Minnesota Dental School Interview: DDS 2026-27

University of Minnesota DDS guide from its own pages: a Kira first round, a 20-minute closed-file interview with two faculty, and the Oct 1 deadline.

Minnesota invites select applicants to a first-round interview on Kira, then select applicants who have completed it to a live, 20-minute structured interview with two faculty, closed file: in person July–November, on Zoom in January or February. Here is what Minnesota publishes, what applicants report, and how to prepare. return ( <> Minnesota DDS Requirements and Class Profile The University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, in Minneapolis, calls itself the state's only dental school, and its history goes back to 1888, when 22 students and four faculty members began. Its DDS is a four-year program with a class size of 105, and its process chart says incoming students "matriculate mid-August, with orientation." You apply through AADSAS by 11:59 pm EST on October 1, 2026, which has passed for 2026–27, and Minnesota's $95 application processing fee, your DAT scores and three letters of evaluation must be received by October 31, 2026.

Minnesota's Preparing to Apply page profiles the entering class it calls the DDS Class of 2029: DDS Class of 2029. Average (median). Range. Total GPA. 3.72 (3.73). 3.09–4.00. Science GPA. 3.63 (3.66). 2.86–4.00. BBCP GPA (biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics). 3.59 (3.61). 2.70–4.00. DAT Academic Average (old 1–30 scale). 20.87 (21). 17–28. DAT Reading Comprehension (old 1–30 scale). 21.95 (22). 16–30. DAT Perceptual Ability (old 1–30 scale). 20.26 (20). 16–26. DAT Total Science (old 1–30 scale). 20.63 (21). 16–30. Which DAT scale?. Two scales appear on Minnesota's pages. The Class of 2029's averages and ranges are on the old 1–30 scale: no score on the 200–600 scale the DAT has used since 1 March 2025 can be 20.87. The scale labels in the table above are our reading: Minnesota doesn't label their scale or give new-scale equivalents, and we don't convert any. Its minimum, an Academic Average of 330, is on the 200–600 scale, and its

pages give no old-scale equivalent for that either. This cycle Minnesota considers DAT scores as old as June 1, 2023, so yours may be on either scale; if it is on the old one, ask ddsapply@umn.edu how the minimum applies to you. Minnesota says it expects "that competitive applicants will score at or above the national average," and that students it accepts "usually score higher." Minnesota sets minimums to apply: "A minimum total GPA of 2.5 and a minimum Academic Average DAT of 330 are required in order to apply to the School of Dentistry." It reads your GPA "in terms of consistency and improvement," and also considers the quality of your coursework and the challenge of each term. If you fall short of a minimum, or of its reapplicant policy (you may apply in three consecutive cycles; after a third unsuccessful application you must take a cycle off before applying a fourth time), you can request an exemption before you submit AADSAS. Its

2026–27 exemption form says requests are reviewed by the Assistant Dean of Admissions, and "If you do not submit an exemption request, your application will be marked incomplete and will not be reviewed further." Its application and Preparing to Apply pages point to that form; its application checklist, updated in March 2026, says to email ddsapply@umn.edu instead. Use the form, and email if you are unsure. Why this guide gives no acceptance rate. Minnesota publishes its class size and the Class of 2029's GPA and DAT figures, but none of the pages we read gives counts of applicants, interviews or offers, so no acceptance rate can be worked out from them. Statistics reposted on applicant forums are not Minnesota's pages, and we don't use them. In state or out of state? Minnesota's DDS admissions pages state no residency preference for admission. Its residency page gives the University's definition of a resident: someone permanently

residing in Minnesota who has been "continuously present in the state of Minnesota for at least one calendar year prior to the first day of class attendance at the University," without attending another Minnesota post-secondary institution during that year. It says "An audit of your residency will take place if you are invited to an interview," that Minnesota residents don't lose their residency by attending college out of state, and that out-of-state students don't become Minnesota residents by attending college there. The same page describes the University of Minnesota Dental Exchange Program, which provides "a limited number of openings" for Montana residents, and North Dakota's Professional Student Exchange Program, which covers the University of Minnesota; each needs its own application. It also has a note on South Dakota, dated 2024: if that applies to you, confirm the current terms with ddsapply@umn.edu. Prerequisite coursework

