dental · Buffalo, New York · public
University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine prerequisites
What Buffalo asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 3 lines differ from the standard dental school set, marked below.
Coursework
- Biology with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
Two semesters with lab. As universal for dental school as it is for medical.
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
Two semesters with lab. The DAT's general chemistry section assumes the full sequence.
- Organic chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
Two semesters with lab at most schools. A small number accept one semester plus biochemistry; confirm on the school's page before planning around it.
- Biochemistryrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
Roughly half of schools require a semester and the share grows every cycle. The DAT does not test it, but first-year dental biochemistry assumes you have seen it.
- Physics with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
Two semesters, algebra-based accepted essentially everywhere. A handful of schools want only one semester; the two-semester plan covers them all.
- English or writing-intensiverequired
2 semesters · 6 credits
Two semesters of English or writing-intensive coursework at most schools that name it.
- Anatomy and physiologyrecommended
3 credits
Named by a minority of schools and useful preparation for the first year regardless.
- Microbiologyrecommended
3 credits
"Histology and Microbiology coursework is strongly recommended prior to matriculation." No credit count is stated. Courses in psychology, sociology, public speaking, composition, and the humanities are also encouraged.
Experience hours
- Dentist shadowingrecommendeddiffers
75+ hours
Most dental schools ask for 100+ hours and list it as required.
Encouraged rather than required, with a stated expectation: "While the number of hours vary among applicants, the committee believes a minimum of 75 - 100 hours is a reasonable expectation." The committee "values a breadth of unique oral health care experiences over multiple hours in one dental setting," and virtual shadowing will also be considered.
- Non-clinical volunteeringrecommended
100+ hours
Few schools publish a number; committees still read for a service habit held over time.
Letters
- Committee letterrecommended
1 letter
The letters requirement is "a minimum of one [1] composite committee letter/report or three individual letters of evaluation," all via the AADSAS portal only. "Candidates who are able to provide committee letters are not given preference over those who are unable to provide committee letters."
- Science faculty letternot required here
Buffalo names no required letter writers. For the three-individual-letters route it says only: "we encourage you to obtain letters from those individuals who can best attest to your academic abilities, personal attributes, and why you are a good candidate for dental school consideration." Recording a science-faculty requirement would overstate the page.
- Dentist letternot required here
No dentist letter is required; the requirement is one committee letter or three individual letters from evaluators of the applicant's choosing.
Also on the school’s page
Buffalo's course list matches the dental baseline almost exactly: English 6 hours including composition, and 8 hours each with lab of general/inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, general biology, and general physics (algebra or calculus based), plus 3 hours of biochemistry with no lab. All prerequisites must be completed at an accredited U.S. or Canadian school; 60 credit hours are required before applying and 90 before enrollment, with a bachelor's degree strongly encouraged. The GPA floor is firm: "All applicants must have both an undergraduate minimum overall and science college grade-point average of 3.0 (as calculated by AADSAS)," with exceptions only for applicants who have completed 18 or more graduate credit hours. On the DAT, "there is no minimum DAT/CDAT Academic Average (AA) or subsection score required for admission consideration," but "preference will be given to those candidates who have achieved an AA of: 17 or better under the old DAT (prior March 2025); or current CDAT scoring system or, 370 or better under the new DAT scoring system (after March 2025)." Only scores from tests taken in 2024, 2025, or 2026 count for fall 2027, official scores must reach AADSAS by the December 1, 2026 deadline, and admissions are rolling, so applying early matters. Application is through ADEA AADSAS.
School
dental.buffalo.eduCheck your transcript against this list
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