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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 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 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) 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-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 (biology, chemistry and physics - BCP) and a total GPA of 3.00 or more (although 3.30 will be generally competitively necessary) on a 4.00 scale. A minimum science and overall GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale is required to receive a supplemental application from the College.

  1. Complete prerequisite courses (see table below).
  2. Submit competitive scores on the Dental Aptitude Test (DAT). Scores in the area of 20 or higher are desired for the Academic Average, Reading Comprehension, and Perceptual Ability sections. The DAT test must have been taken no more than 3 years prior to the planned enrollment year. Note: The Canadian DAT can be substituted for the U.S. DAT. All sections of the Canadian DAT are required.
  3. Submit two letters of recommendation. One must be from either a pre-dental advisory committee or a science professor. The other, 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.
  4. Demonstrate a sincere understanding of, and interest in, the humanitarian ethos of health care and particularly dental medicine.
  5. Reflect a people or service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities.
  6. Reflect proper motivation for, and commitment to, health care as demonstrated by previous salaried work, volunteer work, or other life experience.
  7. Possess the oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues.
  8. Agree to abide by Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy.
  9. Pass the Midwestern University criminal background check. Applicants will be subject to a criminal background check. The results of the background check are reviewed by the Dean of Students to determine whether there is a record of misdemeanor or felony convictions. If there is a positive record, the Dean of Students will inform the appropriate Academic Dean and the University's Director of Risk Managment to determine whether the criminal history will negatively impact the student's admission status or ability to complete the practical training/rotation requirements of the degree program.

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 3 4
Microbiology 3 4
Other Courses
Physics 8 12
Physiology 3 4
Biochemistry 3 4
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.

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, six hours in non-remedial English composition, and three hours in speech/public speaking.

Applicants who wish to receive transfer credit for prerequisite coursework completed outside the US 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:

  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)

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.

Click here for more information on International Student Financial Services

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 sense of touch 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 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.

Candidates are required to acknowledge that they understand and meet these Technical Standards. Candidates must provide such certification prior to matriculation. Candidates who may not meet the Technical Standards must inform the Director of Admissions, who will then contact the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students, in consultation with the academic dean (and program director), will identify and discuss what accommodations, if any, the College (Program) would need to make that would allow the candidate to complete the curriculum. The College (Program) 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 in their professional program.

Application Deadline

The official Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) application deadline is January 1st; however, to be competitive within the rolling admissions process, prospective students should submit their AADSAS applications as early as possible after June 1st of the year prior to desired matriculation. Even though the AADSAS deadline is January 1st 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 CDMA supplemental application form, are received by the Office of Admissions prior to this date) is March 1st of the expected matriculation year.

Apply Online at AADSAS

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Application Process

To initiate the application process, prospective students must apply directly to AADSAS at 655 K Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC  20001; 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 (biology, chemistry and physics - BCP) and total GPA requirement of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale. The Applicant must complete and return the supplemental application as soon as possible; additionally, he/she must request two 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.

PLEASE 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 email 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 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. 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 one- or two-person interview panel, which is selected from a volunteer group of basic scientists, administrators, and dental clinicians. Team members and students 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 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 March of the matriculation year.

Reapplication Process

After receiving either denial or end-of-cycle letters, applicants 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, applicants must submit their applications to AADSAS. Applications are then processed according to standard application procedures.

Matriculation Process

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

  1. Submit the matriculation agreement and required deposit monies by the date designated in the matriculation agreement. Deposits are applied toward the first quarter's tuition.
  2. Submit official final transcripts from all colleges attended post-high school by the deadline of two weeks (14 calendar 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 Program.
  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 required by the Office of Admissions or college
  7. Students who are requesting an I-20 visa or who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must prepay tuition and in some cases other mandatory program fees for the entire length of their program at Midwestern University.
  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.

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

Tuition and Fees

Tuition rates are subject to change each academic year for all enrolled students. Click here for the current Glendale Tuition and Fees.

Related Information

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 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. Students must also observe the following procedure:

  • All inquiries for transfer to Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona must be submitted to the Office of Admissions.
  • Completed applications are returned to the Admissions Office and must include transcripts from the previous dental school, class rank (must be in top 50%), a statement of reason for transfer, a Dean's letter of "Good Academic Standing," and a letter of reference from the Dean of Students.
  • Completed applications are forwarded to the Dean.
  • Applications are reviewed by the Dean, who will conduct interviews with transfer applicants.
  • Applicants are notified by the Dean of the final transfer admission decisions.
  • Students applying for transfer must not have been previously rejected for admission to MWU CDMA through the standard admissions process.

Related Links

Associated American Dental Schools Application Services (AADSAS)

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