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WesternU / College of Dental Medicine / Doctor of Dental Medicine / Application Requirements

Application Requirements

  • Application Process

    Step 1: Prerequisites and Application Requirement

    The first step in the admissions process is to ensure you are on track to complete both the course prerequisites and application requirements in time to apply for your preferred year of entry.

    International Students: We do not require a separate application or fee, and you should be prepared to meet all of the prerequisite and application requirements as outlined. If you need assistance with immigration (I-20 form, F-1 visa, SEVIS, etc.), our International Student Services (ISS) staff are available to help you.Visit the ISS website to learn more.

    Step 2: Make Yourself a Competitive Candidate

    Admission to the program is competitive so you should strive to not only meet, but exceed the minimum requirements. To get a feel for the competitiveness of the applicant pool we recommend that you view our class statistics page, review the national statistics for Dental Medicine and read what the admissions committee recommends you do to maximize your candidacy.

    Step 3: Preparing and Submitting your Application

    The apply now page will provide you with step-by-step instructions as well as an application checklist. There are a number of supporting materials that make up your completed application and it is essential that you print and carefully follow the checklist to ensure that you properly submit these pieces by the deadline.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    We’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions to help you navigate through the application process, and please do not hesitate to contact us if you have additional questions
  • Prerequisite Courses

    MINIMUM OF 8 SEMESTER UNITS OR 12 QUARTER UNITS (MUST BE FULL-YEAR COURSE SEQUENCE)

    • General Biology with lab – may not be an introductory course
      • May include courses such as biology, zoology, anatomy, physiology, embryology, endocrinology, immunology, cell biology, molecular biology, histology, etc.
    • Organic Chemistry with lab – may not be an introductory course
    • General Physics with lab – may not be an introductory course
    • General or Inorganic Chemistry with lab – may not be an introductory course

    Required: 6 semester or 9 quarter units

    • College English/English Composition
      • Must be a writing or composition course taken from the English Department or a course that fulfills the GE writing requirement for your school
      • Literature courses may be accepted if they include a writing component
      • May not be a Speech or Communication course
      • May not be an English as a Second Language (ESL) course
      • All writing intensive courses outside of the English Department will require a syllabus to be submitted for review before acceptance
    • Not required but highly recommended
      • Biochemistry, Genetics, Cell Biology, Human Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, Calculus 1, Biometrics, Psychology & Conversational Spanish

    All ​Prerequisites:

    • Must be completed at a regionally accredited U.S. institution (exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis) or its equivalent abroad
    • Must be completed with a grade of “C” or better (a grade of “C-” or lower is not acceptable)
    • One course cannot be used to satisfy more than one prerequisite
    • Must be completed by the spring term prior to matriculation.
    • Online labs are NOT accepted – Due to COVID-19, online labs completed in the spring 2020 through spring 2022 semesters will be accepted
    • Pass/no pass credit is NOT accepted – Due to COVID-19, pass/no pass credit for prerequisite courses completed in the spring 2020 through spring 2022 semesters will be accepted
    • Only English may be taken on an advanced-placement basis
    • May not be satisfied by CLEP, Dept. Exam, IB credits or credit for experiential learning
    • Will not be waived or substituted
    • All coursework taken from non-U.S. institutions (excluding English-speaking Canadian institutions) must be submitted to an approved service for evaluation.
  • Prerequisite Database

    Not sure if your course qualifies? If you’d like to find out whether the courses you’ve taken or plan to take will satisfy WesternU’s DMD prerequisites you may search the prerequisite database by institution.

    If you don’t see your courses listed in the database, you may contact your Admissions Counselor for assistance.
  • Application Requirements

    Completion of prerequisite courses as outlined

    Minimum 90 semester or 135 quarter units of undergraduate/graduate coursework

    • Must be completed by matriculation at a regionally accredited U.S. institution

    Minimum 30 hours of dental-related work experience

    • Must have a minimum of 30 hours of experience as a dental assistant, dental hygienist, dental laboratory technician and/or observing dentists.
    • 30 hours must be completed at the time of application
    • Be sure to list your experience hours in the “Shadowing Experience” section of your AADSAS application. If you do not list your hours in this section, your application will not be processed.
    • Although the minimum is 30 hours, to increase your competitiveness, we recommend 100+ hours
    • The quality of experience hours is also important.
    • Work experience may be paid or on a volunteer basis

    Dental Admissions Test (DAT)

    • DAT scores are valid for three years (based on the start of the application cycle). For the 2026 entering class, test dates prior to May 11, 2022, are NOT acceptable.
    • DAT must be taken by December 1, 2025.
    • Official DAT scores must be received before application will be considered
    • Canadian DAT scores are not accepted

    Casper Test 

    • All applicants are required to complete Casper as part of their application for the 2025/2026 admission cycle. Casper is an online, open-response situational judgement test that takes 65-85 minutes to complete.
    • Visit take.casper.com to create an account, register to complete Casper, and learn more about the assessment.
    • Official Scores must be received by application deadline, December 1, 2025.

    Letters of Recommendation

    • The letters of recommendation requirement may be fulfilled one of two ways:
      • Obtain one (1) letter of recommendation from your undergraduate institution’s pre-professional committee; or
      • Obtain three (3) letters of recommendation:
        • One (1) letter of recommendation from a dentist or another professor (dentist should not be a family member)
        • Two (2) letters of recommendation from science professors
          * Acceptable Subjects for Science Letters
    • Methods of submitting letters of recommendation:
      • Electronic: Letters can be electronically submitted by the recommender to the application service or other services such as Interfolio but the letter must be typed on official letterhead and signed.
      • Paper: Letters must be typed on official letterhead and signed by the recommender. Letter should be mailed in a sealed envelope that is signed over the seal by the recommender. Letters can be mailed to: WesternU, Attention: Admissions Operations, 309 E. 2nd St, Pomona, CA  91766
      • Email: Letters may be attached to an email sent directly from the recommender, but the letter must be typed on official letterhead and signed. The recommender’s email address must be a business or school email address. Emailed letters should be submitted to AO@westernu.edu.
    • All required Letters of Recommendations must be received by the application deadline, December 1, 2025.

    Note: Letters that do not meet the above requirements will not be accepted.

    Although not required, having earned a BS or BA will likely strengthen your application

    • BS or BA may be in any subject

    Proof of Legal US Residency – If Required

    • International applicants, or any other applicants who are not U.S. citizens and who are living in the U.S., must provide proof of legal U.S. residency prior to matriculation.

    Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – If Required

    • The TOEFL is required for all applicants submitting coursework from foreign schools
    • A minimum score of 79 for the Internet-Based test must be submitted at the time of application.
    • TOEFL scores are valid for two years. For the 2026 entering class, test dates prior to March 4, 2024, are NOT acceptable.
      • Exceptions:
        • The TOEFL exam will be waived for permanent and temporary residents of the United States who have completed at least six semester units, with a C or better, of College English/English Composition from an accredited institution in the United States. May not be an English as a Second Language (ESL) courses.
        • English courses taken from foreign countries whose native language is English will be accepted (e.g., Canada, Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand and the British West Indies)
    • We do not accept TOEFL’s “The Best” score. We only accept the Internet-Based test submitted at the time of application. If you retake the test prior to the to the deadline, we will accept the test that has been most recently submitted.
    • TOEFL exam must be taken by the application deadline, December 1, 2025.  Official scores must be received before your application will be considered.

    Other Documentation

    • Certification programs and or trainings, if listed on application, will require official documentation from the institution or training company.  Include programs for which an official document can be provided.