Location: Kansas City, MO
Institution Type: Public
Campus Setting: Urban
Dental Doctoral Degree: Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S)
Mission Statement: “The UMKC SOD serves as a leader in the advancement of oral health care through exceptional educational programs, scientific inquiry, patient care and service to society.”

Year Opened: 1881
Number of Months to Earn Degree: 40
Campus Housing Available: Yes
Class Size: 109
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

Yes

Admissions Statistics: (2024 Applicant and Entering Class Data)

Mean Age of First-Time, First-Year Enrollees: 23

Acceptance Rates by Location:

Number of Applicants

Number of Enrollees

Enrollment Rate

Overall

1,030

7.67%

In-State

150

31.33%

Out-State

867

3.46%

International

15.38%

Class Breakdown by Residency:

Number of Enrollees

Percentage of Incoming Class

In-State

59.49%

Out-State

37.97%

International

2.53%

Academic Averages for Acceptance:

DAT Academic Average

DAT Natural Science

DAT Perceptual Ability

Cumulative GPA

Science GPA

20.2

19.8

3.77

3.71

Range of Academic Averages for Acceptance:

5th Percentile of Enrollees

95th Percentile of Enrollees

DAT Academic Average

Cumulative GPA

3.42

3.97

Science GPA

3.41

3.98

Prerequisites

Preferred

Strongly Preferred

Required

Baccalaureate is:

Required Coursework:

Required Course

Credits (Semesters/Quarters)

Required Lab

Biology (replaceable with Microbiology, Molecular, or Histology)

4 / 6

General Chemistry

8 / 12

Organic Chemistry

8 / 12

Physics

8 / 12

Anatomy

4 / 6

Biochemistry

4 / 6

Cell Biology

4 / 6

Physiology

4 / 6

English

Recommended courses include: Histology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology/Genetics, Ethics, Statistics, Public Health, Social Sciences, Psychology, Nutrition, Business, Communications, Art, Ceramics, 3-D design, and Foreign Languages

Community College Coursework and Advanced Placement Credit:

Prerequisites

Electives

AP Credit Accepted

Yes

Community College Coursework Accepted

Yes

Maximum number of Community College Credit Hours:

Required Shadowing Hours:

100-200 hours within at least 5 different office settings are required
The school allows prospective students to shadow current dental and dental hygiene students

Letters of Recommendation:

Option 1: Three letters minimum, including one from a faculty member and one from a dentist
Option 2: Pre-health committee letter

Dental Admissions Test Requirements:

Mandatory DAT

Canadian DAT Accepted?

Applicants Evaluated Before Official DAT Submission?

DAT Score Considered

Yes

Only most recent score

Supplemental Information:

Mandatory Casper

Participation in ADEA AADSAS

Required Supplemental Application

Supplemental Application Fee

Yes

Yes, supplemental is provided only to those selected for interviews.

Yes: $45 for in and out of state applicants

Interview Format

They conduct interviews over Zoom. They have some optional in-person events for interview candidates to come and see the campus; however, these events have no weight on admission decisions. Interviews take place on a rolling basis from September through early November. We will have two interviewers per interview candidate to provide multiple perspectives.
Denied applicants who are interested in reapplying should make an appointment with the School of Dentistry director of admissions to discuss the reason for the denial. Advice will be offered to applicants to enhance their future applications.

Finances and Application Logistics

Financial Estimations for students starting Fall 2024:

Year

In-State Tuition

Out-State Tuition

Additional Fees

Estimated Living Expenses

$44,972

$87,418

$13,470

$20,344

$54,548

$106,074

$14,670

$27,474

$54,548

$106,074

$10,805

$27,474

$54,548

$106,074

$10,805

$27,474

University Offerings

1. Academic Offerings

Pre-Dental Opportunities
- Summer Dental Exploration Program
- Pre-Dental Society Symposium
- STAHR Scholars Program
Research
- Students are encouraged to participate in research under the Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences
- D1 students who rank in the top one-third of their class are invited to apply to the Summer Scholars Program, allowing them to participate in mentored research during the summer before their second year
- Student Research Group encourages students to team up with faculty mentors and assist in research projects.

2. Clinical Experiences

Clinical Curriculum Overview
- D1: Students focus on biomedical sciences while taking introductory courses in oral diagnosis, preventive periodontics, and dental restorative techniques in pre-clinical settings.
- D2: Students focus on pre-clinical coursework in operative dentistry, prosthodontics, and endodontics.
- D3: Students begin practicing clinical skills in a general clinic. Students get split into teams to provide comprehensive patient care under faculty supervision.
- D4: Students participate in extensive clinical practice.
Postdoctoral and Residency Programs
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency
- Advanced Education in General Dentistry Certificate
- Endodontics Certificate
- Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Certificate
- Periodontics Certificate
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Programs
- Master of Science in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences

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