Doctor of Dental Surgery 2022 and Onward

Students applying to the program need to be aware that they will be expected to meet the Technical Standards Policy.

The first and second years of the program are comprised of an integrated curriculum, studying anatomical, physiologic, and health systems, including:

• Infection, Immunity and Inflammation
• Endocrine System
• Cardiovascular
• Pulmonary and Renal Systems
• Gastroenterology and Nutrition
• Musculoskeletal System
• Neurosciences
• Oncology

The first two years of the program also includes the study of Oral Biology, Dental Anatomy, Oral Pathology, and an introduction to the pre-clinical practice of dentistry.

The third and fourth years of the program are comprised of lectures, laboratories, seminars and clinical practice. Topics include:

• Dental Implants
• Diagnostics
• Endodontics
• Ethics in Dentistry
• Fixed Prosthodontics
• Hospital Dentistry
• Operative
• Oral Surgery
• Orthodontics
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Radiology
• Removable Prosthodontics
• Geriatrics
• Oral Biology
• Practice Management
• Sedation and Pain Control

In addition to clinical practice at the University of Alberta Dental Clinic, students participate in clinics at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, the University of Alberta Hospital, and in a satellite dental clinic rotation in Northern Alberta.

Application deadline: November 1 (see all DDS Admissions Deadlines)

Applications for admission are accepted from the beginning of July to November 1 the year prior to the year admission is sought.

Only electronic applications will be accepted.

The following documentation is required:

1. Completed University of Alberta online undergraduate application for admission with the non-refundable application fee.
2. Personal Experiences form.
3. Official transcripts of your academic record. All previous post-secondary academic records must be declared and provided.
4. Results from the Canadian Dental Aptitude Test.
5. Altus Suite results (Situational Judgment Test).
6. English Language Proficiency/Spoken English Requirement (if required).

The minimum requirement for admission to the DDS Program is the satisfactory completion of *60 of transferable postsecondary work (10 full-year course equivalents or 20 half-year course equivalents). The minimum course-load requirement is 2 academic years of Fall/Winter semesters with a course-load of *30 in each year. A Fall/Winter academic year is September to April inclusive.

The pre-professional course requirements are:

• General Chemistry (*3)
• Organic Chemistry (*3)
• Biology (*3) (Biology 107 or equivalent required)
• Microbiology (*3)
• English (*6)
• Statistics (*3)
• Introductory Biochemistry (*3)
• Human Physiology (*6) (Physiology 210 or equivalent required)

Notes:
*3 is equivalent to one half-year course
*6 is equivalent to one full-year course or two half year courses

A minimum grade of C- (or equivalent) is required in any transfer course (i.e. courses not completed at the University of Alberta) used to meet a prerequisite requirement. Grades of D+, D, D- and F are considered deficient for transfer coursework.

Applicants having high school courses in English Language Arts 30-1; Pure Mathematics 30, Chemistry 30, Biology 30 and Physics 30 will be best prepared to succeed in the two-year pre-dental program.

General Chemistry: IB Chemistry (higher level) with a grade of 6 or 7 only is equivalent to Chemistry 101 (*3) or Chemistry 103 (*3).

Biology (including Microbiology, Zoology, Genetics, Botany, Bacteriology, Immunology): IB Biology (higher level) with a grade of 6 or 7 only is equivalent to Biology 107 (*3).

English Courses offered by the Department of English: ENGL will meet the English requirement. ENGL 150 will not meet the requirement. IB English (Higher) with a grade of 6 or 7 will meet the English requirement. Classics, History, Linguistics, WRS, WRITE, or Philosophy DO NOT meet this requirement.

Official transcripts showing completed work to date and course registration for the Fall term should be submitted by November 15 to assist in the preliminary assessment of your file.

Official transcripts showing completed work up to and including Fall term of current year must be submitted by February 1.

