Comprehensive Guide to Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine Programs and Requirements

Midwestern University offers a variety of programs through its College of Dental Medicine, with campuses in both Illinois and Arizona. This article provides a detailed overview of the programs offered, admission requirements, academic and clinical experiences, and financial information for prospective students.

Degree Programs

Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine offers a range of programs to cater to diverse academic and professional goals. These include:

Traditional Predoctoral Program: A standard four-year Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) program.
International Dental Graduate Programs:
- Traditional Predoctoral Program for IDGs
- Advanced Standing Program for IDGs
Combined Degrees:
- B.A./B.S.
- M.B.A.
- M.P.H.
- M.S.
- Ph.D.

Dual Degree Programs: Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)

Midwestern University offers a dual degree program where students can pursue a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) in conjunction with professional degrees such as Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Doctor of Optometry, or Doctor of Dental Medicine. Dual degree students submit an abbreviated online application through the Student Portal and release their Midwestern University application package to the M.P.H. program for admissions consideration; no additional application fee is required.

The M.P.H. program utilizes a rolling admissions process, reviewing completed applications and making decisions at regular intervals. The program begins in the Summer Quarter, and candidates are advised to submit their completed applications early in the admission cycle to maximize their competitiveness. Multiple criteria are used to select the most qualified candidates, with the M.P.H. Admissions Committee determining who would benefit the most from the program. The M.P.H. Admissions Committee makes selection decisions with the approval of the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

The M.P.H. program allows for the transfer of up to 10 quarter-credits from equivalent graduate-level coursework or degrees completed within the past 10 years. Transfer credit is generally given to students who satisfactorily completed coursework in a CEPH-accredited M.P.H. or an accredited professional healthcare degree program with a minimum letter grade of “B.” Students must submit a letter of request to the M.P.H. Program Director, who will evaluate the submitted course materials with the appropriate course director to determine whether the course(s) is an appropriate substitute. Students may appeal the M.P.H. Program Director's denial of the request for transfer credit to the CGS Dean. The equivalent Midwestern University course and the Transfer Credit notation will be recorded on transcripts along with the name of the institution at which the credit was earned if a course is accepted for credit.

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The M.P.H. program assigns students an advisor to assist with academic concerns. Primary program liaisons are available for dual degree students to assist with the unique challenges of simultaneously managing two programs of study. In addition, the Program Director, CGS Dean, Associate Deans, and the Dean of Students are also available to assist students.

A student enrolled as a dual degree student in the M.P.H. program and in a qualifying Midwestern health professional degree program must pass all required M.P.H. courses with a grade of “C” or higher and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher in the M.P.H. program. The CGS Student Promotion and Graduation Committee may determine that a dual degree student who experiences academic difficulty in the primary degree take a leave of absence from the M.P.H. program until satisfactory academic progress in the primary program is achieved, regardless of satisfactory academic progress in the M.P.H. program.

Admissions Information

General Requirements

Both the Illinois and Arizona campuses of Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine seek students who demonstrate the academic, professional, and personal qualities necessary to become exemplary dental professionals. The College uses a rolling admissions process within a competitive admissions framework.

To be competitive, an applicant should have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and possess both a science (biology, chemistry, and physics) and total GPA of 3.00 or more on a 4.00 scale.

Admissions Statistics (2024 Data)

Mean Age of First-Time, First-Year Enrollees: 25

Specific acceptance rates by location, the number of applicants, number of enrollees, enrollment rate, and class breakdown by residency are not provided, but this information may be available upon request from the university.

Academic Averages for Acceptance

Specific academic averages for acceptance, including DAT scores and GPA, are considered. The following scores, or higher, will be preferred for these exam sections:

Academic Average: 370 new scale, 17 old scale
Reading Comprehension: 340 new scale, 17 old scale
Perceptual Ability: 360 new scale, 17 old scale
Total Science: 380 new scale, 17 old scale

Data on the range of academic averages for acceptance (5th and 95th percentiles) is not specified.

Prerequisite Coursework

Applicants must complete specific prerequisite courses with a grade of "C" or better.

Required Courses:

Biology with lab: 8 Semester/12 Quarter hours
General Chemistry with lab: 8 Semester/12 Quarter hours
Organic Chemistry with lab: 4 Semester/6 Quarter hours
Anatomy: 3 Semester/4 Quarter hours
Microbiology: 3 Semester/4 Quarter hours
Physics: 8 Semester/12 Quarter hours
Physiology: 3 Semester/4 Quarter hours
Biochemistry: 3 Semester/4 Quarter hours
English Composition/Technical Writing: 6 Semester/9 Quarter hours

Recommended Courses:

Histology
Immunology
Molecular Biology/Genetics
Zoology

Community College Coursework and Advanced Placement Credit

AP Credit Accepted: Yes (must receive approval)
Community College Coursework Accepted: Yes

The maximum number of Community College Credit Hours is not specified.

Shadowing Hours

Required Shadowing Hours (Illinois): 0 Hours Required, 300+ Hours Recommended to be competitive
Required Shadowing Hours (Arizona): 0 Hours Required, 100 hours of dental shadowing are recommended. Generally, applicants will have between 200-300 hours of shadowing.

Letters of Recommendation

Illinois: Three letters are required.

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- One must be from either a predental advisory committee or a science professor.
- One must be from someone with a D.D.S./D.M.D. degree.
- One must be from someone who can testify to the integrity and ethical standards of the applicant.
Arizona: Two letters are required.
- One from either a pre-dental committee, or a science professor, and one from an individual with a DO/MD, DDS/DMD, and/or an individual who can testify to the integrity and ethical standards of the applicant.

