SIU Dental School Interview: DMD 2026-27

Q: What is the SIU dental school interview format?

SIU describes a visit, not a format: “Your scheduled visit to SIU SDM will consist of a writing exercise, interview, a tour of our school and student panel session with lunch/refreshments,” and you can expect to be on campus “approximately four and a half hours.” The interview and campus tour “will give you an opportunity to meet with committee members, speak with current dental students, see our modern dental clinic and learn more about our school and excellent educational program.” The SIU pages we read don't say how many people interview you, how long the interview lasts, whether they have read your application, what is asked or what the writing exercise involves, and they describe no MMI, stations, panel interview, one-on-one interview or open or closed file. Go by your invitation.

Q: Is the SIU dental interview virtual or in person?

SIU's pages don't say. Its interviews page describes a visit to its Alton campus (a tour of the school, a visitor parking lot, “approximately four and a half hours” on campus, lodging for the night before) and never says in person or virtual. The forum's invite tracker, which a volunteer compiles from applicants' reports, lists in person for both 2025–26 and 2026–27, and all six applicants in the forum's 2025–26 SIU thread who listed a method of interview wrote “In-Person” or “In person.” As of 9 October 2026, the forum's 2026–27 thread held only its opening post. Go by your invitation, and ask angprit@siue.edu if anything is unclear.

Q: What GPA and DAT do I need for SIU dental school?

SIU has no fixed minimums: “Because the Dental School has competitive admission, there are no fixed minimum GPA and DAT scores.” Its 2027-cycle brochure lists, for the Entering Class of 2026, a 3.78/4.0 cumulative GPA, a 3.70/4.0 “BCP GPA” and 440 for each of “Academic DAT,” “PAT DAT” and “Science DAT.” The brochure doesn't name the scale, but 440 is a score on the 200–600 scale the DAT has used since March 2025; it gives no old-scale equivalents and doesn't say whether the figures are averages. They are what one class presented, not a bar. SIU says a DAT “is valid for three years before matriculation.”

Q: What is SIU's acceptance rate, and how many applicants does it interview?

SIU doesn't publish an acceptance rate, and we don't compute one. For the Entering Class of 2026, its 2027-cycle brochure lists 983 “Applications Processed,” 242 “Interviews Conducted” and 50 “Total Enrolled,” and gives no offer count. Its FAQ says “Fifty 50 students entering each Year 1 class.”

Q: Does SIU accept out-of-state applicants?

The SIU pages we read don't bar them, but “As a state institution, established to provide dentists for the State of Illinois and supported by the taxpayers of Illinois, the School gives priority to admission of Illinois residents.” They don't define Illinois residency and publish no counts of resident or nonresident applicants, interviews or offers. The requirements page asks for coursework “at an accredited college or university in the United States” (its FAQ says “the United States or Canada”), and the pages we read say nothing about visa status.

Q: Does SIU require shadowing?

No: SIU “does not require extracurricular activities and dental shadowing experience but highly recommends these experiences.” It says to keep track of “dates, hours, descriptions of each experience and the name and address of the direct supervisor/organization,” publishes no hour count, and says it “is unable to provide dental volunteer/shadowing opportunities.” Its brochure lists “Demonstrated interest in dentistry” among its admissions selection criteria.

SIU School of Dental Medicine DMD guide from its own pages: the interview visit, Nov 15 deadline, class figures, requirements and Illinois priority.

SIU's undated interviews page describes a half-day visit to its Alton campus: a writing exercise, an interview, a tour and a student panel with lunch, about four and a half hours in all. SIU doesn't publish the interview's length, format or questions. Here is what SIU publishes, where its pages disagree, what applicants report, and how to prepare. return ( <> SIU DMD Requirements and Class Profile The Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM) is in Alton, Illinois, and its DMD pages sit on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville website. Its program page says "The School's small student body (200 students) and intimate environment promote an unusually high level of interaction among students and faculty," and its FAQ says "Fifty 50 students entering each Year 1 class" (SIU's wording). You apply through ADEA AADSAS: the 2026-2027 cycle "began on May 12, 2026," and "APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY AADSAS NO

LATER THAN NOVEMBER 15th in order for applicants to be considered for admission to the following year's class." SIU prints that date without a year; we read it as November 15, 2026, which is still ahead. SIU's 2027-cycle application brochure publishes statistics under the heading "Entering Class of 2026 Statistics": Figure. Entering Class of 2026 (SIU's 2027-cycle brochure). Total enrolled. 50. Applications processed. 983. Interviews conducted. 242. GPA. 3.78/4.0 cumulative; 3.70/4.0 “BCP GPA”. DAT. “Academic DAT” 440, “PAT DAT” 440, “Science DAT” 440, on the 200–600 scale. The brochure gives no offer count, no breakdown by residency and no acceptance rate, and we don't compute one. SIU's news item of October 6, 2026 says it recognized "50 first-year students (Class of 2030)" at its White Coat Ceremony, which we read as the class the brochure calls the Entering Class of 2026. Which DAT scale are the 440s on?. The 200–600 scale the DAT

has used since 1 March 2025: 440 can't be a score on the old 1–30 scale. SIU's brochure doesn't name the scale, doesn't say whether 440 is an average, a median or something else, and gives no old-scale equivalents, so we don't convert any. It also doesn't say how SIU treated tests taken before the change. SIU's Academic Statistics page, whose newest class is the one graduating in 2027, lists two-digit averages, which are old-scale figures: a "DAT Academic Average" of 20.0 for that class, for example. SIU has no fixed minimum: its FAQ says "there are no fixed minimum GPA and DAT scores," so these figures are what one class presented, not a bar. Since 1 March 2025 the ADA has reported every DAT score to AADSAS on the 200–600 scale, older attempts converted. In state or out of state?. SIU's requirements page says "Admission to the SIU School of Dental Medicine is limited. As a state institution, established to provide dentists for the

