Admissions

High School Seniors:

• Complete the LMU College of Dental Medicine Application for Admissions
• Initial Admissions Interview with LMU-CDM Admissions Committee (During Senior Year)
• 1000-word essay – How you arrived at this career goal
• 2 letters of reference attesting to community service and leadership ability addressing character and other skills (from non-relatives)

Overall Undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA): 3.3

Required GPA in Undergraduate Major: Student must maintain at least a 3.3 (science) and 3.2 (non-science) GPA

Minimum GPA for each Required Course: A C+ is the minimum grade need for all required courses. However, a “B” or better is generally needed.

Required Technical Standards and Competencies for Program Admission:

• DAT – Dental Admissions Test (can be no more than one year old): Student must score a 19 or better
• 60 Observation/Shadowing Hours in a General Dentist’s Office
• Chalk/Soap Carving Exercise: Student Must Score a Minimum of 7/12
• During the summer before the last year of college, the student will apply to LMU-CDM through the ADEA

Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (ADEA AADSAS) for admissions to the DMD program with 3 letters of recommendation. The student will be required to complete the supplemental application and meet for a second interview with the LMU-CDM Admissions Committee.

• Applicants must pass the Lincoln Memorial University College of Dental Medicine criminal background check.
• Applicants must be drug-free as evidenced through required drug-testing (completed upon offer of admission).

Candidates for admission must also have abilities and skills in five areas: I) Observation; II) Communication; III) Motor; IV) Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative; and V) Behavioral and Social. Technological compensation can be made for some limitation in certain of these areas, but candidates should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner (Technical Standards).

1. Observation: The candidate must be able to accurately make observations at a distance and close at hand. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation and is enhanced by the functional use of all of the other senses.
2. Communication: The candidate must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently, and sensitively in both oral and written form and be able to perceive nonverbal communication.
3. Motor: The candidate must be able to coordinate both gross and fine muscular movements, maintain equilibrium, and have functional use of the senses of touch and vision. The candidate must possess sufficient postural control, neuromuscular control, and eye-to-hand coordination to perform profession-specific skills and tasks.
4. Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities: The candidate must be able to problem-solve, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, record, and synthesize large amounts of information in a timely manner. The candidate must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand spatial relationships.
5. Behavioral and Social Attributes: The candidate must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his/her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the consistent, prompt completion of all responsibilities, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships. The candidate must be able to tolerate physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. The candidate must be able to adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, effective interpersonal skills, willingness and ability to function as an effective team player, and interest and motivation to learn are all personal qualities required during the educational process.

Students must attest to the ability to meet technical requirements. Any student seeking accommodation must follow the established process for Lincoln Memorial University through the Department of Student Services. No accommodation is available for preclinical and clinical courses.

To qualify for entry via this pathway, students must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited 4-year institution. Prerequisites and recommended courses align with those of previous pathways.

1. Complete the Associated American Dental Schools Application through ADEA (AADSA ADEA) and the LMU College of Dental Medicine Supplementary Application.
2. At a minimum, applicants must report both a science and a cumulative GPA over 3.00 (although over 3.33 will be generally competitively necessary) on a 4.00 scale and a plan leading to a bachelor’s degree prior to matriculation. Minimum science and cumulative GPAs of 3.33 on a 4.00 scale are required.
3. Applicants must submit competitive scores on the Dental Admissions Test (DAT). An Average Academic score of 19 or higher and a Reading Comprehension score of 19 or higher is desired. The DAT must have been taken no more than three years prior to application.
4. Three letters of recommendation are required. One must be from either a predental advisory committee or a science professor; the College of Dental Medicine prefers other letters to be written by either a dental or medical professional or someone who can attest to the integrity and ethical standards of the applicant. Letters written by immediate family members will not be accepted. All letters of recommendation must be submitted directly to the School by those completing the letters. The Office of Admissions will not accept letters submitted by students.
5. Complete 60 observation/shadowing hours prior to entering the DMD program
6. Applicants must demonstrate a sincere understanding of, and interest in, the humanitarian ethos of health care and particularly dental medicine.
7. Applicants should reflect a people and service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities.
8. Applicants should reflect proper motivation for and commitment to health care as demonstrated by previous salaried work, volunteer work, or other life experiences.
9. Applicants must possess the oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues. Directions for the required essay submission will be provided prior to scheduling an interview.
10. Applicants must pass the Lincoln Memorial University College of Dental Medicine criminal background check.
11. Applicants must be drug-free as evidenced through required drug-testing (completed upon offer of admission).
12. In addition to student’s GPA and DAT scores, prospective students granted an interview will participate in a chalk/soap carving exercise. This exercise will take thirty-five minutes and the carvings evaluated by the Admissions Committee. These results will be used as an adjunct to the GPA and DAT in the selection process. Students must score a minimum of 7 out of 12 to be eligible for admissions to the College of Dental Medicine program.

