I'm not so sure I believe luck has anything to do with anybody getting into dental school. Maybe it has to do with what kind of interviewer you get, but regardless you must have the stats, PS, and LORs to score that interview in the first place.
Regarding NYU, keep in mind how many applicants they get each year. It takes them longer to file through all of the applications. Although my application was received by all of the schools a while ago now, I just last week got an email from NYU that my application there was complete and is undergoing review.