Ohio State DDS Admissions Guide (2027)

Quick facts

• Degree: Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), delivered across 11 semesters.
• Location: Postle Hall in Columbus, Ohio.
• Application: ADEA AADSAS, followed by a supplemental for applicants who meet the published minimums.
• School deadline: October 1; the live page does not print a cycle year beside the date.
• Tests: American DAT required; Canadian DAT not accepted.
• Dental experience: at least 40 hours completed before application.
• Interview: invitation only, with interviews in October and November. Current DDS application process

Admission requirements

Applicants need at least 60 semester or 90 quarter hours from an accredited institution, a 3.0 total GPA and a 3.0 science GPA. An applicant below the GPA minimum may still be considered for interview with either a completed advanced degree at 3.5 or higher or a 3.5 GPA across the last 45 hours. Current DDS application process

At least eight of 12 prerequisite courses must be complete before application and all must be complete before classes, with grades of C or higher at an accredited English-speaking institution in the United States or Canada. The course set includes anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, two-course sequences in biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry, English or composition, microbiology and physics. A lab is required only when embedded in the specified course number; a separately numbered lab is not required.

The American DAT is required before the file is complete. Current published minimums are 370 AA, 360 PAT and 380 SNS; the oldest accepted score is three years from receipt of the application. The Canadian DAT is not accepted. Applicants need at least 40 dental-experience hours before applying and at least two AADSAS recommendations, including one college faculty letter; no more than four letters are accepted.

Important dates

ADEA AADSAS opened May 12, 2026 and accepted first submissions June 2 for the 2026-27 cycle. Ohio State begins receiving applications in June and requires the AADSAS application to be complete, verified and transmitted by October 1. The live Ohio State page does not append a year to that school deadline. Ohio State application process ADEA AADSAS dates

All recommendations are also due by October 1. Eligible applicants receive a supplemental that is due two weeks after invitation. Interview invitations arrive about four to five weeks before the assigned date; interviews run through October and November, and offers are communicated on or after December 15. The current page does not publish the Fall 2027 matriculation date or supplemental fee.

How selection works

Ohio State screens for its stated academic, DAT and dental-experience minimums before an applicant is eligible for the supplemental and interview review. Applicants also report volunteer work, community service, research, leadership, work, military, teaching, sport and other co-curricular experiences. Current DDS application process

The school anticipates interviewing more than 250 applicants in the current cycle. It does not publish quantitative weights, the supplemental screen beyond the stated minimums, interview scoring, committee vote rules, residency allocation or wait-list ordering.

Interview details

Confirmed

Interviews are invitation only and occur in October and November. Invitation emails are sent about four to five weeks before the assigned date and provide scheduling, location and pre-interview programming details. Offers begin on or after December 15. Current DDS application process

Not published

The current official page does not publish the interview modality, number or length of stations or conversations, interviewer identities or file access, prompts, rubric, scoring scale, numerical weight or accommodation process.

Who this program may suit

Ohio State's regular DDS combines foundational preparation, extensive patient-care education and fourth-year community-clinic work through the OHIO Project. Applicants should connect verified dental exposure to what they learned about patient care, responsibility and the communities they hope to serve. Current DDS programme page This page covers only the regular predoctoral DDS in Columbus, not Ohio State Medicine, dental hygiene, the International Dentist Track, DentPath, transfer admission, DDS/PhD or postgraduate specialties.

Practice and next step

Record a response about one dental experience that changed how you understand a dentist's responsibility to a patient or community. Ask a reviewer whether the example separates what you observed from what you personally did and ends with a specific lesson. Make one adjustment, record a second attempt and compare clarity and reflection.

Frequently asked questions

Does Ohio State award a DMD?

No. Its regular predoctoral degree is the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS).

Is the Canadian DAT accepted?

No. Ohio State requires the American DAT.

Is a bachelor's degree mandatory?

The current page requires at least 60 semester or 90 quarter hours; it does not state that a bachelor's degree is mandatory.

Can an out-of-state applicant apply?

Yes. Ohio State publishes nonresident costs and a route to seek Ohio residency after the first year, but the current admissions page does not publish an admissions preference or seat allocation by residency.

Sources

Verified August 12, 2026. Current official sources: Ohio State DDS application process, Ohio State DDS programme identity, Ohio State residency and costs and ADEA AADSAS cycle dates.