University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) Dental School Admissions Statistics

Getting into dental school is difficult, and has only become more competitive each year. In this article, we cover the admissions statistics for the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, including the average GPA and DAT scores of accepted students, the required prerequisites, the number of applicants and acceptances, and everything else you need to know before applying to University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine!

UPenn Dental School Admission Statistics: Average GPA and DAT Scores

UPenn School of Dental Medicine enrolls a large and diverse class of 136 dental students every year. Out of the thousands of applications UPenn receives, they can accept only a fraction.

When deciding whether you should apply to UPenn, you can better gauge your competitiveness by comparing your stats to the average stats of previously accepted applicants. Compared to national averages for accepted applicants, which is a 3.69 overall GPA and a 3.63 science GPA, UPenn has much higher averages, with an average overall GPA of 3.84 and an average science GPA of 3.80 among accepted students.

For DAT scores, the national averages for accepted applicants are 21 Academic Average, 21 Total Science, and 20 PAT. By comparison, UPenn’s accepted student averages are higher: 23.7 Academic Average, 23.4 Total Science, and 21.8 PAT.

UPenn does not have a minimum DAT score requirement for applicants. Alternatively, the DAT score must be obtained within three years of your application for the score to be considered.

Required Prerequisites for the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine

Like many dental schools, UPenn has specific prerequisite coursework and experience requirements that applicants must complete before matriculating.

Applicants must have a total of 100 hours of dental shadowing, with at least 50 hours being completed with a general dentist; uniquely, UPenn allows for paid experiences to count towards shadowing hours.

UPenn Course Requirements:

• 8 credits of General Biology

• 3 credits of Biochemistry

• 8 credits of General Chemistry

• 4 credits of Organic Chemistry

• 3 credits of Mathematics

• 6 credits of an English/Writing intensive coursework

Prerequisites may be taken at a community college, but applicants must have at least 60 credits obtained from a 4-year university. UPenn does accept Advanced Placement (AP) credits for prerequisite coursework. Laboratory components are required for all prerequisite courses except Biochemistry, Mathematics, and the English/Writing intensive coursework.

In regards to letters of recommendations, UPenn requires a minimum of two letters of recommendation both coming from science professors. Applicants may submit a third letter of recommendation from a dentist. Applicants may substitute a committee letter in place of the science professor letters.

Before matriculating, students must undergo a criminal background check.

UPenn's Dental School Acceptance Rate: Applicants vs. Accepted Students

UPenn's School of Dental Medicine received a total of 2,211 applications this past cycle. While the chart may make it appear that UPenn favors in-state applicants, UPenn states that it does not give preference based on residency. Instead, they prioritize applicants whose values and professional goals align with the mission of the dental school.

Tuition and Costs at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine

When considering dental school, the cost of attendance is a major factor. UPenn's total cost of attendance is the same for in-state and out-of-state students.

The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine tuition is $94,176 each year, for all four years . Students should also consider an additional ~$40,000 per year for living expenses. A more in-depth breakdown of costs can be on the UPenn financial services website.

Accepted students must also have all required immunizations and an acceptable health insurance policy. More information on immunizations and health insurance requirements can be found on the UPenn student health and wellness website.

Want Help Getting Accepted to UPenn and Your Dream Dental Schools?

We've helped hundreds of pre-dentals get accepted to their dream dental schools, and dozens more get into ivy league schools! Our dental school admissions advisors, including former dental school admissions officers, are here to help you write a great personal statement and submit an application that helps you stand out, so you can get accepted. Book a free dental school admissions consult here.

Have questions about UPenn and the admissions process? Let me know in the comments below!

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About the Author: Dr. Andrew Ghadimi, DDS

Dr. Andrew graduated from UCLA's School of Dentistry and served on the ADEA AADSAS Advisory Board, helping run the dental school application. He also served as the National Pre-Dental Liaison for the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), the same organization that runs the dental school application. While at UCLA's School of Dentistry, he also served on the Council of Students, Residents, and Fellows Board as the Pre-Dental Chair for California. He has mentored and advised 500+ pre-dental applicants on their journey to dental school and helped pre-dentals receive over $2.5M in scholarships, in addition to acceptances to some of the most competitive dental schools in the country, including Harvard, UPenn, Columbia, UF, UCLA, and many others.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to UCLA, UCLA School of Dentistry, ADEA, or any other organization.