Course. Semester credits. What Minnesota asks for. General biology or zoology. 8. The complete basic course series, with lab; upper-division or advanced biology is also accepted. General chemistry. 8. The complete basic course series, with lab. Organic chemistry. 8. Must cover both the aliphatic and aromatic series; only one lab is required, and one-semester courses generally aren't enough. Biochemistry. 3. A course with the organic chemistry sequence as its prerequisite; no lab required. Physics. 8. The complete basic course series, with lab. Mathematics. 3. College algebra or a higher-level course, such as calculus, statistics or linear algebra. English. 6. Two composition courses preferred, or one composition course and one writing-intensive course in literature, humanities or public speaking. College credits: at least 87 semester credits (130 quarter credits) from an accredited US or Canadian college or university, with no more than

64 semester credits from community or junior colleges counted toward the 87. "While acceptance is based primarily on performance quality, applicants are encouraged to have a broad liberal education." Grades: every prerequisite with a C or above by June 1 of the year you enter (June 1, 2027, this cycle). "Course prerequisites with a C- or below grade must be re-taken for a higher grade." Satisfactory/no credit grades are accepted for required courses "Only under unusual circumstances," and "Incomplete grades are looked upon with disfavor by the Admissions Committee." Labs and age: science courses must include lecture and lab, and "may be considered outdated if taken more than five years before the time of application." "Online laboratory courses are not accepted," except, because of COVID-19, for online prerequisite labs taken from spring 2020 through summer 2021 (from fall 2020, "A/F grading required"). AP and IB exam scores can earn

credit. Recommended electives: "Competitive applicants will take a combination of the following preferred electives": art (drawing, sculpture), cell biology, genetics, histology, human anatomy, immunology, microbiology, physiology, psychology, sociology or anthropology, public health and statistics. The DAT: this cycle, "The oldest DAT that we will consider is June 1, 2023," and your official scores must be received by October 31, 2026. You may retake it after a 60-day wait; Minnesota reviews all attempts, looks "for general improvement across all test areas," and doesn't superscore. Don't hold your AADSAS application for your scores: Minnesota says waiting "can jeopardize their chance for admission," and asks you to submit with a projected test date and follow up once you have tested. It also accepts the Canadian DAT from applicants at Canadian institutions. From the 2027–28 cycle, only scores two years old or newer will count. Three

letters of evaluation, by October 31, 2026: two from science or math faculty who taught you in a lecture or lab course (Minnesota's letter guidelines allow one of the two to be from a math professor), and a third "from a professional of your choice." Minnesota recommends an employer or supervisor "(from a volunteer, work or research position)." Send them through AADSAS; extra letters must come from the writer, not from you. Its guidelines say "Review of applications will not occur until all 3 letters are received" and that letters need letterhead, a date and a signature. They add that the requirement "will change in 2027," to two letters from science faculty and one from a general dentist you shadowed, an employer or a supervisor. Personal statement: through AADSAS, "an essay describing their interest in dentistry as well as other interests and special achievements." If they apply to you: TOEFL scores, emailed to ddsapply@umn.edu, "for

applicants where English is not the primary language spoken at home," and an essay giving context for any incomplete, withdrawal, D or F grade (see below). Both are due by October 31, 2026. Technical standards and a physical: accepted applicants must meet Minnesota's technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodation, and have a physical examination, signed by a physician, within one year before they matriculate. The standards include being able to "move in all directions within one millimeter of tolerance" with dental instruments. Dental experience: 40 hours, or 50 in general dentistry? Minnesota's pages disagree. Minnesota's Preparing to Apply page and its application checklist say it "requires 40 hours of in-person exposure to dentistry by the time of matriculation." Shadowing and paid or volunteer work as a dental assistant, dental hygienist or dental therapist count; virtual shadowing and hours with a relative don't; and

