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Little Rock, AR, USEst. 2025

Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD) Dental School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

Lyon College School of Dental Medicine, which received accreditation and welcomed its inaugural class in 2025, is the newest dental school in the United States and is located in Little Rock, Arkansas (Lyon College's main campus is in Batesville, but the dental school is in Little Rock's Riverdale neighbourhood). The school was established to address the acute dental workforce shortage in rural Arkansas, one of the most dental-underserved states in the country. As a pioneer programme, Lyon Dental offers an intimate learning environment with small cohort sizes and a strong focus on rural and community dental practice.

Entry Requirements

What you need to apply to Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD).

Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and DAT required. Applications via ADEA AADSAS. As a new programme, Lyon Dental is building its applicant pool and may offer opportunities for strong candidates who demonstrate genuine commitment to rural Arkansas dental practice. Manual dexterity documentation and dental shadowing experience expected.
GPA median
3.50 overall / 3.45 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
10.0%
Class size
80
In-state preference
None
CASPer
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Rural Arkansas commitment, dental experience, manual dexterity, community service, academic record.
Notes
Estimates highly uncertain — new programme with inaugural cohort. Verify all data directly with Lyon College School of Dental Medicine. DAT Academic Average median unknown for new programme; estimates from similar new schools used. sourceUrls updated when class data become available.
Specialities offered
General Dentistry, Rural Health Dentistry, Community Dentistry, Preventive Dentistry, Oral-Systemic Health

Interview Format

How Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD) interviews applicants.

Format
Traditional one-on-one or panel interview at the dental school campus in Little Rock, AR
Interview window
Rolling — verify current cycle
Decision date
Rolling admissions
Post-interview chances
Not reliably estimated — new programme; likely higher post-interview acceptance rate in early cohorts.

What to expect at a Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD) interview

Lyon College School of Dental Medicine, as a newly accredited programme (opened 2025), conducts traditional faculty interviews at its Little Rock, Arkansas campus (Riverfront Plaza, Riverdale neighbourhood). Interview processes for new programmes typically evolve in early cycles — expect approximately 30–45 minute sessions assessing motivation for dentistry, commitment to serving rural Arkansas communities, manual dexterity experience, and understanding of the oral-systemic health connection. As the newest accredited US dental school, Lyon interviewers are particularly interested in applicants who can thrive in a pioneering programme and contribute positively to its founding cohort culture.

What makes Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD) different

Applications via ADEA AADSAS. Lyon Dental is the newest accredited US dental school, offering a rare opportunity to be part of a founding cohort. Its rural Arkansas setting and mission directly address the dental workforce gap in one of the most underserved states in the country. Applicants who genuinely want to practise in rural America will find Lyon's mission compelling.

Tutor insight

Lyon Dental is best suited for applicants with genuine ties to Arkansas or a strong commitment to rural dental practice. As a new programme, the initial cohorts will face some degree of uncertainty — confirm accreditation status and board passage infrastructure carefully before committing. The ADEA AADSAS application process is standard; submit early. If you want to build a dental career in rural health, Lyon represents a meaningful mission-aligned choice.
Prometheus
405 dentistry questions inside

Interview questions matched to Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD)

Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (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

Ready to practise Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD)?

Book a school-specific mock interview with Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD) preselected.

Book a Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD) mock

Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD) - Frequently asked questions

Bachelor's degree and DAT required. Applications via ADEA AADSAS. As a new programme, Lyon Dental is building its applicant pool and may offer opportunities for strong candidates who demonstrate genuine commitment to rural Arkansas dental practice. Manual dexterity documentation and dental shadowing experience expected.

Traditional one-on-one or panel interview at the dental school campus in Little Rock, AR. Lyon College School of Dental Medicine, as a newly accredited programme (opened 2025), conducts traditional faculty interviews at its Little Rock, Arkansas campus (Riverfront Plaza, Riverdale neighbourhood). Interview processes for new programmes typically evolve in early cycles — expect approximately 30–45 minute sessions assessing motivation for dentistry, commitment to serving rural Arkansas communities, manual dexterity experience, and understanding of the oral-systemic health connection. As the newest accredited US dental school, Lyon interviewers are particularly interested in applicants who can thrive in a pioneering programme and contribute positively to its founding cohort culture.

Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD) typically interviews in Rolling — verify current cycle.

Decisions are released Rolling admissions.

Applications via ADEA AADSAS. Lyon Dental is the newest accredited US dental school, offering a rare opportunity to be part of a founding cohort. Its rural Arkansas setting and mission directly address the dental workforce gap in one of the most underserved states in the country. Applicants who genuinely want to practise in rural America will find Lyon's mission compelling.
Reviewed by Isaac Butler-King, medical student at the University of Glasgow. Last reviewed: 6 June 2026 · NextGen MedPrep editorial team
Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD) DMD | DAT, GPA & Interview Format | NGMP