Guidelines for Admission Consideration
All about degree requirements, grades, required/recommended coursework and the Dental Admission Test
Bitonte College of Dentistry
Exceptional clinical experiences for our students. Exceptional quality of care for our communities.
Degree requirements
To enter our dentistry program, you must have a four-year bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or from a Canadian university. You can apply and be accepted while you’re still completing your degree.
Consideration of international coursework
If you have a U.S. or Canadian bachelor’s degree but also completed some coursework internationally, those classes may count toward prerequisites if they are verified through AADSAS and supported by a World Education Services (WES) evaluation at your expense.
Does NEOMED offer an advanced placement dentistry program for practicing dentists holding international credentials?
We do not intend to have an advanced placement program at the start of the dentistry program, but we have an interest in exploring that plan at a future, unspecified, date.
Does NEOMED accept Canadian DAT scores for admission?
Yes, we will accept the Canadian DAT if you are a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident of the U.S.
Does NEOMED intend to limit acceptance by immigration status?
At this juncture, NEOMED plans to accept U.S. citizens and candidates holding United States Legal Permanent Resident status. This may change in the future for international students once NEOMED is successfully empowered to enroll international students by the U.S. government. NEOMED offers no admission program for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students currently.
Grades
Grading standards to fulfill prerequisite requirements
Candidates are expected to present grades indicating subject level attainment of “C” or better for each pre-requisite course. A limited number of individual “pass/fail” grades may be considered and evaluated according to institutional grading policy. Pre-requisite coursework may be in progress at the time of application and acceptance but must be completed before matriculation into the dentistry program.
Is there a minimum GPA for admission?
NEOMED practices holistic admission. This means that each candidate’s application is first reviewed to ensure the proper academic preparation to excel in the rigors of dental school. Next, each application is evaluated through a review of candidates’ experiences, attributes, and activities in full compliance with State of Ohio and federal laws and regulations. Since we anticipate dentistry will attract a competitive admission pool where there are many more qualified candidates that spaces in the class, each candidate’s application credentials will be holistically evaluated in a stratified manner under the direction of a duly appointed faculty admission committee. All of this means that NEOMED plans to share recommended minimum academic metrics. Once we have matriculated an inaugural class we will share additional class profile data. Only grades and calculated grade averages presented in AADSAS as verified will be used in admission decisions.
What is the minimum recommended undergraduate GPA for full consideration for admission?
In most cases students should plan to present no lower than a 3.00 overall undergraduate GPA and a 3.00 undergraduate GPA when science classes alone are averaged. We project an average undergraduate GPA of around 3.50. However, candidates who have completed applicable post-baccalaureate and/or graduate coursework at high attainment levels may wish to consider application even with undergraduate grades somewhat lower than shared above.
If my overall or science GPA is under 3.5, should I apply when the application becomes available?
Of course! Many factors go into shaping GPAs. Trends showing that a student improved her or his grades after college adjustment, changes of major and career goals, the challenging 2020 Covid enrollment year, and individual student circumstances. As we like to say in admission, every application tells a story – if you know how to read it!
Advanced Placement and College Credit Plus
NEOMED accepts Advanced Placement (A.P.) credit and college credit completed in secondary school (such as Ohio’s College Credit Plus) as posted to college/university transcripts verified in AADSAS. There will be no need to send A.P. documentation to NEOMED separately.
NEOMED does not screen pre-requisites for instructional modality (in person, hybrid, online) or type of post-secondary institution (community college, college, university).
All pre-requisites are to be completed at regionally accredited higher education institutions if completed in the United States or at a Canadian university. International coursework may be considered to fulfill pre-requisites if supported by a World Educational Services (W.E.S.) evaluation supplied at the candidate’s expense and verified through AADSAS.
Required and recommended coursework
Prerequisite courses help ensure that all admitted students have the knowledge they need to succeed in dental school. Because undergraduate programs may differ from our listed requirements, accommodations are often possible. We encourage you to contact NEOMED admission staff at BCODAdmission@380cebbe0d.nxcli.io in advance to discuss your prerequisites.
