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Dentistry Admissions
School Statistics

Tufts

Admissions Statistics and Requirements for Tufts Dental School

Background Information

  • Location: Boston, MA
  • Institution Type: Private
  • Campus Setting: Urban
  • Dental Doctoral Degree: Doctor of Dental Medicine
  • Mission Statement: “1) Education Committed to Clinical Excellence: Provide a contemporary curriculum with themes of integration, as well as a preclinical and clinical environment that incorporates emerging practice models and technologies. 2) Knowledge to Improve General and Oral Health: Alignment of research and scholarship to contribute to knowledge and practice for oral and general health. 3) Care and Community: Provide and develop an environment promoting a culture of inclusivity and contemporary care for faculty, staff, students, alumni, and patients locally and globally.”
  • Year Opened: 1868
  • Number of Months to Earn Degree: 46
  • Campus Housing Available: No
  • Class Size: 203-209
  • 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
4,361
204
4.68%
In-State
189
41
21.69%
Out-State
3,753
152
4.05%
International
419
11
2.63%

Class Breakdown by Residency:

Number of Enrollees
Percentage of Incoming Class
In-State
41
20.10%
Out-State
152
74.51%
International
11
5.39%

Academic Averages for Acceptance:

DAT Academic Average
DAT Natural Science
DAT Perceptual Ability
Cumulative GPA
Science GPA
19.4
19
18.7
3.47
3.39

Range of Academic Averages for Acceptance:

5th Percentile of Enrollees
95th Percentile of Enrollees
DAT Academic Average
16
23
Cumulative GPA
2.94
3.94
Science GPA
2.82
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 / 6
Writing-intensive Humanities or Social Science
3 / 6
Upper-division Biology
3 / 6
  • Recommended courses include: Anatomy, Genetics, Physiology, Microbiology, Immunology, Pharmacology, Neuroscience and Histology

Community College Coursework and Advanced Placement Credit:

Prerequisites
Electives
AP Credit Accepted
No
No
Community College Coursework Accepted
No (except Physics)
Yes, for non-science coursework

Maximum number of Community College Credit Hours:

  •  N/A
  • Note: All pre-requisite coursework (with the exception Physics) must be completed at an four-year institution that offers a bachelor’s degree in the prerequisite subject area.

Required Shadowing Hours:

  • 75 (40 hours are required with a general dentist in the US)

Letters of Recommendation: 

  • Option 1: Pre-professional composite committee letter
  • Option 2: Three individual letters including two from science faculty (a fourth letter of evaluation is welcome)

Dental Admissions Test Requirements:

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

Supplemental Information:

Mandatory Casper
Participation in ADEA AADSAS
Required Supplemental Application
Supplemental Application Fee
No
Yes
No
Yes: $90 for all applicants

Interview Format

  • Interviews are conducted virtually via the Kira platform. Applicants must complete an asynchronous assessment the week prior, attend a virtual Presentation Day, and participate in a live 30-minute one-on-one interview with a TUSDM community member. Interviews typically begin in October and continue through March or April, depending on class size.

Finances and Application Logistics

Financial Estimations for students starting Fall 2025:

Year
In-State Tuition
Out-State Tuition
Additional Fees
Estimated Living Expenses
D1
$98,486
$98,486
$22,691
$39,050
D2
$98,486
$98,486
$18,153
$42,600
D3
$98,486
$98,486
$21,062
$42,600
D4
$98,486
$98,486
$21,062
$42,600

University Offerings

1. Academic Offerings 

  • Pre-Dental Opportunities
    • Pre-dental Non-degree Program
    • Special Affiliations with colleges and universities (Tufts 8-Year Early Assurance Program and Postbaccalaureate Joint Degree program)
  • Research
    • Master of Science in Dental Research offered
      • Combined DMD/MS degree program
    • Student Research Fellowship Program allows predoctoral students to earn a stipend while performing research under faculty supervision
    • Research Travel Program allows students to conduct research with industry scientists in domestic and international dental manufacturer headquarters

2. Clinical Experiences

  • Clinical Curriculum Overview
    • D1: Students learn dental anatomy and craniofacial function. Students begin to learn technical skills.
    • D2-D3: Students take courses in Operative Dentistry, Dental Anatomy, Craniofacial Function, Orthodontics, Endodontics, Periodontology, Prosthetics, Endodontics, Oral Radiology, Pediatric Dentistry, and Oral Surgery.
      • Students begin seeing patients in April/May of D2, in group practices with faculty supervision.
    • D4: Students participate in seminars and clinical rotations.
  • Postdoctoral and Residency Programs
    • Advanced Education in:
      • Dental Technology and Research
      • Digital Prosthodontics and Implant Dentistry Fellowship
      • Endodontics
      • Esthetic and Operative Dentistry
      • General Dentistry
      • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
      • Orofacial Pain
      • Orthodontics
      • Pediatric Dentistry
      • Periodontology
      • Prosthodontics
    • Others:
      • Dental Education Learning and Teaching Academy Fellowship
      • Doctor of Science in Dental Research/Dentistry
      • General Practice Residency
      • Master of Science in Dental Research
      • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Internship
      • Dental Public Health
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