UCLA Dental School Interview: DDS 2026-27

UCLA DDS guide from its own pages: a personal interview by invitation from July to January, the Dec 1 deadline, the $60 fee and the DAT it calls competitive.

UCLA interviews DDS applicants by invitation between July and January, and its pages don't describe the format. Here is what UCLA publishes, what applicants report, and how to prepare. return ( <> UCLA DDS Requirements and Class Profile The UCLA School of Dentistry, in Westwood, Los Angeles, admits 88 students a year to its four-year DDS. The program lasts 45 months, "divided into twelve quarters of ten weeks plus three required nine-week summer sessions," with direct patient care beginning early in the second year. You apply through AADSAS, and UCLA has no separate secondary application: its supplemental questions "are included on the AADSAS application." After you submit, UCLA emails you to pay a $60 application fee. UCLA introduced the class that began this fall, the Class of 2030, on September 18, 2026, and its pages profile the two classes before it: Entering class. GPA (overall / science). Average DAT (overall / science /

perceptual ability). Class of 2030 (began fall 2026), 88 students. 3.90 / 3.88. 489 / 503 / 477 on the 200–600 scale; UCLA maps them to 24 / 24 / 22 on the old 1–30 scale. Class of 2029 (began fall 2025), 88 students. 3.87 / 3.85. 23 / 23 / 22 on the old 1–30 scale. Class of 2028 (began fall 2024), 88 students. 3.87 / 3.84. 23 / 23 / 22 on the old 1–30 scale. Which DAT scale, and what UCLA calls competitive. The Class of 2030's 489, 503 and 477 are on the 200–600 scale the DAT has used since 1 March 2025, and UCLA adds: "For comparison with the DAT’s former two-digit scoring scale, these averages map to scores of 24 overall, 24 in science, and 22 in perceptual ability." The earlier classes' 23, 23 and 22 are on the old 1–30 scale; UCLA's selection-process page still shows the Class of 2028. UCLA's class profiles call the first figure "overall," and its selection criteria name the DAT's "science, academic average, and PAT" scores. It has

no minimum DAT: "Although there is no minimum score requirement, scores of 420 and above on the new score reporting scale (20 and above on the previous score reporting scale) are considered competitive for our program." It doesn't say which sections that covers. The ADA's concordance table converts an old 20 to 420 for the Academic Average, but to 430 for the Survey of Natural Sciences (Total Science) and for Perceptual Ability; that is the ADA's conversion, not a UCLA target. If you read UCLA's figure as applying to all three scores its criteria name, plan on the stricter reading, 430 in those two, and ask dds_admissions@dentistry.ucla.edu. Since 1 March 2025 the ADA reports every DAT score to AADSAS on the new scale, older attempts converted. UCLA's pages state no minimum GPA. In state or out of state?. UCLA's DDS pages state no admissions preference for California residents. Its technical standards say, "As a California public

institution, our mission is to educate the dental workforce for the State of California, understanding students may choose to practice in other locations." Tuition differs: UCLA's cost table for the 2026–27 academic year (the year that began this fall, not this cycle's class) says "Non-California resident tuition is an additional $12,245." UCLA also takes part in WICHE, which "allows professional students who are residents of WICHE member states to enroll in programs at public institutions outside of their home state and pay up to 150 percent of resident tuition." The pages we read publish no acceptance rate and no counts of applicants, interviews or offers, so this guide gives none. Prerequisite coursework Required course. Semester hours. Quarter hours. Lab. Inorganic/General Chemistry. 8. 12. A year of lab (2 semesters or 3 quarters). Organic Chemistry. 6. 8. A year of lab (2 semesters or 3 quarters). Physics. 8. 12. A year of lab (2

semesters or 3 quarters). Biology. 8. 12. A year of lab (2 semesters or 3 quarters). English Composition. 6. 8. No lab component. Introductory Psychology. 3. 4. No lab component. Biochemistry. 3. 4. No lab component. Coursework and units: applicants "must have at least three years of coursework, with the majority of applicants having four," and at least 90 semester or 135 quarter units. Every required course needs a "C" or higher and must be completed no later than June 30 of the year you start (June 30, 2027, for this cycle; the year is ours). The prerequisites page doesn't mention a bachelor's degree. Community college and online classes: accredited community college work is accepted, "but limited to only 70 semester or 105 quarter units," and "Online classes for web-based education are not accepted." Recommended courses: "histology, physiology, human or comparative anatomy, social sciences, microbiology, communication, business,

