WesternU Dental Medicine Admissions Guide (2027)

Quick facts

• Entry cycle: Fall 2027; AADSAS and WesternU's secondary opened June 2, 2026 and close December 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. How to apply
• Education: at least 90 semester or 135 quarter units; a bachelor's is preferred but not required. 2026-27 catalog
• Tests: U.S. DAT and the current-cycle Casper are required; Canadian DAT is not accepted.
• Experience: at least 30 hours of paid or volunteer dental experience plus community service.
• Interview: on campus September through February; the individual interview lasts about 25-30 minutes. Interview process
• Programme: regular four-year DMD in Pomona, separate from WesternU's DMD International Dentist Program.

Admission requirements

Applicants normally complete at least 90 semester or 135 quarter units. A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution is preferred but not required, and rare exceptions may be considered. Required coursework is eight semester or 12 quarter units each of biology with laboratory, general or inorganic chemistry with laboratory, organic chemistry with laboratory and physics with laboratory, plus six semester or nine quarter units of English. Grades must be C or better; C-, CLEP and experiential credit do not count. 2026-27 catalog

All prerequisites must be finished by the end of spring, no later than June 30 before matriculation. Immediate pre-entry summer courses do not satisfy the timeline. The catalog allows only English AP toward required coursework and does not waive prerequisites. It recommends biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, genetics, cell biology, microbiology, calculus, psychology and conversational Spanish.

The U.S. DAT is required, must be received before file review and must be within three years. The Canadian DAT is not accepted. The current 2026-27 catalog also requires Casper: the current-cycle WesternU DMD assessment must be taken once, and the published minimum is 65-85 on the open-response score scale. Exact test dates are applicant-specific in Acuity.

Applicants need at least 30 hours of paid or volunteer dental experience and documented community service. Current official regular-DMD sources reviewed do not publish the required number or evaluator roles for recommendation letters, so applicants should follow the live AADSAS and secondary checklist.

Applicants with foreign study outside the United States or Canada need a WesternU-approved course-by-course evaluation. The catalog publishes a TOEFL requirement for foreign coursework and for permanent or temporary U.S. residents unless a qualifying U.S. bachelor's or higher degree is complete at application; scores must be within two years. International students may be eligible and must document legal status and funding through WesternU's international office. Foreign coursework

Important dates

For the 2027 cycle, the AADSAS primary and WesternU secondary opened June 2, 2026 after a May 12 soft opening. Both close December 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, and all required materials and fees must be complete. Processing begins in late June. How to apply

On-campus interviews run September 2026 through February 2027. WesternU expects initial offers during the second week of December, with subsequent offers from January through August and possibly as late as the first day of class.

Applicants accepted by January 31 pay a $1,000 nonrefundable deposit within 30 days; applicants accepted February 1 or later pay it within 15 days. A second $1,000 deposit is due April 15. Offers after May 25 can require the full $2,000 on a shorter schedule. Deposits are credited to tuition.

Prerequisites must be complete by June 30, 2027. The current official pages do not publish the exact Fall 2027 orientation or first-class date or a single Casper deadline.

How selection works

WesternU reviews complete AADSAS and secondary files after required test scores, materials and fees arrive. The current catalog names academic history, DAT performance, dental experience, community service, well-rounded preparation, interpersonal qualities, recommendations and the ability to provide compassionate care as selection considerations. 2026-27 catalog

Selected candidates receive an on-campus interview. The interview may involve faculty, administrators, clinicians and/or students and uses general and behavioural questions based on the candidate's own experience. Interview results return to the admissions process before decisions. Interview process

The current official sources do not publish a minimum GPA or DAT, numerical weights for academics, DAT, Casper, experience or interview, a screen rubric, residency preference, committee vote mechanics or wait-list order. Published class statistics are descriptive rather than thresholds.

Interview details

Confirmed

Interviews are on campus in Pomona from September through February. WesternU says interviewers can include faculty, administrators, clinicians and students. The individual interview lasts about 25-30 minutes and uses general and behavioural questions drawn from personal experiences. The visit also includes curriculum and admissions information, student services, lunch with students and a campus tour. Interview process

Not published

WesternU does not publish whether the 25-30 minutes is one encounter or part of a panel, the exact interviewer count, file access, question domains beyond general and behavioural prompts, scoring dimensions or anchors, numerical interview weight or post-interview committee formula.

Who this program may suit

WesternU's regular four-year DMD is based in Pomona and emphasizes collaborative health-professions education, dental experience, community service and compassionate patient care. An applicant should connect a sustained service or dental experience to an observed patient need and show how feedback changed their behaviour. DMD programme

This page covers first-year admission to the regular DMD. The DMD International Dentist Program has separate eligibility and an advanced-standing application; WesternU's osteopathic medicine colleges are also different schools and degrees.

Practice and next step

Record a behavioural response about a time feedback changed how you served a patient, customer or community member. Ask a reviewer to identify whether the situation, your action, the feedback and the measurable change are all clear. Make one adjustment, record a second attempt within 25 minutes of review and compare specificity, accountability and compassionate judgment.

Frequently asked questions

What is WesternU's Fall 2027 deadline?

December 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern for both AADSAS and the WesternU secondary, with all required materials and fees complete. How to apply

Does WesternU require Casper?

Yes. The current 2026-27 catalog requires the current-cycle WesternU DMD Casper assessment and publishes a 65-85 open-response minimum. 2026-27 catalog

Is the interview on campus?

Yes. The current page confirms a Pomona campus visit and a 25-30 minute general and behavioural interview.

Is this the International Dentist Program?

No. This page is for the regular four-year DMD; the DMD-IDP is a separate advanced-standing route.

Sources

Verified August 12, 2026. Current official sources: explicit 2027 application dates, stages, offers and deposits, 2026-27 regular-DMD catalog requirements including Casper, current on-campus interview format, regular DMD programme identity, foreign-coursework rules and separate DMD-IDP application.