Navigating the Dental School Application Process: a Master Post.

[Kieran1992]

As the season of new dental school applications for the c/o 2019 begins, many of us who were just accepted in to the c/o 2018, and earlier, are now thinking back to our......wonderful...amazing...memories..........

OK no, it was certainly not all peachy and easy. There's no sugar coating it, it was hard. Really hard. But that's where we come in. I, and I'm sure all of us who are accepted or are in dental school already, would be glad to help everyone applying this cycle!

Let's use this thread as a central place to get answers to any questions, general or specific, about the process from people who have lived through it. I know I'm happy to help the next cycle of applicants get into their top schools, and I hope we can all come together to make it happen!

Post questions, concerns, and anything you want below, and good luck to all!

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[fayevalentine]

I don't know what it is about SDN, but for some reason the kindest and most helpful people seem to gravitate to this site. Thanks Kieran for your kind offer to give advice to those of us that have yet to be accepted. I love our little SDN community .

 

[ImFlossy123]

Hi there!

Thank you so much for creating a thread like this! Most websites don't give very many tips or info on the application process... My main concern/question is where do we start? I took my DAT on Saturday and have completed all of my pre-reqs ( I graduated 2013). I have asked for a few LORs already however, I'm not sure what the best way of collecting them would be...Do LORs need to go through the AADSAS website or can we collect them as official letters and mail them in?

For personal statements, when do we know what the prompts are/are the school specific or general essays?

Also, when do applications become available to fill out? I hear mid-May but I'm not sure where to check for an official date.



Thank you so much for any input or advice! I really appreciate it!!

 

[joeeeey3]

Hi there!

Thank you so much for creating a thread like this! Most websites don't give very many tips or info on the application process... My main concern/question is where do we start? I took my DAT on Saturday and have completed all of my pre-reqs ( I graduated 2013). I have asked for a few LORs already however, I'm not sure what the best way of collecting them would be...Do LORs need to go through the AADSAS website or can we collect them as official letters and mail them in?

For personal statements, when do we know what the prompts are/are the school specific or general essays?

Also, when do applications become available to fill out? I hear mid-May but I'm not sure where to check for an official date.



Thank you so much for any input or advice! I really appreciate it!!

In terms of LOR, if your school has a pre-health committe, you should ask your professors to send it there. (Or you can bring the written LOR sealed in an envelope to the committe yourself) The committee will then write a committee letter and attach the LORs and send it to AADSAS all together. This process may differ depending on your school so you should ask first. This was how it worked for my school at least.

if such committee does not exist, I believe you have to ask your profs to send LORs to AADSAS themselves.
When the application opens, it will give you a matching form with barcode for LORs. You should ask the profs to print these pages and attach it with LORs before sending them directly to AADSAS.

Personal statement is always about "why dentistry?" It's the same for all schools. After you submit your AADSAS application, some schools might ask you for a school specific question such as "Why our school?"

The application will open first week of June.
I think its going to be June 2nd for this year.

good luck !

 

[Glimmer1991]

I also have a huge collection of AADSAS (and general application) FAQs in my signature.

 

[sjv]

For personal statements, when do we know what the prompts are/are the school specific or general essays?

http://www.adea.org/dental_education_pathways/aadsas/Applicants/Pages/PersonalStatement.aspx

 

[ImFlossy123]

In terms of LOR, if your school has a pre-health committe, you should ask your professors to send it there. (Or you can bring the written LOR sealed in an envelope to the committe yourself) The committee will then write a committee letter and attach the LORs and send it to AADSAS all together. This process may differ depending on your school so you should ask first. This was how it worked for my school at least.

if such committee does not exist, I believe you have to ask your profs to send LORs to AADSAS themselves.
When the application opens, it will give you a matching form with barcode for LORs. You should ask the profs to print these pages and attach it with LORs before sending them directly to AADSAS.

Personal statement is always about "why dentistry?" It's the same for all schools. After you submit your AADSAS application, some schools might ask you for a school specific question such as "Why our school?"

The application will open first week of June.
I think its going to be June 2nd for this year.

good luck !

Thank you so much Joeeeey3! My undergrad university does not have such a committee so it will have to be sent in via professors...So basically just have them write the letter and wait to send it out until applications open so I can give them the barcode and they can mail it out? They have asked me whether they can submit directly via a portal? Is that a possibility or do they have to be mailed?

Again thank you so so SO much for your prompt and helpful response!!

