Interview Format:
We expect to offer a hybrid interview format this year with a mix of in-person and virtual interview days. Interviewees who choose to interview virtually will have the option to visit campus once they are accepted. We have designed in-person and virtual interviews with the intention of eliminating any advantage of one format over the other. We sincerely hope that candidates will choose the format with which they are most comfortable.
Pass/Fail Credit
We understand that many schools offered students the option to take courses for pass/fail credit, or may have transitioned entirely to a pass/fail curriculum during the pandemic. HSDM will accept pass/fail credit for the following semesters: spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020, spring 2021, summer 2021.
Dental Admissions Test (DAT)
HSDM will continue to accept unofficial DAT scores this cycle. Admissions will also consider DAT scores valid for three years from the start of the application cycle. For 2023-2024 applicants, HSDM will accept DAT scores taken after June 1, 2020.
Please email HSDM Admissions your unofficial scores to expedite the review process. Please note that the Admissions Committee will require official DAT scores prior to releasing admissions decisions.
We will continue to provide any application updates on this page.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Application
Applications to the Harvard School of Dental Medicine are available through the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) AADSAS application service. Visit www.adea.org for more information.
Deadline
HSDM's deadline to apply for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle is December 15, 2023. Applications must be completed by January 1, 2024 to be considered for admission. A completed application consists of the AADSAS application, letters of recommendation, DAT, and HSDM application fee. Applications incomplete after January 1, 2024 will be denied.
Application Components
AADSAS application
Official transcripts (submitted to AADSAS) - Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
Letters of evaluation (submitted via AADSAS) - HSDM requires three individual letters of evaluation or one letter from a Pre-Health committee. Individual letters should be from faculty members who can speak to an applicant's academic abilities and potential for success in the program and field. At least two of the three letters must be from professors in the sciences. Students may choose to submit a fourth letter of evaluation in AADSAS. Most frequently, fourth letters of evaluation are from a dentist the applicant shadowed. Please note: HSDM does not accept personal references (e.g. family friend, pastor). If you have used up the four recommendation slots in AADSAS and have an additional letter of recommendation you would like to submit, please have your recommender email this directly to us at hsdm_dmd_admissions@hsdm.harvard.edu.
Official DAT scores (submitted via AADSAS) - U.S. or Canadian
HSDM Application Fee* ($80 in U.S. funds; credit card accepted) A non-refundable application fee must be submitted no later than January 1st to be considered for admission. Once an application has been received and processed, HSDM Admissions will email instructions for submitting an online payment. Please be sure to include the Applicant's Name and AADSAS ID on the payment. Cash is not accepted.
*Applicants who receive an ADEA AADSAS fee waiver, are a member or veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, or a CSTEP student at the University of Buffalo, are eligible for a waiver of the HSDM supplemental application fee. To obtain a waiver, please email a copy of the ADEA AADSAS fee waiver, proof of service, or program participation to Admissions.
Timeline
Process
Application processing begins in mid-June of each year. HSDM applicants will receive the following communications via email:
- Acknowledgement of the receipt of the application.
- A one-time email detailing outstanding application materials.
- Notification when the application is complete and has been forwarded to the Admissions Committee for screening.
Screening
HSDM has no minimum GPA or DAT requirement, although the preferred GPA and DAT is at least a 3.6 and 20 (AA). Please note that GPA and DAT scores are just two pieces considered in the holistic review of your application; completed applications are read in their entirety to assess all aspects of a candidate’s academic and personal experiences.
Applications are screened on a rolling basis by date of completion beginning in late June until all completed applications received by the deadline have been reviewed by the Admissions Committee.
The majority of completed applications are received in June and July. Applicants are encouraged to complete their application as early as possible to maximize the number of fall interviews they receive, and 12/15 offers. Applicants who apply after the summer will still be considered for an interview but will interview later in the cycle.
Interview
Admissions will contact candidates selected for an interview via email with a selection of interview dates. Interviews will be held late September through February. Invited candidates will be asked to submit the following in advance of their interview day:
- HSDM Supplemental Questionnaire (Please note: this is not available on our website.)
For additional information about the interview process, click here.
Offers of Admission
By agreement among ADEA AADSAS schools, offers of admission will begin on 12/15/2023. After this date, offers will be made on a rolling basis. Seats in the class remain available until all invited candidates complete the interview process. The class selection is ordinarily completed by the end of February, with some movement into the spring.
Waitlist
Candidates placed on the waitlist remain under consideration until the class matriculates, usually the first full week of August. The waitlist is not ranked; rather, candidates are comprehensively re-reviewed before an offer of admission is extended. Notification of admission from the waitlist may occur at any time between March and August.
Candidates who are denied admission based on the Committee review will be notified once the class has been filled and on a rolling basis after this point.