Admission Requirements - Canadian Applicants

The Faculty of Dentistry accepts up to 36 candidates to the first year of the D.D.S. program each year. Preference is given to Canadian applicants who are from the Atlantic Provinces, and the majority of places in the class are selected from the most competitive applicants in this category.

Admission to the four-year Doctor of Dental Surgery program requires the completion of a minimum of 10 full-year academic classes at the undergraduate level. These classes will normally be completed by May 1 of the year of expected entry to the Faculty of Dentistry. Two one-term academic classes in the same discipline are considered equal to one full-year academic class. Academic requirements:

• One full-year academic class in each of biology, general chemistry, physics, organic chemistry (each of these courses must include laboratory instruction) an approved one-term Bio-organic Chemistry course may be substituted for the full year Organic Chemistry class
  
• Two full-year academic courses (or four one-term courses) chosen from the humanities and/or social sciences
  
• One full year (or two one-term) writing course
  
• One university course (full year or one term) in each of the following: Introductory Biochemistry, Introductory Microbiology, and Vertebrate Physiology. These courses should be at the second year level or higher and applicants are encouraged to contact the Faculty of Dentistry for approval of selected courses. (Select the course to link to the topics, which should be included in these three 'higher science' courses). A list of approved 'higher science' courses from some universities may be consulted - this is not a complete list.

Applicants with the best academic record have the greatest chance of admission. The Admissions Committee makes significant use of non-academic factors in deciding which applicants are admitted. These include the Dental Aptitude Test, interview, a personality-factors test, and references.

Applicants must complete the Dental Aptitude Test no later than February to be considered for admission to the following academic year (it is recommended that you complete the November DAT in the event you wish to retake the DAT in February). Applicants must complete the DAT within two years of applying for the program. Most successful applicants have achieved a score of 15 or better on each of the components of the DAT. The Faculty of Dentistry will consider the applicant's best scores on repeated DAT tests for each of the following components of the DAT, using scores that are no more than two years old:  Reading Comprehension, Science Average, Manual Dexterity (carving) and Perceptual Ability Test (PAT).  Information regarding the Dental Aptitude Testing Program may be obtained by writing to the Administrator, Dental Aptitude Test Program, Canadian Dental Association, 1815 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, Ontario KlG 3Y6. You can also register on-line by accessing the Canadian Dental Association website page . While DAT scores are not a final or deciding factor in selection, they are used as additional criteria by the Admissions Committee when evaluating student qualifications.

Three confidential reference evaluation forms (provided in the application package) are to be forwarded to the Dean's office. At least one of these forms must be from a university faculty member who has taught the applicant. The remaining forms should be from someone (not a relative) who knows the applicant. These are in addition to any assessment that may be obtained from a college advisory committee.

Competitive applicants will be required to attend an admissions interview, and to complete a written personality-factors inventory.

The Faculty of Dentistry considers it desirable that all students intending to proceed to the study of dentistry should acquire a broad academic background and attain facility in the use of written and spoken English. Therefore, while minimum entrance requirements are established. Students are encouraged to obtain a bachelor's degree before seeking admission to the Faculty of Dentistry, particularly if there is any intention or likelihood of proceeding to graduate programs in dentistry or associated sciences. This statement does not mean that any penalty will be imposed upon those who do not have more than the stated minimum requirements. Truly outstanding candidates may be admitted after completion of the minimum entrance requirements.

Admissions Profile
The following profile of accepted applicants to the Dentistry program for September 2009 should assist applicants in judging the level of competition for places in the program: