Dental: Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re seeking a world-class education centered around a community-health revolutionizing vision, look no further than PNWU.

Our 70-acre campus boasts a collaboration-inspiring array of health sciences disciplines, enabling students, faculty, and staff to unite under the singular mission of educating and training healthcare professionals emphasizing service in rural and medically underserved areas throughout the Pacific Northwest states of Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana.

PNWU’s multitude of health science education programs offer students access to our University’s comprehensive anatomy lab, an experienced and engaging faculty, an ever-growing toolbox of medical technologies, state-of-the-art simulation labs, a host of invaluable in-person interactions with simulated patients (SPs) and in real community healthcare settings, cutting-edge telehealth training opportunities and more.

Please see our current admission requirements here.

Please see the Casper Testing Communication information here.

Applicants are encouraged to review the ADEA AADSAS® Course Subject List to see if your course fulfills a prerequisite. If you still have questions, please contact the PNWU admissions office. For Washington Community College students, please see the prerequisite mapping table here.

It is recommended that prerequisite courses be completed prior to applying. All prerequisites must be completed at a grade of B or better before June 1^st of the matriculation year. If an accepted applicant has not completed coursework by this date, admission will be rescinded.

The SDM will utilize the ADEA Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (ADEA AADSAS®) portal. Applications will undergo an initial screening from which we will invite applicants for an on-campus interview. Those invited will be required to complete the Kira Talent online assessment prior to the scheduled interview date. 

There is no single image of a competitive applicant and applicants are evaluated as individuals. We strive to enroll applicants who have a strong desire to work in a rural or medically underserved community after graduation. On a personal level, candidates with diverse life experiences, a commitment to service, and empathy and compassion would stand out. Intellectual curiosity, leadership skills, strong communication skills, being a team player, and familiarity with dentistry and healthcare, in general, is a plus.

Yes. Individuals in the workforce who desire a career change are encouraged to apply. You must complete all prerequisite coursework and meet the admissions criteria. It is helpful to address your reasons for desiring a career in dentistry in your application, where appropriate.

Please see our current letter of recommendation requirements here.

A major in science would allow you to meet some, if not all, of the biomedical science prerequisites. However, a science major is not required, and you can matriculate with a non-science major if you complete all the required biomedical science prerequisites.

A minimum of three years (90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours) of college or university coursework from a regionally accredited school is required. However, a baccalaureate degree is preferred because it offers a broad education as a basis for further studies.

For GPA, it is preferred that applicants have an overall and science GPA no lower than 3.2. However, as we take a holistic admissions view of each applicant, non-academic experience has the potential to weigh heavier than the applicant’s GPA.

The DAT is not required for admission.

As an ADEA AADSAS® program, we require that foreign coursework be submitted to a US-based evaluation service for a course-by-course US equivalency report. This report should then be sent directly to ADEA AADSAS® from the evaluation service. You should contact a foreign transcript evaluation service as early as possible as these services can take several weeks to process. Do not send foreign transcripts to ADEA AADSAS®, even if they have been translated into English.

ADEA AADSAS® only accepts electronic foreign evaluations from World Education Services (WES), Inc. or Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). Paper WES or ECE evaluations are not accepted.

For more information on foreign credits, please see the Sending Transcripts section of the ADEA AADSAS® website.

Yes.

Yes, if they are from an accredited institution.

We do not offer an international or advanced-standing dentist program. Applicants who have completed the equivalent of a DMD/DDS degree at a non-CODA-approved dental school may apply for regular admission to our four-year program.

The ADEA AADSAS® portal opens in May of each year. Applications can be submitted to our program via the portal.

PNWU-SDM does not consider foreign applicants unless they are US Citizens or permanent residents (i.e., possess a green card). Permanent residence documentation is part of the application requirement to PNWU-SDM for all foreign applicants.

National accreditation through the Commission of Dental Accreditation (CODA) is a multi-step process. As of August 2024, we have initial accreditation. Final accreditation will occur during the 4^th year of the inaugural class, prior to graduation. When there are updates to our accreditation status, they will be posted to our website.