Please note: Applicants who fail to submit the required documents by the February 1 deadline cannot be evaluated for interview selection. Applicants who do not receive an interview cannot be considered for admission. (See all DDS Admissions Deadlines.)

Official final transcripts of current Fall/Winter academic year must be received by June 15.

Please submit all transcripts to:

Office of the Registrar and Student Awards
University of Alberta
11487 89 Avenue NW
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2M7

Via email to:
transcripts@ualberta.ca

Submission of University of Alberta transcripts is not necessary for Fall/Winter coursework. Applicants planning to take Spring term courses the year admission is sought must notify the Admissions Office of their registration and provide a final transcript by June 15.

Post-secondary education completed outside of Canada

All applicants are required to provide a detailed course description for post-secondary work completed outside of Canada, due February 1 the year admission is sought.

English Language Proficiency and Spoken English Requirement: deadline June 15 of year admission is sought. See University of Alberta Calendar 13.3.1 and 13.3.2

Applicants must write the Canadian Dental Aptitude Test (DAT). If the test is taken more than once, the best set of scores will be used. To meet minimum requirements a score of 15 or more must be achieved in each of: Survey of Natural Sciences (SNS), Perceptual Ability Test (PAT), and Reading Comprehension Test (RCT).

Canadian Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) results must be submitted to the Admissions Office by January 15 of the year admission is sought. The DAT must have been written within the last five years and, at the latest, the November prior to admission.

Information regarding the DAT and registration is available from the Canadian Dental Association website .

Please note: The DAT must be written by November of the year prior to the year admission is sought. For example, if you are applying for Fall 2022 admission the latest you could write the DAT would be November 2021. We recommend applicants take the February DAT exam of the year prior to the year admission is sought. If one of the required sections is scored below 15 or something should go wrong, an applicant would have the opportunity to retake the test in November. (See all DDS Admissions Deadlines.)

The University of Alberta DDS Program does not accept U.S. DAT results. All applicants must complete the Canadian DAT.

Acuity Insights - admissions assessments of non-cognitive skills

All applicants applying to the Doctor of Dental Surgery program are required to complete an online suite of assessments (Acuity Insights), to assist with our selection process for the 2021-2022 Application Cycle.

Acuity Insights is a standardized, two-part online assessment of non-cognitive skills, interpersonal characteristics, and personal values and priorities that are believed to be important. Acuity Insights will complement the other tools that we use for applicant review and evaluation.

Acuity Insights consists of:

• Casper: a 60-90 minute online situational judgment test (SJT)
• Snapshot: NOT REQUIRED

You will register for Acuity Insights for Canadian Professional Health Sciences (CSP-10201 – Canadian Professional Health Sciences).

Note, the DDS and Dental Hygiene programs require different assessments.  If applying to both programs you will need to complete the required assessment for each program.

Access Acuity Insights to create an account and for more information on important dates and requirements, and the Acuity Insights assessments.

Acuity results must be submitted to the Admissions Office by January 1 of the year admission is sought.  Note, scores are valid for one year only.

The Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta values diversity in our entering Doctor of Dental Surgery class. The Personal Experiences section gives you the opportunity to highlight your life experiences that you feel will enhance your application. The Personal Experiences section is comprised of four subsections:

Employment: Include a brief description of the nature of the work and your responsibilities, a brief description of the average hours worked per week (ie. part-time during summer, seasonal, full-time, etc), and the total number of verifiable hours worked in each position. (350 characters per entry).  Maximum of 3 entries.

Leadership  and/or  Volunteer Experiences: List and briefly describe areas where you have provided a leadership role or volunteer experience. This applies to scholastic, sports, arts, and community activities. Include a brief description of the time commitment (ie. part-time during summer, seasonal, full-time, etc) as well as the total number of verifiable hours committed. (350 characters per entry). Maximum of 3 entries.

Life Experience & Achievements: This section encompasses many domains including, but not limited to, achievements and experiences in: education, arts, music, sports, athletics, science, research, languages, communication, cultural and ethnic experiences, and travel. You can include activities which you feel have defined your life. Include a brief description of the time commitment (ie. part-time during summer, seasonal, full-time, etc) (2000 character maximum).  One entry allowed.

