Resources
- Catalog
- Academic Calendar
- Bookstore
Admission / Apply
Dental Medicine in Glendale
Click here to apply online at AADSAS
Admission Requirements
Prerequisite Courses
Technical Standards for Admission
Application Deadline
Application Process
Interview / Selection Process
Reapplication Process
Matriculation Process
Deferred Admission
Transfer Admission
Related Links
Dental Medicine Program Admission
The Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona considers for admission those students who possess the academic, professional, and personal qualities necessary to become exemplary dental professionals. To select these students, the College uses a rolling admissions process within a competitive admissions framework.
Competitive Admissions
Within the competitive admissions framework, the College uses multiple criteria to select the most qualified, diverse group of candidates from an applicant pool that greatly exceeds the number of seats available. Applicants are evaluated on academic coursework, performance on the Dental Aptitude Test (DAT), their application (AADSAS) essay, letters of evaluation, and interviews. Demonstrated community service through volunteerism or service-oriented employment is preferred.
Rolling Admissions
Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona uses a rolling admissions process. Applications are reviewed and decisions to interview individual candidates are made at regular intervals during the admissions cycle. Interviews are conducted and the selection process of each candidate for College admission is made until the class is filled. Applicants are notified of their selection status as soon as possible after their interview date, but not prior to December 1 of the year preceding matriculation which is the earliest date the US and Canadian dental schools have agreed to extend offers for a position in the class.
Admission Requirements
To be competitive, an applicant should have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and must possess both a science and a total GPA over 2.75 (although 3.20 will be generally competitively necessary) on a 4.00 scale. A minimum science and overall GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale is required to receive a supplemental application.
Prerequisite Courses
| Science Courses | Sem Hrs | Qtr Hrs |
| Biology with lab | 8 | 12 |
| General Chemistry with lab | 8 | 12 |
| Organic Chemistry with lab | 4 | 6 |
| Anatomy with lab | 4 | 6 |
| Microbiology with lab | 4 | 6 |
| Other Courses | ||
| Physics | 8 | 12 |
| Physiology | 4 | 6 |
| Biochemistry | 3 | 4.5 |
| English Composition / Technical Writing | 6 | 9 |
No grade lower than C will be accepted for any prerequisite course. A grade of C– will not be accepted.
- Complete above prerequisite courses.
- Submit competitive scores on the Dental Aptitude Test (DAT). Scores in the area of 18 or higher will be expected for the Academic Average, Reading Comprehension, and Perceptual Ability sections. The DAT test must have been taken no more than 3 years prior to application.
- Submit three letters of recommendation. One must be from either a pre-dental advisory committee or a science professor. The others, preferentially, should be from either someone with a DO/MD, DDS/DMD degree and/or someone who can testify to the integrity and ethical standards of the applicant. Letters written by immediate family members will not be accepted. All letters of evaluation must be submitted directly from the evaluators. The Office of Admissions will not accept letters submitted by students.
- Demonstrate a sincere understanding of, and interest in, the humanitarian ethos of health care and particularly dental medicine.
- Reflect a people/service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities.
- Reflect proper motivation for, and commitment to, health care as demonstrated by previous salaried work, volunteer work, or other life experience.
- Possess the oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues.
- Agree to abide by Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy.
- Applicants will be subject to a criminal backgroud check. In most cases, a misdemeanor conviction will not affect admission. A felony conviction could affect admission, as could failure to disclose a misdemeanor or felony.
International Applicants
An international student must satisfy all of the requirements for admission to the College or Program that apply to a student who has completed all of his/her prerequisite coursework in the U.S. at a regionally accredited college or university. In addition, an international student must demonstrate proficiency in the English language. This may be accomplished by satisfying both of the following requirements:
1. The international student has completed a minimum of two full time semesters or three full time quarters of instruction at a postsecondary institution in the United States. Completed coursework must include a minimum of 50% of the prerequisite science coursework for the college or program of interest, 6 semester hours of non-remedial English composition, and 3 semester hours of public speaking/speech.
2. The international student must submit official TOEFL scores. A minimum passing score is 550 (paper version, maximum score 677) or 100 (internet version, maximum score 120). The TOEFL scores must be from an exam taken within two years of the anticipated date of matriculation into the college or program.
