Location: San Antonio, TX
Institution Type: Public
Campus Setting: Suburban
Dental Doctoral Degree: Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S)
Mission Statement: “The mission of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is to make lives better through excellence in education, research, health care and community engagement. Strategies for achieving this mission are: Educating a diverse student body to become excellent health care providers and scientists. Engaging in research to understand health and disease. Commercializing discoveries, as appropriate, to benefit the public. Providing compassionate and culturally proficient health care. Engaging our community to improve health. Influencing thoughtful advances in health policy.”

Year Opened: 1970
Number of Months to Earn Degree: 48
Campus Housing Available: No
Class Size: 99
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

1,131

8.75%

In-State

924

9.85%

Out-State

190

4.21%

International

Class Breakdown by Residency:

Number of Enrollees

Percentage of Incoming Class

In-State

91.92%

Out-State

8.08%

International

Academic Averages for Acceptance:

DAT Academic Average

DAT Natural Science

DAT Perceptual Ability

Cumulative GPA

Science GPA

21.9

20.5

3.81

3.76

Range of Academic Averages for Acceptance:

5th Percentile of Enrollees

95th Percentile of Enrollees

DAT Academic Average

Cumulative GPA

3.55

4.00

Science GPA

3.43

4.00

Prerequisites

Preferred

Strongly Preferred

Required

Baccalaureate is:

Required Coursework:

Required Course

Credits (Semesters/Quarters)

Required Lab

Biology

14/21

General Chemistry

8/12

Organic Chemistry

8/12

Physics

8/12

Biochemistry

3/5

English

6/9

Statistics

3/5

Recommended courses include: Anatomy, Cell Biology, Histology, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology/Genetics, Physiology, and Zoology
Remedial or developmental courses or English As a Second Language courses cannot fulfill the English requirement

Community College Coursework and Advanced Placement Credit:

Prerequisites

Electives

AP Credit Accepted

Yes

Community College Coursework Accepted

Yes

AP credits are accepted only if the school granting the credit lists the specific course(s) and number of units granted per course on an official transcript.

Maximum number of Community College Credit Hours:

Required Shadowing Hours:

There is not a minimum number of hours of dental shadowing required for admission. However, the admissions committee values evidence of depth and breadth of shadowing and other means of clinical observation.

Letters of Recommendation:

Three letters of recommendation or HPE packet

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

No (everyone uses TMDSAS)

Interview Format

A faculty member and a third-or fourth-year student conducts the interview. As part of the interview day, you will have an opportunity to obtain information about our program, financial aid and meet with enrolled students over lunch.

Finances and Application Logistics

Financial Estimations for students starting Fall 2025:

Year

In-State Tuition

Out-State Tuition

Additional Fees

Estimated Living Expenses

$37,980

$49,860

$27,120

$31,381

$37,980

$49,860

$16,427

$34,234

$24,150

$34,950

$14,570

$34,234

$24,150

$34,950

$18,197

$31,381

University Offerings

1. Academic Offerings

Pre-Dental Opportunities
- Learning Enhancement for Achievement in Dentistry (LEAD) program
- Dual Degree/Early Acceptance programs with colleges and universities in Texas
- School of Dentistry Summer Research Program for Undergraduates
Research
- Various research centers including the Center for Pain Therapy and Addiction Research, Center for Global and Community Oral Health, and the Center for Regenerative Sciences
- Students may take elective courses to work with a faculty mentor and develop their own research protocol, complete their own research project, and/or manuscript of their research

2. Clinical Experiences

Clinical Curriculum Overview
- DS1-DS2: Students take courses in foundational science under the context of clinical patient care. Preclinical work in the Simulation Clinic.
- DS3: Students perform patient exams and diagnoses, sealant and fluoride varnish applications, radiographs, local anesthesia, and pediatric dentistry.
- DS4: Comprehensive patient care
Postdoctoral and Residency Programs
- Advanced Education in General Dentistry
- Endodontics
- Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology Residency
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Orthodontics
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Periodontics
- Prosthodontics
- Dental Public Health Residency

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