 

[ImFlossy123]

http://www.adea.org/dental_education_pathways/aadsas/Applicants/Pages/PersonalStatement.aspx

Thank you so much sjv!! This is perfect!

 

[ImFlossy123]

I also have a huge collection of AADSAS (and general application) FAQs in my signature.

Thank you so much Glimmer1991! I will definitely browse through the FAQs! And also, THANK YOU SO MUCH for your amazing DAT breakdown thread You have honestly been such a help through every step!

 

[joeeeey3]

Thank you so much Joeeeey3! My undergrad university does not have such a committee so it will have to be sent in via professors...So basically just have them write the letter and wait to send it out until applications open so I can give them the barcode and they can mail it out? They have asked me whether they can submit directly via a portal? Is that a possibility or do they have to be mailed?

Again thank you so so SO much for your prompt and helpful response!!

I believe they have to be mailed. (someone can correct me if I am wrong)
from my understanding, you ask ur prof to write LOR in advance.
when application opens on June 2nd, you would put in your profs information (full name, address, email address, phone number, etc)
then you would get that matching sheet in pdf form.
You would email that matching sheet to your profs and instruct them to mail to AADSAS the hardcopy of LOR along with the matching sheet u just gave them

(there is like a powerpoint guide on this made by AADSAS. it should give you a better idea of how the portal interface looks like. google it)

 

[skyguy1]

hey guys, someone who got accepted last year told me that you can have your profs email it to the aadsas website directly

 

[Bigbirdo]

Thank you for being so helpful! I actually have questions about the supplement application.
1. If I want to submit my application in mid July, does the complete application include supplemental application from individual schools?
2. If it does include, how much (like how many words) do we need to usually write for a supplement essay?

 

[sjv]

Thank you for being so helpful! I actually have questions about the supplement application.
1. If I want to submit my application in mid July, does the complete application include supplemental application from individual schools?
2. If it does include, how much (like how many words) do we need to usually write for a supplement essay?

1. The AADSAS application does not include supplemental applications. Supplement may be in the form of just a supplemental fee, some other info, short paragraph answers or long essay type answers. Some are available online and you are expected to send after you submit your AADSAS, some will be sent to you after they receive your application and some will be sent after review of your application.
2. They vary too much by school, some have nothing at all but a fee and some have multiple essays and further academic info. Some will give you a character count and some are open ended.

Take a look a the some of the schools you plan on applying to: http://www.adea.org/dental_educatio.../Pages/ADEAAADSASSupplementalInformation.aspx

 

[saintguitar]

I believe they have to be mailed. (someone can correct me if I am wrong)
from my understanding, you ask ur prof to write LOR in advance.
when application opens on June 2nd, you would put in your profs information (full name, address, email address, phone number, etc)
then you would get that matching sheet in pdf form.
You would email that matching sheet to your profs and instruct them to mail to AADSAS the hardcopy of LOR along with the matching sheet u just gave them

(there is like a powerpoint guide on this made by AADSAS. it should give you a better idea of how the portal interface looks like. google it)

Not necessarily true.
You can choose to have your professors submit their recommendation letters electronically.
So you put in your professors info to the portal and if you choose electronic submission, the portal will send out emails to your professors, in which they can go to a specific website where they can upload their letters.

 

[Bigbirdo]

Another question regarding volunteering and shadowing hours: Does the application require me to have any documents to prove the number of hours I shadowed or volunteered? If not, how do they know I actually shadowed this many hours. I shadowed in a hospital last summer for about 70 hours, and I left the program early because I needed to study for the DAT. I was planning on going back to shadow up to 100 hours because I need at least 100 hours to have a proof paper from them. Yet, I also shadowed elsewhere in the past, so I have more than 100 hours now. I do not really want to return to the hospital if I dont need to..

 

[MBlue16]

Another question regarding volunteering and shadowing hours: Does the application require me to have any documents to prove the number of hours I shadowed or volunteered? If not, how do they know I actually shadowed this many hours. I shadowed in a hospital last summer for about 70 hours, and I left the program early because I needed to study for the DAT. I was planning on going back to shadow up to 100 hours because I need at least 100 hours to have a proof paper from them. Yet, I also shadowed elsewhere in the past, so I have more than 100 hours now. I do not really want to return to the hospital if I dont need to..

As for AADSAS (primary application), they do not require any document to proof the number of hours. I'm not even sure if any school ever contacted any dentist to confirm your hours.

However, I know that some school would request an LOR from a dentist you shadowed to show your shadowing hours.