The Top 5 Dental Schools in the US This 2024

Dentists are highly trained medical professionals who use their diagnostic, predictive, and surgical skills in a field that is constantly evolving with new treatments and technological advancements. To enter general practice, you must first earn either a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or a DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) after completing your bachelor’s degree. Those who wish to specialize can then apply to residency programs. This is why knowing the best dental schools in the US is important.

Excited to enter dental school? In this guide, we’ll be sharing relevant insights on the best dental schools in the US to guide you choose the right school suited for you and your needs.

• What Are the Best Dental Schools in the US?
• What Is the Study of Dentistry All About?
• Why Choose Dentistry?
• What Makes a “Good” Dental School?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Are the Best Dental Schools in the US?

If you’re contemplating dental school, you might be unsure where to begin or which school to choose. With dental schools scattered across the country, selecting the right program can feel daunting.

Beyond dental school rankings, numerous factors should be considered when deciding on a dental school. The following are considered the best dental schools in the US:

1. Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Acceptance rate: 3.18%

Average tuition cost: $102,000

Founded in 1867, the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) at Harvard University is one of the best dental schools in the US. The school emphasizes research on musculoskeletal diseases and offers its students public health opportunities.

HSDM boasts a world-class curriculum and unique, rigorous training that sets it apart. For example, students can begin their dental journey through pre-dental or advanced graduate programs, taking courses at the medical school to deepen their understanding of human anatomy and patient care. 

If accepted into the DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) program, you’ll gain hands-on patient experience starting in your first year and participate in efforts to provide free dental care to underserved communities through the Harvard Dental Center.

2. University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry

Acceptance rate: 3.9%
Average tuition cost: $110,700

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Dentistry is one of the best dental schools in the US. Founded in 1881, UCSF is a leader in oral and craniofacial health, offering a variety of programs, including: 

• DDS
• Ph.D
• postgraduate training
• residency programs

The school provides several DMD degree options, such as a four-year DMD, a combined DMD/Ph.D., and a unique dual DMD/MBA program.

Canadian students can apply to the standard four-year DMD program with their Canadian degrees, while international students without a U.S. or Canadian degree can pursue the International Dentist Pathway, which leads to an accredited degree for practicing in the U.S.

For students from underrepresented communities who need an additional year of post-baccalaureate study before applying to the DMD program, the Interprofessional Post-Bac Health Certificate program offers a chance to enhance knowledge, improve GPA if necessary, and better prepare for dental school coursework.

For dental graduates seeking residency, UCSF offers ten different specializations, including options such as a Master in Public Health or an Advanced Dental Health degree.

3. Columbia University College of Dental Medicine

Acceptance rate: 5%

Average tuition cost: $139,000

Columbia University College of Dental Medicine is consistently ranked among the best dental schools in the U.S. due to its extensive academic offerings. In addition to a standard four-year DDS program, Columbia provides several interdisciplinary degrees, such as the DDS/MPH and DDS/MBA. It is also notable for integrating dental and medical education.

Dental students at Columbia frequently take courses at the medical school, a feature offered by only four dental schools in the U.S. (the others being Harvard, UPenn, and UConn).

For those who have already completed a dental degree, Columbia offers a variety of post-doctoral fellowships and residency programs led by expert faculty. These programs provide access to the school’s extensive network of dental clinics, research centers, and healthcare facilities across New York City.

4. University of Michigan School of Dentistry

Acceptance rate: 6.5%

Average tuition cost: $96,000

The University of Michigan School of Dentistry consistently ranks among the best for the breadth, variety, and flexibility of its programs. The school has recently revamped its DDS curriculum, introducing new pathways to offer you more control over your studies.

The two pathways—Immersion and Selectives—have different objectives but share the goal of giving you greater academic autonomy. 

In the Immersion pathway, you select a research topic during your first or second year and tailor your electives around that project, culminating in a capstone presentation.

The Selectives pathway, on the other hand, allows you to choose from a range of electives, enabling you to explore various specialties and sub-specialties in dentistry.

5. University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine

Acceptance rate: 6.1%

Average tuition cost: $143,200

Founded in 1878, the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine is one of the oldest university-affiliated dental schools in the country. Penn Dental Medicine’s mission is to advance global oral health and well-being through outstanding clinical care, innovation, education, and research.

The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) is renowned for its professional schools, including its medical school and the Wharton School of Business, and the dental school upholds this same standard of rigor in training, education, and admissions. UPenn’s expansive research initiatives and a strong commitment to advancing dental science make it one of the best dental schools in the U.S.

The school houses three independent research centers on campus and regularly pilots new research projects, such as a nationally accredited workshop that trains dentists to care for people with disabilities. With six specialty clinics, students can explore a wide range of subspecialties or focus on specific areas like:

• oral surgery
• pediatric dentistry
• orthodontics

What Is the Study of Dentistry All About?

Dentistry is popularly referred to as dental medicine or oral medicine. The American Dental Education Association defines dentistry as the profession concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and conditions affecting the teeth and associated structures of the mouth, including the jaw and adjacent tissue.

