Doctor of Dental Surgery Program

Admissions Information

General
The University of Tennessee College of Dentistry admits one class per year beginning in August. The program, which leads to the Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree, is a program, four years in length which consists of nine months for the first two years and eleven months for the last two clinical years.

Much of the first two years is devoted to the biomedical sciences of anatomy, biochemistry, histology, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, and physiology. Preclinical technical courses are also taught to achieve a close correlation of the basic sciences with the clinical disciplines.

The College of Dentistry is committed to fostering a diverse student body. In order to achieve this diversity, applications are encouraged from women and under represented minority candidates.

Fulfillment of the basic requirements does not guarantee admission. The College of Dentistry's Admissions Committee selects the applicants it considers best qualified for the study and practice of dentistry from the pool of applicants who meet the basic requirements.

The Admissions Committee reviews the cumulative grade point average, science grade point average, DAT score, interview, Pre-Professional Evaluation, and letters of recommendation. The years in school, any trend in grades, degrees attained, awards, and such personality characteristics as motivation and social awareness are also considered.

Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States at the time of application.

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, religion, creed, or handicapping condition.

Admission Requirements

Elective courses can be chosen from the following: genetics, comparative anatomy, developmental biology, cell biology, cell biology, histology, microbiology, molecular biology, physiology and neurobiology.

Non-science elective courses may be chosen from: philosophy, psychology, business administration, economics, public speaking, computer science and courses in the social sciences.

Grade Point Averages
A minimum grade point average of 2.75 is expected in all required subjects attempted and in cumulative course work. Due to the competition among applicants, classes are filled with those who have higher academic averages. Prospective applicants should strive to maintain a prescribed and cumulative grade point average well above a 3.00.

Personal Interview
A personal interview at the College of Dentistry, by invitation of the Admissions Committee, is necessary prior to acceptance. The interview will include a tour of the school, the receipt of information about financial aid, and the opportunity to talk with faculty and students. During the interview, the committee looks for evidence of such personal qualities as integrity, motivation, and maturity. The committee also expects applicants to have been exposed to the delivery of dental care either as participants or observers.

Outdated Credit
Course credits in the required subjects become outdated if five years or more have elapsed between the completion of courses and proposed enrollment in the College of Dentistry. Complete details relating to the validation of outdated credit will be furnished to the applicant after the evaluation of records has been accomplished.

Advanced Placement Credit
CLEP and other advanced placement credit will be accepted for elective courses. Credit for required courses will be awarded, provided additional coursework in the same area has been completed by traditional classroom methods above and beyond the general requirements.

Other
a) Applicants who have made grades of less than "C" in required courses are required to repeat those courses.(Both grades are utilized in computing grade point averages.)
b) All science courses must include the complete laboratory requirement concurrent to those courses.
c) Correspondence courses are normally not accepted for required course work. Elective credit is limited to 9 quarter hours, and should be approved prior to scheduling.
d) Each applicant is expected to comply with the general requirements of the college attended, including the non-academic requirements.
e) The Committee on Admissions reserves the right to require any candidate to complete additional course work irrespective of his or her academic average at the time of evaluation.
f) Hours and grades on activity courses (such as physical education, band, ROTC, etc) are not utilized when calculating grade point averages.
g) Questions concerning course work and assistance in selecting specific courses may be answered by contacting the pre-health science advisor and/or the Office of Admissions at the UT Health Science Center College of Dentistry.

Letters of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation are not mandatory but are accepted and reviewed by the Admissions Committee and become part of your file.

Dental Admissions Test
All dental school applicants must take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) that is administered by the American Dental Association. The test should be taken no later than November 30 preceeding the year of desired admission. As a candidate for admission, applicants need not wait until the DAT has been taken to apply for admission, although acceptances will be contingent on successful completion of this exam. Dental Aptitude Text Examinees will be limited to three (3) opportunities to participate in the testing program. .

The DAT examines applicants in six (6) general areas: Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Reasoning and Perceptual Ability. Scores received in these areas will also be averaged resulting in two additional scores for Science and Academics for a total of eight scores. Scores in each area may range from 1-30 points for a maximum of 240 possible points. An applicant with a DAT score of 130 points and 2.75 (science GPA) or better will be considered for an interview. Please note: The DAT can only be taken 3 times.

Candidate Review Factors Used by the Admissions Committee
When considering candidates for possible admission, the Admissions Committee reviews the entire scope of information that is available on each applicant. For each candidate this includes the academic record (i.e., overall GPA, science GPA and last 30 semester credit hours GPA), Dental Admissions Test scores, responses to items on the Application Survey, interview assessment, and any other information provided by the candidate (e.g., personal statement, letters of recommendation, etc.). In addition, the committee will expect evidence of the following factors in making the difficult choices among candidates.

1. Demonstrated exploration of the profession of dentistry
2. Demonstrated commitment to community service
3. Evidence of critical thinking and problem solving ability (e.g., performance in courses requiring this skill, such as laboratory segments or formal logic or research experiences)
4. Full academic loads with evidence of a broad liberal arts and sciences education (i.e., fine arts, business, mathematics, humanities, computer science, etc.)
5. A range of extracurricular activities, especially those demanding a significant leadership role
6. Demonstrated ability to balance full academic schedules with extracurricular involvement and/or employment (i.e., effective and efficient management of time)

Advanced Standing Applicants & Students
Graduates who have received a doctoral degree in dentistry from an institution not accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association or by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada may apply for admission to the College of Dentistry on an advanced standing basis. However, the admission of advanced standing students is a discretionary function of the College of Dentistry. Due to the nature of the college's curriculum and availability of positions, not every request for advanced standing may be accommodated.

Advanced standing applicants who apply for admission to the predoctoral program on an advanced standing basis may only be considered for entrance at the beginning of the second or third year. Applicants must meet the following criteria in order to be given an interview to determine acceptability for admission: contact the Associate Dean for Admissions.

Application Materials

All applications to the College of Dentistry must be submitted using the on-line form available at: www.utmem.edu/admiss/admiss_info.php.The University of Tennessee is not an AADSAS participant. Hard copies of College of Dentistry Admission policies are available from:

This office can also provide additional information concerning admission policies, procedures and requirements. For additional information about the on-line application process, you may also contact the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Office of Enrollment Services at 901-448-5560.

B. The earliest date for submitting the application for the August class is June 1, of the previous year. Applications will continue to be accepted until November 30, (applications received after this date may be considered at the pleasure of the Admissions Committee).

C. A non-refundable application fee of $75.00 must accompany the application.

D. Interviews will begin in September of each year with the first acceptances commencing December 1.

Technical Standards
Applicants to programs of the College of Dentistry must possess the following general qualities: critical thinking, sound judgment, emotional stability and maturity, empathy, physical and mental stamina. Applicants must possess the ability to acquire knowledge, surgical skills and technical functions and use such knowledge, skills, and functions in a wide variety of didactic, laboratory, and clinical settings at an acceptable level of competency, as defined by the college.

Criminal Background Check

All newly accepted students must have an approved Criminal Background Check prior to matriculation at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Once accepted, applicants will receive information as to how to apply for the criminal background check. A potential exists that an accurate negative Criminal Background Check report could affect a student's enrollment status at UTHSC. The University of Tennessee policy on criminal background check can be found here.

Misrepresentation of Academic Credentials

Misrepresentation of academic credentials is a Class A misdemeanor in Tennessee. A person commits the offense of misrepresentation of academic credentials who, knowing that the statement is false and with the intent to secure employment at or admission to an institution of higher education in Tennessee, represents, orally or in writing, that such person: (1) has successfully completed the required course work for and has been awarded one or more degrees or diplomas from an accredited institution of higher education; (2) has successfully completed the required course work for and has been awarded one or more degrees or diplomas from a particular institution of higher education; or (3) has successfully completed the required course work for and has been awarded one or more degrees or diplomas in a particular field or specialty from an accredited institution of higher education.

Diversity at the College
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry will identify, recruit and retain African-American students to reflect their representation in the population and will support programs that will achieve this goal.

Special scholarship programs are available for Tennessee residents and students form other states.

Computer Requirement

Effective July 1, 2006, students enrolling in the first-year class of the College of Dentistry will be required to arrive with a laptop computer. This computer must be purchased before matriculation into the first year and can be acquired from any reputable source. The College of Dentistry has no provisions for providing a laptop to students whose own laptop proves to be inoperable upon arriving at UT. In addition, the College cannot assist students whose laptop does not meet the specifications and proves to be inadequate for the student to perform their required lessons. The laptop must meet the following specifications:

• Windows-based laptop, notebook or tablet computer (Macintosh will not be supported)
• Intel Pentium M, Core Duo, Core 2 Duo or equivalent (no Intel Celeron or AMD Sempron)
• Windows XP-Home (XP-Professional is also supported) or Windows Vista Premium (Home or Business)
• 2 gigabytes megabytes of memory or greater
• 14 inch or larger screen with 1024 x 768 or greater resolution
• 80 gigabyte hard drive or larger
• Built-in Ethernet (students will also need a standard 3 to 6 ft long Ethernet cable)
• Optical drive capable of playing and writing CDs and playing DVDs (combo drive)
• Major manufacturer brand (i.e. Dell, Gateway, Sony, HP, or Toshiba)
• Although not required, wireless communication, a 3-year “in home” warranty and accidental breakage and loss insurance are highly recommended
• It is not necessary for students to purchase anti-virus software as this will be provided by the University of Tennessee Health Science Center when students complete the mandatory laptop registration process after their arrival on campus.