State of Illinois and supported by the taxpayers of Illinois, the School gives priority to admission of Illinois residents." Its mission is "to educate dentists and improve the oral health of the region." The SIU pages we read don't define Illinois residency and publish no counts of resident or nonresident applicants, interviews or offers. Its FAQ says "You may attend any accredited undergraduate school of your choice," and the pages we read say nothing about visa status. Prerequisite coursework Course. Semester hours. Quarter hours. Biology (with labs). 8. 12. General Chemistry (with labs). 8. 12. Organic Chemistry (with labs). 8. 12. Physics (the requirements page doesn't say “with labs”; the brochure does). 6. 9. Biochemistry. 3. 5. English (or a bachelor's degree: see below). 6. 9. Grades, timing and AP credit: SIU requires the coursework "with a C or better by July of the intended entering year," and says "Grades of D or lower will

not be accepted." "We do not accept AP credit for the following subjects." For English, "6 semester hours are accepted or the completion of a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree." College credit and a degree: "the absolute minimum prerequisite for admission to the School of Dental Medicine is successful completion of three academic years – 90 semester or 135 quarter hours – of undergraduate course work," and "A maximum of 60 semester hours from an accredited community or junior college is allowed." The page adds "the majority of accepted applicants have completed requirements for a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree prior to matriculation." Asked whether a bachelor's degree is required, its FAQ answers "No, but it is recommended," says you may apply with "the minimum 90 semester hours required, 120 semester hours preferred," and adds "Having a degree makes an applicant more competitive." Higher-level science:

"preference will be given to applicants demonstrating exemplary academic performance in additional higher-level science courses while taking full academic loads," and "Science courses should not be survey courses or other such courses designed for non-science majors." SIU says "We strongly suggest selecting several additional higher-level courses": anatomy, physiology, microbiology, cell and molecular biology, histology, immunology, genetics and neural science/neural physiology, one semester each. The DAT: "All applicants must take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT); no exceptions are made." "Applicants will report official DAT scores to AADSAS and dental education programs of their choice." "The DAT is valid for three years before matriculation." SIU doesn't say how that period is counted. It also says "An applicant should report future DAT test dates on the AADSAS application." Three letters, through AADSAS: SIU "requires a total of

three letters of recommendation," uploaded "directly to the AADSAS application by the evaluators": two science letters from "science professors who have taught and graded the applicant at the university level," and one letter by "an evaluator of the applicant's choice" (another professor, a mentor or a dentist). Where the undergraduate school has a pre-health professions committee, "a letter or letter packet by committee members can be submitted in place of the three required letters of recommendation," as one letter. "Letters sent directly to the Office of Admissions are not recommended." Extracurriculars and shadowing: SIU "does not require extracurricular activities and dental shadowing experience but highly recommends these experiences." It says to "keep track of dates, hours, descriptions of each experience and the name and address of the direct supervisor/organization," and publishes no hour count. It adds that it "is unable to

provide dental volunteer/shadowing opportunities." Technical Standards Form and fee: "All applicants are required to review, sign and upload the Technical Standards Form as part of their ADEA AADSAS application." SIU also says "Applicants are required to pay an application fee to the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine. This fee is neither refundable or applicable toward tuition. Our office will provide all verified applicants a link to submit an online payment." The pages we read give no amount. Your application's status: "Responsibility for application completion lies with the applicant; incomplete or unverified applications cannot be processed. Please check your status by going to your ADEA AADSAS Applicant Portal regularly." Credit hours and country: SIU's pages differ. The requirements page says "90 semester or 135 quarter hours" "at an accredited college or university in the United States"; the FAQ says "Ninety

semester hours or 120 quarter hours of required course work must be completed at an accredited college or university in the United States or Canada." Take the stricter reading, 135 quarter hours from US colleges (SIU's own tables convert 8 semester hours to 12 quarter hours, so 90 semester hours is 135 quarter hours: our arithmetic), and confirm with angprit@siue.edu. Pass/fail: SIU's pages differ. The requirements page says "The SIU School of Dental Medicine will accept pass/fail grades for Spring 2020 coursework only"; the brochure says "courses taken on a pass/fail or credit/no credit basis, will not be accepted." Take the stricter reading, letter-grade courses, and ask angprit@siue.edu if Spring 2020 pass/fail is your only option. Physics labs: SIU's pages differ. The requirements page lists "Physics" while Biology, General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry carry "(with labs)"; the brochure lists "Physics (with labs)." Take the

