Ivy League Dental Schools: How to Get In
/A complete list of Ivy League dental schools, plus admissions strategies to get accepted
Learn how to get admitted to ivy league dental schools
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Part 1: Introduction
As children, before we even understand what it means, many of us dream of attending an Ivy League school. There’s a mythos surrounding the Ivy League that transcends the particularities of the schools themselves. When we imagine elite institutions, the Gothic architecture of schools such as Harvard and Yale tends to come to mind.
The prestige is well-earned and it carries over across all areas of the universities. Of the eight Ivy League schools, three of them offer dental programs: Harvard University, Columbia University, and the University of Pennsylvania. These schools are each ranked among the top dental schools nationwide due to their high levels of education and world-class career opportunities. They are also, of course, highly selective. Getting into an Ivy League dental program will require intense, sustained effort.
This guide will provide proven strategies for getting into these top schools. It will also provide an overview of each of the Ivy League dental schools, alongside statistics that will help you make an informed decision as to which school is right for you.
What makes a school a part of the Ivy League?
Fitting the mythos of these schools, the origin of the name “Ivy League” is itself shrouded in mystery. According to some, the “Ivy League” was originally the “IV League” because it consisted of four schools: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Dartmouth. According to others, the phrase was coined by New York Herald journalist and sports writer, Stanley Woodward. It wasn’t until 1956 that the eight schools making up the Ivy League would become involved in athletic competition. While this title may have originally been associated with athletics, today “Ivy League” primarily connotes a history of academic excellence.
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Part 2: List of Ivy League dental schools: 2023 rankings & admissions statistics
As mentioned above, there are three Ivy League dental schools. They are:
First off, we’ve assembled the most pertinent information and statistics so that you can begin to compare these schools to one another.
| Ivy League Dental Schools | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard School of Dental Medicine | |||||||
| Columbia University College of Dental Medicine | |||||||
| University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine |
As you see from this list, there are a few significant differences between these three dental schools. While any of these price tags might be eye-popping if you don’t know what to expect, Harvard’s dental school is still significantly less expensive than that of Columbia or UPenn. Additionally, the class sizes vary dramatically, with Harvard’s class being about a quarter the size of UPenn’s, and Columbia slotting comfortably in the middle.
You will also notice that Columbia awards a DDS degree while Harvard and UPenn award a DMD degree. Though it may be counterintuitive, there is no significant difference between these two degrees (see our guide DMD vs. DDS for further explanation).
When it comes to ranking dental schools, things are significantly more ambiguous than they are in regards to graduate programs like law, business, and medicine. For each of those fields, rankings offer a shorthand for reputation. With dental schools, however, there is far less consensus. For this reason, US News and World Report does not publish dental school rankings.
If you’re looking for guidelines, however, dental school reputations tend to mirror those of their overall universities and their associated medical schools. As you can see in our list of the best medical schools; Harvard, Columbia, and UPenn each rank extremely high.
(Suggested reading: The Best Dental Schools: Dental School Ratings)
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Part 3: The schools themselves
Harvard
The Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) is the first dental school in the country to be associated with a university. It is also the first school to confer the Dentariae Medicinae Doctoris (DMD) degree. HSDM uses a unique educational approach in which dental students study clinical medicine alongside medical students. They then follow this up with additional years of intensive, interdisciplinary study. One of HSDM’s core strengths is in musculoskeletal disease research and they also offer public health opportunities in local communities and across the globe. Further, HSDM also provides direct patient care, hosting the Harvard Dental Center, which welcomes more than 25,000 patients each year.
HDSM describes their mission as “To foster a community of diverse global leaders in education, research, and clinical innovation dedicated to improving human health by integrating dentistry and medicine.” They also emphasize the necessity of ethics and integrity when it comes to dental medicine. In addition to their DMD program, HDSM offers a DMD/PhD dual degree program. Their academic departments include Developmental Biology; Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology; Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity; and Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences.
Columbia
At the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine (CDM) dental students study alongside medical students in an environment that emphasizes scientific research and using new technologies to enhance dental care. Their mission highlights respect, inclusiveness, and diversity as well as the “integration of oral health as part of overall health for the individual and the community.” Half of CDM graduates go directly into specialty training upon completion of the DDS degree. CDM also offers three dual degree programs: DDS/MPH (Master of Public Health), DDS/MBA and DDS/MA in Science and Dental Education.