Personal Highlights: Use this space to highlight something about yourself that has not been previously expressed (1000 characters maximum).  One entry allowed.

Please note that applicants are not required to reveal anything that is considered protected under human rights legislation.

For Employment, Leadership &Volunteer Experiences, and Life Experiences & Achievements: you should be selective and concise in the activities you choose to include. By not including any items in these any of these sections you are accepting a 0 for that section. Details about each activity are required, such as length of time commitment, description of time commitment, number of verifiable hours committed, and description of activity. For example, when calculating the number of hours committed to an activity, please do not include hours dedicated to sleep. We suggest that you discuss the information you are choosing to include with your verifier and notify them that they will be contacted.

As all activities are verified, you must provide us with the contact information for someone who can confirm the details you have provided for each activity. You should not be using yourself as a verifier. When possible, avoid using family members or close friends as verifiers. Should we have any issues during this process we will contact you directly. If you do not hear from us, assume that everything is fine.

Once an application is submitted, the Personal Experiences form will be available in your Launchpad checklist.

The deadline for submission of the Personal Experiences section is November 1.

Interview schedules are to be determined.

A personal interview is required of all competitive applicants annually. Interview selection is based on post-secondary academic record, DAT scores and SJT results. The interim document deadline is February 1. Applicants who fail to submit the required documents by February 1 cannot be evaluated for interview selection.

Competitive applicants will be interviewed to determine if they have the personal qualities necessary for the profession. The interview evaluates an applicant's maturity, motivation, initiative, ability to communicate, personal qualities and interests.

Applicants who participate in the personal interview, will also be scheduled for an allotted time that same day to complete a written, personal statement. This statement will allow applicants to respond to specific questions and provide personal information regarding their preparation for and understanding of the dental profession and demonstrate written communication skills.

Applicants selected to interview will be contacted by email by the end of February. Primary contact will be through the University of Alberta email account, please have your U of A account forwarded to your regular email account if you do not check your U of A email account regularly.

Interview Format

The interview format is the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI). In this format, the interviewee will be exposed without interruption to a series of stations, each of which will take 10 minutes to complete.

At each station, the interviewee will be provided with a question, and given two minutes to read the question and formulate a response. After these two minutes, the interviewee will discuss the response with an interviewer for the remaining eight minutes before moving quickly to the next station.

Candidates must interview each year in person at the University of Alberta.

Applicants not selected for interview will not be re-evaluated for final selection in the current year.

Sample MMI Questions

Enrolment is limited to an annual quota of 30 students. Of the 30 positions available, 27 are reserved for Alberta residents, and up to 3 are available for non-Alberta residents. No non-resident shall be admitted to the DDS Program who is less qualified than any Alberta resident who is denied admission to that Program.

For admission purposes, a resident of Alberta is defined as a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident (Landed Immigrant) who has been continuously resident in the Province of Alberta, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, or Nunavut for at least one year immediately prior to the first day of classes of the term in which admission is sought. Because residency status determines the competitive pool in which an applicant is ranked, applicants may be required to present proof of residency status. Please visit section 13.2 Residence Requirements of the University of Alberta calendar for more information.

We do not accept any advance standing or transfer students from other Dental Schools. All applicants admitted to the DDS program must begin in year one and complete all four years at the University of Alberta.

Indigenous Applicants: In addition to the regular quota positions, additional position/s per year may be available for a qualified student/s of indigenous ancestry. Applicants interested in this program are encouraged to contact the Administrator, Indigenous Health Initiative at (780) 492-9526 for further information and assistance.