stricter reading, physics with a lab, and confirm with angprit@siue.edu. Statistics: the catalog differs. The SIUE 2026-2027 catalog's list of recommended courses adds "Statistics" (one semester); the requirements page and the brochure don't. It is recommended, not required: add it if you can, and confirm with angprit@siue.edu. DAT timing: SIU's pages give three cues. SIU's requirements page says "The DAT can be taken before applying in June of the application year. Scores must be received before the application deadline of November 15th. To be a competitive applicant and to be considered for the first round of interviews, the DAT should be taken before September 15th." Its FAQ says "It is best to have scores at the time of applying or by October before the application year. Committee action will be held up until DAT scores arrive." The pages print no year and don't explain "by October before the application year." Take the stricter

reading: have your score in hand when you apply, and treat September 15 as the date for first-round interview consideration (it has passed for this cycle if we read it as 2026). Confirm with angprit@siue.edu. The Technical Standards Form: three instructions. The application page says to "Upload the signed PDF directly to your ADEA AADSAS application," in the Program Material section under SIU DMD. The brochure says "A Technical Standards Form will be emailed to verified applicants, who must submit it with their ADEA AADSAS application." The form itself, a 2024 file, says "sign and return this form immediately together with your Supplementary Application" to the Office of Admissions, and the application page doesn't mention a supplementary application. Take the stricter reading: don't wait for an email; download the form from the application page, sign it and upload it to AADSAS as the page says, then ask angprit@siue.edu whether

anything must also go to the Office. CASPer or Kira?. SIU's DMD admissions pages, its FAQ, its technical standards, its application brochures and the dental medicine pages of the SIUE 2026-2027 catalog don't mention CASPer, Acuity Insights, Kira or any similar assessment. What they do ask for is AADSAS with its letters and your DAT score, a signed Technical Standards Form, a fee paid to SIU and, if you are invited, an interview visit that includes "a writing exercise." To confirm a rule where SIU's pages disagree, contact Angela Pritchett in the Office of Admissions (618-474-7171, angprit@siue.edu). SIUE's catalog also describes a combined BS/DMD Honors Program for students who attend SIUE as undergraduates: "After successful completion of the first year of the combined program, a student is offered a tentative acceptance to the dental school, provided the student meets and continues to meet or exceed the conditions of the three-year

pre-professional program." This guide covers the AADSAS route; the catalog pages we read describe no interview for the combined program. The SIU Interview: What the School Says Required, and by invitation only. "Interviews are offered to applicants by invitation only and are a required step in the application process." Its brochure's timeline adds "(Interviews required for admission consideration)." A half-day visit to its Alton campus. "Your scheduled visit to SIU SDM will consist of a writing exercise, interview, a tour of our school and student panel session with lunch/refreshments." SIU says "You can expect to be on campus for approximately four and a half hours, so please plan accordingly," and that its sessions are "half-day sessions, the morning sessions will be conducted 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the afternoon sessions will be conducted 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m." You choose a date and time, and come alone. "SIU School of Dental

Medicine will have applicants choose a select interview date and time." "Applicants come unaccompanied for this phase of the admissions process." Who you meet. "The interview and campus tour will give you an opportunity to meet with committee members, speak with current dental students, see our modern dental clinic and learn more about our school and excellent educational program." The pages we read don't say how many people interview you, how long the interview lasts, whether they have read your application, what is asked, or whether the writing exercise, the tour or the student panel is evaluated. Getting there. "Please note that our facilities are located at 2800 College Avenue in Alton, IL." "The Visitor Parking Lot is located directly off Seminary Street. Once you are on campus, please proceed to Building 273." SIU adds "Since travel time to and from the campus may require several hours, you may want to arrange for lodging the

night before your interview," and names four hotels near the school. How it counts. The brochure's "Admissions Selection Criteria" lists "Dental school interview" and "Letters of recommendation" together under "Professional Evaluation," beside "Academic Preparation" and "Experience & Involvement." SIU doesn't say how much the interview counts. Everything in the list above comes from SIU's undated interviews page and its 2027-cycle brochure, so go by what SIU sends with your invitation. In person or virtual? SIU describes a campus visit. SIU's interview page describes a visit: a tour of the school, a visitor parking lot, a building to go to, hotels for the night before and "approximately four and a half hours" on campus. None of the SIU pages we read says whether the interview is in person or virtual, or names a video platform. The six 2025–26 applicants in the forum's SIU thread who listed a method of interview all wrote "In-Person" or

"In person" (below), and the forum's invite tracker, which a volunteer compiles from applicants' reports, lists in person for both 2025–26 and 2026–27. Go by your invitation. SIU's interviews page is undated, and its application page, which names the 2026-2027 cycle, gives only the months ("Interviews are conducted from September to February by invitation"). Invitations and interviews: SIU's pages give three windows. Its interviews page says "The Admissions Office initiates interview invites through email between September and January of an application cycle." Its application page says "Interviews are conducted from September to February by invitation." Its 2027-cycle brochure, a file dated May 2026, says "September - December" for "Interview invitations sent." These can all be true at once, but the brochure's end date for invitations is a month earlier than the interviews page's, and SIU doesn't say which is current. Take the stricter

reading for planning: assume invitations may end in December, and if you have heard nothing by the end of December, ask angprit@siue.edu. The writing exercise: SIU lists it and says nothing more. The pages we read don't say how long the writing exercise is, what it asks, whether you write by hand or on a computer, or how it is used. SIU's technical standards say "Communication includes speech and writing" without linking that to the exercise. Our advice, not SIU's: practice writing a clear, organized answer about why you chose dentistry and what you have done to prepare, in a set time, in addition to speaking one out loud. Two other routes: the IAPP and the BS/DMD Honors Program. SIU's separate International Advanced Placement Program (IAPP), for "qualified dentists who have graduated from an international dental school," has its own requirements and its own interview: "a limited number of the most highly qualified applicants will be