composition, technical writing, fine arts, philosophy, engineering, and classics." The DAT: take it "no later than December 31 and within a 3-year period, including the current year applying" (by our reading, a test from 2024, 2025 or 2026, taken by December 31, 2026, for this cycle; confirm with UCLA). It doesn't accept the Canadian DAT or unofficial score reports. You can apply first and test later, but your application "will not be considered complete and ready for review until the official scores are posted to your AADSAS application," which UCLA's FAQ puts at about three weeks after the exam. Letters: "minimum of 3 but 4 are recommended," sent through AADSAS only, and UCLA accepts "a maximum of four individual letters." They don't have to come from professors: they may be from "objective sources who are familiar with your accomplishments," among them employers, volunteer supervisors, college teachers, college recommendation

committees and counselors, and "If you have had significant involvement in research, a letter from your research supervisor is desirable." Experiences: UCLA's criteria include "A holistic review of the applicant’s shadowing, volunteering, research, academic enrichment, and employment experiences." The pages we read set no minimum number of shadowing hours. Disclosures: under its technical standards, "candidates for admission must acknowledge and provide written explanation of any felony or misdemeanor offense(s) action taken against them prior to admission at the School of Dentistry." International undergraduates: students eligible for a student visa must meet the regular requirements and complete every pre-dental prerequisite at an accredited US college or university, and UCLA notes that "financial aid is limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents." No transfers: "The School of Dentistry does not accept transfer students under

any circumstances." CASPer, Kira or a writing sample?. UCLA's DDS admissions pages, its FAQ and the dental pages of the UCLA 2026–27 General Catalog don't mention CASPer, Acuity Insights, Kira or a writing sample. Its FAQ defines a complete file as "the AADSAS application, the $60.00 supplemental fee, a minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation, and official DAT scores." CASPer belongs to UCLA's separate program for internationally trained dentists, not the four-year DDS. To confirm anything, email dds_admissions@dentistry.ucla.edu or call (310) 794-7971. UCLA's FAQ says the admissions coordinator takes calls about the application and review process Monday through Friday, 9 am to 4 pm Pacific, but that its office "cannot provide status checks over the telephone": check your status in AADSAS, or by email. The UCLA Interview: What the School Says By invitation only. "Yes, interviews are by invitation only." UCLA selects candidates

for interviews "based on information submitted to" AADSAS, "including the supplemental questions." Between July and January. "The Admissions Committee begins reviewing applications in July of each year," and "Interviews are scheduled between the months of July and January" (July 2026 to January 2027 for this cycle; the years are ours). UCLA publishes no date for its invitations. One of five criteria. UCLA lists the "Personal Interview" with your scholastic record, your DAT scores, a holistic review of your experiences and your letters as the criteria "used when making decisions about applicants." It doesn't say how it weighs them. No published format. UCLA's pages don't say how many people interview you, who they are, how long the interview lasts, whether it is virtual or in person, whether your interviewers have read your application, or what they ask. They describe no tour, lunch or other session on the day. (Separately, asked whether

UCLA offers tours of the dental school, the FAQ says "individual tours are not available" and refers pre-dental students to its ASDA group for a group tour.) Questions about the interview: "If you have questions related to the interview process and selection factors, please call" the Office of Student Services at (310) 794-7971, or email dds_admissions@dentistry.ucla.edu. Prepare for either kind of interview. Because UCLA doesn't say whether your interviewers will have read your application, prepare for both: reread your whole AADSAS application, including your answers to UCLA's supplemental questions, and be ready to tell your story from the start, with specific examples, to someone who hasn't read it. Your invitation is the best guide to the format and setting; if it leaves something out, ask the Office of Student Services. 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 UCLA's words: This cycle (2026–27): the forum's invite tracker (compiled by a volunteer from applicants' reports), last updated 25 September 2026, lists UCLA's first invitations on 19 August and a first interview date of 25 August, virtual. No post in the forum's UCLA thread for this cycle matches that date. As of 8 October 2026 the thread held one applicant report: an in-state applicant posted on 6 October that UCLA had notified them by "Call" on September 30, and gave the "Method of interview" as "Online." Last cycle (2025–26): the tracker listed UCLA's first invitations on 3 October 2025 and a first interview date of 9 October, virtual. In the forum's UCLA thread, no post from July, August or September reported an invitation. On 7 October one poster relayed, secondhand, "Heard this from faculty at ucla; first interview date is Thursday October 9th!" and on 15 October another wrote, "ucla

