American Dental Education Association (ADEA)

The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is the voice of dental education. Its members include all U.S. and Canadian dental schools and many allied and postdoctoral dental education programs, corporations, faculty, and students. The mission of ADEA is to lead individuals and institutions of the dental education community to address contemporary issues influencing education, research, and the delivery of oral health care for the health of the public. ADEA’s activities encompass a wide range of research, advocacy, faculty development, meetings, and communications like the esteemed Journal of Dental Education, as well as the dental school admissions services AADSAS and PASS.

The ADEA administers the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS).  The AADSAS lets you apply to 61 participating dental schools with one online application. The AADSAS simplifies the application process by providing one standardized form, relieving applicants of the need to complete multiple applications. Dental schools benefit by receiving uniform information on all applicants. Currently 60 U.S. dental schools and one Canadian dental school participate in ADEA AADSAS. (See How to apply to Dental School - 2011.) 

The 2013 ADEA AADSAS application is not yet available. Typically, the on-line appication is made available on or about June 1.

All U.S. dental schools require applicants to take the Dental Admission Test (DAT).  The DAT is designed to measure general academic ability, comprehension of scientific information, and perceptual ability.  This half-day, multiple-choice exam is conducted by the American Dental Association (ADA) and is administered on computer at Prometric Testing Centers in various sites around the country on almost any day of the year.  To find out more about the DAT, click here.