invited to interview with the committee, tour the campus, and take a bench examination to assess dental psychomotor skills." SIU's DMD FAQ only points internationally trained dentists to the IAPP's pages, and the IAPP interview page doesn't describe the DMD interview; SIU doesn't say how the two interviews relate, so don't prepare from one for the other. The combined BS/DMD Honors Program for SIUE undergraduates (above) has no interview described in the catalog pages we read. What applicants report These are posts on a public applicant forum, and an invite tracker that a forum volunteer compiles there from applicants' reports, not SIU's words: This cycle (2026–27): the forum's invite tracker (compiled by a volunteer from applicants' reports), last updated 25 September 2026, lists SIU's first invitations on 17 September and a first interview date of 28 September, in person. As of 9 October 2026, the forum's SIU thread for this cycle (the

Class of 2031) held only its opening post, so nothing in it supports or contradicts the tracker's dates. Last cycle (2025–26): the tracker, last updated 22 October 2025, listed first invitations on 11 September 2025 and a first interview date of 24 September, in person. In the forum's SIU thread (the Class of 2030), six applicants posted a notification date and a method of interview, one post each: Post date. Notification, as posted. Method of interview, as posted. 11 Sep 2025. “9/11/2025,” by email. “In-Person 9/24”. 11 Sep 2025. “9/11/2025,” by email. “In person, given multiple dates starting 9/24”. 12 Sep 2025. “9/11/2025,” by email. “In person, 9/24”; “Options ranging from 9/24- mid October”. 15 Sep 2025. “9/11/2025,” by email. “In person, 10/9 (options ranging from 9/24 to 10/9)”. 18 Sep 2025. “9/16/2025,” by email. “In-Person 10/13”. 3 Dec 2025. “9/11/2025,” by email. “In-Person 10/1”. The tracker's first-invitation date (11

September) matches the notification date five of the six posted, and its first interview date (24 September) is the first date four of them mention, as their date or as the first of the dates offered. All six wrote "In-Person" or "In person." None said how many interviewers there were, how long the interview lasted, or what was asked. On 3 December 2025 one applicant wrote "Not sure, but the interviewers at this school were so nice." Another replied on 4 December, "Agreed, way less stressful than I anticipated. Everyone was great." SIU says "First round of acceptances are sent on December 15th." On 15 December 2025 one applicant wrote "Accepted at 6:10!" and later added "I checked my portal this morning at around 5:30 and saw that the status had changed to “Check back on December 15.” I received an email a little bit later." Another replied that day, "Congrats! Also accepted around 6 this morning." On 22 January 2026 one applicant wrote

"Accepted this morning!" One applicant, who had listed an interview on 10/9, wrote on 17 February 2026 "I got an email around Jan 22 that I was waitlisted and had to send a letter of intent to stay on." The SIU pages we read describe no waitlist or letter of intent. One applicant who interviewed in September wrote on 6 March 2026 "I interviewed in september and still nothing," and on 8 April 2026 "Nope I still don't have any decision." SIU says "Applicants are notified of final decisions on a rolling basis from January to May." What SIU doesn't publish. The interview's length, how many people you will meet, whether they have read your application, what is asked, how the interview is scored, what the writing exercise asks and how it is used, whether the tour and the student panel are evaluated, whether any part of the visit can be virtual, how soon decisions follow an interview, and how a waitlist works. SIU doesn't say which parts of

the visit are evaluated, so prepare for all of it: the writing exercise, the interview, and your conversations on the tour and at the student panel. Because the pages don't say whether your interviewers will have read your application, reread all of it before the day and be ready to tell its story yourself. Practice Your SIU Answers Out Loud. SIU's undated interviews page describes the interview as one part of a half-day visit to its Alton campus that also includes a writing exercise, a tour and a student panel, and SIU doesn't publish the interview's format. Practice telling your story and answering motivation, behavioral and ethical questions out loud, and get instant AI feedback on structure and clarity.. Start Practicing Free →. SIU's 2026–27 Admissions Timeline SIU's pages print these dates without years, except the cycle's opening day. The years below are ours, for the 2026–27 cycle: When. What SIU says. May 12, 2026. The cycle

opened: “The 2026-2027 ADEA AADSAS and the SIU School of Dental Medicine Application Cycle began on May 12, 2026.”. As early as you can. “Early application is to the individual's advantage and is strongly encouraged by the SIU School of Dental Medicine”; its brochure says “(apply early)”. August to February. “Admissions Committee review files from August to February”. Before September 15 (no year printed; passed if 2026). “To be a competitive applicant and to be considered for the first round of interviews, the DAT should be taken before September 15th.”. September to January. Invitations by email: “The Admissions Office initiates interview invites through email between September and January of an application cycle” (its undated interviews page); its 2027-cycle brochure says “September - December”. September to February. “Interviews are conducted from September to February by invitation” (its 2026–27 application page). November 15 (no

year printed; we read 2026). “APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY AADSAS NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 15th in order for applicants to be considered for admission to the following year's class”; DAT scores “must be received before the application deadline of November 15th”. December 15. “First round of acceptances are sent on December 15th”. January to May. “Applicants are notified of final decisions on a rolling basis from January to May”. Early March. Its brochure: “Class typically near capacity”. After an offer. “Students must pay a one-time enrollment deposit of $300 (applied to tuition expenses) by e-check or credit card.” “Detailed instructions will be provided with the offer of admission.” “This deposit is non-refundable.” The pages we read give no deposit deadline. July of the entering year. Required coursework complete, “with a C or better by July of the intended entering year”. First Monday in August (2027, our reading). “Classes start

