Canadian Friendly US Dental Schools

List of Canadian-Friendly US Dental Schools

Temple University

Acceptance Rate: 4.86%

Average GPA: 3.55

Average DAT Score: 21.3

CDAT Accepted: Yes

University of Maryland School of Dentistry

Acceptance Rate: 4.87%

Average GPA: 3.7

Average DAT Score: 21.1

CDAT Accepted: Yes

Loma Linda University School of Dentistry

Acceptance Rate: 8.23%

Average GPA: 3.61

Average DAT Score: 21

CDAT Accepted: Yes

University of Detroit Mercy

Acceptance Rate: 7.63%

Average GPA: 3.58

Average DAT Score: 20.2

CDAT Accepted: Yes

University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine

Acceptance Rate: 3.73%

Average GPA: 3.68

Average DAT Score: 21

CDAT Accepted: Yes

NYU School of Dentistry

Acceptance Rate: 11.91%

Average GPA: 3.46

Average DAT Score: 21.1

CDAT Accepted: Yes

Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Medicine

Acceptance Rate: 4.48%

Average GPA: 3.48

Average DAT Score: 21.1

CDAT Accepted: Yes

Columbia College of Dental Medicine

Acceptance Rate: 5.2%

Average GPA: 3.83

Average DAT Score: 24

CDAT Accepted: Yes

University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine

Acceptance Rate: 4.26%

Average GPA: 3.72

Average DAT Score: 21.4

CDAT Accepted: Yes

University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine

Acceptance Rate: 4.87%

Average GPA: 3.61

Average DAT Score: 20.9

CDAT Accepted: No

Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine

Acceptance Rate: 5.6%

Average GPA: 3.55

Average DAT Score: 20.1

CDAT Accepted: No

Rutgers School of Dental Medicine

Acceptance Rate: 3.71%

Average GPA: 3.73

Average DAT Score: 21.2

CDAT Accepted: No

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!

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.

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To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting

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