University of Kentucky DMD Admissions Guide (2027)

Quick facts

• Entry cycle: Fall 2027; ADEA AADSAS opened May 12, 2026 and submissions opened June 2. UK has not published its own current-cycle deadline. ADEA dates
• Degree and site: regular Doctor of Dental Medicine in Lexington; UK reports approximately 65 DMD entrants each year. Programme identity
• Application: verified AADSAS plus a $75 UK processing fee; a fee-waiver request option is available.
• Tests and experience: DAT required; at least 50 dental-shadowing hours, mostly in general dentistry, plus demonstrated direct service.
• Interview: invitation-only conversational panel, late August through early December, with 12 candidates scheduled per interview day. DMD admissions
• Boundary: this page excludes PEPP-DMD, transfers, dental-assistant training and postgraduate programmes.

Admission requirements

Required coursework is two semesters or three quarters each of biology with laboratory, general chemistry with laboratory, organic chemistry with laboratory and English emphasizing communication; one semester or two quarters of physics with laboratory; and one semester or two quarters each of microbiology and biochemistry. Courses must be completed at a regionally accredited U.S. institution before July matriculation. Pre-dental requirements

The DAT is required. UK encourages applicants to submit AADSAS early even if the official score is pending and describes a process for uploading an unofficial report while AADSAS receives the official result. The current pages reviewed do not publish a minimum DAT score, score-expiration rule or final Fall 2027 DAT deadline.

Two letters must come from science faculty who taught the applicant in a classroom prerequisite science course; a committee letter can replace those two. A third letter must come from a dentist the applicant shadowed. One optional fourth letter may add evidence about achievement, leadership, service or personal qualities.

Applicants need at least 50 dental-shadowing hours, with most in general dentistry, and should demonstrate direct service and a desire to help others. UK publishes no required service-hour total. The current pages do not confirm a minimum GPA, bachelor's-degree requirement, citizenship rule, international-applicant route, Kentucky-residency preference or how AP, online and community-college prerequisites are treated.

Important dates

ADEA's 2026-27 AADSAS application opened May 12, 2026 and first accepted submissions June 2. AADSAS closes February 5, 2027, but each dental school controls an earlier school deadline and UK has not published its own Fall 2027 deadline on the current pages reviewed. ADEA AADSAS dates

UK begins sending interview invitations in mid-July. Interview sessions normally run from late August through early December. UK follows ADEA traffic guidance and says it will not make provisional or final offers before December 15 for the class enrolling in August. DMD application process

Prerequisite coursework must be complete before July matriculation. UK has not published the exact Fall 2027 orientation, matriculation or first-class date, or the deadline for the $75 UK processing fee.

How selection works

A verified AADSAS application triggers instructions for the $75 UK processing fee. After payment or an approved waiver, the Admissions Director assigns the file for review, and the Admissions Office meets every two weeks to review decisions. Only complete files are considered for an interview. DMD admissions

UK describes a holistic interest in well-rounded, service-minded applicants. The published evidence includes academic preparation, DAT, prerequisite completion, faculty and dentist recommendations, dental observation, direct service and the panel interview. An interview invitation signals strong committee interest but does not assure admission.

After interview, an applicant can be admitted, waitlisted or declined. UK does not publish screen thresholds, numerical weights, a committee vote rule, interview scoring dimensions, residency weighting or wait-list order.

Interview details

Confirmed

Interviews are by invitation for complete applicants and normally run from late August through early December. Invitations begin in mid-July, UK aims to give about 30 days' notice and schedules 12 candidates per interview day. The interview is a traditional, conversational panel. Panels include members of the Admissions Committee, faculty, staff and students. The interview packet includes travel and visit information, which supports an in-person Lexington visit. DMD admissions

Not published

UK does not publish the panel size for each candidate, interview duration, exact number of encounters, interviewer file access, question domains, scoring rubric or anchors, numerical interview weight, post-interview voting method or a virtual alternative for Fall 2027.

Who this program may suit

UK frames its regular DMD around scientific preparation, technical readiness, service and care for communities in need. A fit response should connect direct service or general-dentistry observation to a concrete patient or access need, then show what the applicant learned and changed. Admissions overview

This page covers first-year admission to the regular Lexington DMD. PEPP-DMD is a separate preparatory summer programme, and postdoctoral certificates, residencies, graduate study and dental-assistant training use different admissions processes.

Practice and next step

Record a panel-style response about a direct-service or dental-shadowing experience that changed how you understand patient trust. Ask a reviewer to identify whether the context, your own action, what you learned and the change in your behaviour are specific. Make one adjustment, record a second attempt and compare clarity, accountability and service orientation.

Frequently asked questions

What application does Kentucky use?

The regular DMD uses ADEA AADSAS. After verification, UK emails instructions for a $75 processing fee or fee-waiver request. DMD admissions

What is Kentucky's Fall 2027 deadline?

The school-specific deadline is not published on the current official pages reviewed. ADEA opened the 2026-27 application May 12, 2026 and submissions June 2, but applicants should not treat AADSAS's February closure as UK's deadline.

How is the interview structured?

UK confirms an invitation-only, traditional conversational panel with Admissions Committee members, faculty, staff and students. It does not publish duration or scoring.

How much shadowing is required?

At least 50 hours, with most hours in general dentistry. Pre-dental requirements

Sources

Verified August 12, 2026. Current official sources: DMD application, fee, interview and decisions, prerequisites, DAT, letters, service and shadowing, current 2026-27 applicant-cycle confirmation, regular DMD identity and ADEA's 2026-27 AADSAS dates.