1st Monday in August”. November 15 covers more than clicking submit. SIU's deadline is for receipt by AADSAS, its requirements page says DAT scores "must be received before the application deadline of November 15th," and its application page says "incomplete or unverified applications cannot be processed." It also says "Early application is to the individual's advantage," and its brochure puts "Early March" next to "Class typically near capacity." Don't leave your application, your letters or your DAT score to the last days. What SIU Looks For SIU's 2027-cycle brochure lists "Admissions Selection Criteria," in three groups, and its requirements page says applicants "are reviewed in a holistic manner with consideration to all components of the application, including the criteria below." With its technical standards, they make a useful checklist for the interview: Academic preparation: the brochure lists "Courses completed & grades

earned," "Ability to manage full academic load" and "DAT scores." Be ready to talk about how you handled a full load, and about any grade you would explain. Demonstrated interest in dentistry: a brochure criterion. SIU "does not require extracurricular activities and dental shadowing experience but highly recommends these experiences," and its examples of shadowing are "Observing a General Dentist" and "Observing a Dental Specialist." Have one specific story from what you saw, and what it confirmed for you. Leadership, service and involvement: the brochure lists "Leadership experience," "School or community service," "School or civic organizations," "Extracurricular activities," "Work experience" and "Research experience." Pick one example of each that you can describe concretely, with what you did and what it taught you. Personal qualities: SIU's technical standards say "Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills,

interests, and motivation are all personal qualities that will be assessed during the admissions and educational processes." The sentence names the admissions process, not the interview in particular, so be ready to show each quality with an example. Communication: the standards say "A candidate must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients" and "Communication includes speech and writing." Answer the question that was asked, in speech and on paper. Stress, change and feedback: "A candidate must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. He or she must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients," and "A candidate must reasonably be expected to accept criticism and respond by appropriate modification of behavior." Have an example of each. Calming

patients: "a candidate must be able to manage apprehensive patients with a range of moods and behaviors in a tactful, congenial, personal manner so as not to alienate or antagonize them." Ethics and professionalism: SIU's goals include to "Develop practitioners who think critically, value life-long learning and exhibit ethical decision-making and professionalism," and its humanistic culture statement says "a strong commitment to enhancing professionalism and ethical behavior that is free from intimidation and judgement." The best Why SIU material is in its mission, its size and its clinics. SIU's mission is "to educate dentists and improve the oral health of the region." Its program page says "The School's small student body (200 students) and intimate environment promote an unusually high level of interaction among students and faculty," and that "Rotations to the community-based East St. Louis Dental Clinic offer students an extra

opportunity to provide dental care to patients in an underserved area." Its campus page says "Year 1 and Year 2 students enjoy the educational experiences offered in our state-of-the-art Simulation Laboratory (Sim Lab)" and lists "a nationally recognized Dental Implant Program, a Special Needs Dental Care Program and a Veterans Dental Care Program." Its Community Dentistry page quotes its dean, in a 2025 Give Kids A Smile story: "Our clinic is a safety net clinic for central and southern Illinois, for families that can't afford to go to private dentists," and "Sixty-five percent of our care is through Medicaid." A summer research program is also "available to students who are interested in gaining research experience." Connect one of these to how you want to learn and whom you want to serve. The practice questions below are ours, built on these criteria. The SIU pages we read don't publish interview questions. Our 2026–27 interview

tracker sets SIU's row beside every other US and Puerto Rico school on the forum's tracker. Internationally trained dentist? SIU's International Advanced Placement Program (IAPP) is a separate program with its own application and interview. This guide doesn't cover it; to compare advanced standing programs, see our CAAPID program finder . ); }; export default SIUDentalSchoolInterview; siu-dental-school-interview Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine SIU SIU Dental School Interview (DMD) 2026- Interview Visit Deadline & Requirements SIU Dental School DMD 2026-27 SIU School of Dental Medicine DMD guide from its own the interview visit Nov 15 deadline class figures requirements and Illinois priority. SIU dental school interview Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine interview SIU SDM interview SIU DMD requirements SIU dental school requirements SIU dental school writing exercise SIU dental school Alton

