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

The Doctor of Dental Medicine (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 295 students are currently enrolled in the College of Dental Medicine’s four-year program leading to a Doctor of Dental Medicine (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.

Description

A course of didactic and clinical study leading to a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree. For detailed information about the College of Dental Medicine, go to the Bulletin (academic catalog) or the College of Dental Medicine.

Requirements

1. Prerequisites

All prerequisite coursework must be taken at a regionally accredited US institution and may include coursework taken at a community or technical college and coursework offered in an online format. All prerequisite coursework must be completed by matriculation in June.

2. ADEA AADSAS application

The following materials must be submitted through ADEA AADSAS. You do not need to have anything sent 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 DAT scores

Official US 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, etc.)

3. Supplemental MUSC application

*Please note that both applications are required before the application will be marked complete and reviewed by the admissions committee.

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

Application Process

Applicants must complete the AADSAS application and the MUSC Supplemental Application before application materials will be reviewed and the applicant will be considered for an interview. After the ADEA AADSAS fee payment and official transcripts are received, it usually takes about 4-6 weeks to process and verify the application. The ADEA AADSAS application must be verified by the December 15th deadline. For more information about the College of Dental Medicine, please visit our website and take a virtual tour.

For those interested in applying to the Dental Medicine Scientist Training Program (DMD/Ph.D.), other information and materials are required. Please visit the DMD/Ph.D. website for more information.

Use of Marijuana and/or CBD Products

Marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug and is illegal to purchase in South Carolina. Apart from a narrow and limited scope of codified/documented medical exceptions, it is illegal for individuals to use marijuana/tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in South Carolina. Although cannabidiol (CBD) products may be purchased and used in South Carolina, please be aware that CBD products may contain higher levels of THC than represented on packaging and use of CBD products can result in a positive drug screen for THC/marijuana. Be aware that current drug testing methods cannot accurately ascertain the origins of THC metabolites (i.e., whether from marijuana or CBD products). Your academic program has the authority to conduct random and/or scheduled drug testing; if your test result is reported as positive for THC metabolites (even if you only used a CBD product), your ability to be accepted into the program, progress in the program, and/or successfully complete the program may be negatively impacted.

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 those 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 Medical University of South Carolina on your FAFSA form, along with MUSC’s code: 003438. We encourage you to submit the FAFSA as early as possible. It is recommended to submit the FAFSA in January if you plan to enroll in the Fall.

Application Deadlines