sent out another set of invites today for 10/23 online interview..." On 2 December 2025, one applicant posted that AADSAS showed "invited for interview" although they had received no phone call or email, and asked whom to contact. On 15 December 2025, two applicants posted that an interviewer had called them. One wrote, "Just got my call from my interviewer at 9:14am pst. cant believe it"; the other, "Got my call at 9:23 am PST from one of my interviewers!", then asked about a group chat for admitted students. The second post implies that applicant met more than one interviewer. None of these posts describes the interview itself: how long it lasted, whether the interviewers had read the application, or what was asked. What UCLA doesn't publish. The interview's format, length, setting and file policy; who interviews you; what is asked; when invitations go out and how they arrive. UCLA does say acceptances go out "between December and

late April" on a rolling basis, and "Alternates may be notified after April." Several of the reports above describe phone calls (an invitation in September 2026, and calls from interviewers in December 2025), so watch your phone as well as your email and your AADSAS status. Practice Your UCLA Answers Out Loud. UCLA calls its interview a personal interview and publishes no format, and one applicant in each of the last two cycles posted that it was online. Practice telling your story and answering interview and ethical questions out loud, as you would on a video call, and get instant AI feedback on structure and clarity.. Start Practicing Free →. UCLA's 2026–27 Admissions Timeline UCLA's pages give months and days without years; the years below are ours, for the class that starts in fall 2027. When. What UCLA says. Early June 2026. “The earliest date to submit an application to AADSAS is early June”. After you submit AADSAS. UCLA's Office

of Student Services emails you to pay a non-refundable $60 fee online; it recommends paying “within three weeks of the email notification” (no checks or money orders). 2–3 weeks after you pay. Processing; your file is complete when AADSAS shows “Received/ Application Complete.” UCLA “does not notify applicants if they are missing any materials”. From July 2026. The Admissions Committee begins reviewing applications; “Only complete applications will be eligible for review by the Admissions Committee”. July 2026 to January 2027. Interviews, by invitation: “Interviews are scheduled between the months of July and January”. December 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET. AADSAS deadline: “Applications past the deadline will not be accepted”. December 31, 2026. Last day to take the DAT; official scores may post afterward, about three weeks after the exam. December 2026 to late April 2027. Acceptances, on a rolling basis; “Alternates may be notified after

April”. June 30, 2027. Required courses completed with a “C” or higher. By orientation week. UCLA's immunization requirements, for newly admitted students. September 2027. Classes begin with the fall quarter (UCLA's academic calendar starts 2027–28 fall-quarter instruction on Monday, September 20). The pages we read give no date for UCLA's first offers and no deposit amount. To reapply, you file a new AADSAS application and pay the fee again: "No part of a previous year’s application can be used in a new application cycle." Does applying early help?. UCLA's FAQ answers carefully: "Although individual decisions are not based on the date the application is received, applicants are urged to apply and complete their files as early as possible. This will allow all applications to be completed and ready for review as soon as possible." Review begins in July and covers only complete files, and a file is complete only when the AADSAS

application, the $60 fee, at least three letters and your official DAT scores are all in. So submit AADSAS early, pay the fee when UCLA's email arrives, and take the DAT early enough for official scores to post. What UCLA Looks For UCLA uses five criteria "when making decisions about applicants": your scholastic record, your DAT scores, "A holistic review of the applicant’s shadowing, volunteering, research, academic enrichment, and employment experiences," "Substantive letters of recommendation from any objective source," and the "Personal Interview." Its FAQ adds that the committee "will consider significant work experience, community involvement, graduate studies, economic or educational disadvantage, rigor of undergraduate major, course load and indications of growth and maturity," and that "All information in the personal statement and letters of recommendation are given careful consideration." With its technical standards and its

