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Dental Medicine Program Admission

The Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois (CDMI) considers for admission those students who possess the academic, professional, and personal qualities necessary for development as exemplary dental professionals. To select these students, the College uses a rolling admissions process within a competitive admissions framework.

Competitive Admissions

Within its 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) essays, letters of evaluation, and interviews. Demonstrated community service through volunteerism or service-oriented employment is preferred.

Rolling Admissions

Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois 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 U.S. and Canadian dental schools have agreed to extend a position in the class.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for enrollment, an applicant should have earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. The College has a preferred minimum BCP science and cumulative GPA over 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.

Prerequisite Courses

Courses Sem Hrs Qtr Hrs
Biology with lab 8 12
General Chemistry with lab 8 12
Organic Chemistry with lab 4 6
Anatomy* 3 4
Microbiology 3 4
Physics 8 12
Physiology* 3 4
Biochemistry 3 4
English Composition / Technical Writing 6 9
All science prerequisites must be courses designed for science majors. No survey courses will count to fulfill science requirements.

No grade lower than C will be accepted for any prerequisite course. A grade of C– will not be accepted.

*The Anatomy and Physiology requirements may also be fulfilled by taking Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology II, as some universities offer combined courses.

Students seeking admission to CDMI must submit the following documented evidence:

  1. Completion of the prerequisite coursework.
    • Grades of C or better (grades of C- are not acceptable)
  1. Submit competitive exam scores on the Dental Aptitude Test (DAT).
    • All candidates must submit results from the US DAT to AADSAS.
    • A total DAT score (summative scores less Total Science and Academic Average) should be 110 and above to be competitive
    • Scores in the area of 18 or higher will be expected for the Academic Average, Reading Comprehension, Perceptual Ability, and Total Science sections
    • Only DAT exam scores earned from tests taken no more than three years prior to matriculation are acceptable
  1. Submit two letters of recommendation.
    • One must be from either a predental advisory committee or a science professor
    • The other preferentially should be from either someone with a D.O./M.D. or D.D.S./D.M.D. 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 by the evaluators to AADSAS
  1. Demonstrate a sincere understanding of, and interest in, the humanitarian ethos of healthcare and particularly dental medicine.
  2. Reflect a service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities.
  3. Reflect proper motivation for and commitment to health care as demonstrated by previous salaried work, volunteer work, or other life experiences.
  4. Possess oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues.
  5. Agree to abide by the Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy.
  6. Pass the Midwestern University fingerprinting and criminal background check.

International Applicants

An international student must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States, or from a recognized post-secondary Canadian institution that uses English as its primary language of instruction and documentation. Of the 30 semester hours, 15 hours must be in the sciences, 6 hours in non-remedial English composition, and 3 hours in speech/public speaking.

Applicants who wish to receive transfer credit for prerequisite coursework completed outside the U.S. or at a Canadian institution that does not use English as its primary language of instruction and documentation must submit an official, detailed, course-by-course evaluation obtained from one of the following evaluation services:

International applicants who do not provide documentation of acceptable US or Canadian course/degree equivalency will not receive credit, and will be required to complete all prerequisite courses at an accredited college or university in the United States, or at a recognized post-secondary institution in Canada that uses English as its primary language of instruction and documentation.

For clarification about recognized post-secondary institutions in Canada that use English as a primary language of instruction and documentation, international applicants should contact the Midwestern University Office of Admissions.

International Applicant Packet

Technical Standards for Dental School Admission

The Technical Standards set forth the nonacademic abilities considered essential for students to achieve the level of competence required by the faculty to obtain the academic degree awarded by the College.

The following abilities and expectations must be met by all students admitted to the College with reasonable accommodation. 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.

  1. Observation: The candidate must be able to accurately make observations at a distance and close at hand including those on a computer screen or electronic device. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and sense of touch and is enhanced by the functional use of all of the other senses.
  2. Communication: The candidate must be able to communicate in English, proficiently and sensitively, in verbal and written form, and be able to perceive nonverbal communication.
  3. 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.
  4. Intellectual, 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.
  5. 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 and 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. The candidate must agree to participate in touching/palpating on the skin and being touched/palpated on the skin by individuals regardless of gender in all academic settings, including dental head/neck exams, including intra- and extra-oral examinations. These activities will take place in large and small group settings as directed in the College's curricular requirements.

Candidates are required to verify that they understand and are able to meet these Technical Standards at least 4 weeks prior to matriculation (or if admitted later, within 1 week of deposit). Candidates who may only meet Technical Standards with accommodation, must contact the Disability Services Office to make a formal request for accommodation. The Disability Committee, in consultation with the College Dean/Program Director, will determine what reasonable accommodations can be provided. The College is not able to grant accommodations that alter the educational standards of the curriculum.

Students must meet the Technical Standards for the duration of enrollment at the College. After matriculation, if a student fails to continue to meet the Technical Standards during subsequent enrollment, the student may apply for accommodation by contacting the Disability Services Office. If the accommodation needed to meet the Technical Standards alters the educational standards of the curriculum, the student's ability to satisfactorily progress in the curriculum will be evaluated by the appropriate College's Student Academic Progress Committee.

Students who need accommodations to meet any technical standards must contact the Disability Services Office to make a formal request for accommodation.

Apply Online at AADSAS

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Application Process and Deadlines

Prospective applicants should submit all of their required application materials as early as possible. The College of Dental Medicine - Illinois uses a two-step application process. Applicants must submit both a completed AADSAS application and an MWU supplemental application.