CDM uses a pass/fail grading system that’s designed to keep the emphasis on learning. Students take part in preclinical simulation training in their early years and then eventually work in small practice groups to care for patients in the local community. CDM is divided into four sections: Cariology and Restorative Sciences; Growth and Development; Hospital Dentistry; and Oral, Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Sciences. It also hosts the new Center for Precision Dental Medicine, a state-of-the-art clinical and educational facility that strives to “personalize education like never before.”
University of Pennsylvania
One of the oldest university-affiliated dental schools in the country Penn Dental Medicine (PDM) strives “To transform global oral health and well-being through exceptional clinical care, innovation, education, and research.” They value a humanistic and evidence-based approach to dental care. PDM offers a number of dual degree options in fields such as education, bioethics, bioengineering, public health, business administration, and law. They also offer honors programs in research, clinical dentistry, community health, radiological sciences, and oral and maxillofacial surgery, among others.
PDM supplies students with a wide range of clinical experiences, community outreach, and summer research and fellowship opportunities. Their academic departments include Basic and Translational Sciences, Endodontics, Oral Medicine, Pediatric Dentistry and Restorative Dentistry, among others. Finally, PDM hosts the Care Center for Persons with Disabilities, which features a specially designed clinic to provide comprehensive care for individuals with physical and/or cognitive limitations.
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Part 4: How to get into an Ivy League dental school
Pay attention to the data. Be sure to get your GPA and DAT scores to the point at which they are competitive with the averages listed in the table above. This means remaining focused throughout your undergrad years and taking advantage of all the resources your institution makes available. It also means providing adequate, organized time to prepare for the DAT, seeking assistance when necessary. (Suggested reading: When Should You Take the DAT? and The Ideal DAT Study Schedule)
Take part in meaningful pre-dental extracurriculars. While the raw numbers are certainly important, dental school admissions committees are looking for well-rounded applicants that display qualities such as leadership, empathy, and intellectual curiosity. When it comes to picking your extracurriculars it is more important to find something you are passionate about—an area where you can make a meaningful impact—than to check off the boxes you might imagine the committees are looking for.
Educate yourself on the particular Ivy League dental schools you are applying to. This will help you generate sincere enthusiasm as well as give you a sense of what the next four years could look like. It will also allow you to tailor your application to these specific schools, demonstrating fit in meaningful ways. This is something dental school admissions committees are looking for.
Write a memorable personal statement. The goal of the dental school personal statement is to get the admissions committee interested in you as a person—to get them to want to meet you. This is your chance to contextualize your experiences and offer a sense of how they fit together in a way that is unique to you and that leads to dentistry. (Suggested reading: Dental School Personal Statement: The Ultimate Guide)
Ask for letters of recommendation early. You can never predict what a professor or employer’s schedule might look like. Though asking for letters of recommendation will make most of us cringe, it’s best to secure your letters of recommendation early. This will allow your recommender ample time to craft a strong letter as well as to consult with you about any additional information that may be useful. (Suggested reading: Dental School Letters of Recommendation: The Ultimate Guide)
Prepare for your interview and remember to be genuine. The goal of the preceding stages of your dental school application is to get you to the interview. If you’ve made it to this point, admissions committees have determined that you are “academically qualified.” Now they want to see how you match up in person. Remember to be yourself. Admissions committees will be able to tell if you are over-performing, and if you’ve made it this far you have a good reason to be confident. (Suggested reading: How to Ace Your Dental School Interview (Questions Included))
Embrace the challenge. Remember that it’s difficult to get into any dental school, and especially one of the Ivy League schools. As you can see in the table above, the first-year class sizes of the three schools combined only adds up to 254 students. You will have your challenge cut out for you, but remember that whoever ends up taking these spots will have to overcome the same hurdles that you face. (Suggested reading: How Hard Is It to Get Into Dental School?)
Final Thoughts
Gaining admission to an Ivy League dental school is a major undertaking that comes with significant payoffs. In addition to the prestige, opportunities at each of the aforementioned schools will rival those of any dentistry program in the country. Taking advantage of the resources in this guide will help you stand out from the competition as you continue on your path to becoming a dentist.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on dental school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into dental school using his exclusive approach.
