Bachelor of Dentistry in the USA is offered in several ways- Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD), and Bachelor of Science in Dental Science/Dental Surgery.
Studying DDS and DMD in most US universities requires a 4-year bachelor's degree (that too from the US and Canada). Another variation of this program is the Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene. This course is 2-3 years long.
Dentists and other dental professionals are among the highest-paid professions, with salaries ranging between USD 120,000 to USD 350,000.
Why study this course in the USA?
- According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the median salary of dentists in the USA was USD 156,240 in 2018.
- The U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 19 per cent job growth for dentists (from 2016-2026).
- Some of the best universities in the USA, like the University of Columbia, New York University and the University of Pennsylvania, offer this course in the USA.
Top Universities for Bachelor of Dentistry in the USA
According to QS World University Rankings by subject, these are the leading universities in the USA for dentistry in 2020.
|
QS Ranking 2023 |
University |
|
11 |
Harvard University |
|
6 |
University of California San Francisco |
|
23 |
New York University |
|
18 |
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill |
|
19 |
University of Pennsylvania |
|
20 |
University of California Los Angeles |
|
45 |
Columbia University |
|
51-80 |
University of Minnesota Twin Cities |
|
=39 |
University of Iowa |
|
49 |
University of Southern California |
Master of Dentistry in the USA
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Talk to an ExpertBachelor of Dentistry Courses in the USA for international students
Dental disciplines offered by US Universities:
- Dental anesthesiology (focuses on pain mitigation and patient well-being during dental procedures)
- Dental public health (Optimizes the dental health of a community)
- Endodontics
- Oral and maxillofacial pathology (Diagnosis of mouth diseases using various techniques such as microscopic examinations)
- Oral and maxillofacial radiology (Use of data and imaging technologies like X-rays to identify injuries and illnesses)
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery (Operations in and around the mouth.)
- Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopaedics (Prevention and correction of misaligned teeth and jaws)
- Pediatric dentistry (dental needs of infants and children)
- Periodontics (gum problems)
- Prosthodontics (Creation of dentures and providing other treatments to address missing or deficient teeth)
|
University |
Course |
Location |
Eligibility |
|
New York University |
Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene |
New York, USA |
TOEFL: 100 |
|
Associate in Applied Science in Dental Hygiene |
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|
University of Washington |
Bachelor of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics |
Seattle, USA |
TOEFL: 76 IELTS: 6 |
|
Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis |
BS in Dental Hygiene |
Indianapolis, USA |
TOEFL: 60 IELTS: 5.5 |
|
BS in Public Health Dental Hygiene |
|||
|
Texas A & M University |
BS in Dental Hygiene |
College Station, USA |
IELTS: 6 |
|
Purdue University |
Bachelor of Arts in Pre-dentistry |
West Lafayette, USA |
IELTS: 6.5 |
|
University of Dayton |
Pre Dentistry |
Pre Dentistry, BS |
TOEFL: 70 |
|
University of Pittsburgh |
Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene Program |
Pittsburgh, USA |
IELTS: 7 |
|
Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene Program |
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|
Fairleigh Dickinson University |
Dental Medicine BS-DMD |
Hackensack, USA |
TOEFL: 70 IELTS: 6.5 |
|
Missouri Southern State University |
BS in Health Science (Dental Hygiene) |
Joplin, USA |
TOEFL: 68 IELTS: 6 |
|
BS in Biology (Pre-Dentistry) |
|||
|
Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene |
Tuition fees
International students' tuition fees to study Bachelor of Dentistry/ BS in Dental Science in the USA range from USD 20,000 to 70,000 per year.
|
University |
Approximate tuition fees in USD |
|
New York University |
28,250 |
|
Dow University of Health Sciences |
17,000 |
|
West Coast University |
36,000 |
|
Ohio State University |
27,537 |
|
University of Michigan |
52,144 |
|
University of Maryland, Baltimore |
24,143 |
|
University of South Dakota |
14,000 |
|
University of Pittsburgh |
48,747 |
|
University of Minnesota Twin Cities (UMN) |
36,000 |
|
Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) |
33,500 |
|
Admission Requirements for undergraduate studies in Dentistry in the USA for international students
Dentistry universities in the USA seek out students with strong academic backgrounds and leadership skills.
