Admissions Requirements
Application Procedures
Comprehensive Care Program
Current Class Statistics
Dental Admission Test
Fassinger Learning Resource Center
Letter of Recommendation
Minority Recruitment
Offers of Admission
Processing Application
Reapplication Suggestions
Residency
Simulation Clinic
The Personal Interview
Tours
Transfer Students

Admission Requirements
The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine welcomes applicants from varied educational backgrounds. Both science and non-science majors are welcome to apply. The well-rounded applicant has a foundation in both the sciences and humanities, including the following requirements for admission:

A minimum of 120 semester hours of study is required. Applicants must also have a minimum of 60 semester hours completed before making application. An undergraduate degree from an accredited college is preferred, but not required, prior to matriculation at the dental school. A QPA (both science and non-science) of 3.00 is expected. Early admission, with the completion of at least 90 semester hours, will be considered providing that the applicant has achieved a desired minimum QPA of 4.0 (both science and non-science) and a minimal score of 24 on each section of the DAT.

The following required course work must be completed prior to matriculation:

Course Subject	Semester Hours
English	6
Biology (lab must be included)	8
Physics	6
Inorganic Chemistry	8
Organic Chemistry	6

Quarter-hour credits must be converted to semester-hour credits prior to consideration.

The admissions committee does not consider highly those applicants who have been enrolled for more than one-third of coursework (both general and required courses) in community colleges or junior colleges. Grades of C or better are expected in prerequisite courses.

Additionally, the strong applicant will display interest and knowledge of the dental profession by having participated in observation of dental practices, volunteerism in the medical/dental field, and participation in scientific research.

Dental Admission Test
In addition to the completion of the required course work, all applicants are required to take the Dental Admission Test (DAT). This test is an objective instrument administered by the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association (ADA) and is accepted by all dental schools in the United States. The DAT is used as a predictor of a student's success or failure in the dental school curricula and is a highly considered component of the admission application.

The computerized DAT may be scheduled at the applicant's convenience at any Prometric Testing Center prior to submitting an application. It is expected that an applicant achieve an academic average and Perceptual Ability Test (PAT) score of at least 16 on each section of the test (early applicants must present a score of 20 or above). It is strongly suggested that the applicant not take the DAT until basic requirements in biology and chemistry are completed. A score of 20 in each section is competitive.  The DAT may only be taken 3 times.

Candidate information, as well as an online application, are available at www.ada.org, or by writing to:
Dental Admission Testing Program
211 East Chicago Avenue, Suite 1846
Chicago, IL 60611-2678
Telephone: 312-440-2689

Canadian applicants may contact the Canadian Dental Association regarding the Canadian Dental Admissions Test at:
Canadian Dental Association
1815 Alta Vista Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1G-3Y6
Telephone: 613-523-1770
Web site: www.CDA-ADC.ca
Email: reception@CDA-ADC.ca

Application Procedures
All candidates interested in the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine must apply through the American Dental Education Association's American Association of Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS). Candidate applications will not be considered if otherwise submitted. Application materials are available directly from the AADSAS at:

Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) Email: csraadsas@adea.org
Web site: www.adea.org/

A non-refundable processing fee of $35 (check or money-order) for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and a fee of $50 (check or money-order) for international applicants (including Canadian applicants) must be mailed to the University by the time the AADSAS application is completed. Checks should be made payable to the University of Pittsburgh. Please include a legibly printed candidate name and social security number on the front of the check.  A 2x2 photo is also requested.  An application will not be reviewed until the processing fee has been received. Serious applicants are expected to send this fee without further notice. Please mail processing fee to:

Office of Admissions
University of Pittsburgh
School of Dental Medicine
3501 Terrace Street, Suite 2114
Pittsburgh, PA 15261-1945

The deadline for applying through AADSAS is December 1 of the anticipated entering year. All materials, including AADSAS application, DAT results, letters of recommendation, and application fee, must be postmarked to AADSAS no later than that date. Candidates are strongly encouraged to apply through AADSAS early. Late applicants risk non-consideration due to unavailability of space.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine has no secondary application.  Please direct questions regarding admissions to: www.dentaladmissions@dental.pitt.edu.

Letter of Recommendation
The Admissions Committee prefers a composite letter or recommendation packet from the candidate's pre-professional advisory committee. If no such committee exists, a minimum of three letters from science faculty in prerequisite areas are required. Up to three additional letters from non-science faculty or dentists familiar with the applicant's commitment to dentistry may be submitted. It is preferable that the letters of recommendation be included in the application materials submitted to AADSAS. Letters should NOT be submitted directly to the University of Pittsburgh unless specifically requested.

