10 Hardest Dental ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ïs to Get Into in America in 2026

Dental school admissions are highly competitive in the United States. More than 13,600 people applied to U.S. dental schools for the 2025 entering class, according to the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). Applicant growth has also outpaced enrollment growth in recent years.

For ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï wondering which dental schools are among the most difficult to enter, acceptance rates, average GPA and DAT scores provide useful benchmarks.

10 Hardest Dental ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ïs to Get Into

Dental ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹ÏApprox. Acceptance RateAverage GPAAverage DATHarvard ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dental Medicine3.5%3.8824University of Connecticut ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dental Medicine3.2%3.7522UCLA ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dentistry4.1%3.7423Stony Brook University ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dental Medicine4.0%3.7022UCSF ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dentistry4.8%3.7223Columbia University College of Dental Medicine4.4%3.8226Boston University Henry M. Goldman ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dental Medicine4.2%3.5521University of Southern California ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dentistry4.5%3.6021Western University College of Dental Medicine5.0%3.5020Creighton University ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dentistry5.0%3.6520

The figures above are compiled from recent 2025–26 admissions data and should be treated as approximate because dental schools do not all report acceptance rates using identical methodologies. Current published data show particularly low acceptance rates at schools such as Harvard, UConn, UCLA, Stony Brook and UCSF.

Harvard ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dental Medicine

Harvard is among the most selective dental programs in the country. Recent data put its acceptance rate around 3.5%, with entering ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï reporting exceptionally strong academic credentials.

University of Connecticut ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dental Medicine

UConn has one of the lowest reported acceptance rates among U.S. dental schools. Its relatively small class size and strong academic profile make admission particularly competitive.

UCLA ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dentistry

UCLA is another highly competitive program, with an acceptance rate around 4% in recent data and entering ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï typically presenting strong GPAs and DAT scores.

Stony Brook University ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dental Medicine

Stony Brook's dental program is particularly competitive, with recent data placing its acceptance rate at roughly 4%. New York residency considerations can also be important when evaluating public dental schools.

UCSF ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dentistry

The University of California, San Francisco ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dentistry attracts a large applicant pool and has reported an acceptance rate below 7% in recent ADEA-based data. Its entering ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï also tend to have strong academic credentials.

Columbia University College of Dental Medicine

Columbia is one of the most academically selective dental programs in the country. Recent data show an acceptance rate of approximately 4–6%, with particularly strong average DAT performance among entering ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï.

Boston University Henry M. Goldman ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dental Medicine

Boston University receives applications from ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï throughout the United States and internationally. Recent data place its acceptance rate around 4%, making it one of the more competitive private dental programs.

University of Southern California ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dentistry

USC's Herman Ostrow ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dentistry has a large and competitive applicant pool. Recent ADEA-based figures put its acceptance rate in the mid-single digits.

Western University College of Dental Medicine

Western University of Health Sciences has a relatively selective admissions process, with recent data placing its acceptance rate around 5%. The school also considers factors beyond traditional academic statistics.

Creighton University ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï of Dentistry

Creighton is another private dental school with a highly competitive admissions process. Recent data place its acceptance rate around 5%, with an entering-class GPA in the mid-3.6 range.

What Makes Dental ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï Difficult to Get Into?

Acceptance rate is only one measure of dental-school selectivity. Applicants should also consider average GPA, DAT scores, number of applications, class size, residency preferences and the school's individual admissions requirements.

ADEA's 2025–26 Official Guide to Dental ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ïs provides detailed information about individual programs, including admissions requirements and application information.

Students applying in 2026 can also use ADEA AADSAS, the centralized application service used by most U.S. dental schools.

Ultimately, a low acceptance rate does not mean that admission is impossible. Students can improve their applications by maintaining strong grades, preparing thoroughly for the DAT, gaining dental experience and researching schools whose requirements match their academic and professional backgrounds.