The SDM has received accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

The DMD is a four-year program.

We have worked closely with a select group of colleges and universities in the Pacific Northwest to establish accelerated educational pathways to our dental school. These programs require the applicant to complete all admissions requirements as outlined, including an interview. Applicants who are accepted will enter the SDM after 3 years of undergraduate study. You can find more information about our different pathway programs on the school’s website.

The SDM has established a scholarship program through the generous donations of supporters. Entering students will be informed of any awarded scholarships prior to matriculation. More details about scholarships will be posted once they are available.

Yes. The SDM requires students to participate in research during the second and third years of the program. These projects can be done by individual students or in small groups of 2-4 individuals. Students will present the results at the annual PNWU Research Symposium. One project will be selected from the SDM student projects to represent the school at the annual student research competition. The SDM will have a Research and Scholarly Activity Committee that will support research for faculty, staff, and students. PNWU has mentors who work with students on project development and design, as well as dissemination efforts.

Students are required to have a laptop that meets the minimum hardware and software requirements detailed on the Technology Services webpage. Laptop purchases are the responsibility of each student. Financial aid is available to cover the purchase cost of a laptop once during the student’s educational program. Technology Services will provide limited software support and consulting for student owned computing devices, details of the support provided can be found on the Technology Services webpage.

Students are also required to have an iPad that meets the minimum requirements. Curriculum required iPad apps are also provided with no additional cost.

The SDM will incorporate new and emerging didactic and clinical education technologies into the curriculum. The school will use traditional in-person classroom teaching, synchronous virtual classroom teaching, virtual reality simulators, and a traditional simulation clinic. As new curriculum technologies are identified, they will be reviewed for potential use by the SDM.

Yes. PNWU has many helpful resources for student success. Our Student Affairs Department provides academic support programs as well as informal and personal student support. For more information on academic assistance, please visit our Learning Support page here.

Mentorship is critical to the success of the SDM. Faculty mentors will work with students to create a mutual understanding of expectations from the beginning and to identify benchmarks and goals to work towards and evaluate. Students will also be paired up with a practicing dentist mentor at the beginning of the second year.

There are many community service opportunities and ways to volunteer as a student at PNWU. SDM students are required to have 100 hours of community service prior to graduation. The school will provide students a list of potential volunteer opportunities available in Yakima, Tri-Cities and Tacoma. We also have a Service and Social Engagement committee that involves students in the planning and promoting of school events. In addition, PNWU sponsors a Week of Service every year that engages our students and employees in service activities across the Yakima Valley.

There are a variety of ways to enrich your educational experience at PNWU. Visit the PNWU Extracurricular Activities page here. The SDM will also host student clubs and organizations for dental students to be involved in.

Housing is not provided on the Yakima campus. Current rental listings in Yakima can be found here.

Yakima

Check out our Off-Campus Life and Relocation Information webpage.

There are affordable apartments located adjacent to the Yakima campus. For those who need more space, Yakima also has many single-family homes for rent and for sale. In addition, students may qualify for income-based housing in the Yakima area. For a snapshot of Yakima’s rental market, please visit this website and click on “Area Guide”.

A popular choice for PNWU students is the University Parkway Apartments near the Yakima campus.

Kennewick

Kennewick has a wide array of housing available. There are apartments, condos, and single-family homes for rent. Also, there is income-based housing for those who qualify. Here is a website you can visit to get an accurate idea of housing costs in Kennewick.

Tacoma

Tacoma’s current housing mix is predominantly single-family homes, but has an abundance of apartment, townhouse, and duplex rentals. The City of Tacoma has plans to develop more multifamily housing to accommodate their population and employment growth. For an overview of Tacoma’s housing market, please visit this website and click on “Area Guide”.

Click the link for an up-to-date look at cost of living:

• Yakima
• Kennewick
• Tacoma