own description of its graduates, these make the best checklist for the interview: Growth and maturity: UCLA names "indications of growth and maturity." Have a story about a setback, what you changed afterward, and how you know the change held. Work and community involvement: "significant work experience" and "community involvement" are on the same list. Be ready to say what you did, whom it served and what it taught you about people. Communication: UCLA's technical standards ask candidates to "communicate effectively and efficiently with patients, their families, and members of the health care team," to "interpret all aspects of communication, including non-verbal," and to "establish therapeutic relationships with patients." Judgment and ethics: the standards expect "the exercise of good judgment" and ask candidates to "understand the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of dentistry and function within both the law and ethical

standards of the dental profession." Uncertainty and asking for help: candidates "should be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients," and "should possess the capacity to engage in help-seeking behaviors in light of elevated responsibility and uncertainty." Taking feedback: "accept constructive feedback from others; and take personal responsibility for making appropriate positive changes." Personal qualities: "Compassion, integrity, self-awareness, concern for others, interpersonal skills, professionalism, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities that are expected during the education processes." Socially sensitive care: UCLA says of its DDS, "Special attention is given to delivering care in a socially sensitive and responsible manner. Our graduates frequently become leaders in their communities and

profession." The future of dentistry: UCLA's vision page says it prepares students "to be problem solvers and thinkers who can communicate effectively and take on technology with ease," able "to provide compassionate person-centered care in a more integrated health care system." Research, if you have done it: research is part of the holistic review, and a research supervisor's letter is "desirable" if you have had significant involvement. UCLA's pages don't say research is required. The best Why UCLA material is in its curriculum and its community rotations. UCLA's mission is "to improve the oral and general health of the people of California, the nation, and the world through education, research, patient care, and public service." Its clinical curriculum is "competency-based, focusing on patient-centered, comprehensive care," with rotations to specialty and community clinics and selective courses, and direct patient care begins early

in the second year. Every fourth-year student rotates through Community-Based Clinical Education (CBCE), at affiliated sites that "serve vulnerable populations typically below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines," in practice models that include Federally Qualified Health Centers, private offices, dental service organizations and mobile dentistry. UCLA's pages describe it two ways: its DDS page calls it a "required 8-week rotation" at 21 affiliated community clinics, and its CBCE page says current fourth-year students each complete "at least six weeks of rotations with two different practice models," at 21 sites "across seven states" (its facts page counts 24). The catalog adds the Wilson Jennings Bloomfield UCLA Venice Dental Center for hands-on training beyond Westwood. UCLA also runs a digital dentistry unit, Innovative Digital Dentistry Systems, and a DDS/PhD that takes about seven years (you apply and must be accepted to each

program separately). 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. UCLA does not publish its interview questions. Internationally trained dentist? UCLA's prerequisites page points international dentists to its separate two-year Professional Program for International Dentists; see our UCLA PPID (advanced standing) guide . ); }; export default UCLADentalSchoolInterview; ucla-dental-school-interview UCLA School of Dentistry UCLA UCLA Dental School Interview (DDS) 2026- Interview Window Class Profile & Requirements UCLA Dental School DDS 2026-27 UCLA DDS guide from its own a personal interview by invitation from July to January the Dec 1 deadline the $60 fee and the DAT it calls competitive. UCLA dental school interview UCLA School of Dentistry interview UCLA DDS interview UCLA DDS interview questions UCLA DDS requirements UCLA dental school

requirements UCLA School of Dentistry admissions UCLA dental school DAT 2026-03-28 2026-10-08 Domestic Program Personal interview by invitation (format not published) UCLA interviews DDS applicants by invitation between July and January and its pages don t describe the format. Here is what UCLA publishes what applicants report and how to prepare. UCLA lists a “Personal Interview” among its five selection criteria and says “Interviews are scheduled between the months of July and January ” but publishes no format length or setting. Degree DDS (four years 45 months) Los Angeles Interview Format A personal interview by invitation; format not published Interview Setting Not published (one applicant in each of 2025–26 and 2026–27 posted that it was online; the forum s tracker lists virtual) Interviews Scheduled between July and January Deadline December 1 59 p.m. ET (AADSAS) DAT Timing Taken by December 31 within a 3-year period including the

