There are five dental schools in New York; two of them in New York City; three in upstate and Western New York. The two dental schools in New York City are especially popular. One of them consistently ranks among the best dental schools in the US; the other is the largest dental school in the US with over 300 students in each class. The latter school is also responsible for educating 10% of all dentists in the US. The two NYC schools do not have residency requirements, and neither do the other three, so if you are from out-of-state, you won’t have any extra hurdles to face with your dental school application. This article will give you a detailed list, including dental school acceptance rates, of all the dental schools in New York, and what you need to get in.
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Dental Schools in New York
- Columbia University College of Dental Medicine
- New York University College of Dentistry
- State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine
- State University of New York at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine
- Touro College of Dental Medicine
1. Columbia University College of Dental Medicine
Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average GPA: 3.7
Average DAT Score: 23.4
Total Cost of Attendance (including tuition, housing, fees): $138,680
The Columbia University College of Dental Medicine (CDM) is not one of the easiest dental schools to get into, and neither is it the most affordable. The premium cost for a single year of the DDS program is worth it, though, as the dental school at Columbia University is one of the few that merges dental and medical education for dental students. You can take classes at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons with medical students during your first year to broaden and deepen your knowledge of human anatomy, but also patient care and management.
The CDM is also well-known for its various dual-degree programs, pathways, outreach initiatives, and international connections. You can only apply with a full bachelor’s degree from either the US or Canada, but the list of prerequisites is a bit shorter than most other dental schools in New York. You have to complete at least five different competencies, including the usual credits in biology, chemistry, physics, and biochemistry.
Columbia is also a sought-after program for the breadth of electives and pathways individual students can take. On the power of its international reputation, you can choose to complete your third-or-fourth year rotations at partner universities in different parts of the world, including Guatemala, Kenya, Germany and South Korea.
The curriculum at Columbia is also one-of-a-kind. As you take classes with medical students, you’ll also be introduced to other facets of dentistry not covered by other programs, such as a Psychiatric Medicine course or a course designed to train you on how to spot abuse in vulnerable populations. The variety of programs and subjects covered gives you a well-rounded dental education that is distinct from other curricula, which is why Columbia receives almost 1,600 applications every year.
2. New York University College of Dentistry
Acceptance Rate: 12.5%
Average GPA: 3.5
Average DAT Score: 21
Total Cost of Attendance: $158,146
The NYU College of Dentistry receives over 3,000 applications every year from students all of the US, Canada, and worldwide. It also accepts more students than most dental schools, which is why it is responsible for producing the most dentists out of any school in the United States. Why does the NYU College of Dentistry get so many applications and have such large class sizes?
There are many reasons. One may have to do with the fact that NYU College of Dentistry is one of the oldest dental schools in New York and the US giving its hundreds of years of experience in training and educating dental students with an ever-evolving curriculum.
The school introduces you to clinical experiences in your first year and builds upon your knowledge of basic sciences with its in-house scientific faculty. The curriculum is structured in such a way that you have to earn your clinical privileges (seeing patients) in your first two years.
You do this through successfully demonstrating your interpersonal and communication skills, as well as your competency in medical and dental science at the end of every semester. This structure is one of the reasons the NYU Dentistry program is so highly sought-after; it takes a comprehensive approach to your training so you are better prepared to deliver professional, competent and compassionate care.
NYU Dentistry has typical dental school requirements. You do not have to have a full bachelor’s degree, but you must have completed at least 90 credits and all five prerequisite courses with a minimum of a C grade or higher. The school also requires you to have a minimum of 100 shadowing hours (up to 100), while also requiring you to perform the Kira Talent Interview, so you must take Kira Talent Prep to be ready.
3. State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine
Acceptance Rate: 5.25%
Average GPA: 3.75
Average DAT Score: 20.9
In-state Cost of Attendance (four years): $344,750
Out-of-State Cost of Attendance (four years): $453,590
Being only one hour away from the Canadian border, it’s no wonder the SUNY Buffalo School of Dental Medicine is one of the friendliest Canadian-friendly US dental schools. SUNY Buffalo recognizes all Canadian degrees and will admit Canadian students as domestic students. It even accepts the Canadian DAT. However, Canadian and out-of-state applicants may have to pay out-of-state tuition if they don’t apply for a fee waiver through the school or establish residency a year before they apply.
