UTHSC Dentistry DDS Admissions Guide (2027)

Quick facts

• Degree: Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS).
• Location: Memphis, Tennessee.
• Application: ADEA AADSAS.
• School deadline: September 30; all materials submitted and DAT completed by that date.
• Academic floor: 97 college hours and a published expected 2.75 GPA in prerequisites and cumulative work.
• Dental exposure: at least 50 hours shadowing in a general dental practice.
• Interview: invitation-only personal interview at the College of Dentistry. Current UTHSC DDS admissions

Admission requirements

UTHSC requires 97 college hours and prefers, but does not normally require, a bachelor's degree. Prerequisites must be completed with C or higher by May 31 of the entry year: six hours English composition; eight each of general biology with lab, general chemistry with lab, organic chemistry with lab and physics with lab; three biochemistry; and one upper-division biology option—three hours histology, four hours microbiology with lab, or four hours comparative anatomy, with four-hour human anatomy and lab permitted as a substitute. Current UTHSC DDS admissions

Science prerequisites should be taken face to face. If an institution offers a required course only online, UTHSC requires a registrar or academic-counsellor letter; separate pandemic exceptions apply to 2020 and spring/summer 2021. Transcripted CLEP and AP credit are accepted. The current page publishes an expected 2.75 minimum in required subjects and cumulative coursework, while noting that successful applicants are generally competitive at 3.5 or higher.

The American DAT is required before application. UTHSC now acknowledges the 200-600 scale and states that a 400 Academic Average or higher is competitive, not guaranteed admission. Applicants submit through AADSAS either a committee letter plus one other letter, or two science-professor letters plus one other; up to four are accepted. At least 50 hours of general-dentist shadowing is requested. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents at application.

Important dates

ADEA AADSAS opened May 12, 2026 and accepted first submissions June 2 for the 2026-27 cycle. UTHSC's annual application period is June 1 through September 30; all application materials must be submitted and the DAT taken by September 30. Evaluations may follow but must reach AADSAS by November 30. UTHSC application timeline ADEA AADSAS dates

Interviews can be communicated from July through February, though the school warns that interview slots are often filled by early September. Decisions begin in December and continue on a rolling basis until classes start; alternate lists are established in December and January. UTHSC does not publish the exact Fall 2027 matriculation date in the current admissions contract.

How selection works

UTHSC conducts holistic whole-file review. Published factors include overall, science and last-30-hours GPAs; DAT scores; application-survey responses; interview assessment; personal statement; recommendations; full academic loads; ability to balance study with work or activities; critical thinking; exploration of dentistry; community service; leadership and other extracurricular evidence. Current UTHSC DDS admissions

Tennessee residents receive preference. Arkansas residents are considered under Arkansas Health Education Grant guidelines, and UTHSC says about seven percent of the class comes from all other states. The school does not publish quantitative weights, academic-screen mechanics, committee vote rules or wait-list ranking.

Interview details

Confirmed

A personal interview at the College of Dentistry is required before acceptance and is invitation only. The visit includes a school tour, financial-aid information and opportunities to speak with faculty and students. The committee looks for integrity, motivation, maturity and informed exposure to dental care. The FAQ says applicants interview once, usually with three faculty members and the Admissions Committee chair, in a conversational two-way format. Current UTHSC admissions UTHSC DDS FAQ

Not published

The current sources do not publish interview length, whether the faculty speak jointly or separately, interviewer file access, exact prompts, rubric, scoring scale, interview weight, accommodations or a virtual alternative.

Who this program may suit

UTHSC emphasizes care for underserved communities, direct community engagement, professional integrity and realistic exposure to general dentistry. Applicants should connect dental observation and service to a concrete understanding of patients, access and professional responsibility. Current UTHSC DDS admissions This page covers the regular predoctoral DDS in Memphis, not UTHSC medicine, dental hygiene, transfer, postgraduate specialty or Master of Dental Science routes.

Practice and next step

Record a response about an experience that moved you outside your normal environment and changed how you understand oral-health access or patient trust. Ask a reviewer whether your example names the people involved, your own actions and one specific insight. Make one adjustment, record a second attempt and compare clarity and maturity.

Frequently asked questions

Does UTHSC award a DMD?

No. The regular predoctoral award is the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS).

Is a bachelor's degree mandatory?

No. It is strongly preferred; a well-qualified applicant without one needs advance approval. The programme requires 97 college hours.

Are online science prerequisites accepted?

Only when the institution offers the course solely online and the applicant supplies the required institutional letter, apart from the stated pandemic exceptions.

Does UTHSC prefer Tennessee residents?

Yes. Tennessee residents receive preference; Arkansas applicants have a specified grant route, and the school says approximately seven percent of the class comes from other states.

Sources

Verified August 12, 2026. Current official sources: UTHSC DDS admissions requirements, UTHSC DDS application timeline, UTHSC DDS FAQ and ADEA AADSAS cycle dates.