An applicant may submit an additional personal statement to the Office of Admissions if it is felt that the application does not allow for disclosure of information relevant to scholastic performance. It is the responsibility of each applicant to submit all materials. Applicants will not be notified if items are missing.

Processing Applications
Applications are processed by the Office of Admissions and are then presented to the Admissions Committee. This committee is compromised of faculty, alumni, and upper level student representatives. Careful review of applications is ongoing as applicant files are received. Consideration is given only to candidates who have submitted completed AADSAS applications consisting of academic review, DAT scores, letters of recommendation, personal essay, and completed AADSAS questionnaire, as well as payment of the processing fee.

Enrollment Year	Mean DAT Academic Average	Overall GPA	Science GPA
2009	19.40	3.64	3.55
2008	19.03	3.61	3.53
2007	19.95	3.69	3.44
2006	19.83	3.73	3.43
2005	18.85	3.64	3.57
2004	18.58	3.47	3.41
2003	17.63	3.36	3.28
2002	17.96	3.38	3.29

Residency
There are no residency requirements either for application or admission to the University of Pittsburgh. Applicants should be aware that Federal Stafford loans are available only to U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents.

The Personal Interview
A personal interview is a prerequisite to being accepted into the School of Dental Medicine. Excellent communication skills are vital in the intimate profession of dentistry. It is in the applicant's best interest to present in a professional, pleasant manner for the interview.

Interviews are by invitation only after thorough review of submitted material. Interview sessions are scheduled during the fall and early spring semesters, and are full-day events. As well as a personal faculty interview and presentations by various department chairs and directors, applicants enjoy brunch with our students, and tour the School of Dental Medicine facilities. Applicants are invited to spend time after the formal end of the day shadowing in the Patient Care Clinic or the Simulation Clinic.

During the interview, applicants are expected to display evidence of personal exposure to the field of dentistry, as well as qualities of maturity, motivation, and integrity. Personal interviews do not guarantee admission.

Minority Recruitment
The SDM is committed to recruiting, enrolling, and graduating a diverse population of students. As printed in the University of Pittsburgh Graduate and Professional Bulletin, "The University of Pittsburgh, as an educational institution and as an employer, values equality of opportunity, human dignity, and racial/ethnic and cultural diversity. Accordingly, the University prohibits and will not engage in discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era. Further, the University will continue to take affirmative steps to support and advance these values consistent with the University's mission. This policy applies to admissions, employment, access to and treatment in University programs and activities. This is a commitment made by the University and is in accordance with federal, state, and/or local laws and regulations."

The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine is dedicated to the recruitment and education of academically talented minority students into the dental school program. Applicants who are members of underserved populations are welcome to apply for admission.

A minority enrichment program connecting students to the dental community through the alumni mentoring program and partial financial support is a vital tool in recruitment.

Minority students participate in the Student National Dental Association and the Hispanic Dental Association.

Offers of Admission
The Admissions Committee of the School of Dental Medicine is the sole determining body that decides to whom offers of admission will be made.  Admission is offered based on criteria discussed above.

By general agreement among schools, the earliest date of acceptance to American dental schools is December 1. A rolling admissions' process begins on this date and continues until the class is filled. The School of Dental Medicine class size is limited to 80 seats. All admission decisions for those seats are made by the Admissions Committee. Applicants are notified initially by phone; followed by written acceptance.

Matriculation agreements are mailed along with acceptance letters. Candidates who receive the offer of acceptance are asked to return the matriculation agreement along with a non-refundable deposit of $750. This amount, along with a second non-refundable $750 deposit due May 1, will be applied to the first semester tuition as a tuition credit.

A final admission offer is contingent upon successful completion of planned course work and the documented achievement of degree objectives, as listed on the documents submitted to AADSAS. Misrepresentation of credentials by an applicant is reason for immediate revocation of admission offer.  Questions regarding admissions may be directed to www.dentaladmissions@dental.pitt.edu.

Reapplication Suggestions
The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine receives numerous applications during the application cycle. An applicant who has not received an offer of admission is welcome to reapply during any subsequent application cycle. It is recommended that the applicant upgrade the application in the following ways:

• Submit the application early. Dental school applicants increase in both number and quality yearly. An application received at a late point in the cycle will not be given the same consideration as an application received at an earlier date.
• Continue to improve the academic portion of your application by enrolling in high-level science courses to improve understanding of the material and QPA. If applicant has obtained a degree, consideration should be given to a master's degree in basic science area or a full-time one year post-baccalaureate program in the basic sciences.
• Demonstrate continuing motivation by extending commitment to volunteerism and shadowing within the profession.
• Retake the DAT after sufficient preparation.
• All non-admitted applicant files are destroyed at the end of each cycle. Applicants must reapply through AADSAS, and must include all updated documentation and letters of recommendation.