2026-10-09 2026-10-09 Domestic Program On-campus interview visit (undated page; interview format not published) SIU s undated interviews page describes a half-day visit to its Alton a writing exercise an interview a tour and a student panel with lunch about four and a half hours in all. SIU doesn t publish the interview s length format or questions. Here is what SIU publishes where its pages disagree what applicants report and how to prepare. SIU s undated interviews page says the visit “will consist of a writing exercise interview a tour of our school and student panel session with lunch/refreshments ” and as a state school it “gives priority to admission of Illinois residents.” Degree DMD (four years) Alton Illinois Interview Setting An on-campus visit in Alton (its undated interviews page); SIU s pages don t say in person or virtual Interview Visit Its undated interviews page lists a writing exercise an interview a tour and a student

panel session with lunch; about four and a half hours Interview Format Not published (one part of an on-campus visit per its undated page) Interview Sessions Half- mornings 30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; afternoons 30 a.m. to 30 p.m.; you choose a date and time and come unaccompanied What SIU Doesn t Publish Number of interviewers interview length file type questions and what the writing exercise asks Interviews September to February (its 2026–27 application page) Invitations September to January by email (its undated interviews page); September to December (its 2027-cycle brochure) Deadline November 15 (AADSAS must receive it; SIU prints no year so we read 2026) Decisions First round of acceptances December 15; final decisions on a rolling basis January to May CASPer / Kira Not on SIU s DMD pages Class Size About 50 per Year 1 class (its FAQ answering “What is the average class size?”) Entering Class of 2026 983 applications processed 242

interviews conducted 50 enrolled (its brochure) GPA / DAT 3.78 cumulative 3.70 BCP GPA; “Academic DAT ” “PAT DAT” and “Science DAT” 440 each on the 200–600 scale (Entering Class of 2026) Residency SIU “gives priority to admission of Illinois residents”; no resident or nonresident counts published Shadowing Not required but “highly recommends”; no hour count published requirements Requirements & Class Profile 2 prerequisites Prerequisite Coursework 3 interview-format What SIU Says About the Interview 2 what-applicants-report What Applicants Report 3 timeline SIU s Admissions Timeline 2 what-siu-looks-for What SIU Looks For 2 sample-questions Practice Interview Questions 2 preparation-tips Expert Preparation Tips 2 admissions-stats Admissions Statistics 2 prep-checklist Prep Checklist 2 faq FAQ 2 Traditional / Motivational Tell me about yourself. SIU does not publish its interview questions; these are practice questions built on what its

brochure requirements page and technical standards say it weighs. SIU doesn t say whether your interviewers will have read your application so build a 90-second answer that stands on its who you are the experiences that led you to dentistry and why SIU is the next step. Why dentistry? SIU s brochure lists “Demonstrated interest in dentistry” among its admissions selection criteria and its requirements page says it “highly recommends” extracurricular activities and dental shadowing. Anchor your answer in something specific you saw while shadowing or observing then say what it confirmed for you. Why SIU? Use what SIU says about its a small student body of 200 students a Simulation Laboratory for Year 1 and Year 2 students rotations to the East St. Louis Dental Clinic that give “an extra opportunity to provide dental care to patients in an underserved area ” and a mission “to educate dentists and improve the oral health of the region.”

Connect one of them to how you want to learn and whom you want to serve; the location alone is not a reason. What did you learn from observing dentists? SIU gives “Observing a General Dentist” and “Observing a Dental Specialist” as its examples of shadowing. Name one thing you saw a dentist do with a patient what differed between a general dentist and a specialist if you saw both and what it taught you about the profession. Behavioral Tell me about a time you managed a heavy workload. SIU s brochure lists “Ability to manage full academic load ” and its technical standards say a candidate “must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress.” Describe one demanding what you were carrying how you planned it what you set aside or shared and what you would do differently. Describe a leadership role and what you accomplished in it. SIU s brochure lists “Leadership experience.” Pick a time you took

responsibility for an outcome not just a title and say what changed because of you. Tell me about your community service. What did it teach you? SIU s brochure lists “School or community service ” and its mission is to improve “the oral health of the region.” Pick one experience describe the people you served with respect and say what it taught you and how it shapes the dentist you want to be. Tell me about a time you received criticism and changed how you worked. SIU s technical standards say “A candidate must reasonably be expected to accept criticism and respond by appropriate modification of behavior.” Pick real feedback say what you changed and show the result. Ethical / Scenario A patient is anxious and upset before treatment. How do you handle it? SIU s technical standards say a candidate “must be able to manage apprehensive patients with a range of moods and behaviors in a tactful congenial personal manner so as not to alienate

or antagonize them.” Show that you would acknowledge the fear explain each step in plain words agree on a signal to pause and involve your supervising dentist if the patient wants to stop. A patient needs treatment they cannot afford. What do you do? SIU s Community Dentistry page quotes its dean calling its clinic “a safety net clinic for central and southern Illinois for families that can t afford to go to private dentists.” Acknowledge the patient without judgment explore legitimate options with your supervising faculty member and never lower the standard of care. Show your reasoning; a question like this rarely has a single right answer. You see a classmate cheating on an exam. What do you do? SIU s goals include developing practitioners who “exhibit ethical decision-making and professionalism.” Describe an escalation path from a direct conversation to the proper channels and say why integrity matters when patients trust your

license. You realize you made a mistake in a lab procedure that no one else has noticed. What do you do? SIU s technical standards name “integrity” among the personal qualities “assessed during the admissions and educational processes.” Say that you would tell your supervising faculty member promptly explain what happened and how you would fix it and describe what you would change so it doesn t happen again. Apply before November 15 and have your DAT in hand SIU says “APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY AADSAS NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 15th” and that “Early application is to the individual s advantage and is strongly encouraged.” Its pages print no year; we read November 15 2026 which is still ahead. Its FAQ says “Committee action will be held up until DAT scores arrive ” and its requirements page says the DAT “should be taken before September 15th” to be considered for the first round of interviews a date that has passed if it means 2026.

