Dental Schools in Florida
3 DDS/DMD dental programs in our catalogue for Florida. Compare DAT score requirements, GPA profiles, in-state preference and AADSAS application strategy.
About Florida: Pop. ~22.6M; Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville each host major medical training centres. One of the most competitive in-state applicant pools due to Florida's large population and the University of Florida, USF, and FIU programs.
In-state context: Florida's public schools (UF, USF, UCF, FIU, FAU) strongly favour Florida residents; in-state seats typically 80–95% of intake. Nova Southeastern (DO) admits broadly from Florida and the Southeast. Out-of-state applicants to Florida public programs face very limited availability.
Major health systems
- HCA Healthcare (FL region)
- AdventHealth
- Tampa General Hospital
- Jackson Health System
- UF Health
- Mayo Clinic (Jacksonville)
DDS vs DMD — what is the difference?
Both DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) and DMD (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry / Doctor of Dental Medicine) are equivalent degrees. The title used depends solely on the university, not on any difference in training, scope of practice, or licensure. All CODA-accredited programs lead to the same dental licence. Applications go through AADSAS (ADEA) for most schools. The DAT (Dental Admission Test) is required by virtually all programs.
3 Dental Programs in Florida
- LECOM School of Dental Medicine (DMD)
Bradenton, FL
LECOM School of Dental Medicine is part of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine health sciences system and operates across THREE campuses: Erie (PA), Bradenton (FL) and DeFuniak Springs (FL). Years 1-3 are based in Bradenton on Florida's Gulf Coast, but the SENIOR YEAR is spent at either DeFuniak Springs or Erie — plan for a relocation in year four rather than four years in one place. The DMD program offers an interprofessional campus experience alongside LECOM medical and pharmacy students. Florida's large and diverse patient population provides broad clinical exposure, and the school emphasizes community-based oral health service throughout the four-year curriculum.
DMD6.5% acceptance - Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine (DMD)
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine, established in 1997 and located in Fort Lauderdale, is one of the largest private dental schools in the United States. NSU Dental trains students to serve South Florida's diverse population with a strong emphasis on community oral health and cultural competence. The school offers a contemporary DMD curriculum with integrated basic and clinical sciences, early patient contact, and extensive community rotation sites across Broward and Palm Beach counties.
DMD5.5% acceptance - University of Florida College of Dentistry (DMD)
Gainesville, FL
The University of Florida College of Dentistry was founded in 1972. It is the only public dental school in Florida, and one of the leading dental schools in the southeastern United States. It sits in Gainesville on the UF Health Science Center campus. The college offers the DMD degree and runs one of the largest dental clinics in the Southeast, caring for a diverse patient population across North Central Florida. It is a major part of UF Health, and benefits from being integrated with UF's nationally ranked academic medical center. As the state's only public dental school, UFCD carries a strong public mission to address Florida's dental workforce and access-to-care problems.
DMD9.5% acceptanceStrong in-state pref.
Applying to dental school in Florida?
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