If the international student wishes to receive credit for prerequisite coursework completed at a college or university outside of the United States, he/she must submit an official, detailed, course-by-course evaluation of this coursework. The student must obtain this evaluation from one of the following services:
1. Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE): 414/289-3400 or Fax 414/289-3411 (www.ece.org, e-mail: info@ece.org)
2. Josef Silny & Associates International Education Consultants: 305/273-1616 or Fax 305/273-1338
3. World Education Service (WES): 212/966-6311 or Fax 212/739-6100 (www.wes.org, e-mail: info@wes.org)
Based on the official foreign transcript evaluation and the grade earned in the course(s), the college or program will decide if it will apply any of these credits toward fulfillment of its prerequisites.
Note: The Canadian DAT cannot be substituted for the US DAT.
International Applicant Packet
Technical Standards for Dental School Admission
A candidate must have abilities and skills in five areas: 1) observation; 2) communication; 3) motor; 4) conceptual, integrative, and quantitative; and 5) behavioral and social. Technological compensation can be made for some limitation in certain of these areas, but a candidate should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner.
I. Observation: The candidate must be able to accurately make observations at a distance and close at hand. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation and is enhanced by the functional use of all of the other senses.
II. Communication: The candidate must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently, and sensitively in both oral and written form and be able to perceive nonverbal communication.
III. Motor: The candidate must be able to coordinate both gross and fine muscular movements, maintain equilibrium, and have functional use of the senses of touch and vision. The candidate must possess sufficient postural control, neuromuscular control, and eye-to-hand coordination to perform profession-specific skills and tasks.
IV. Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities: The candidate must be able to problem solve, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, record, and synthesize large amounts of information in a timely manner. The candidate must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand spatial relationships.
V. Behavioral and Social Attributes: The candidate must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his/her intellectual abilities; the exercise of good judgment; the consistent, prompt completion of all responsibilities; and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships. The candidate must be able to tolerate physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. The candidate must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, effective interpersonal skills, willingness and ability to function as an effective team player, interest and motivation to learn are all personal qualities required during the educational process.
Candidates for admission who are invited for an on-campus interview are required to acknowledge that they understand the technical standards. Candidates must certify that they meet the technical standards upon their acceptance. Candidates who may not meet the technical standards are encouraged to contact the Director of Admissions to discuss and identify what accommodations, if any, the College would need to make in order that the candidate might be able to meet the standards.
Application Deadline
The official Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) application deadline is January 1. However, to be competitive within the rolling admissions process, prospective students should submit their AADSAS applications as early as possible after June 1 of the year prior to desired matriculation. Even though the AADSAS deadline is January 1 of the matriculation year, typically 75 percent of all admissions offers will be made by the end of December of the year prior to matriculation. The Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona completion deadline (meaning all necessary parts of the application, including DAT test scores and MWU CDM supplemental application form, are received by the Office of Admissions prior to this date) is March 1 of the expected matriculation year.
Application Process
To initiate the application process, prospective students must apply directly to AADSAS at 1400 K Street NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20005; 202/289-7201 phone; 202/289-7204 fax; www.adea.org. Students may apply online. Students may access an AADSAS application in mid-May of the academic year preceding the year in which they plan to matriculate.
Students who have taken coursework and/or earned a degree from a foreign institution must also submit to AADSAS an evaluation of their transcripts from an approved service.
After receiving an applicant's processed information from AADSAS, the Office of Admissions creates the applicant's file. Concurrently, the office sends a supplemental application to applicants meeting the minimum science and total GPA requirement of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale. The applicant must complete and return the supplemental application as soon as possible. Additionally, he/she must request three letters of evaluation. All letters of evaluation must be submitted by the evaluators directly to AADSAS or to MWU — the Office of Admissions will not accept evaluations submitted by students.
NOTE: Status of the application can be tracked on the MWU Web site. Instructions for accessing accounts are available from the Office of Admissions. Please send notification of any changes in your mailing address and e-mail address. All requests for withdrawing an application must be done in writing.
Contact the Office of Admissions via e-mail at admissaz@midwestern.edu
Interview / Selection Process
To be considered for an interview, applicants must meet the admissions requirements listed previously. They must also submit all of the materials necessary to complete their files, e.g., AADSAS applications, supplemental MWU applications, DAT scores, and three letters of recommendation written by a predental advisory committee, a faculty member, a dentist or physician, and by someone who knows the applicant very well.