Plan the whole about four and a half hours and come alone SIU s visit holds “a writing exercise interview a tour of our school and student panel session with lunch/refreshments ” and you can expect “approximately four and a half hours” on campus in a morning session ( 30 a.m. to 1 p.m.) or an afternoon session ( 30 a.m. to 30 p.m.). “Applicants come unaccompanied.” The school is at 2800 College Avenue in Alton; SIU says its visitor lot is directly off Seminary Street to go to Building 273 once you are on campus and that you may want to arrange lodging the night before. Prepare for a writing exercise SIU doesn t describe SIU lists “a writing exercise” in the visit but doesn t say how long it is what it asks or how it is used. Our advice not SIU practice writing a clear organized answer about why you chose dentistry and what you have done to prepare in a set time in addition to speaking one out loud. Be ready to talk about the experiences

SIU s brochure lists The brochure s selection criteria include “Demonstrated interest in dentistry ” “Leadership experience ” “School or community service ” “Work experience” and “Research experience.” Prepare one specific story for each that applies to you and reread your whole SIU doesn t say whether your interviewers will have read it. Requirement Detail Degree awarded DMD a four-year course of study; Alton Illinois Application ADEA AADSAS; the 2026-2027 cycle began on May 12 2026; AADSAS must receive your application by November 15 (no year printed; we read 2026); a fee paid to SIU (no amount published) and a signed Technical Standards Form uploaded to AADSAS Interview Required by invitation only; invitations by email; its undated interviews page describes an on-campus visit in Alton with a writing exercise an interview a tour and a student panel session with lunch about four and a half hours; you choose a date and time and come

unaccompanied Interview months Interviews September to February (its 2026–27 application page); invitations September to January (its undated interviews page) or September to December (its 2027-cycle brochure) Interview format Number of interviewers length file type and questions not published; SIU s pages don t say in person or virtual Class size About 50 per Year 1 class (its FAQ s answer to “What is the average class size?”); 50 enrolled in the Entering Class of 2026 Applications and interviews Entering Class of 983 applications processed 242 interviews conducted 50 enrolled (its brochure) Acceptance rate Not published; the brochure gives no offer count and we don t compute a rate GPA Entering Class of 2026 3.78 cumulative 3.70 BCP GPA (its brochure) DAT Entering Class of 2026 “Academic DAT” 440 “PAT DAT” 440 and “Science DAT” 440 on the 200–600 scale; the brochure doesn t say whether they are averages and gives no old-scale

equivalents Minimum GPA or DAT No fixed “there are no fixed minimum GPA and DAT scores” DAT Required “no exceptions are made”; scores received before the November 15 deadline; “should be taken before September 15th” for first-round interviews (its pages differ on timing); valid “for three years before matriculation” Prerequisites Semester biology 8 general chemistry 8 and organic chemistry 8 (each with labs) physics 6 (the brochure says with labs) biochemistry 3 English 6 (or a bachelor s degree); C or better by July of the intended entering year; no AP credit for these subjects; pass/fail only for Spring 2020 coursework (the brochure rules out pass/fail) College credit and degree At least three academic 90 semester or 135 quarter hours (its FAQ says 120 quarter hours); up to 60 semester hours from a community or junior college; a bachelor s degree is recommended not required and its FAQ says “the minimum 90 semester hours required 120

semester hours preferred” Letters Three uploaded to AADSAS by the two science letters and one letter of choice or a pre-health professions committee letter or packet in place of the three Shadowing and extracurriculars Not required; SIU “highly recommends” them; no hour count published CASPer / Kira Not on SIU s DMD pages Residency SIU “gives priority to admission of Illinois residents”; residency is not defined and no resident or nonresident counts are published Decisions First round of acceptances December 15; final decisions on a rolling basis from January to May After an offer A one-time $300 enrollment deposit (applied to tuition non-refundable) and a criminal background check Classes start 1st Monday in August (the year is not printed) What SIU s pages ask for (each with its own timing) Prerequisites with a C or better finished by July of the intended entering biology general chemistry and organic chemistry (8 semester hours each

with labs) physics (6; take it with a lab) biochemistry (3) and English (6 or a bachelor s degree) At least three academic years of 90 semester or 135 quarter hours; take the stricter reading 135 quarter hours from US colleges A DAT SIU says “An applicant should report future DAT test dates on the AADSAS application ” scores “must be received before the application deadline of November 15th ” and “Committee action will be held up until DAT scores arrive” Three letters uploaded to AADSAS by the two science letters and one letter of choice or one pre-health professions committee letter or packet Experiences SIU highly recommends but doesn t dental shadowing and extracurricular activities reported on AADSAS with dates hours descriptions and a supervisor Apply (SIU s AADSAS a Technical Standards Form and a fee) Submit your ADEA AADSAS application it must be received by November 15 (we read 2026) Download sign and upload the Technical

