I don't know if name changing will affect the admission process, but for the word of advice, if you change your name for the citizenship application, then the citizenship processing takes longer. If you pass the exam and NOT change your name, you can get your citizenship process done within 2 months (the latest. I know a friend who had it done within a month). With the new administration, they don't know when your citizenship process will finish if you change your name. (That's what they told my friend who passed the exam in early Feb 2017. She changed her name and they said they don't know when her application will be finalized.)
Let say if you change your name, then you have to file all the paper to your bank and credit cards and social security and such to change as well. That takes some time as well. There is no guarantee all those will be done before you apply for your school loan.
If you consider getting a loan for dental school, I would say to keep your name until you are done with all the paper work and loan.
I am assuming that...
You don't want to prolong the process of getting into dental school because of the name change.
You don't want to get your citizenship late because of the name change.
You don't want NOT have your loan ready before you enter the school because of your name change.
I know the separate process to change the name is longer and crazier, but....I think...you can do that once things are settled down. But if it is important to you, then I think you should talk to dental schools directly about this issue.
