You don't need the DAT and GRE. If you think you do, call up your schools and ask them specifically.
1.
Take your DAT from Feb-May. You have to wait 3 months between testing. If you take your DAT in June and are unhappy with your scores, then you will be holding up your app until you can take it again in September (LATE!). Best to take it in Feb/March if you think there might be a possibility you will want to take it again.
2.
In March, start asking for letters of Rec. Open an Interfolio* account. Ask for as many letters from science professors, non-science professors, and research profs as you can. You can never have too many letters (not like you have to submit them all). You will probably need a LOR from a dentist.
3.
Work on your personal statement. When AADSAS opens in June, you will be asked to "paste personal statement here." This is an opportunity for you to basically say what experiences you have had have made you realize you want to be a dentist. You want it to be creative, well-written, and demonstates who you are. Admissions comittees read THOUSANDS of these, so try not to be so boring. They will just chuck it if they think its awful. I believe its a 5000 character limit. Take it to your school's writing center and ask for their opinion. They are usually pretty aware of what a good and bad personal statement is. And don't skimp on this part of the application-- its important! Its the only part of the app that asks about YOU! Everything else is stats about you.
4.
AADSAS opens in June. AADSAS is a centralized application for almost all dental schools (Texas kinda does their own thing). For the most part, it asks your name, school info, test scores, course work etc. You will fill out the info, send your LOR to AADSAS, and send your transcripts to AADSAS. Then, you can submit your app and AADSAS will send your app to your designated schools. If you have been to multiple universities, stay onto of sending your transcripts in on a timely manner (or that will hold up your app). Ideally, you want to submit AADSAS as soon as you can.
5.
Secondary Apps. Some schools have them, some schools don't. They will email/mail you the secondary once your AADSAS app is received by them. Secondary apps might just be a form saying you aren't a felon, have never been on academic probation, etc. I have heard of some that are essays.
6.
Pray. Hope for some interviews.
7. If you get an interview invite, do some research on the interview format and the school. Be familiar with your application and personal statment.
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With that said, start doing research on schools NOW. You may have good stats, but some schools take 7 out of state students. And, let's face it, they are going to have amazing stats. You need to seriously evaluate the following (in whatever order is important to you):
1. Your chances of getting in (by GPA/DAT and number of out-of-state seats available)
2. Cost (i.e. your in-state school or private university)
3. Distance from home/family
4. The school's strengths and weaknesses
5. Your long term career (what school can help you be [x] kind of dentist)
(* What is interfolio? I wrote a long response in this forum:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=695332)
Hope that helps.
