At the interview they said it was something like 92 or 97% (I want to say 97%, but it was so long ago I can't say for sure). I don't know which undergrad professor would say that the passing rate was 40%, but it seems to me if you want to know answers to questions like this the best bet would be to call the dean. Doing the whole 'he said she said' bit never gives anyone accurate information - so I would suggest getting it straight from the horses mouth. Not to mention that if one thinks about this logically it seems almost absurd, wouldn't you think? 40% passing rate? Would a school this big and this well known be accredited? This is not a safety school by any means; in fact, quite a few people I know have turned down many other offers to attend Pitt. Its requirements are just as strict, which means the caliber of student attending this school is just as high as many other dental schools in the nation. I would have to see some pretty solid evidence of a 40% passing rate to ever believe that that was remotely true. As for cheating - there have been several people who have posted about cheating at their schools. You will have cheating at every school and business you ever encounter, people do it, and they will do it all your life. I would be willing to bet that the major majority of students are not willing to put their entire careers on the line to pass a test, though you will always find some who are, no matter where you go. Besides, the class is so small that 1 or 2 people cheating seems huge and would probably cause quite a stir. I certainly wouldn't make this a deciding factor by any means.
