How to Apply to Dental SchoolHow to Apply to Dental School(AADSAS)(AADSAS)

By Ian Marion, Jeffrey Lee

updated by Travis Wu and Kent Levan

General TipsGeneral TipsKeep good records of your dental

observations, awards, extracurriculars, leadership, research, work experience, DAT scores, Community service

Go to the Career Resource Center and ask for help developing your resume

Extremely helpful when filling out your app because all the info is in front of you

APPLY EARLY: JUNE 3rd

SUBMIT EARLY! (as close to June 3rd as possible)

Where to begin…..?Where to begin…..?First, go to www.adea.orgUnder the “For Students” section, click

the hyperlink called AADSAS to set up an AADSAS account.

After you setup your account, with your username and password, you will be given an AADSAS ID number.◦ This is located at the upper right hand

corner of your homepage.◦ Important to have this written down for

communicating with dental schools and ADEA

Home pageHome pageEvery time you log onto your account,

a checklist will appear.Used to determine what areas of your

account are filledThere are also other tabs such as: My

Profile, Print, Status, Instructions.◦ These tabs will be extremely useful

throughout the application cycle◦ In each section, there are instructions on

how to fill out that individual section

Colleges AttendedColleges AttendedEnter every college institution

attendedFor every college, a transcript

matching form must be printed, filled out, and submitted with your transcript

Different schools have different policies on how to order transcripts

This will be done multiple times throughout the application cycle◦ For summer and fall course work; any

coursework after submitting application

CourseworkCourseworkIn addition to transcripts you have

to enter your courses and grades into AADSAS

You need the course name, number, grade and AADSAS equivalent. Special classifications, such as honors, are also included

You have to include all coursework, including summer sessions and AP scores counted for college credit.

Coursework pt.2Coursework pt.2You have to enter coursework by

sessionsYou add courses to each sessionMake sure all of the grades

entered into AADSAS match the grades on your transcripts

You should have an idea of the courses you plan to take the following terms and enter them into AADSAS (classified as Planned/In Progress)

DAT ScoresDAT ScoresIf you have taken the DAT you just

enter the scores inIf you have not taken the DAT you

can enter an approximate dateWhen you take the test make sure

to send official score reports to schools that you wish to apply to

Apply for DAT here: http://www.ada.org/dat.aspx

Background InformationBackground Information This section should be filled out

completely to the best of your abilities

Manual Dexterity (600 characters):◦Limited in describing how you use

your hands◦Talk about something, don’t leave it

blank◦i.e: building models, drawing,

painting, video games

Background Info (cont’d)Background Info (cont’d)Remaining questions:

◦ Family connections to dentistry◦ Educational Programs to prepare for dental

school Preclinical Simulation Course, Kaplan DAT course

◦ Education issues: suspension, poor grades/academic interference

◦ Previous applications to dental school? Interested in other health professions? (Probably don’t say anything unless you’ve done something concrete)

Awards, Honors, Awards, Honors, ScholarshipsScholarshipsEnter college accomplishments

over other accomplishments◦Higher priority is given to these

awards ◦Mention as many things as possible,

don’t be shy

Dentistry ExperienceDentistry ExperienceName of supervisorPosition TitleBrief Description of

Activities/experienceTotal hoursFrom Date A to Date BAnything that exposes you to

dentistry

ECs/VolunteeringECs/VolunteeringList activities in order of

importance◦High school and/or college◦However, college is more relevant◦Know dates, total hours, average

weekly hours, position, organization◦Good place to show leadership

experience/ community outreach

Work ExperienceWork ExperienceStart and End DatesTotal HoursBrief Description of workInclude Military Service

Research ExperienceResearch ExperienceWho your researching withWhat you did?HoursPosition TypeStart and End DatesIf you can, get a letter of

recommendation from your principal investigator.

Evaluators Pt. 1Evaluators Pt. 1Ask EARLY ! (That means all you 2+3’s

out there: GET IT DONE NOW!!!!!)Get to know your professors, treat them

out to coffee, talk to them about your goals and reasons for being a dentist, etc. ◦ Imagine if you were writing your own

evaluation; what would you want to know to write a good one for yourself

Can be done online or on paperFor paper form, a matching form must

be given to the evaluator

Evaluators Pt. 2Evaluators Pt. 2Make sure the LOE is waived for all lettersThink now about who you want to write it

and don’t just choose professors for classes that you’ve done well in

Make sure that each evaluator is actually writing it when they said they would. They are human and can sometimes be forgetful or swamped with work.

Allow AADSAS a couple weeks to process

Personal Essay Pt. 1Personal Essay Pt. 1Brainstorm firstThere is no one way to write the

essay but make it personalized and interesting

Relate all past/present activities to how it will help you become a great dentist

Be concise (4500 character limit w/ spaces)

Make sure to proofread it multiple times

Personal Essay Pt. 2Personal Essay Pt. 2“Address why you desire to pursue a

dental education and how a dental degree contributes to your personal and professional goals.”

Get feedback from others who are good at editing essays

Try to get a rough draft finished early (preferably before apps start) to give ample time for all your editors to really pick it apart and make it that much better

Make sure to read and know everything about your personal statement before your interviews

School DesignationsSchool DesignationsAdd schools that you want to

consider your applicationApply to multiple schools

◦Initial fee: $217◦Fee per school drops with each additional

school (+$68 for each additional school)◦Worth it to consider other schools outside

of California; the outside world is not that scary

◦Be aware that almost all dental school will require an additional application fee

““Status” TabStatus” TabAADSAS updates every time they

receive official documents (Transcripts, LOE forms)

Check this often to ensure that all of your information is reaching AADSAS

Once your application has been received by schools they will update your status here

Things to RememberThings to RememberMost sections can not be changed

after you submit the application◦Apply early, but not before your

application is as complete as it can be◦If you completed all other sections but

just need to wait until you finish your DAT’s, submit the application anyway and then update the application later.

◦Submitting early can put you on the school’s radar earlier than submitting after every single section is completely finished though they won’t give you a yes or no until you do finish everything

Things to RememberThings to Remember◦It takes about a week to fill out the

application(unless you have everything already prepared ahead of time)

◦It takes a few weeks for AADSAS to process the application, so expect a delay

◦AADSAS periodically reopens to allow you to update coursework and send updated transcripts, do this as soon as possible

Additional ResourcesAdditional ResourcesStudent Doctor Network Pre-

Dental forums: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=17

www.predents.comThey can help you gauge your

competitiveness and answer questions about schools

DAT and Suggested Study DAT and Suggested Study MaterialMaterialMost often you are taking the DAT the same

summer you are applying (time management)Format

◦ 90minutes: 40 Bio questions, 30 Chem, 30 Ochem◦ 60 minutes: PAT◦ Break 15 minutes◦ 60 minutes: Reading Comp◦ 45 Minutes: 40 Qualitative Analysis

Suggested study materials: ◦ DAT Destroyer (Study 3-4 times, know the solutions

cold)◦ DAT Achiever◦ Topscore DAT◦ Crack the DAT PAT◦ Kaplan?

Questions??Questions??If you know people who have

filled out the application (like us), ask for help

ianm87@gmail.comjeff.hy.lee@gmail.comtravis-wu@hotmail.comk_levan@u.pacific.edu