Required and recommended pre-requisite courses:
Required pre-requisites
Required pre-requisites include:
- 8 semester credit hours of biological/life sciences foundations courses and labs. In many cases this is presented as Biology I and lab and Biology II and lab in curriculum.
- 8 semester credit hours of general or inorganic chemistry foundations courses and labs. In many cases this is presented as Chemistry I and lab and Chemistry II and lab in curriculum.
- 8 semester credit hours of Organic Chemistry I and lab Organic Chemistry II and lab.
- 3 semester credit hours of biochemistry
- 3 semester credit hours of physics (either algebra-based or calculus-based).
Recommended pre-requisites
Recommended pre-requisites include:
- 3 semester credit hours of statistics/health-studies related statistics
- 3 or 4 semester credit hours of math at the college algebra or calculus level
- 3 semester credit hours of microbiology
- 3 semester credit hours of cell biology
- 3 semester credit hours of biochemistry II
Dental Admission Test
NEOMED will require all candidates to complete the Dental Admission Test for admission consideration. Learn more about 2025 DAT changes.
Over time we will study the DAT results that corollate to student success at NEOMED. This will allow us to make better holistic decisions, as we do with our other programs.
As we begin to evaluate candidates, we recommend a minimum score of 16 (370) or 17 (380) on the Dental Admission Test with higher scores predicting better on-time progression to graduation.
AADSAS will be the official source for all GPA and DAT reporting. Grades and DAT scores will not be accepted outside of AADSAS.
Applicants must submit DAT scores from tests taken within three years of Feb. 1 in their admission cycle. For example, if you plan to enter in 2026, your DAT must be from Feb. 1, 2023, or later. If your scores are older, you’ll need to retake the DAT.
Q: How can I learn more about the Dental Admission Test, including how my perceptual ability may be assessed to project compatibility with dental practice?
A: See an overview of the the Dental Admission Test.
Outside the classroom
Building co-curricular experiences & recommendations
Strong applicants to the D.D.S. program in the Bitonte College of Dentistry pair solid academics and DAT results with experiences, activities and recommendations that demonstrate their strengths as part of a well-rounded application.
Dentist shadowing
Candidates are strongly encouraged to shadow several dentists, either in-person or virtually, to gain a nuanced appreciation for patient-facing dental practice. Between 40 to 80 hours of shadowing and volunteer experiences in a dental setting are recommended if employment in a dental clinic setting is not realistic. NEOMED will not require an affidavit statement attesting to shadowing experiences but will refer to candidate information provided in AADSAS.
Dental-related employment
Dental-related employment is encouraged if practice and can occur in a variety of forms. Dental hygienists, dental assistants, front office administrative assistants all provide candidates with a more advanced understanding of dental practice. While not required of all candidates, these employment experiences are excellent co-curricular options.
Research & academic enrichment
While campus-based science or clinical research is not required, it can strengthen your understanding of scientific inquiry in the health professions. Conferences and summer programs in dentistry or related fields also add value to your co-curricular record. We recommend including some form of research or academic enrichment in your application.
We also understand that work to support yourself or your family may limit these opportunities. Be sure to list all employment experiences so we can consider them as part of your application.
Extracurricular activities, leadership and volunteering
We encourage all candidates to take part in service, whether on campus or in the community, to show a commitment to giving back. Clinically based service in nonprofit health settings can be especially valuable for building patient-care experience.
Achievements, honors and awards
While not required for admission, we encourage you to include achievements, honors and awards in your application.
Personal statement
All applicants must submit a personal statement explaining why they want to pursue a dental career. The admissions committee values statements that clearly share your motivations to practice dentistry, offer genuine insight into who you are and reflect professionalism in writing. The limit is 4,500 characters.
Important: Plagiarism is a code of conduct violation and may result in sanctions.
Evaluations/recommendations
Candidates are highly encouraged to line up two trusted individuals to complete a candidate evaluation for a total of two recommendations. Candidates should plan to submit evaluation recommendations using the integrated evaluation tool in AADSAS. We recommend submitting at least one evaluation from a dental practitioner and another from an academic professional, such as a faculty member or co-curricular advisor.