Admissions Requirements

ADMISSION TO THE SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY

Minimum eligibility for UCSF School of Dentistry consideration

Students who wish to apply for admission into the first-year dental class must meet certain minimum eligibility requirements:

1. California residents must have a minimum overall and science college grade-point average of 2.70. Non-California residents must have a minimum overall and science college grade-point average of 3.0.
2. All applicants must have minimum Dental Admissions Test (DAT) scores of 17 in the Total Science and Academic Average sections. For information see: Dental Admission Test (DAT) FAQ'S 
3. All applicants must be in good academic standing (not on probation) at their current or last school attended.
4. They must present evidence that they have completed, or will complete within the specified time frame, the minimum transferable prerequisite coursework.

Additional information on minimum University requirements can be obtained from the Information for Prospective Students brochure available at all University of California undergraduate offices.

University of California Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

The University of California requires that all candidates for its baccalaureate degree demonstrate the ability to write English without gross errors in spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation. They must also have knowledge of American history and the principles of American institutions.

Dental students who have not earned a bachelor's degree and who have completed 90 semester units with an average of C in the School of Dentistry, including all required basic science courses, will be eligible to receive the Bachelor of Science degree at the end of the second year of the dental curriculum. In addition to the University of California requirements noted above, they must also declare their intention to earn the BS degree by the end of the first year in the dental curriculum.

DENTAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants for admission to the dental curriculum must meet the requirements for admission to the University of California as well as the requirements outlined below. Although all course requirements need not be completed at the time of application, they must be completed by the end of the spring session before the desired date of enrollment.

Course Prerequisites

Completion of 139 quarter units or 93 semester units (exclusive of repeated and nontransferable courses) of college work at an accredited institution is a minimum requirement for admission to the UCSF School of Dentistry dental curriculum. A minimum of 30 quarter units or 20 semester units must be completed at an accredited four-year institution. These units must include the following subjects:

You must earn at least a “C” grade in requirements “a” through “g’

It is to the applicant's advantage to complete the prerequisites before taking the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) and filing an application. It is required that all above prerequisite courses and units be completed by the end of the spring term of the year of intended enrollment. No required coursework may be taken during the summer prior to fall registration.

We regret that the School of Dentistry is unable to offer advising services at this time.

Approved course lists for all UC, CSU and California Community Colleges can be found on ASSIST. Course substitutions are not allowed.

To determine what coursework from private California schools or out-of-state schools will satisfy our prerequisites, please consult with an advisor at your school.

Advanced Placement (AP) Tests

While actual course work is preferred by our faculty, applicants may use AP Tests to partially fulfill the prerequisites. In order to have AP Tests applied towards the prerequisites, applicants must submit an official copy of their AP Test Score Report from Educational Testing Services (ETS). Using School Code 5482, you may contact ETS at ets.org to request that a copy of your score report be sent to our office.

AP credit may be applied in the following manner: