Dental Schools in Missouri
3 DDS/DMD dental programs in our catalogue for Missouri. Compare DAT score requirements, GPA profiles, in-state preference and AADSAS application strategy.
About Missouri: Pop. ~6.2M; Kansas City and St. Louis are the two major medical hubs. Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine is one of the top NIH-funded programs nationally.
In-state context: WashU School of Medicine is a private school admitting nationally with no in-state preference. University of Missouri Columbia, Saint Louis University, and KCUMB (DO) have varying degrees of in-state consideration.
Major health systems: BJC HealthCare · SSM Health · Saint Luke's Health System · Mercy Health · Children's Mercy Hospital
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 Missouri
- University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry (DDS)
Kansas City, MO
The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry is one of the oldest dental schools in the Midwest, founded in 1881. It is Missouri's public dental school, training dentists who serve Kansas City and the broader region. UMKC is best known nationally for its distinctive 6-year combined BS/DDS programme, which offers high school graduates a direct pathway to dental practice — one of the very few such programmes in the US.
DDS8.5% acceptanceStrong in-state pref. - Kansas City University College of Dental Medicine (DMD)
Joplin, MO
Kansas City University College of Dental Medicine, located in Joplin, Missouri, is one of the newest dental schools in the United States, opening its inaugural class in 2023. KCU is part of a larger health sciences university that includes osteopathic medicine, enabling interprofessional education. The school's location in the Missouri Ozarks — a region with significant dental access gaps — reflects its explicit mission to train dentists for underserved communities.
DMD17.8% acceptanceModerate in-state pref. - ATSU Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health (DMD)
Kirksville, MO
The Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health (MOSDOH) at A.T. Still University in Kirksville is a competency-based DMD programme with a strong emphasis on serving rural and underserved communities across Missouri. Established in 2013, MOSDOH embeds students in community dental clinics throughout the state from the early years of training. The whole-person, oral-systemic curriculum reflects the broader A.T. Still University health sciences mission.
DMD8.0% acceptanceModerate in-state pref.
Applying to dental school in Missouri?
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