What admission tests do Adelaide Dental and La Trobe Dental use?+
Adelaide Dental uses UCAT-ANZ. La Trobe Dental uses no admission test. The test mismatch means you may need to prep two assessments simultaneously, or you can pick the school whose admission test you're stronger in. GAMSAT is graduate-only and sat in March/September; UCAT-ANZ is undergraduate-leaning and sat in July; some schools (notably Bond and JCU) run their own selection model with no national test.
What UCAT-ANZ score do I need for Adelaide Dental vs La Trobe Dental?+
Adelaide Dental — Same UCAT thresholds as for MBBS: ~2730 SA applicants / ~3140 interstate (old /3600 scale, 2024-2026 entry; MedView aggregator). Threshold then composite ranking — Admission weighting: Academic 40% + UCAT 20% + Interview 40%. La Trobe Dental — does not publish a UCAT-ANZ cut-off (may not use UCAT-ANZ; check the admission-test question above). UCAT-ANZ cut-offs are cohort-dependent, so the headline number from one cycle is not guaranteed for the next — use it as a planning anchor, not a guarantee.
What ATAR do I need for Adelaide Dental vs La Trobe Dental?+
Adelaide Dental — Minimum entry ATAR 90.00. Successful applicants typically ~98-99+ (Adelaide does not officially publish a cut-off). La Trobe Dental — ATAR range 99.00-99.85 at Bendigo (selection rank floor with adjustments, to highest ATAR offered excluding adjustments). Confirmed via La Trobe FAQ + OzTREKK + MedView. Selection rank typically includes Educational Access Scheme bonuses, rural-origin uplift, and (where applicable) Indigenous-pathway adjustments — your raw ATAR is rarely the final figure used.
How do interviews differ between Adelaide Dental and La Trobe Dental?+
Adelaide Dental uses: Multi-Mini Interview (minimum 6 stations × 10 minutes). La Trobe Dental uses: Academic results only (no MMI / no formal interview). Different formats reward different skill sets. Plan separate prep streams for each. Interview windows: November-December (Adelaide Dental); No formal interview (La Trobe Dental).
What place types (CSP / BMP / Full-fee) do Adelaide Dental and La Trobe Dental offer?+
Adelaide Dental — 38 domestic places annually (Adelaide degree finder). ~300 applicants invited to interview annually. Bachelor of Oral Health (separate program): 32 domestic places, ~90 interviews. La Trobe Dental — International intake 25 places. Domestic intake not separately disclosed by La Trobe (small program). CSP (Commonwealth Supported Place) is the lowest student contribution; BMP (Bonded Medical Program) adds a 1-year return-of-service obligation in a Modified Monash Model 2-7 area after Fellowship; Full-fee places carry no bond but the highest tuition.
What Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entry pathways do Adelaide Dental and La Trobe Dental offer?+
Adelaide Dental — Wirltu Yarlu Aboriginal Education Access Pathway — same as for Adelaide BMS. No quota disclosed. La Trobe Dental — La Trobe Aspire / Indigenous access scheme (general La Trobe policy applies). Both schools accept ATSI applicants through the standard pathway as well; the dedicated pathway typically offers adjusted academic thresholds plus wrap-around academic support.
Does Adelaide Dental or La Trobe Dental offer bonded / rural-entry places?+
Adelaide Dental — BMP available; specific BDS-stream breakdown not publicly published. La Trobe Dental — Regional Benefits Program provides ATAR 85 floor for rural applicants. The federal BMP allocates ~28.5% of CSP places nationally; individual schools sit above or below that benchmark depending on their workforce remit.
When does each school release decisions?+
Adelaide Dental typically releases dentistry offers January. La Trobe Dental releases dentistry offers November. AU MD offers run through GEMSAS (graduate consortium) or direct school portals; if one is earlier than the other you may need to defer a decision while waiting for the second.
What curriculum style do Adelaide Dental and La Trobe Dental use?+
Adelaide Dental runs a Integrated curriculum. La Trobe Dental runs a Integrated curriculum. Both schools deliver teaching in the same broad style, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar. Adelaide Dental specifics: 5-year undergraduate Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS). Years 1-2 foundations and pre-clinical simulation at North Terrace. Years 3-5 clinical placements at the Adelaide Dental Hospital and across SA H La Trobe Dental specifics: 5-year undergraduate Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours). Bendigo is the sole campus for the degree. Annual indicative international tuition (2026) AUD $83,600 subject to indexation. Next available i
Should I apply to both Adelaide Dental and La Trobe Dental?+
Yes — AU medical applicants typically lodge preferences across multiple schools via GEMSAS (graduate) or direct-undergraduate portals + state TACs (UAC for NSW, VTAC for VIC, QTAC for QLD, etc.). The two schools' selection mechanics differ enough that listing both is a legitimate diversification strategy. A common mistake is over-indexing on schools with the same test-and-interview profile; Adelaide Dental and La Trobe Dental differ in their selection mechanics, so prepping both adds genuine optionality.