The school is also among the easiest schools to get into. You only require 90 credits, but, again, SUNY Buffalo recommends you complete a bachelor’s before you apply. It has only a short list of prerequisites among them science-based courses such as chemistry (organic and inorganic), biology, physics, and biochemistry that you do not have to complete with a minimum grade. But the school does have a minimum GPA requirement (3.0) that all applicants must meet, unless you have completed two semesters at the graduate level.
The school also has a minimum DAT requirement of 17. International students can also apply to the domestic DDS program, while the school offers an accelerated two-year track for foreign-trained dentists. If you’re still not sure about how to become a dentist or whether you should, SUNY Buffalo offers several master-level degrees in dental-related specialties such as Biomaterials, Oral Sciences, and Orthodontics. SUNY Buffalo also offers post-graduate opportunities for students who want to specialize in a specific specialty, or continuing education courses and certificates for non-dentist, dental professionals.
SUNY Buffalo is not unique in offering direct patient experience in your first year, and patient experience is something that you’ll never lack at the school. It is one of the largest providers of oral healthcare in the region. Last year, over 30,000 patients passed through the school’s various on-campus clinics, partner hospitals, and mobile dental suites that service underserved parts of Buffalo and the surrounding counties.
4. State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine
Acceptance Rate: 4.86%
Average GPA: 3.69
Average DAT Score: 21.9
In-state Cost of Attendance: $87,645
Out-of-State Cost of Attendance: $175,040
The other state dental school in New York, SUNY Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine does accept out-of-state applicants, although you may pay out-of-state tuition if you don’t establish residency in New York. The school has limited number of degree options for undergraduate students, as it only hosts a single, four-year DDS program.
Despite the lack of degree programs for dental students, dental graduates can choose from up to eight post-graduate residencies in everything from Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology to Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry.
The school does not have a separate international dentist program, but it accepts international students into the main, four-year DDS program and even sponsors visas for international applicants. However, if you are an international applicant, you must have your foreign degree (outside of the US or Canada) verified by an accreditation agency and submit it along with the rest of your AADSAS application. You also have to submit TOEFL scores if you are coming from a non-English speaking country or institution.
However, even though SUNY Stony Brook only offers one DDS program, it does offer undergraduate students attending Stony Brook University the chance to apply to a 4+4 bridge program. You can complete your undergraduate degree in four years, and then enter the DDS program if you meet the basic requirements.
Outside of the 4+4 program, the regular DDS program requires completion of a set of prerequisites, mostly in the sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics) but a few in unconventional subjects, such as calculus and statistics. The school also has minimum requirements for both your GPA (3.5) and your DAT scores (17).
5. Touro College of Dental Medicine
Acceptance Rate: 4.2%
Average GPA: 3.53
Average DAT Score: 21.4
Total Cost of Attendance: $131,008
Touro College of Dental Medicine is the newest dental school in New York and is part of the larger Touro University system that also has campuses in Nevada, Arizona, and California. The TCDM offers both a traditional four-year DDS degree, along with an International Program for dentists trained outside of the US or Canada. The school has minimum GPA and DAT requirements, 3.0 and 17, respectively, but even meeting those minimum requirements is no guarantee of admission.
The newness of the school means you’ll have access to the latest in dental technology along with simulation labs, lecture halls, and a 109-chair dental training facility. The school’s 24,000 square foot campus sits only half an hour outside of New York City in Westchester County, and shares space with the campus of the New York Medical College. However, TCDM has not finished building. The school recently opened a new 2600-foot center dedicated solely to pediatric dentistry, Touro Dental Health Kids, which is a testament both to the school’s commitment to serving its community, and integrating your education with real-world, direct patient experience.
With its modern campus and proximity to New York City, TCDM is a popular choice for both in-state and out-of-state applicants. It received over 2,500 applicants last year from all over the US and Canada and does not have any residency requirements. Except, international students with degrees from outside the US or Canada can only apply if they get a degree from an American or Canadian school, or complete the list of prerequisites, also at an institution in the US or Canada.
The school’s location is also a plus for students looking to perform clinical rotations in remote corners of New York state, but you can also apply to complete your clinical rotations at the school’s other campus in Arizona. You indicate on your initial application whether you want to do your rotations in New York or Arizona. You can also let the school decide, but you should be ready for the eventuality that you might have to move to Arizona, if you are chosen.
