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Dentistry Admissions
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School Statistics

Nevada

Admissions Statistics and Requirements for University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Dental School

Background Information

  • Location: Las Vegas, NV
  • Institution Type: Public
  • Campus Setting: Urban
  • Dental Doctoral Degree: Doctor of Dental Medicine
  • Mission Statement: “UNLV Dental Medicine develops dentists and dental specialists, enhancing the health of Nevadans through teaching, clinical care, research, and service.”
  • Year Opened: 2002
  • Number of Months to Earn Degree: 45
  • Campus Housing Available: No
  • Class Size: 82
  • Term Type: Trimester

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
Yes
Yes

Admissions Statistics: (2023 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
1560
76
4.87%
In-State
58
32
55.17%
Out-State
1452
38
2.62%
International
50
6
12.00%

Class Breakdown by Residency:

Number of Enrollees
Percentage of Incoming Class
In-State
32
42.12%
Out-State
38
50%
International
6
7.89%

Academic Averages for Acceptance:

DAT Academic Average
DAT Perceptual Ability
Cumulative GPA
Science GPA
20.9
20.9
3.67
3.61

Range of Academic Averages for Acceptance:

5th Percentile of Enrollees
95th Percentile of Enrollees
DAT Academic Average
17
25
Cumulative GPA
3.21
3.99
Science GPA
3.13
4.00

Prerequisites

Preferred
Strongly Preferred
Required
Baccalaureate is:

Required Coursework:

Required Course
Credits (Semesters/Quarters)
Required Lab
Biology
8/12
Inorganic Chemistry
8/12
Organic Chemistry
8/12
Biochemistry
3/5
Anatomy
4/6
English
6/12
  • Recommended courses include: Cell Biology, Histology, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology/Genetics, Physiology, and Zoology

Community College Coursework and Advanced Placement Credit:

Prerequisites
Electives
AP Credit Accepted
Only English Requirement
Yes
Community College Coursework Accepted
Yes
Yes

Maximum number of Community College Credit Hours:

  •  60

Required Shadowing Hours:

  • 100 consistent hours of dental shadowing is required

Letters of Recommendation: 

  • Option 1: Pre-health committee letter
  • Option 2: Four individual letters, two from hard science professors, one from a dentist who the applicant has shadowed or worked with, and one from any professor, employer, supervisor, etc.

Dental Admissions Test Requirements:

Mandatory DAT
Canadian DAT Accepted?
Applicants Evaluated Before Official DAT Submission?
DAT Score Considered
Yes
No
No
Highest score from the two most recent tests

Supplemental Information:

Participation in ADEA AADSAS
Required Supplemental Application
Supplemental Application Fee
Yes
Yes
Yes: $75 fee for all applicants

Interview Format

  • If the applicant performs well on the Kira Talent assessment, they are invited to an on-campus day that involves group interviews and a campus tour.

Finances and Application Logistics

Financial Estimations for students starting Fall 2022:

Year
In-State Tuition
Out-State Tuition
Additional Fees
Estimated Living Expenses
D1
$60,354
$100,088
Included in tuition
$39,439
D2
$60,354
$100,088
Included in tuition
$38,139
D3
$60,354
$100,088
Included in tuition
$38,139
D4
$40,236
$66,726
Included in tuition
$25,422

University Offerings

1. Academic Offerings 

  • Pre-Dental Opportunities
    • Summer Enrichment Programs (2 day dental simulation course)
    • Special affiliations with colleges and universities
  • Research
    • Biomedical research lead by faculty and students on a variety of topics including oral cancer inflammation cell mediators, bacterial biofilm formations, and the characterization of cariogenic pathogens in diverse populations
    • Students may pursue a combined PhD or masters in oral biology 

2. Clinical Experiences

  • Clinical Curriculum Overview
    • Students accumulate about 5,000 contact hours prior to graduation.
    • Year-by-year curricular breakdown not reported.
  • Postdoctoral and Residency Programs
    • Certificate in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics and a Doctor of Philosophy in Oral Biology
    • Certificate of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics in conjunction with a Master of Science in Oral Biology
    • Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry
    • Certificate in General Practice Residency
    • Advanced Graduate Certificate in Dental Public Health
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