Transfer Students
The Admissions Committee will consider transfer students who are in good academic and disciplinary standing from other accredited dental programs in the United States or Canada. These candidates must meet all entrance requirements and may be required to take written and/or practical examinations.

Tours
Prospective students are welcome to visit the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. Tours are conducted by appointment only. Please call 412-648-8437 to schedule a tour. As a courtesy, please schedule at least one week in advance.

Current Class Statistics
The typical class size is approximately 80 students.

Fassinger Learning Resource Center
The Fassinger Learning Resource Center is a multi-use facility that is available to students and faculty during normal operating hours, as well as extended hours in the evening and on selected weekends. The center houses study aids and reference materials for classes and research. There are study carrels equipped with audiovisual capabilities, in addition to a separate quiet study area. There are computer stations fully equipped to a central file server with printing capabilities. We are connected to the University's main network which allows users to access Medline, Email, and Pittcat. We have a wide variety of audiovisual equipment including a video camera for use in the classroom.

Simulation Clinic
In August of 2002, the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine completed the much anticipated $2.6 million Simulation Clinic (Flash Player required). Located on the fourth floor of Salk Hall, the clinic is a giant step forward into the future of dental education. Equipped with state-of-the-art computers and audio-visual technology, 80 patient simulators provide students with hands-on practice in the delivery of patient care.

Comprehensive Care Program (CCP)

When will students enter this program?
What disciplines of dentistry are represented?
This 85-chair clinic, divided into four modules or clinics, currently serves our first professional students from the summer of their second year until graduation. Prior to their formal entrance to the CCP program, our students are directly involved with patient care as early as the fall of their first year of training as part of their Introduction to Dentistry & Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Planning courses.  All disciplines of dentistry, with the exception of oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, and pediatric dentistry, are represented in this system. (Attention to these departments is provided outside this program.)

Students receive individual curricular schedules during this time, which support exposure to all disciplines of the profession to include patient care, departmental rotations, community-based care; and, in their fourth year, "selective" opportunities.

What is a selective?
The selective courses at the SDM offer fourth year students the prospect of individualizing their own clinical curricula. These courses provide information in topics ranging from advanced specialty-focused patient care to clinical and non-clinical research. Students are encouraged to broaden their understanding in areas of specific interest to their future endeavors within these courses. Selectives often may provide the student with the opportunity to network with program directors of specialty programs. This exposure may, thereby, uncover the true daily workings of the specific discipline to the student. This may prove to be an invaluable experience when the student is considering a specialty program in his/her future career opportunities.

What are the responsibilities of the faculty and staff assigned to this program?
Clinically, "teams" of faculty--consisting of two general dentists and one faculty representative from each of the specialty disciplines of endodontics, periodontics, and prosthodontics--work together with students to provide comprehensive care to our patients.

General dentists, identified as "team leaders," provide the communication and leadership necessary to permit this unit to function properly.

This system also utilizes four staff members as patient care coordinators. One of these staff members is assigned to each of the four modules to identify patient care issues to team leaders as they relate to continuance of care, proper scheduling, accuracy of chart entries, and fee submission.

What are some of the student advantages of this system?
Since this program's implementation, a marked increase in both student patient procedures, as well as clinical board performance, has been noted. Faculty-to-student mentoring relationships also have flourished. Our students seem to enjoy treating their patients in this streamlined environment, in which specialists are close by to offer services to patients and educational input to students. Students benefit from the unique opportunity to listen and learn from various specialists as they discuss patient treatment options.

Faculty

	Dr. Marnie Oakley, Chair Department of Restorative Dentistry and Comprehensive Care
	Dr. Jean O'Donnell, Vice Chair/ Team Leader Departmental Curriculum Director Department of Restorative Dentistry and Comprehensive Care
	Dr. Christine Wankiiri-Hale, Team Leader Department of Restorative Dentistry and Comprehensive Care
	Dr. Michael Dobos, Team Leader Department of Restorative Dentistry and Comprehensive Care
	Dr. Karen Nedwick-Castro, Team Leader 3074 SalkX Department of Restorative Dentistry and Comprehensive Care