How to Get into Dental Schools in New York
1. Make Sure you Prepare for Interviews
Dental schools in New York, as many other dental schools do, rely on dental school interviews to make a final decision about you and your application, which is why it is important to put in the time to prepare. You should begin preparing as soon as you upload your application, as many schools tell you how long you’ll wait to hear whether you are invited for an interview, or not. All the dental schools in New York use traditional one-on-one or panel interviews, and usually open-file so they’ll have your application in front of them. You can read over common dental school interview questions, and re-read your dental school personal statement to answer questions such as, “why this dental school?” and “why do you want to be a dentist?”.
2. Get More than the Required Shadowing Hours
Almost all the dental schools in New York either require or recommend you have a minimum amount of shadowing hours or actual work experience in a dental health environment. Getting shadowing hours is not hard, and it should be done as early as possible, even before you apply, but there are different options you can take. You can choose to complete your shadowing hours during undergrad if you’re sure about where you want to study or apply. But if you’re pressed for time, you can complete some of the required hours, and then finish the rest later, during the application process. Whenever you decide to do your shadowing hours, make sure you are active, meaning you ask relevant questions, lend a hand whenever you can, and act courteous. These simple steps can help enrich the experience, but also possibly lead to an excellent dental school letter of recommendation from the dentist you are shadowing.
3. Meet and Exceed the Minimum Requirements
You can take two, albeit contradictory, things from the fact that many dental schools in New York have minimum GPA and DAT requirements: they put a premium on your stats; but they are also interested in other parts of your application. However, you should remember that only meeting the minimums does not reflect well on you. Why didn’t you try to increase your GPA? Why didn’t you retake the DAT if your initial scores were only “good enough”? These are the questions admissions committees will ask themselves if they see you haven’t even tried to raise your stats, especially if other parts of your application are lackluster. But if you demonstrate your desire to improve by taking a post-bac before applying or retaking the DAT, even if they are unsuccessful, it will reflect positively on you.
Conclusion
Dental schools in New York are a mix of large, urban centers with sprawling campuses and facilities, and quieter, out-of-the way schools that have smaller classes and less distractions. But whichever dental school in New York you choose, you’ll still be getting a high-quality education from programs thousands of applicants wish to join. The schools in New York do not have a preference for state students, so you will have more of a chance to get in than other states that do have strict residency requirements.
FAQs
1. How many dental schools are in New York?
There are five dental schools in New York.
2. How can I get into dental schools in New York?
Some dental schools in New York have minimum scores to apply (they are different for each school, but they range from 2.7 to 3.0 or higher), so you need to at least pass those thresholds to apply. For example, SUNY Buffalo is very strict about its 3.0 GPA requirement. But if you want to be as competitive as possible, you should strive to get a 3.5 GPA and a minimum DAT score of 20.
3. Do I need to be from New York to go to dental schools in New York?
No, none of the schools have a preference for in-state applicants. But if you are from out-of-state or a non-US citizen, you need to be wary of non-resident tuition fees, which can be higher than in-state fees. Every dental school in New York has different policies regarding tuition fees so you have to check with them on how you can pay in-state fees.
4. Is it hard to get into dental schools in New York?
Dental schools in New York are now harder to get into than other schools, but they are not especially difficult. NYU Dentistry is easy to get into on the basis that they accept a larger volume of students than most other schools. While the others have minimum requirements, they are low enough to be easily cleared.
5. What’s different about dental schools in New York?
Going to dental school in New York brings the added excitement of living in, or close to New York City. But New York state is diverse as well. The schools in Buffalo, Westchester and Valhalla, NY offer another type of lifestyle, but also exposure to a different patient population. However, New York City is also full of academic, cultural and social activities to benefit from, along with having access to other premiere learning and academic facilities.
6. How do I apply to dental schools in New York?
You have to send your applications through the centralized AADSAS application service.
7. How much do dental schools in New York cost?
Dental schools in New York can be a little more expensive than other states, although some do have low tuition, such as Sonny Brook. But the cost of attendance depends on whether you are from New York or not. If you’re in-state, you can expect to pay between $100,000 to $150,000 per year, in total. Out-of-state students can expect to pay up to $120,000 and $175,000 per year.
8. Should I go to a dental school in New York?
Dental schools in New York are a mix of the old (Columbia; NYU) and new (Touro; Stony Brook), so there is a lot of variety and diversity among all the programs. If you have your heart set on studying in New York City, you should be mindful that you might get in, but the cost may be overwhelming. The two state schools are equally good, offer lower tuition fees, and much easier entrance requirements, so you have to decide on which program you can get into, and which you can afford.
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