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