1. AADSAS APPLICATION

To initiate the application process, all applicants must apply online via the AADSAS centralized application service at https://portal.aadsasweb.org. The AADSAS application is typically available in June. Please refer to the AADSAS instructions for specific application requirements and procedures. The deadline for submission of the AADSAS application with all required application materials is January 1.

2. DAT SCORES

Applicants must arrange for scores from the DAT to be sent directly to AADSAS. Only official test scores earned within three years prior to matriculation and received directly from AADSAS are acceptable.

3. LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation from academic sources and professionals to AADSAS. The Office of Admissions will only accept letters of recommendation received directly from AADSAS. Letters sent directly to the Office of Admissions will not be accepted. Please refer to the AADSAS application instructions for specific guidelines and requirements for submitting letters of recommendation. The letters must be received by the Office of Admissions from AADSAS on or before March 1.

4. SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION

After receiving AADSAS applications from the application service, the Office of Admissions will email supplemental applications to all applicants. Applicants must complete and submit their supplemental applications with the required information and their application fee to the Office of Admissions on or before March 1.

5.COMPLETED APPLICATIONS

Completed Applications: All application materials, including the AADSAS application, official DAT scores (as reported to AADSAS), two letters of recommendation (as submitted to AADSAS), and supplemental application materials with the application fee must be received in the Office of Admission on or before March 1. Only completed applications received by the Office of Admissions on or before the deadline date will be reviewed for potential entrance into the program.

Please note: Applicants are responsible for tracking the receipt of their application materials and verifying the status of their applications on the University website. The Office of Admissions will send qualified applicants instructions for checking the status of the application materials online. Applicants are also responsible for notifying the Office of Admissions of any changes in their mailing address or e-mail address.

Midwestern University
Office of Admissions
555 31st Street
Downers Grove, IL 60515
630/515-7200 or 800/458-6253
admissil@midwestern.edu

Interview / Selection Process

To be considered for interviews, 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 two 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. Applicants who receive invitations to interview must respond within four weeks. 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 an interview panel, which is selected from a volunteer group of dental faculty. Team members and students question applicants about their academic and healthcare 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 place applicants on the alternate list. Recommendations are then forwarded to the Dean for final approval. The Dean, via the Office of Admissions, notifies applicants of their status 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.

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Matriculation Process

The matriculation process begins after applicants receive notification of their acceptance. To complete the matriculation process, applicants must:

  1. Submit the matriculation agreement and required deposit monies by the date designated in the matriculation agreement. Deposits are applied towards the first quarter's tuition.
  2. Submit official final transcripts from all colleges attended post-high school by the deadline of two weeks (14 days) prior to the first day of classes. Students who are accepted to MWU less than one month prior to the first day of classes will have 30 calendar days from the date of their acceptance to submit all official transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Any special circumstances or requests for exceptions to this policy must be sent to and approved by the Office of the Dean of the college. Students who fail to submit all official final transcripts by the stated deadline may jeopardize their acceptance or continued enrollment in the College.
  3. Submit completed medical files documenting completion of a physical exam, immunizations, tuberculosis and titer blood testing as instructed by the Office of Student Services and detailed in the Student Handbook.
  4. Meet the Technical Standards for the College. 
  5. Submit proof of medical and disability insurance coverage. Students may select either a plan offered by an MWU-approved carrier or a comparable plan offered by an outside carrier of their choice, as determined by the Office of Student Services. Insurance must be maintained throughout the entire period of enrollment. 
  6. Submit additional documents as requested by the Office of Admissions or College.
  7. Students who are requesting an F-1 visa or who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must prepay tuition and in some cases other mandatory program fees for the first year of their educational program 6 weeks before the first day of the first quarter of each academic year. Furthermore, the student must prepay tuition and in some cases other mandatory program fees for each successive year at the start of each academic year on the University’s stated due date.
  8. Submit a signed Credit Policy Statement.
  9. Authorize and pass the MWU criminal background check  and/or fingerprinting background check as required by the specific College/School/Program.
  10. Submit a signed MWU Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy Statement.

Applicants who fail to satisfy these matriculation requirements or who omit or falsify information required on official admission documents automatically forfeit their seat in the program. Any individual accepted for admission to the college/program who does not comply with stated timelines for submission of all required materials receives no further notification from the college regarding the forfeiture of their seat.

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Reapplication Process

After receiving either denial or end-of-cycle letters, applicants may reapply for the next enrollment cycle. Before reapplying, however, applicants should seek the advice of an admissions counselor.

To initiate the reapplication process, applicants must submit their applications to AADSAS. Applications are then processed according to standard application procedures.

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Related Information

TRANSFER ADMISSION

Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois may elect to accept transfer students from other dental schools as long as these students remain in good academic standing and have an acceptable reason(s) for seeking transfer.

To be considered for transfer, students must meet the College's general requirements for admission. Students must also observe the following transfer procedures:

  1. All inquiries for transfer to Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois must be submitted to the Office of Admissions.
  2. Completed applications are returned to the Office of Admissions and must include transcripts from the previous dental school, class rank, a statement of the reason for transfer, a Dean's letter of "Good Academic Standing," and a letter of reference from the Dean of Students.
  3. Completed applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee and forwarded to the Dean.
  4. Applications are reviewed by the Dean, who will conduct interviews with transfer applicants.
  5. Applicants are notified by the Dean of final transfer admission decisions.

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Related Links

Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS)

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