Applicant Profile

Selection factors will include, but are not limited to:

• Overall GPA is comprised of all transferable postsecondary work completed as a full-time student taken during Fall/Winter or Spring/Summer Terms. For overall GPA calculation full-time study is equivalent to a minimum of *18 taken during Fall/Winter Terms or *12 taken during Spring/Summer Terms;
• Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) scores - Survey of Natural Sciences (SNS), Perceptual Ability Test (PAT), and Reading Comprehension Test (RCT);
• SJT results;
• Personal Experiences;
• Interview score;
• Personal Statement;
• Additional assessments as determined by the Admissions Committee.

An admission decision is valid only for the Fall/Winter Term for which the applicant applied.

A minimum GPA of 3.5 is required for admission. Students with a GPA of less than 3.5 will not be considered for admission. As well, a minimum of 15 out of 30 score is required in the DAT natural sciences, perceptual ability, and reading comprehension categories.

For applicants who have completed four or more years of full-time transferable postsecondary work, the cumulative (overall) GPA is calculated with the deletion of the lowest Fall/Winter GPA, provided it is not the most recent Fall/Winter or one of the two required Fall/Winter years where *30 was taken.

Special Consideration

Applicants who have extenuating circumstances may submit a request for special consideration in writing to the Admissions Committee with supporting documentation. Special consideration requests must be received by the Admissions Office by January 31 of year admission is sought. Applicants will be expected to have successfully completed all pre-professional requirements. Applicants requesting special consideration must contact the Admissions Office prior to submitting their request for a Request for Special Consideration form.

Upon Acceptance

Notification of Acceptance: May-July

Deposit: Upon notification of acceptance, applicants will be required to confirm their admission and intention to register by submitting a nonrefundable tuition deposit of $1000 within the time specified in the letter of acceptance. The deposit will be credited toward payment of tuition upon completion of registration.

Complete and fully documented immunization is a program requirement. The Faculty Immunization Clearance Form must be filled out exactly as detailed on the form by an appropriate health care provider with a minimum month and year of all vaccine injections and supporting serology or letters where indicated. It is strongly recommended, where possible, to utilize the University Health Center for your immunization clearance. Appointments can be booked online or by calling 780-492-2612. The vaccination requirements are based on the Alberta Provincial guidelines for HealthCare Students in a Post-Secondary Institution and serology/immunization outside the guidelines is not routinely done or recommended. All immunization records need to be written and legible. Certified translation must be provided for all non-English documentation. Students without acceptable records will be required to complete their primary immunization series which can take many months so early action on this requirement is strongly advised.

A clear Police Information Check (PIC) is required under the Protection For Persons in Care Act. All students going to any clinical placement or rotation in Alberta are required to complete a PIC (also known as a Criminal Record Check, Security Clearance Check, or Police Clearance), which must include a Vulnerable Sector check. The clinical practice site will determine the criteria for acceptance/denial of a placement.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certification (CPR) is required for all students registered in the program. The School will only accept Canadian or American Heart and Stroke: Basic Life Support CPR for health care providers. No other courses will be accepted to meet the CPR requirement. Students must provide evidence of valid CPR certification at the beginning of each fall term throughout the course of their program. A CPR BLS Provider certificate is valid for one year from the completion date of the course. Online CPR course certifications will NOT be accepted; students must attend an in-person course. Students who do not have current Basic Life Support Provider CPR certification cannot participate in clinical courses. You may visit the Heart and Stroke website to find courses offered in Basic Life Support CPR for health care providers.

The estimated costs for students entering the DDS program in Fall 2021 are as follows:

Note: All costs noted above are estimates only and are subject to change. Students pay the fees in effect at the time of registration .

If you are not a Canadian Citizen or a Permanent Resident, the estimated costs for students entering Fall 2021 are as follows:

Note: All costs noted above are estimates only and are subject to change. Students pay the fees in effect at the time of registration. Loupes, textbooks and software are separate from the above fees. Students are responsible for any costs associated with these requirements.

The Fall 2022 tuition fees may increase up to 40% above the fees listed.

Learn more about Scholarships and Awards.

Review the list of Dentistry Awards and Scholarships.