Letters written by family members will not be accepted. All letters must be submitted directly from the evaluators. The Office of Admissions will not accept any letters submitted by students.

Dental Admissions Test (DAT)

Requirement: Mandatory DAT
Canadian DAT Accepted?: No
Applicants Evaluated Before Official DAT Submission?: No
DAT Score Considered: Yes
The DAT test must have been taken no more than 3 years prior to the matriculation date.

Supplemental Information

Mandatory Casper: Yes
Participation in ADEA AADSAS: Required
Supplemental Application: Required
Supplemental Application Fee: Yes ($50 for all students in Arizona)

Interview Format

Illinois: Closed-file 30-minute interview with staff followed by an hour-long group interview.
Arizona: Panel interview with two faculty and one dental student

Additional Requirements

Applicants must also:

Demonstrate a sincere understanding of, and interest in, the humanitarian ethos of health care and particularly dental medicine.
Reflect a service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities.
Reflect proper motivation for and commitment to health care as demonstrated by previous salaried work, volunteer work, or other life experiences.
Possess the oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with faculty, colleagues, and patients, consistent with the standards applicable to the College’s required curriculum, learning environment (preclinical and clinical), and the practice of dentistry.
Agree to abide by Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy.
Pass the Midwestern University finger printing and criminal background check.

Finances and Application Logistics

Financial Estimations (Fall 2025)

Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois:

Year	In-State Tuition	Out-State Tuition	Additional Fees	Estimated Living Expenses
D1	$95,457	$95,457	$23,381	$36,463
D2	$95,457	$95,457	$18,270	$35,529
D3	$95,457	$95,457	$17,920	$48,842
D4	$95,457	$95,457	$17,920	$46,806

Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona:

Year	In-State Tuition	Out-State Tuition	Additional Fees	Estimated Living Expenses
D1	$93,098	$93,098	$28,411	$29,583
D2	$93,098	$93,098	$24,236	$29,583
D3	$93,098	$93,098	$26,696	$42,173
D4	$93,098	$93,098	$26,696	$42,173

Application Process

To initiate the application process, prospective students must apply directly to ADEA AADSAS at:

655 K Street NW Suite 800 Washington, D.C. 20001
Phone: 202/289-7201; Fax: 202/289-7204
Students may apply online.

Students may access an AADSAS application in mid-May of the academic year preceding the year in which they plan to matriculate.

After receiving an applicant's processed information from AADSAS, the Office of Admissions creates the applicant file. Instructions for accessing accounts are available from the Office of Admissions.

Applicants who receive invitations to interview must respond within one week (as the cycle approaches the end, this time may be reduced). The Chair of the Admissions Committee, with the approval of the Dean, may also place candidates on an interview "wait list" pending possible interview openings toward the end of the interview cycle.

When applicants accept interviews, they join other interviewees to meet with members of an interview panel, which is composed of dental and College of Graduate Sciences faculty. Applicants are rated on a standardized evaluation form relative to pre-determined criteria. At the conclusion of the interviews, team members forward their evaluations for each applicant to the Dean. The Dean, in consultation with the CDMI Director of Admissions, may recommend to accept, to deny, or to place applicants on the alternate list. The Dean, via the Office of Admissions, notifies applicants of their status after the interviews, but not before the date that all dental schools have agreed would be the first notification date.

Reapplication Process

After receiving either denial or end-of-cycle letters, or letters of dismissal from the College, applicants/students may reapply for the next enrollment cycle.

To initiate the reapplication process, applicants must submit their applications to AADSAS. Applications are then processed according to standard application procedures.

Transfer Admission

Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois may in its own discretion elect to accept transfer students from other dental schools. Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine- Arizona may elect to accept transfer students from other dental schools as long as these students remain in good academic standing and have (an) acceptable reason(s) for seeking transfer.

To be considered for transfer, students must meet the College's general requirements for admission.

University Offerings

Academic Offerings

Pre-Dental Opportunities (Illinois):

The Midwestern University (MWU) Bridges Pathway provides a path to achieving the goal of becoming a general dentist for qualified students in our College of Graduate Studies (CGS) Biomedical Sciences Programs who are members of economically and/or environmentally disadvantaged populations.
Pre-Dental Simulation Course: course that provides didactic lectures and hands-on simulation experiences to prepare students for clinical dentistry
ASDA Pre-Dental Day
Health Careers Institute: A free educational opportunity for high school students, held in Downers Grove, IL.

Pre-Dental Opportunities (Arizona):

Post Baccalaureate program in the College of Health Sciences
Pre-Dental simulation courses

Research:

Broad research focus, from molecular and cellular biology to understanding community health factors of oral cancers
Dental students are able to pursue research projects under the mentorship of faculty
Summer Dental Research Program
Student Research Day allows students to present their research to a panel of faculty judges
Students may participate in research projects under faculty members, helping to solve complex problems

Clinical Experiences

Illinois:

D1: Biomedical lecture coursework, simulation clinic practice, and clinical assisting.
D2: Continued coursework and hygiene clinical rotations.
D3-D4: Students provide clinical care to patients.

Arizona:

D1: Biomedical lecture coursework, simulation clinic practice, and clinical assisting. Students perform simulation laboratory work one day a week.
D2: Continued coursework and hygiene clinical rotations.

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