 

Admissions criteria are weighted with an emphasis on academic performance (about 1/3 of the final score), which includes science GPAs, nonscience GPAs, cumulative GPAs, number of hours completed per semester or quarter, and institution(s) attended, and DAT scores (about 1/3 of the final score). The results of the chalk/soap carving exercise will be incorporated into the 1/3 share of the DAT dimensional score. Motivation, experience, recommendations, community service experience, and the interview evaluation (about 1/3 of the final score) also contribute to candidate rankings. The ranking formula, the weighting, and the scoring will be analyzed and reviewed prior to each Admissions cycle by the Admissions Committee (Applicant Ranking Plan).

Candidates for admission must also have abilities and skills in five areas: I) Observation; II) Communication; III) Motor; IV) Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative; and V) Behavioral and Social. Technological compensation can be made for some limitations in certain areas, but candidates should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner (Technical Standards).

1. Observation: The candidate must be able to make observations at a distance and close at hand accurately. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation and is enhanced by the functional use of all other senses.
2. Communication: The candidate must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently, and sensitively in both oral and written form and perceive nonverbal communication.
3. Motor: The candidate must coordinate both gross and fine muscular movements, maintain equilibrium, and have functional use of the senses of touch and vision. The candidate must possess sufficient postural control, neuromuscular control, and eye-to-hand coordination to perform profession-specific skills and tasks.
4. Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities: The candidate must be able to problem-solve, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, record, and synthesize large amounts of information in a timely manner. The candidate must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand spatial relationships.
5. Behavioral and Social Attributes: The candidate must possess the emotional health required to utilize his/her intellectual abilities fully, the exercise of good judgment, the consistent, prompt completion of all responsibilities, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships. The candidate must be able to tolerate physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. The candidate must be able to adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, effective interpersonal skills, willingness, and ability to function as an effective team player, and interest and motivation to learn are all personal qualities required during the educational process.

Students must attest to the ability to meet technical requirements. Any student seeking accommodation must follow the established process for Lincoln Memorial University through the Department of Student Services. No accommodation is available for preclinical and clinical courses.

Acceptance into a Lincoln Memorial University program does not imply or guarantee that a student will be able to obtain licensure, certification, or employment. Several Lincoln Memorial University programs require field experiences during the curriculum (e.g., clinicals, internships, practicums, student teaching) and/or lead to a field that requires a license or certification. Background checks are required prior to matriculation into these programs and may further be required prior to the field experiences and/or licensure/certification. Students should be aware that a prior misdemeanor or felony arrest or conviction (or an event of this nature occurring during the program) may restrict the individual’s ability to gain admission into the program, progress into field experiential training, and/or obtain professional licensure or certification. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the program of any issues that may have occurred in the past or that arise during the program. The events may require voluntary withdrawal or administrative dismissal from the program. All students are responsible for learning the requirements for licensure within their home state or any state in which he/she wishes to practice ensuring the ability to meet these requirements.