| Program
Facts
The length of the program is 45 months at least 34 by actual
attendance. The program consists of twelve quarters of ten
weeks each plus three required nine-week summer sessions.
There are 88 students enrolled in the first year class with
two of these spaces reserved specifically for students participating
in joint DDS/PhD program. .
The basic science and preclinical laboratory courses are
taught primarily in the first 2 years of the curriculum by
the appropriate departments/divisions of the medical and dental
school. The clinical experiences in comprehensive patient
care begin early in the first year. There are numerous selective
program covering a wide variety of experiences and topics,
such as the clinical management of patients and hospital service
rotations.
The off-campus clinical rotations that are an official part
of the curriculum are at: Wilson-Jennings-Bloomfield Venice
Dental Center, Harbor/UCLA Medical Center; and the UCLA Children's
Dental Center at Edward R. Roybal Comprehensive Health Center
in downtown Los Angeles. Students may also elect to participate
in a mobile dental clinic which serves children in the greater
Los Angeles area.
The goals of the program are to produce graduates who: 1)
possess the preventive, diagnostic, and technical knowledge
and skills necessary to provide patients with comprehensive
dental health in a variety of health care delivery systems;
2) view their role in the profession from a humanitarian perspective,
accepting patients’ dental health as a right rather
than a privilege, their patients’ psychological and
physical health being the prime focus of their practices;
3) are able to provide socially sensitive and responsible
leadership in the community of their practice; and 4) continuously
update their knowledge of dental health and oral diseases,
their techniques, and their practices. The school participates
in the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
(WICHE).
Requirements/Pre-requisites
for Admission
- Course/Curriculum Requirements
| # of years: |
Formal minimum 3; majority have 4 |
| # of units: |
90 semester units or 135 quarter units |
* Limitations on accredited community
college course work: only 70 semester or 105 quarter units
will be accepted.
| Required courses with One
(1) year of lab (sem/qtr hrs) |
| |
|
Semester hours |
Quarter hours |
| Inorganic/General Chemistry |
8 |
12 |
| Organic Chemistry |
6 |
8 |
| Physics |
8 |
12 |
| Biology |
8 |
12 |
Other required courses |
| |
English Composition |
6 |
8 |
| Introductory Psychology |
3 |
4 |
| Biochemistry |
3 |
4 |
|
Other recommended courses:
Choose from among histology, physiology, human or comparative
anatomy, social sciences, microbiology, communication, business,
composition, technical writing, fine arts, philosophy, engineering
and classics.
- Dental Admission Test (DAT):
DAT’s must be taken no later than December 31st and
within a three-year period (including the current year
applying).
- Residency Status:
U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
(Permanent Residents must be in possession of their Resident
Alien Card at time of application)
Application
Process
AADSAS Applicants must submit an application to AADSAS which
has its own application fees (depending on the number of
schools
to which an applicant is applying):
AADSAS
1625 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20078-5786
www.adea.org
Information to be submitted to the UCLA School of Dentistry
after you have submitted an AADSAS application.
- Personal History Form
(secondary application)
- $60.00 application fee made to UC Regents
- Official high school transcript
Please note, these items should not be submitted to the
UCLA School of Dentistry until you have received a post card
from the school.
Interview
The Admissions Committee reviews the information submitted
from AADSAS and the Personal History Form to select candidates
to be interviewed.
Timeline
The earliest date students may submit an application to
AADSAS is June 1st. Applications submitted after January
1st will
not be accepted. Applicants are notified of acceptance during
the period of December 1st through May 1st as we are on
a
rolling admissions.
Selection Factors
The Admissions Committee takes into account:
- Scholastic record
- Aptitude for science demonstrated by academic record
and the DAT
- Academic performance on DAT, in particular, the PMAT
portion of the exam to determine spatial aptitude
- English composition performance on DAT, especially for
English as a Second Language applicants
- Manner in which scholastic record was achieved, i.e.,
course load, breadth of the courses of study, extracurricular
activities, and work experience
- Substantive letters of recommendation.
- Personal Interview
Contact Information
Sarah Johnson, Admissions Coordinator
Email: sjohnson@dent.ucla.edu
or
Ms. Evelyn Marques, Office Manager
Email: emarques@dent.ucla.edu
At the following address:
UCLA School of Dentistry
Office of Student Affairs
Rm A0-111 Center for the
Health Sciences
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1762
Joint Programs
Students who enroll in the DDS program may also apply to
combine this degree with a Masters or PhD program in Oral
Biology or MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA. The student
must apply and be accepted to each program independently.
Pre-Dental Courses
Some prospective students have expressed an interest in a
predental technical course. UCLA School of Dentistry offers
the Pre-Dental
Technique Course through it's Continuing Education Program.
This course enables participants to improve the manual dexterity
and hand-eye coordination. The course has played a major role
in assisting pre-health professional students in making decisions
before applying to dental school. The course provides the
participants an opportunity to improve their abilities in
the preparation for dental school.
The School of Dentistry also offers a Perceptual
Skills Workshop. This is a week long sculpture course.
This course was designed by artist, Ronn Davis and designed
to help prepare the student for the Perceptual Skills portion
of the Dental Aptitude Test. In this course you will develop
your ability to visualize three dimensional forms on paper
by learning different methods of drawing. Carving will be
practiced on a variety of materials including plaster and
wax.
Clinic Volunteer Program
Overview
The UCLA School of Dentistry General Clinic Volunteer Program
is an 80 hour structured program for undergraduate students
interested in pursuing a career in dentistry. The program
is designed to provide students with a multi-faceted introduction
to patient care as delivered in a dental school environment.
Volunteers will be introduced and gain experience in a
several areas including: Patient Intake and Screening Clinic,
Chartroom and Billing Offices, Central Sterilization Services,
Teaching Laboratories, and Special Projects from the Office
of the Clinic Administrator. At the successful completion
of the 80-hour program, volunteers will receive a letter
of completion from the UCLA General Clinic Director or
Administrator.
Enrollment
Candidates for the volunteer program must first sign up with
the UCLA Center for Health Sciences Volunteer Office, room
12-217, (310) 825-6002. After successful completion of
the Volunteer Office application and requirements, volunteers
will be eligible to apply for the General Clinic
Hours Required
In each area, you will be required to complete a pre-arranged
number of hours before receiving a supervisor sign off.
Volunteers will be given an hour log sheet routing form
to record hours and receive supervisor signatures and evaluations.
Please bring this form with you to each station, everyday
you are volunteering. This document is the only record
you'll have as to your completed hours. To start the program,
contact Steve Klein at sklein@dent.ucla.edu.
Thank you for your interest and good luck!
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