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US Dentistry · 2027 Entry

University of Louisville School of Dentistry (DMD) Dental School2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

Location Louisville, KY, United StatesEstablished 1887Interviews October–FebruaryDecisions Rolling admissions; majority out-of-state class

Photo: Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Overview

About University of Louisville School of Dentistry (DMD)

The University of Louisville School of Dentistry, founded in 1887 and located on UofL's Health Sciences Campus, is Kentucky's flagship dental school. Training approximately 120 DMD students per year, UofL Dental combines urban clinical training at its Louisville facilities with community outreach and rural rotation opportunities. The school co-locates with UofL Health, providing interprofessional education alongside medical, nursing, and pharmacy students, and has strong specialty training programs.

What makes it different

UofL School of Dentistry is one of two dental schools in Kentucky and the only dental school in Louisville, providing clinical training in a large urban healthcare environment. UofL Health's academic medical center co-location enables interprofessional training with UofL medical and pharmacy students. The school operates community dental clinics in Louisville and has outreach programs serving uninsured populations in both urban Louisville and rural Kentucky.

Course & teaching

Integrated curriculum. 4-year DMD curriculum integrating biomedical sciences and clinical training. Patient care begins Year 2 at UofL's Louisville dental clinic. Community dental rotation sites in Louisville and rural Kentucky available in Years 3–4. Specialty residency programs available post-graduation.

Research strengths

University of Louisville School of Dentistry (DMD) has notable research strength in Oral biology, Biomaterials, Community oral health, Oral cancer, Implantology.

Interview

University of Louisville School of Dentistry (DMD) interviews via Traditional one-on-one faculty interview. UofL Dental interview day includes one or two traditional one-on-one faculty sessions, each approximately 30–45 minutes, plus a clinic tour and program overview. Louisville's diverse urban patient population and access-to-care mission are frequent interview themes. Questions address manual dexterity background, oral-systemic health, ADA ethics scenarios, career goals, and the applicant's understanding of oral health disparities in urban Kentucky and Appalachia. UofL co-locates with UofL Health, and interprofessional health education is a program value.

Intake

Approximately 120 students per year.

At a glance

Founded in 1887, based in Louisville, KY. Programmes offered: Orthodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Periodontics, Prosthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry.

Entry requirements

What you need to apply to University of Louisville School of Dentistry (DMD)

Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and DAT required. Applications via ADEA AADSAS. Kentucky resident preference (public university). Dental shadowing, letters of recommendation from a licensed dentist, community service, and a personal statement demonstrating motivation expected.
GPA median
3.58 overall / 3.52 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
7.5%
Class size
120
In-state preference
OOS-friendly — national applicant pool
In-state matriculants
27%
CASPer
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Kentucky residency, dental experience, academic achievement, community health awareness.
Notes
Estimates from ADEA AADSAS data and public class profiles; hedged. DAT AA median approximately 19–21. Kentucky public university — resident preference.
Specialities offered
Orthodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Periodontics, Prosthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry
Interview

How University of Louisville School of Dentistry (DMD) interviews applicants

Format
Traditional one-on-one faculty interview
Interview window
October–February
Decision date
Rolling admissions; majority out-of-state class
Post-interview chances
Approximately 30–45% post-interview (estimated; most seats go to out-of-state applicants).
Tutor insight
UofL Dental has a dual identity — urban Louisville clinical training and a commitment to rural Kentucky oral health. Demonstrate awareness of both dimensions. Kentucky residents see a modest advantage, but UofL admits a majority (about 85–90 of 120) from out-of-state and internationally, so it is far more OOS-friendly than most public dental schools. The interprofessional UofL Health campus is a genuine asset — show interest in oral-systemic integration and dentist-physician collaboration. Louisville's urban patient diversity is a clinical training strength worth acknowledging.
Practice

Practise for your University of Louisville School of Dentistry (DMD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank485 dentistry questions inside

Interview questions matched to University of Louisville School of Dentistry (DMD)

Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for University of Louisville School of Dentistry (DMD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.

MediumPanelQ1

Holistic Review: Reapplicant With a Strengthened Application

You are applying to dental school for the second time. Last year, you applied with a 3.2 GPA and a DAT total science score of 18, and were not admitted. Since then, you have completed a post-baccalaureate program and raised your relevant science GPA to 3.6, retaken the DAT and improved to a 21, obtained 200 additional dental shadowing hours, and taken on a significant community health volunteer role. You are sitting in front of an admissions committee that knows all of this from your application. What do you want them to understand about your trajectory between application cycles, and how do you demonstrate that the growth in your application numbers reflects genuine growth in your readiness?

Likely follow-up · One interviewer asks directly: 'What specifically went wrong in your original preparation, and how do you know you've fixed it?' How do you answer this question honestly without sounding defensive or over-explaining?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
EasyPanelQ2

Dental School Curriculum: What You Are Most Excited to Learn

Dental school curricula cover a wide range of subjects — from preclinical sciences (histology, oral pathology, oral anatomy, dental materials) to clinical disciplines (operative dentistry, prosthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, oral surgery, pediatric dentistry) to public health and ethics. You have had exposure to dentistry through shadowing and research. What specific area of the dental curriculum are you most genuinely excited to study, and why?

Likely follow-up · Is there a clinical discipline within dentistry that you are genuinely apprehensive about, and how will you approach that apprehension during training?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
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FAQ

University of Louisville School of Dentistry (DMD) — frequently asked questions

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We've helped students turn their DAT, personal statement and interview prep into offers from University of Louisville School of Dentistry (DMD) and other US dentistry schools.