year you apply UCLA Fee $60 non-refundable paid online after UCLA s email CASPer / Kira Not on UCLA s DDS pages Class Size 88 a year Class of 2030 GPA 3.90 overall 3.88 science; DAT 489 overall 503 science 477 perceptual ability (200–600 scale) Competitive DAT 420 and above on the new scale (20 and above on the old); no minimum Letters At least 3 with 4 recommended (4 at most) Decisions Acceptances December to late April; alternates may hear after April Residency No admissions preference stated; non-California residents pay more tuition requirements Requirements & Class Profile 2 prerequisites Prerequisite Coursework 3 interview-format What UCLA Says About the Interview 2 what-applicants-report What Applicants Report 3 timeline UCLA s Admissions Timeline 2 what-ucla-looks-for What UCLA 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. UCLA does not publish its interview questions; these are practice questions built on what it says it weighs. UCLA doesn t say whether your interviewers will have read your application so build a 90-second answer that works either who you are the experiences that led you to dentistry and why UCLA is the next step. Why dentistry? UCLA s holistic review covers your “shadowing volunteering research academic enrichment and employment experiences.” Anchor your answer in one specific thing you saw or did in a dental setting then say what it confirmed for you about the work. Why UCLA? Use what UCLA says about its direct patient care from early in the second year a competency-based clinical curriculum fourth-year Community-Based Clinical Education at sites serving vulnerable populations the Venice Dental Center and its Innovative Digital Dentistry

Systems unit. Connect one of them to how you want to learn and whom you want to serve; Los Angeles alone is not a reason. Where do you see dentistry in 20 years and where do you fit in it? UCLA s vision page says it prepares students “to be problem solvers and thinkers who can communicate effectively and take on technology with ease ” able “to provide compassionate person-centered care in a more integrated health care system.” Pick one change you can explain well such as digital dentistry access to care or the link between oral and general health and say what part you want to play in it. Behavioral Tell me about a setback and how you grew from it. UCLA s Admissions Committee considers “indications of growth and maturity.” Keep the setback short spend most of the answer on what you changed and end with evidence that the change held. Describe your most significant work or community experience. UCLA names “significant work experience” and

“community involvement” among the factors it weighs besides grades and the DAT. Pick one say what your role was and whom it served and what it taught you about working with people. Tell me about a time you received critical feedback. UCLA s technical standards ask candidates to “accept constructive feedback from others; and take personal responsibility for making appropriate positive changes.” Describe the feedback what you did with it and the result without blaming anyone. Tell me about your research. Research is part of UCLA s holistic review and its FAQ says a letter from your research supervisor “is desirable” if you have had significant involvement. Explain the question your part in it and what you learned; if you haven t done research say honestly what draws you to it or why it isn t your focus. Ethical / Scenario A patient can t afford the treatment you ve recommended. What do you do? UCLA s community rotations serve “vulnerable

populations typically below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines ” and it says “Special attention is given to delivering care in a socially sensitive and responsible manner.” Acknowledge the patient without judgment explore legitimate options such as phased treatment or a community clinic and never lower the standard of care. You see a classmate cheating on an exam. What do you do? UCLA s technical standards ask candidates to “understand the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of dentistry and function within both the law and ethical standards of the dental profession ” and professionalism is one of its core values. Describe an escalation path from a direct conversation to the proper channels and say why integrity matters when patients trust you. A patient is anxious before treatment. How do you handle it? UCLA s technical standards ask candidates to “interpret all aspects of communication including non-verbal ” and to

“establish therapeutic relationships with patients.” Show that you would notice 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. You re unsure about a clinical decision and your supervising dentist is busy. What do you do? UCLA expects students to “learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients” and to have “the capacity to engage in help-seeking behaviors in light of elevated responsibility and uncertainty.” Say how you would keep the patient safe pause and get help rather than guess. Complete your file not just your AADSAS UCLA reviews only complete files and its FAQ defines one as “the AADSAS application the $60.00 supplemental fee a minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation and official DAT scores.” Pay the fee when UCLA s email arrives (it recommends within three weeks) then check AADSAS two

to three weeks later for “Received/ Application Complete”: UCLA “does not notify applicants if they are missing any materials.” Take the DAT with time to spare The DAT must be taken by December 31 but your application “will not be considered complete and ready for review until the official scores are posted to your AADSAS application ” about three weeks after the exam. UCLA calls 420 and above on the new scale competitive without naming sections; if you read that as covering the “science academic average and PAT” scores its selection criteria name aim for the ADA s 430 in Total Science and Perceptual Ability. Prepare for an interview UCLA doesn t describe UCLA publishes no format length or file policy for its personal interview; one applicant in each of the last two cycles posted that it was online and the forum s invite tracker lists UCLA s interviews as virtual. Prepare to tell your story from the start and to discuss anything in your

