Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) Program

The Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (D.M.D.) degree program is a four year program that educates and trains individuals as dentists who have not only the fundamental knowledge of the profession, but also the qualities and characteristics required of dentists as leaders of dental teams and members of community health teams.

Approximately 314 students are currently enrolled in the College of Dental Medicine’s four-year program leading to a D.M.D. degree. Before receiving their degrees, dental students must be able to recognize and assess disease as it affects the oral cavity and to appreciate the systemic effects of oral disease, to understand the effects of systemic and local therapy on oral health, and to treat or refer for treatment not only the disease but the patient as a whole. A dentist must be capable of preventing oral disease and maintaining and restoring oral health. A dentist must also be aware of his or her professional limitations, be motivated to seek the patient’s best interests, and have the self-confidence to ask others to participate in the treatment of patients.

Throughout their professional lives, dentists must add to their knowledge by evaluating their own observations and those of others, this ability having been engendered by a critical approach to learning and cultural competence.

Academic Prerequisites

To be considered for admission, applicants must complete the following prerequisite coursework from a regionally accredited U.S. institution prior to matriculation. Required coursework may include coursework taken at a community or technical college and/or offered in an online format.

This program does accept AP credits to fulfill prerequisite requirements. If the AP credits are not listed individually on your university's transcript, you can order a score report from CollegeBoard and have it sent to us.

Application Requirements

1. ADEA AADSAS Application: The following materials must be submitted through the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) application system, which may be accessed by clicking here. You do not need to send any of the following information directly to MUSC.
   • Official transcripts from all institutions attended: Strong preference is given to applicants who have, or will have completed, four years of college coursework and have earned a bachelor's degree at a regionally accredited US institution prior to matriculation. In extremely rare circumstances a minimum of three years of exemplary college work, including an exceptional science GPA and DAT scores, may be considered.
   • Official Dental Admission Test (DAT) Scores: Your official U.S. DAT scores must be less than five years old. Canadian DAT scores are not accepted. It is recommended that you take the DAT early to allow ample time for official scores to be received or retesting if necessary.
   • Letters of Recommendation: A minimum of three individual letters of recommendation or one confidential committee letter are required. It is recommended that letters of recommendation come from those most familiar with the applicant (i.e., faculty member, dentist, leader or mentor in volunteer organization).
2. MUSC Supplemental Application: All applicants must submit the MUSC Supplemental Application, which may be accessed by clicking here.

Both applications must be received in full before an applicant will be marked complete and reviewed by the admissions committee.

Applicants that have applied in previous years must submit new ADEA AADSAS and MUSC supplemental applications and should update all application materials for each new admissions cycle.

Application Process

The following process outlines how and when your materials will be reviewed.

1. Submit the ADEA AADSAS application as early as possible. After fee payment and official transcripts are received, it usually takes four to six weeks to process and verify the application. The application must be verified by the application deadline to be eligible for review.
2. Complete the MUSC Supplemental Application.
3. Once both applications are complete and the ADEA AADSAS application has been verified, your application will be reviewed. Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview.

Scholarship Eligibility

MUSC offers scholarships for which you may be eligible. Some are awarded based on academic achievement; others are awarded based on community service, for example. However, the majority of scholarships awarded at MUSC are based on financial need. This means that these scholarships are only awarded to students who need some financial assistance to cover the cost of tuition and fees. If you would like to be considered for a financial need-based scholarship, you must have an up-to-date Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file. Make sure you list the Medical University of South Carolina on your FAFSA form, along with MUSC's code: 003438. We encourage you to submit your FAFSA as early as possible. It is recommended to submit your FAFSA in January if you plan to enroll in the fall.

Click here to visit our scholarship application system to view a complete listing of MUSC scholarships.

Application Deadlines