Dental Schools in Pennsylvania
3 DDS/DMD dental programs in our catalogue for Pennsylvania. Compare DAT score requirements, GPA profiles, in-state preference and AADSAS application strategy.
About Pennsylvania: Pop. ~13.0M; Philadelphia (~6.2M metro) and Pittsburgh (~2.4M metro) are the primary medical training centres. Pennsylvania hosts the oldest US medical school (University of Pennsylvania, est. 1765) and a large DO school ecosystem.
In-state context: Private schools (Penn, Jefferson, Drexel) admit nationally. Temple and Penn State Hershey favour in-state applicants. PCOM (DO) and LECOM (DO) are among the largest osteopathic schools in the country and admit broadly but have a geographic reach across the Northeast.
Major health systems: UPMC · Penn Medicine · Jefferson Health · Temple Health · Geisinger Health · Highmark Health
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 Pennsylvania
- Penn Dental Medicine (DMD)
Philadelphia, PA
Penn Dental Medicine (University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine), founded in 1878, is one of the oldest dental schools in the United States and consistently ranked among the top dental programmes globally. Located in University City, Philadelphia, Penn Dental is closely affiliated with Penn Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania's broader research enterprise. The school is renowned for its periodontics, oral medicine, and dental research programmes.
DMD4.0% acceptance - University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine (DMD)
Pittsburgh, PA
The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, founded in 1896, is a top-20 US dental school and one of the most research-intensive dental programmes in the country. Located in Pittsburgh on Pitt's health sciences campus, the school conducts leading research in oral biology, biomaterials, and craniofacial development through affiliation with the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine and other University of Pittsburgh research centres. Pitt Dental produces graduates who are competitive for both clinical practice and academic careers.
DMD4.0% acceptanceModerate in-state pref. - Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry (DMD)
Philadelphia, PA
Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest dental schools in the United States and among the largest by clinical volume in the country. Located in North Philadelphia, Kornberg operates a high-volume dental clinic serving a predominantly low-income and underserved urban patient population, giving students extraordinary clinical breadth across a diverse caseload. The school is known for its strong clinical training, community health mission, and competitive specialty placement record.
DMD6.5% acceptance
Applying to dental school in Pennsylvania?
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