After the Office of Admissions receives these materials, applicant files are reviewed to determine whether applicants merit interviews based on established criteria of the Admissions Committee. The Chair of the Admissions Committee, with the approval of the Dean, may also place a large number of students on an interview "wait list" pending possible interview openings toward the end of the interview cycle.
When applicants accept interviews, they join several other interviewees to meet with members of a two- or three-person interview panel, which is selected from a volunteer group of basic scientists, administrators, and dental clinicians. Team members question applicants about their academic, personal, and health care preparedness for dental school, and they rate the applicants on a standardized evaluation form relative to each of these variables. At the conclusion of the interviews, team members forward their evaluations for each applicant to the Admissions Committee. The Committee may recommend to accept, to deny, or to place applicants on either the hold or alternate list. Recommendations are then forwarded to the Dean for final approval. The Dean, via the Office of Admissions, notifies applicants of their status as soon as possible after the interviews, but not before December 1 of the year preceding matriculation, which is the date that all dental schools have agreed would be the first notification date.
The interview process typically begins in the summer prior to matriculation and ends in April or May of the matriculation year.
Reapplication Process
After receiving either a denial or end-of-cycle letter, an applicant may reapply for the next enrollment cycle. Before reapplying, however, the applicant should seek the advice of an admissions counselor.
To initiate the reapplication process, the applicant must submit an application to AADSAS. The application is then processed according to standard application procedures.
Matriculation Process
To initiate the matriculation process, newly-accepted students must return both their signed matriculation agreement and their initial deposit by the date designated in their matriculation agreement. To conclude the matriculation process, a student must do the following:
- Submit deposit monies and administrative fees by the dates designated in his/her matriculation agreement — the entire amount is applied toward the student's first-quarter tuition.
- Submit official transcript(s) from all colleges attended post high school by the date designated in the matriculation agreement.
- Submit a completed medical file as instructed in the packet sent by the Office of Student Services.
- Submit proof of medical and disability insurance coverage. The student may select either a plan offered by Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona or an approved outside carrier.
- Non-U.S. citizens/non-permanent residents must provide documentation verifying that sufficient funds have been deposited in a U.S. bank to cover all expenses while attending Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona.
- Submit additional documents as required by the Office of Admissions.
- Authorize and pass the Midwestern University criminal background check.
- Sign and submit the Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy.
- Complete a physical exam and submit form.
- Sign and submit the Credit Policy Statement.
If a student either fails to satisfy these matriculation requirements and/or omits/falsifies information required on official admissions documents, the student automatically forfeits his/her seat at the College. The student receives no further notification relative to this forfeiture.
Related Information
Deferred Admission
Deferments are only considered under extreme circumstances, generally only where a student is physically unable to begin classes. If granted, a student may defer their admission for one year only.
To initiate the deferred admission process, a student must make his/her request in writing to the Director of Admissions by the date designated in his/her matriculation agreement. If deferment is appropriate and the result of a physical condition, the request should be accompanied by a letter from the student's physician documenting the conditions that prevent the student from beginning his/her dental education. After consultation with the Dean, the Director of Admissions then responds to the request with a letter detailing the specific conditions associated with deferral. Typically, the conditions include the following:
- The student must submit his/her remaining deposit monies by the times specified during the year of his/her matriculation at the time of request of deferral.
- Before matriculation, the student must provide a letter from a physician stating that the student can begin his/her dental education.
- The student is not required to interview again or submit another supplemental application or letters of evaluation.
Transfer Admission
Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona may elect to accept transfer students from other dental schools as long as these students are in "good academic standing" and have an acceptable reason(s) for seeking a transfer. Typically, transfers are only granted to students desiring to transfer between the second and third years of the dental program.
To be considered for transfer, a student must meet the College's general requirements for admission. He/she must also observe the following procedure:
- All inquiries for transfer to Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona must be submitted to the Admissions Office.
- The completed application is returned to the Admissions Office and must also include transcripts from previous dental school, class rank (must be in top 50%), statement of reason for transfer, Dean's letter of "Good Academic Standing," and a letter of reference from the Dean of Student Affairs.
- The completed application is forwarded to the Dean.
- Application is reviewed by the Dean who conducts an interview with the applicant.
- Applicant is notified by the Dean of the final decision.
- Students wishing to transfer cannot have been previously rejected for application to MWU CDM through the normal admissions process.
Related Links
Associated American Dental Schools Application Services (AADSAS)
