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Meharry

Admissions Statistics for Meharry Dental School Requirements

Background Information

  • Location: Nashville, TN
  • Institution Type: Private
  • Campus Setting: Urban
  • Dental Doctoral Degree: Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
  • Mission Statement: “To improve the health and health care of minority and underserved communities by offering excellent education and training programs in the health sciences.”
  • Year Opened: 1886
  • Number of Months to Earn Degree: 48
  • Campus Housing Available: Yes
  • Class Size: 75
  • Term Type: Semester

Combined degrees offered:

B.A./B.S.
M.B.A.
M.P.H.
M.S.
Ph.D.
Other Degrees

International Dental Graduate Programs:

Traditional Predoctoral Program for IDGs
Advanced Standing Program for IDGs
No
Yes

Admissions Statistics: (2024 Applicant and Entering Class Data)

  • Mean Age of First-Time, First-Year Enrollees: 24

Acceptance Rates by Location:

Number of Applicants
Number of Enrollees
Enrollment Rate
Overall
1,852
75
4.05%
In-State
86
7
8.14%
Out-State
1,670
67
4.01%
International
96
1
1.04%

Class Breakdown by Residency:

Number of Enrollees
Percentage of Incoming Class
In-State
7
9.33%
Out-State
67
89.33%
International
1
1.33%

Academic Averages for Acceptance:

DAT Academic Average
DAT Natural Science
DAT Perceptual Abilit
Cumulative GPA
Science GPA
17.7
17.3
17.2
3.44
3.33

Range of Academic Averages for Acceptance:

5th Percentile of Enrollees
95th Percentile of Enrollees
DAT Academic Average
15
20
Cumulative GPA
2.84
3.93
Science GPA
2.75
3.93

Prerequisites

Preferred
Strongly Preferred
Required
Baccalaureate is:

Required Coursework:

Required Course
Credits (Semesters/Quarters)
Required Lab
Biology
8/12
General Chemistry
8/12
Organic Chemistry
8/12
Physics
8/12
Biochemistry
3/5
Composition
6/9
Mathematics : Calculus or Statistics
3/5
  • Recommended courses include: Anatomy, Cell Biology, Histology, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology/Genetics, Physiology, Zoology, Literature, and Pharmacology

Community College Coursework and Advanced Placement Credit:

Prerequisites
Electives
AP Credit Accepted
Yes
Yes
Community College Coursework Accepted
No
Yes

Maximum number of Community College Credit Hours:

  • No limit on community college credits; however, no more than 16 credit hours of basic science and prerequisite courses should be taken for advanced placement. Prerequisites like organic chemistry, biochemistry, and recommended courses (e.g., microbiology, anatomy, physiology, cell biology) should be completed at an accredited four-year institution.

Required Shadowing Hours:

  • No requirement, although 50 hours is recommended

Letters of Recommendation: 

  • Option 1: Committee letter
  • Option 2: Three individual letters, including two from science professors

Dental Admissions Test Requirements:

Mandatory DAT
Canadian DAT Accepted?
Applicants Evaluated Before Official DAT Submission?
DAT Score Considered
Yes
No
No
Only most recent score

Supplemental Information:

Mandatory Casper
Participation in ADEA AADSAS
Required Supplemental Application
Supplemental Application Fee
No
Yes
Yes
Yes: $65 for all applicants

Interview Format

  • All candidates invited for an interview will receive two interviews from: Meharry Medical College basic science faculty, Meharry School of Dentistry faculty (active and retired), Meharry School of Dentistry alumni or dentists from the Nashville community.

Finances and Application Logistics

Financial Estimations for students starting Fall 2025:

Year
In-State Tuition
Out-State Tuition
Additional Fees
Estimated Living Expenses
D1
$58,984
$58,984
$22,508
$40,110
D2
$58,984
$58,984
$23,480
$37,829
D3
$58,984
$58,984
$16,216
$37,829
D4
$58,984
$58,984
$16,216
$37,829

University Offerings

1. Academic Offerings 

  • Pre-Dental Opportunities
    • None
  • Research
    • Students may get involved in research under faculty mentors
    • Research topics include oral biology and systemic health, issues surrounding opioid use, diabetes, intimate partner violence, cancer, women’s health, and HIV/AIDs
    • Meharry Center for Research and Education Technology recently received a grant to introduce new equipment and technology

2. Clinical Experiences

  • Clinical Curriculum Overview
    • D1: Students focus on the basic sciences
    • D2: Students take preclinical courses to prepare for patient care
    • D3-D4: Students provide clinical, comprehensive patient care. 
  • Postdoctoral and Residency Programs
    • Residency Training Programs:
      • General Practice Residency
      • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
      • Pediatric Dentistry
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