application practice on video and go by your invitation for the details. Send everything through AADSAS UCLA won t consider letters or updates sent to its “all material is collected through the AADSAS site ” and updates “cannot be emailed directly to our office.” Status updates come through AADSAS or by email not by phone; include your AADSAS number when you email dds_admissions@dentistry.ucla.edu. Requirement Detail Degree awarded DDS four 45 months of twelve ten-week quarters plus three required nine-week summer sessions; Los Angeles Class size 88 a year; the Class of 2030 began in fall 2026 with 88 students Application AADSAS from early June to December 1 59 p.m. ET; UCLA s supplemental questions are inside AADSAS (no secondary application) UCLA fee $60 non-refundable paid online after UCLA s email (recommended within three weeks); no checks or money orders Complete file The AADSAS application the $60 fee at least three letters and

official DAT scores; only complete files are reviewed Interview A personal interview by invitation scheduled between July and January; format length setting and file policy not published GPA Class of 2030 3.90 overall 3.88 science DAT Class of 2030 489 overall 503 science 477 perceptual ability on the 200–600 scale (UCLA maps them to 24 24 and 22 on the old 1–30 scale) DAT Classes of 2028 and 2029 23 overall 23 science 22 perceptual ability on the old 1–30 scale Competitive DAT No minimum; 420 and above on the new scale (20 and above on the old) “considered competitive”; no section named DAT timing Taken no later than December 31 and within a 3-year period including the year you apply; no Canadian DAT; official scores only Prerequisites General chemistry 8 organic chemistry 6 physics 8 and biology 8 semester hours each with a year of lab; English composition 6 introductory psychology 3 and biochemistry 3; C or higher; completed by June

30 of the year you start Coursework At least three years and 90 semester or 135 quarter units; community college work up to 70 semester or 105 quarter units; no online classes Letters At least 3 with 4 recommended and 4 at most through AADSAS only; from any objective source CASPer / Kira Not on UCLA s DDS pages Acceptance rate Not published; UCLA s pages give no counts of applicants interviews or offers Residency No admissions preference stated; non-California resident tuition an additional $12 245 in 2026–27; WICHE participant Decisions acceptances between December and late April; alternates may be notified after April Class of 2030 profile 59 female and 29 male students from 32 majors at 29 undergraduate institutions Contact dds_admissions@dentistry.ucla.edu · (310) 794-7971 Apply ( from early June to December 1) Submit AADSAS with UCLA s supplemental questions as early as you UCLA urges applicants to “apply and complete their files

as early as possible” Have at least three letters and up to four sent through AADSAS; UCLA recommends four Take the DAT by December 31 (you may apply first); your file isn t complete until official scores post about three weeks after the exam After you submit (UCLA s order) Watch for the email from UCLA s Office of Student Services and pay the $60 fee online ideally within three weeks Two to three weeks after paying check AADSAS for “Received/ Application Complete”; UCLA doesn t tell you what s missing Send any updates and letters through AADSAS never to UCLA s office If you are invited (interviews are scheduled between July and January) Read your invitation for the format and setting; UCLA s pages don t describe them (one applicant in each of the last two cycles posted that the interview was online) Reread your whole AADSAS application including UCLA s supplemental questions and practice telling your story from the start Prepare a Why

UCLA answer from its curriculum and community rotations an ethical dilemma to talk through and your own questions Practice answering out loud on video in the setup you ll use Hard dates (UCLA s pages give no years; these are ours for this cycle) December 1 2026 59 p.m. AADSAS deadline December 31 last day to take the DAT December 2026 to late April acceptances; alternates may be notified after April June 30 required courses completed with a C or higher September classes begin with the fall quarter What is the UCLA dental school interview format? UCLA doesn t publish one. It lists a “Personal Interview” among the five criteria it uses “when making decisions about applicants ” says “interviews are by invitation only ” and says “Interviews are scheduled between the months of July and January.” Its pages don t say how many people interview you who they are how long it lasts whether it is virtual or in person or whether your interviewers

