SIU School of Dental Medicine

No, but it is recommended. You may apply to SIU/SDM as long as the prerequisites have been completed and you have the minimum 90 semester hours required, 120 semester hours preferred. Having a degree makes an applicant more competitive. All prerequisites and minimum requirements must be completed at a college or university in the United States or Canada.

Because the Dental School has competitive admission, there are no fixed minimum GPA and DAT scores. Each application is evaluated in terms of their composite scholastic record, calculation of the required biology, chemistry and physic courses’ grade point average, quality of preprofessional education, performance on the Dental Admissions Test, recommendations, and other elements as may be determined by the Selection Committee.

Fifty 50 students entering each Year 1 class.

An applicant would be ready to take the DAT after completing 8 semester hours or 9 quarter hours of general biology, general chemistry, and 8 semester hours or 6 quarter hours of organic chemistry. It is best to have scores at the time of applying or by October before the application year. Committee action will be held up until DAT scores arrive.

You may attend any accredited undergraduate school of your choice. However, preparation for a dental education requires a strong background in chemistry and biology.

With the exception of Canada, no. Ninety semester hours or 120 quarter hours of required course work must be completed at an accredited college or university in the United States or Canada.

Yes. Please visit the International Advanced Placement Program (IAPP) program page for details.

There is no difference between the DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) and DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) degrees; dentists who have a DMD or DDS have the same education. Universities can determine which degree is awarded. Both degrees use the same curriculum requirements set by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation. Generally, three or more years of undergraduate education plus four years of dental school are required to graduate and become a general dentist. State licensing boards accept either degree as equivalent, and both degrees allow licensed individuals to practice the same scope of general dentistry. Additional post-graduate training is required to become a dental specialist, such as an orthodontist, periodontist or oral and maxillofacial surgeon.