The minimum requirement for admission is 90 semester hours (or approximately 135 quarter hours) of academic
coursework, but completing a bachelor's degree is strongly encouraged. Most applicants will have completed at
least a bachelor's degree before matriculation to dental school.
☐ SHADOWING
Applicants should demonstrate a confirmed interest in dentistry by participating in dental-related activities, including
direct shadowing of a dentist in a patient-care setting.
● 100 hours of dental shadowing is required and must be completed at the time of application submission.
Applicants without this minimum number of hours will not be reviewed or considered for interview.
It is expected that the majority of dental shadowing be completed under general dentists, but shadowing
experiences completed with dental specialists (ex., orthodontist, oral surgeon, etc.) are also accepted. Applicants
who show a commitment to addressing health disparities and caring for underserved communities are desirable.
Shadowing hours should be reported directly on the AADSAS application. No further documentation is required.
Dental-related activities such as volunteering or participating in a pre-dental club are encouraged and should be
reported on the application but do not count towards the 100-hour shadowing requirement (see Extracurriculars
section).
☐ EXTRACURRICULARS
Applicants should report any extracurricular activities in which they are involved, dental-related or otherwise, on the
AADSAS application. Such activities could include (but are not limited to) academic enrichment programs, athletics,
clubs and organizations, research, volunteering, and work experience.
For each extracurricular, applicants must provide the frequency and duration of the experience, a description of the
key responsibilities, and the name and address of the organization or supervisor.
☐ LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
The University of Michigan requires a total of three letters of recommendation, although AADSAS allows up to four.
Letters must be uploaded directly to the application by the evaluators. Letters sent directly to the Office of
Admissions are not accepted. Of the four allotted AADSAS uploads, applicants must have:
● Two science letters - Two letters must be written by science professors who have taught and graded the
applicant at the university level. Letters should be from basic science instructors (biology, chemistry,
physics, biochemistry, microbiology). Science letters should include the course name and number.
● One letter of choice - One letter by an evaluator of the applicant’s choice is also required. This evaluator
could be a dentist, another professor (science or non-science), an employer, a mentor, or another individual
who can write in support of the applicant.