Dental Schools in Washington
2 DDS/DMD dental programs in our catalogue for Washington. Compare DAT score requirements, GPA profiles, in-state preference and AADSAS application strategy.
About Washington: Pop. ~7.8M; Seattle metro (~4.0M) is the medical hub. University of Washington School of Medicine administers the WWAMI regional program, covering Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho in addition to Washington.
In-state context: UW School of Medicine participates in the WWAMI consortium; seats are allocated among Washington, Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. Washington-domicile applicants compete within the Washington allocation pool. The school is nationally known for rural and primary care training.
Major health systems: UW Medicine · Providence Health & Services · MultiCare Health System · Virginia Mason Franciscan Health · Seattle Children's 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.
2 Dental Programs in Washington
- PNWU School of Dental Medicine (DMD)
Yakima, WA
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences School of Dental Medicine (PNWU), located in Yakima, Washington, is a new private dental school that received CODA initial accreditation in August 2024 and enrolled its inaugural class of 36 DMD students in fall 2025. It has a distinctive mission to train dentists for rural and underserved communities across the Pacific Northwest. Yakima is a predominantly Latino agricultural community with significant oral health disparities. PNWU emphasises cultural competence, rural health, and commitment to serving the underserved.
DMD9.0% acceptance - University of Washington School of Dentistry (DDS)
Seattle, WA
The University of Washington School of Dentistry, founded in 1945, is consistently ranked among the top ten dental schools in the United States. Located on the UW Health Sciences campus in Seattle, UW Dental trains dentists predominantly for Washington (about 84% of each class are Washington residents) and the rural Pacific Northwest via its RIDE (Regional Initiatives in Dental Education) track. The school is renowned for its research enterprise — ranked among the top dental schools for NIH funding — and its strong specialty programmes and residency placement record.
DDS5.0% acceptanceStrong in-state pref.
Applying to dental school in Washington?
Expert DAT prep, AADSAS personal statement coaching, secondary essay strategy and mock interview practice — tailored to the DDS/DMD programs you want.