College of Dental Medicine-Illinois

At the College of Dental Medicine-Illinois (CDMI), you will learn to be a skilled, ethical dentist through mentorship and comprehensive educational experiences.

Student in dental simulation lab, working on fake patient

At the College of Dental Medicine-Illinois (CDMI), we nurture the aspirations of future dentists, fostering their success in a student-centered environment that emphasizes professionalism, teamwork, mutual respect, and immersive hands-on experiences.

Interprofessional Focus

At the College of Dental Medicine-Illinois (CDMI), students gain valuable insights into interprofessional roles, understanding the critical link between optimal oral health and overall well-being.

Comprehensive Training

In the initial two years, our dental students collaborate closely with seasoned preclinical faculty to develop critical-thinking abilities and hone dental procedural skills on lifelike mannequins within the state-of-the-art CDMI Simulation Clinic.

Clinical Experience

As students progress into their third and fourth years, they work in D3/D4 pairs under the guidance of experienced clinical faculty, delivering comprehensive oral healthcare to patients at the Midwestern University Dental Institute.

Ready for Dental Practice

Upon completing our rigorous four-year program, you'll emerge fully equipped to seamlessly transition into dental practice, armed with competence, confidence, and competitiveness as a skilled clinician, poised to embark on your journey as an integral member of tomorrow's healthcare team.

Why Our Program is Exceptional

  • Our Location: We are a small, safe campus, located close to many reputable dental practices in Chicago and the surrounding areas.
  • Our Reputation: Students gain hands-on experience at our MWU community-based dental clinic, working with patients from start to finish. They will get to perform a variety of dental procedures many times over, including implants, orthodontics, crowns, and more. 
  • Our Faculty: Our 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio demonstrates how much MWU prioritizes one-on-one attention with students. MWU dental faculty are experts in their field, are caring and empathic, and are dedicated to helping students become confident clinicians.
  • What We Care About: Above all, we value relationships. Not just student-to-faculty or student-to-patient, but mentorships, too. Third- and fourth-year students are paired together each year, which helps them learn from each other, whether they are the mentee or the mentor.
  • What Sets Us Apart: We are a competitive program seeking students who have the heart for dentistry. Our hands-on clinical experiences are unmatched because we prioritize only training students using the most up-to-date equipment and technology.

Learn More

Learn more about the requirements and find quick links to relevant information to guide you in your decision-making process.

  • Bachelor's degree preferred 
  • Minimum overall GPA of 3.0 preferred 
  • Minimum BCP science GPA of 3.0 preferred 
  • Approximately 50 semester hours or 80 quarter hours of prerequisite coursework 
  • DAT academic average score of 18 or higher desired 
  • A Minimum of 2 letters of recommendation (no letters from family member), with one letter preferably from a dentist.

Full list of requirements*

*Subject to change

Application Deadline 

Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis. Applicants are required to submit their application to AADSAS by January 1st. Students may access the online application via the Midwestern University website or through the AADSAS website. Students are advised to complete their application files as early as possible to ensure timely consideration.

Online Application at ADEA AADSAS

Transfer Information 

The 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, candidates must meet the College's general requirements for admission.

Full list of requirements*

*Subject to change

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 CDMA. Candidates must be able to perform the following abilities and skills.

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 vision and sense of touch and is enhanced by the functional use of all of the other senses.

Communication: The candidate must be able to communicate in English, proficiently and sensitively, in verbal and written form, and be able to perceive nonverbal communications.

Motor: Candidates must be able to coordinate both gross and fine motor 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. Candidates must be able to lift 20 lbs.

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.

Behavioral and Social Attributes: The candidate must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the consistent, prompt completion of all responsibilities, and the development of mature, sensitive and effective communication. 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.

Class of 2024

Overall Pass Rate, INBDE:

100% 

Mission

The Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine − Illinois is dedicated to the education of dentists who will demonstrate excellence in comprehensive oral healthcare, service to the public, and the discovery and dissemination of knowledge.

Vision of One

As it takes a village to raise a child, it takes the entire college to develop a competent and confident clinician. Everyone involved with CDMI, working as ONE team, should have that ONE singular purpose of developing competent and confident clinicians in mind as they approach each day. 

The following themes guide the CDMI in pursuit of the Vision of ONE.

  1. Remembering ONE purpose of developing competent and confident clinicians
  2. Inspiring the desire for growth and development in everyone
  3. Modeling the concept of ONE team from Admissions to Graduation
  4. Teaching the teachers and leading the leaders
  5. Standardizing the CDMI faculty to uniform instruction
  6. Empowering students to be partners in their education
  7. Empowering staff to be partners in the education of the students
  8. Developing leadership skills that bring out the best in the students
  9. Utilizing patient-centered care to foster empathy by precept, example, and service
  10. Leading others to act for the betterment of the larger whole - group, class, school, profession, and community
  11. Empowering students to believe in themselves
  12. Teaching students the importance of lifelong learning
  13. Instilling in students the importance of balance and humility in life
  14. Helping students to develop good habits that will last a lifetime
  15. Developing a culture of opportunity
  16. Developing a culture of optimism
  17. Developing a culture of exceptionalism with humility
  • Female: 64%
  • Male: 36%
  • Scores
    • Average BCP GPA: 3.15
    • DAT TS: 18.8
    • AA: 19.0
    • RC: 20.3 
    • PA: 19.1
  • Top 3 feeder states in order: Illinois, Michigan, California

The Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312-440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. The Commission’s web address is: http://www.ada.org/en/coda.

Midwestern University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission/A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC/NCA), 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604-1413.

Academic Course Catalog

Explore details regarding your specific College/Program (subject to change).

Hear Our Stories

Hear from students just like you who are pursuing healthcare careers and from the faculty who are helping them along the way.

Mariangel Morales, College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, Class of 2025

"I believe that our smile is our presentation card, and assisting someone in attaining the smile they've always wanted can profoundly enhance their happiness and self-assuredness. I aspire to help fulfill my patients' desired smile and assist them in maintaining their oral health."

Mariangel Morales

Emily Ladnier, College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, Class of 2022

"I'm just so happy that Midwestern has given me the opportunity to shine and to grow."

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Contact Us

Our admissions staff is here to assist you in making informed decisions about your academic journey. When contacting us, be sure to provide your preferred program and campus so we can address your questions or concerns.