Standards Form to AADSAS as the application page says; don t wait for an email Pay the application fee through the link SIU s office provides to verified applicants Check your AADSAS status SIU says incomplete or unverified applications cannot be processed If you are invited (invitations by email September to January or December) Choose your date and time from the options SIU offers Plan for about four and a half hours on campus at 2800 College Avenue Building 273 Alton; come alone; consider lodging the night before Prepare for a writing exercise an interview a tour and a student panel session with lunch Reread your whole application; prepare a Why SIU answer an ethical dilemma to talk through and your own questions Hard dates (SIU prints no years except the cycle s opening day; the years are ours) September 15 the DAT date for first-round interview consideration (passed) November 15 AADSAS must receive your application no later than

this date and DAT scores before it December 15 the first round of acceptances January to May final decisions on a rolling basis July required coursework complete August classes start on the first Monday (our reading of “Classes start 1st Monday in August”) What is the SIU dental school interview format? SIU describes a visit not a “Your scheduled visit to SIU SDM will consist of a writing exercise interview a tour of our school and student panel session with lunch/refreshments ” and you can expect to be on campus “approximately four and a half hours.” The interview and campus tour “will give you an opportunity to meet with committee members speak with current dental students see our modern dental clinic and learn more about our school and excellent educational program.” The SIU pages we read don t say how many people interview you how long the interview lasts whether they have read your application what is asked or what the writing

exercise involves and they describe no MMI stations panel interview one-on-one interview or open or closed file. Go by your invitation. Is the SIU dental interview virtual or in person? SIU s pages don t say. Its interviews page describes a visit to its Alton campus (a tour of the school a visitor parking lot “approximately four and a half hours” on campus lodging for the night before) and never says in person or virtual. The forum s invite tracker which a volunteer compiles from applicants reports lists in person for both 2025–26 and 2026–27 and all six applicants in the forum s 2025–26 SIU thread who listed a method of interview wrote “In-Person” or “In person.” As of 9 October 2026 the forum s 2026–27 thread held only its opening post. Go by your invitation and ask angprit@siue.edu if anything is unclear. Does SIU require CASPer or Kira for dental school? SIU s DMD admissions pages its FAQ its technical standards its application

brochures and the dental medicine pages of the SIUE 2026-2027 catalog don t mention CASPer Acuity Insights Kira or any similar assessment. What they do ask for is AADSAS with its letters and your DAT score a signed Technical Standards Form a fee paid to SIU and if you are invited an interview visit that includes “a writing exercise.” What GPA and DAT do I need for SIU dental school? SIU has no fixed “Because the Dental School has competitive admission there are no fixed minimum GPA and DAT scores.” Its 2027-cycle brochure lists for the Entering Class of 2026 a 3.78/4.0 cumulative GPA a 3.70/4.0 “BCP GPA” and 440 for each of “Academic DAT ” “PAT DAT” and “Science DAT.” The brochure doesn t name the scale but 440 is a score on the 200–600 scale the DAT has used since March 2025; it gives no old-scale equivalents and doesn t say whether the figures are averages. They are what one class presented not a bar. SIU says a DAT “is valid for

three years before matriculation.” What is SIU s acceptance rate and how many applicants does it interview? SIU doesn t publish an acceptance rate and we don t compute one. For the Entering Class of 2026 its 2027-cycle brochure lists 983 “Applications Processed ” 242 “Interviews Conducted” and 50 “Total Enrolled ” and gives no offer count. Its FAQ says “Fifty 50 students entering each Year 1 class.” Does SIU accept out-of-state applicants? The SIU pages we read don t bar them but “As a state institution established to provide dentists for the State of Illinois and supported by the taxpayers of Illinois the School gives priority to admission of Illinois residents.” They don t define Illinois residency and publish no counts of resident or nonresident applicants interviews or offers. The requirements page asks for coursework “at an accredited college or university in the United States” (its FAQ says “the United States or Canada”) and the

pages we read say nothing about visa status. When is the SIU DMD deadline and when do interview invitations and decisions come? SIU says “APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY AADSAS NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 15th in order for applicants to be considered for admission to the following year s class ” and the 2026-2027 cycle began May 12 2026. The page prints no year; we read November 15 2026. DAT scores “must be received before the application deadline of November 15th ” and the DAT “should be taken before September 15th” to be considered for the first round of interviews. Invitations go out by the interviews page says “between September and January ” the application page says interviews run “from September to February ” and the 2027-cycle brochure says “September - December.” The first round of acceptances is December 15 and final decisions follow “on a rolling basis from January to May.” Does SIU require shadowing? SIU “does not require

extracurricular activities and dental shadowing experience but highly recommends these experiences.” It says to keep track of “dates hours descriptions of each experience and the name and address of the direct supervisor/organization ” publishes no hour count and says it “is unable to provide dental volunteer/shadowing opportunities.” Its brochure lists “Demonstrated interest in dentistry” among its admissions selection criteria. UIC Dental School Interview Guide (DMD) In UIC s 2026–27 interviews are virtual September 2026 through March one interview with 1–2 faculty members typically closed file. AADSAS and its supplemental application are due December 1 2026. Domestic Program /schools/uic-dental-school-interview Midwestern Illinois Dental School Interview Guide Also in Midwestern s DMD in Downers Grove with an AADSAS deadline of January 1 and rolling admissions. Domestic Program /schools/midwestern-illinois-dental-school-interview

UMKC Dental School Interview Guide (DDS) In Kansas City UMKC requires an interview with dental school faculty by invitation only and publishes no format setting or interview months; its September 1 and October 1 dates have passed. Domestic Program /schools/umkc-dental-school-interview