School of Dentistry

Doctor of Dental Surgery

General Information

Thinking about a career in dentistry?

• Are you the independent, entrepreneurial type?
• Do you like working with your hands?
• Are you interested in a career with a high income potential?
• Would you like flexible work hours?
• Are you interested in improving the health of others?
• Do you like variety in your workload?
• Are you interested in an academic career in the health sciences?
• Are you interested in public health?

If you answered yes to some of the questions above, you may be well suited for a dental career.

How does one become eligible for admission into dental school?

College requirements
You must complete a minimum of 90 hours of college work to be considered for admission; however a four-year degree is preferred. You may take the coursework at any college or university whose institutional accreditation is recognized by the US Department of Education. You must have successfully completed:

Additional highly recommended courses are: Comparative Anatomy, Cell and Molecular Biology, Embryology, Histology, Microanatomy, Physiology and Genetics. The mean Grade Point Average for entering freshmen is currently 3.6.

*The 9 hours of English should be in composition or literature and taken in the English department with the respective course codes: ENGL, WRIT, LIT, etc.

***AP credits are accepted if the course is listed with an A-F or P/F grade on an official transcript.***

Dental Admission Test
A competitive score on the DAT is considered to be an academic average of 21 with no score lower than 19. The mean academic average for entering freshmen is 21.

Application to the School of Dentistry
The LSUHSC School of Dentistry participates in the ADEA administered Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS). All applications for admission to the first year class for LSUHSC School of Dentistry must be submitted through this service. The application is in two parts. Part I is the AADSAS application process. Part II is for applicants who have completed Part I and qualify to receive the supplemental application directly from the LSUHSC School of Dentistry Admissions Office.

Residency
Admission is restricted to legal residents of the United States. Admission preference will be given to residents of Louisiana. Residents of Arkansas will be considered under the guidelines of the Arkansas Health Education Loan program.

Up to fifteen students may be accepted from states other than Louisiana and Arkansas. Out of state applicants should have above average academic credentials as well as a proven connection (work, family and/or education) to Louisiana in order to be considered competitive.

Residents of other countries will not be considered for admission.

Part I

1. AADSAS (www.adea.org) The ADEA AADSAS Application Fee for 2025-26 cycle is $264 for the first designation and $115 for each additional designation. A revised Fee Assistance Program is also available for students with financial need; approved FAP applications will not cover three designations. More information about the program can be found on ADEA AADSAS FAP website.
2. DAT scores released to LSUHSC School of Dentistry through AADSAS
3. In addition, a one-time non-refundable application fee of $200 must be paid on the Pre-Admission Payment Portal Please note this is not a supplemental fee and must be submitted at the same time of your application. Your application will be incomplete until your fee has been received.
4. Send letters of evaluation directly to AADSAS:  2 basic science professors or 1 pre-professional school committee evaluation.

PART II - SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Only qualified applicants, as determined by the Admissions Committee, will receive these materials directly from the LSUHSC School of Dentistry Admissions Office. No supplemental application fee is required.

Deadlines:
Deadline for filing AADSAS is Sept. 1st.
*Early application is highly recommended. Interviews begin in August.*

 

As part of the Dental Admissions process applicants are asked to demonstrate their hand skills by performing a chalk carving exercise

 

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For more information, contact:
Mindy Guillotte, Coordinator
Phone: (504) 941-8124
FAX: 504-941-8123
Email:  ds-admissions@lsuhsc.edu

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Dentistry
Office of Admissions
1100 Florida Avenue, Box 28
New Orleans, LA 70119