3. Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine (Cleveland, OH)
Alumni of the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine (CSDM) include some of the most influential people in the field of dentistry, including University of Michigan School of Dentistry graduate director Hom-Lay Wang and dental surgery trailblazers Holly Broadbent Sr. and Jr.
With such impressive graduates, it’s no wonder that CSDM maintains an exclusive 2.9% acceptance rate. The school chooses its applicants by assigning quality points for a variety of factors, including GPA and DAT score, as well as letters of recommendation and years of experience.
Students accepted into CSDM get to participate in groundbreaking research programs, such as a $3.7 million grant-supported project to study links between HIV and cancer and the construction of a device to instantly detect oral cancer.
2. Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry (Nashville, TN)
The motto of Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry is “Worship of God Through Service to Mankind,” which draws attention to their approach to teaching. A research-focused school, MMC’s dental school improves the world by advancing innovative techniques. Students learn by gathering information and collaborating with others across disciplines. Those values inform the school’s International Track Program, which seeks out students with accreditation from outside of the U.S. or Canada.
That research focus has yielded several awards given to the school, including an $11.6 million NIH grant and an $8 million grant from the Tennessee Department of Human Services.
With an acceptance rate of only 2.4%, MMC is highly selective. The school requires a 3.5 science GPA and 498 MCAT, but also requires a personal statement, an interview, and letters of recommendation. These supplementary materials give students with lower grades the opportunity to show the admissions committee all of the qualities they offer.
1. Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine (Pomona, CA)
With an acceptance rate of only 2.1%, Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine is a hard school to enter. Applicants to Western U’s dental school have an average science GPA of 3.09 and an average DAT score of 18-20, as well as a commitment to community service. Students spend 2 hours a week performing community service during their first two years and 32 hours a week performing clinical rotations in their final two years.
The quality of the Western U College of Dental Medicine is further demonstrated by its many awards, including a recent $3.2 million grant and another $1.5 million grant, both from the U.S. Department of Health and Resources. These awards advance the research agendas of the school’s acclaimed faculty, which includes American Dental Education fellows and an editor of the Berkley Medical Journal.