Applicants need to fulfil English language requirements, academic requirements and other additional requirements set by the universities.
English Language Requirements:
- IELTS: A minimum of 6.5-7.5, with no field less than 6.0
- TOEFL: A Minimum of 70-100
New York University
- Academic Requirements: Applicants must pass secondary education (Biology and chemistry courses) with a minimum cumulative GPA of 85% or more.
- SAT/ ACT Scores
- 1-3 LOR
- SOP
- DAT Scores (21 in academic, science & reading, 20 in perceptual ability)
University of Pennsylvania
- Academic Requirements: A minimum of 3.0 GPA in intermediate-level in science.
- 2 LOR
- Interview
- SOP
- DAT Scores
University of Maryland Baltimore
- Academic Requirements: Applicants must pass a high school diploma with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
- Academic transcripts
- TOEFL: 80
- SOP
- LOR
University of South Dakota
- Academic Requirement: Applicants must pass a high school diploma (English, advanced mathematics, laboratory science, social science) with a minimum GPA of 2.6 on a 4.0 scale.
- SOP
- 1-2 LOR
- English Scores:
- TOEFL: 71
- IELTS: 6
- PTE: 48
University of Pittsburgh
- Academic Requirements: Candidates must pass a high school diploma or intermediate level with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
- SOP
- LOR
- Official academic transcripts
- IELTS: 7
Scholarships
- ADA Foundation Dental Student Scholarship
- ADEA/Crest Oral-B Scholarship for Dental Students Pursuing Academic Careers
- Dental Trade Alliance Foundation Scholarships
- HOSA – Future Health Professionals Scholarship
- Crack the DAT Pre-Dental Scholarship
- Barry Goldwater Scholarship
- Kool Smiles Scholarship
Scope and Career Opportunities
Just like anywhere else in the world, the scope of dentistry is tremendous in the USA. However, to practice dentistry in the US, you must first meet the eligibility criteria by obtaining a dental license.
Dental license criteria might differ from state to state in the USA. Overall the requirements consist of education, written, and clinical examination requirements.
According to Salary Explorer, the salary of Dentists is between USD 117,000 to 372,000 per year in the USA.
Dentist salaries according to experience in the USA-
|
Experience |
Average salary per Annum |
|
0-2 years |
139,000 |
|
2-5 years |
178,000 |
|
5-10 years |
246,000 |
|
10-15 years |
304,000 |
|
15-20 years |
326,000 |
|
20+ years |
348,000 |
Look at the table below for dental jobs and the average salary of those dental jobs in the USA:
|
Dentistry jobs after graduation |
Average Annual Salary in USD |
|
Dental Surgeon |
160,302 |
|
Consultant |
86,390 |
|
Oral Pathologist |
120,396 |
|
Dental Hygienist |
143,605 |
|
Dental Assistant |
80,000 |
|
Public Health Specialist |
96,300 |
|
Dentist |
157,500 |
FAQ
- Do I need to be a US citizen to attend dental school in the USA?
A US or Canadian undergraduate degree is preferred for advanced programmes like DDS. Other dental programs accept international students, but this depends on universities' admission policies.
- Are DDS and BDS to the same degree?
Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) is the same as Doctor of Medical Surgery (DMS). Both of these are more or less similar to a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS).
- Are DAT Scores compulsory to study dentistry in the USA?
Top Universities mandatorily require DAT Scores for the application process.
- How long is a bachelor of dentistry in the USA?
Undergraduate dental degrees in the USA are from 2 to 5 years long.