Before exploring the duties of a dentist, here are some of the major fields of dentistry residency programs you must know. These programs are mostly offered at the best dental schools in the US:

• Advanced Education in General Dentistry
• Dental Anesthesiology
• Canadian General Practice Residency
• US General Practice Residency
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Orthodontics
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Periodontics
• Prosthodontics

Why Choose Dentistry?

With the population on the rise and changes in healthcare law happening, combined with the impending retirement of a large group of dentists who were educated during the 1960s and 1970s, the need for new dentists is becoming increasingly needed. Ratios among practicing dentists to population significantly vary but range from about 42 to 108 dentists per 100,000 people, according to statistics from the American Dental Association.

According to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, dental jobs will grow by 6% in 2031. That does make a call for choosing the best programs in the best dental schools in the US!

Thinking about studying dentistry? Here are just some of the reasons why you should pursue it:

1. Restore the oral health and transform the lives of patients

Whether it is preventive care, rendering dental restorative procedures, alleviating pain, or correcting dentofacial esthetics, so many times in just one visit, a dentist can have that feeling of satisfaction, privilege, and pure joy of being able to make a real, positive difference in someone’s life by restoring their oral health and making them feel good about themselves.

2. Earn a good salary

The average annual net income for a general practitioner who owned all or part of his or her practice was $218,220 and for dental specialists $335,920 on average, based on the ADA Health Policy Institute 2023 Survey of Dental Practice. Incomes vary across the country and depend on the type of practice.

3. Being precise and accurate

Compared with all the uncertainties in medicine, dentistry offers a precision that many find very appealing. It can be mechanical and repetitive—which could be a comfort for some. For the most part, there’s no question what you can tell your patients regarding their prognosis and you have the most precise tools to do your work.

Columbia University reports that a new precision dental clinic opened last year in Manhattan.

“Many new clinics look very nice, but this is also the first big-data precision dental medicine clinic in the world,” said Christian Stohler, dean of the College of Dental Medicine. “The idea was to create an environment where patients have maximum privacy, while students, instructors, and staff create a community that allows us to work together.”

What makes it precise? It’s plugged in. There’s a chair in every procedure room, each collecting data about the patients on the consultation, how long they have waited, which tools are being used, how long each experience is taking, how patients are reacting, and their vital signs.

What Makes a “Good” Dental School?

A few major criteria must be used in determining the best dental schools in the US in terms of the reputation of the institution, student opportunity, and residency programs. Researching a dental school should include taking a hard look at:

1. Educational resources and academic reputation

Is this a dental school with a challenging, well-rounded curriculum that will let you explore multiple areas of dentistry? Are strong academic and career advising services available? Focus on those known to hold their students to high standards of excellence.

2. Average GPA and DAT scores

The best dental schools in the US are also likely to attract some of the best applicants, and that is typically reflected in the statistics of the students they accept. While most do not declare a minimum GPA or Dental Admission Test score for their applicants, the best colleges for dentistry generally are home to students with an average GPA of 3.6 to 3.8 or above and a DAT average score of 20 to 22 or above. 

3. Clinical and research opportunities

Are there ample clinical opportunities available to students as early as their first year in the program? More important to you, perhaps, will be whether those clinical opportunities will provide you with experience in learning areas of specialization and serving the types of communities that you envision for your future career as a dentist.

The best dental schools in the US ensure that students have access to these clinical opportunities early in their education.

Are extensive research opportunities available to students as early as the first or second year of the program? Are these research opportunities matched to your interests and goals? Or are you going to scramble with dozens of other students for one place?

The best dental schools in the US provide substantial research budgets, funding for new equipment, regular training, and generous grants or stipends. By choosing the best dental schools in the US, you can ensure that your educational experience is comprehensive and well-supported.

Usually, the best colleges for dentistry will have several local clinics in partnership with which students take part in extensive clinical work under different contexts.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many dental schools are in the US?

According to the American Dental Association, there are 75 accredited dental schools in the US.

2. What are the easiest dental schools to get into?

It depends! The consensus for the easiest dental schools in the US  is usually a GPA anywhere from 3.0 to 3.5 and DAT scores of at least 20; this could be less when coupled with other application requirements—personal letters, letters of recommendation, and interview performance. You would also need to complete at least 30-40 hours of minimum shadowing or professional experience in dentistry.

3. Are dental schools in the US expensive?

The best dental schools in the US can be expensive; this is because it may involve many varied fees, cost-of-living, and equipment expenses when compared to other schools. In addition to this, there is a very thin line of difference that exists between in-state and out-of-state tuition because it gets erased by other costs, such as living and equipment expenses. If you want to enter a dental school in the US, you should be ready to pay anywhere from $110,000 to $150,000 per year.

4. How much does a dentist earn in the US?

The average salary for a dentist is expected to be $170,910 a year, with the total annual compensation coming in at an estimated $245,975.

5. How long is dental school in the US?

A traditional dental dentistry program in the US lasts four years.

Takeaways

• Some of the best dental schools in the US are Harvard School of Dental Medicine, University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry, and Columbia University College of Dental Medicine.
• Being a dentist in the US can be a lucrative career, with an average of $170,910 salary per year.
• Ready to apply to your dream dental school? We got you. At AdmissionSight, we have more than a decade of expertise in helping students enter the school of their dreams.