have read your application. In a public applicant forum one applicant posted on 15 December 2025 about a call “from one of my interviewers ” and the forum s invite tracker which a volunteer compiles from applicants reports lists UCLA s interviews as virtual in 2025–26 and 2026–27. Go by your invitation. Is the UCLA dental interview virtual or in person? UCLA s pages don t say. The forum s invite tracker which a volunteer compiles from applicants reports lists UCLA s interviews as virtual in both 2025–26 and 2026–27 and in the forum s UCLA threads one poster in each cycle described the interview as online (posts of 15 October 2025 and 6 October 2026). Your invitation will tell you; prepare for a video interview. When does UCLA send interview invitations? UCLA publishes no invitation date. Its Admissions Committee “begins reviewing applications in July of each year ” and interviews are scheduled between July and January. Applicants

reports put the first invitations later than the forum s invite tracker compiled by a volunteer lists UCLA s first invitations on 3 October 2025 and 19 August 2026 and one in-state applicant posted that UCLA notified them by phone call on 30 September 2026. UCLA schedules interviews through January. Is the UCLA interview open file or closed file? UCLA doesn t say and none of the applicant posts we read describes it. Prepare for know every line of your AADSAS application and your answers to UCLA s supplemental questions and be ready to introduce yourself and tell your story from the start to someone who hasn t read them. Does UCLA require CASPer Kira or a writing sample? UCLA s DDS admissions pages its FAQ and the dental pages of the UCLA 2026–27 General Catalog don t mention CASPer Acuity Insights Kira or a writing sample. Its FAQ defines a complete file as “the AADSAS application the $60.00 supplemental fee a minimum of three (3)

letters of recommendation and official DAT scores ” and UCLA has no separate secondary its supplemental questions “are included on the AADSAS application.” CASPer belongs to UCLA s separate program for internationally trained dentists not the four-year DDS. What GPA and DAT do I need for UCLA dental school? UCLA has no minimum DAT and its pages state no minimum GPA. Its FAQ says “scores of 420 and above on the new score reporting scale (20 and above on the previous score reporting scale) are considered competitive for our program ” without naming sections; the ADA s concordance table puts an old 20 at 420 for the Academic Average but at 430 for Total Science and Perceptual Ability so aim for 430 in those two to be safe. The Class of 2030 which began in fall 2026 averaged a 3.90 overall and 3.88 science GPA and DAT scores of 489 overall 503 science and 477 perceptual ability on the 200–600 scale; UCLA says these map to 24 24 and 22 on

the old scale. Does UCLA give preference to California residents? UCLA s DDS pages state no admissions preference for California residents and they publish no acceptance rate or counts by residency. Its technical standards say “As a California public institution our mission is to educate the dental workforce for the State of California understanding students may choose to practice in other locations.” Tuition for 2026–27 “Non-California resident tuition is an additional $12 245.” UCLA also takes part in WICHE which lets residents of member states enroll in public programs outside their home state and pay up to 150 percent of resident tuition. When is the UCLA DDS application deadline? December 1 at 59 p.m. Eastern through AADSAS (December 1 2026 for this cycle; UCLA s page gives no year) and “Applications past the deadline will not be accepted.” The earliest date to submit is early June. After you submit UCLA emails you to pay its $60

fee which it recommends paying within three weeks and the DAT must be taken no later than December 31. Acceptances go out on a rolling basis between December and late April. Harvard Dental School Interview Prep Harvard School of Dental Medicine s DMD interview and how to prepare. Domestic Program /schools/harvard-dental-school-interview Penn Dental Medicine Interview Prep Penn Dental s DMD interview and how to prepare. Domestic Program /schools/penn-dental-school-interview UCSF DDS Interview Prep UCSF s DDS requirements from its own pages including its statement that it does not give preference to California residents. Domestic Program /schools/ucsf-dental-school-interview Michigan Dental School Interview Prep The University of Michigan s DDS interview and how to prepare. Domestic Program /schools/michigan-dental-school-interview Western University Dental School Interview Prep WesternU s required CASPer on-campus interviews from

September to February and 320 interviews from 2 627 applicants for the class it seated in fall 2025. Domestic Program /schools/western-university-dental-school-interview USC Dental School Interview Guide USC Ostrow s four-year an on-campus interview by invitation typically October through April. Domestic Program /schools/usc-dental-school-interview