"It is recommended that at least half of the 40 hours be completed in general dentistry." Its "How to stand out as an applicant" page says "While 50 hours of shadowing in general dentistry is the minimum number of hours required for admission, most competitive applicants have over 100 hours of shadowing in multiple clinics or hospitals." Go by the stricter reading: at least 50 in-person hours shadowing in general dentistry, more if you can, with more than one dentist and in more than one practice setting. Confirm with ddsapply@umn.edu. An essay on I, W, D or F grades: optional or required?. Minnesota's application page and checklist list an "Academic difficulties essay (OPTIONAL)" to give context for any incomplete, withdrawal, D or F grade. Its Preparing to Apply page says "Applicants are required to provide written documentation of academic difficulties." If you have any of those grades, write the essay and make sure it arrives by

October 31, 2026, with your other materials. Confirm with ddsapply@umn.edu. To confirm a rule, email ddsapply@umn.edu or call 612-625-7477; the Office of Admissions is in Room 15-163 of the Malcolm Moos Health Sciences Tower. Minnesota says "It is highly recommended that interested students attend a DDS Information Session": it offers a recorded session, live Zoom Q&A sessions and monthly group tours (dates in the timeline below). Kira: Minnesota's First-Round Interview Minnesota's DDS interview process document, updated 29 July 2026, says "Select applicants are invited to interview, based on a holistic application review," and the interview has two rounds. The first is on Kira: "Select applications will be invited to complete a first round interview via Kira and will have seven days to complete the interview." The invitation comes by email from no-reply@kiratalent.com. The live, second-round interview follows for "Select applicants who

have completed a Kira first round interview." The chart in the same document sets out the order: Step. What Minnesota says. 1. Review. “Applications are reviewed in the order they are received, once verified by AADSAS”. 2. Holistic review. “Holistic review of complete applications by reviewers”. 3. Kira (first round). “Selected applicants invited to complete a first round (Kira) interview, starting in June”. 4. Live interview (second round). “Select applicants who have completed a Kira interview are invited for a live interview (second round) in July-November in person, and virtual via Zoom in January or February”. 5. Committee. “Admissions committee meets weekly to review interviewed applicants”. 6. Offers. “Admissions offers are sent starting on December 15, according to ADEA guidelines, with rolling admissions offers following”. How Minnesota scores Kira. "Assessing applicants in Kira Talent helps our admissions team mitigate the

impact of bias in the admissions process. Your responses will be independently evaluated by multiple reviewers who will assess your strengths using competency-based criteria and structured rubrics. This process not only ensures consistency in the way that we assess and score our applicants, it also means that your success doesn’t rest on a single reviewer." Minnesota adds that Kira "gives you the flexibility to show us who you are, when and where it’s convenient for you," that the platform meets WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards, and that you can contact its admissions office to request additional accommodations. Minnesota doesn't publish the Kira format: whether you answer on video, in writing or both, how many questions there are, or how long you get for each. No applicant in a public applicant forum's two Minnesota threads described it either. Our list of dental schools that use Kira explains how the platform works; your invitation

is the authority on Minnesota's version. If Minnesota invites you to Kira. You have seven days from the invitation, so watch your email, including your spam folder, for no-reply@kiratalent.com. Know the program before you start (see What Minnesota Looks For), practice short, specific answers about why dentistry, why Minnesota and the people you have served, and if your invitation asks for video, test your camera, light and sound where you will record. If you need an accommodation, ask Minnesota early. CASPer or anything else?. Minnesota's DDS admissions pages, the documents they link and the DDS pages of the University's catalog don't mention CASPer, Acuity Insights or any assessment besides Kira. The Minnesota Interview: What the School Says By invitation, after Kira. "Select applicants who have completed a Kira first round interview will be invited to complete a live, second round interview." Invitations come "via email through ADEA

AADSAS (from ddsapply@umn.edu)." In person July to November, on Zoom in January or February. In Minnesota's words: "In person during the months of July - November, virtual via Zoom in January or February." Its document gives months, not dates. Twenty minutes, two faculty, a set list of questions. The live interview is "Scheduled for 20 minutes," with "Two faculty and yourself (2:1 format)," and is "Structured - interviewers use a set list of questions." Minnesota's "How to stand out" page calls it "a structured interview with behavioral based and hypothetical interview questions." Closed file. "Closed file format: the interviewers have no additional information on you besides your name." Before your interview. "Complete the required felonies & misdemeanors form. Only those who have submitted this are eligible to be offered admission." Minnesota also audits your prerequisites and residency; if there are questions or outstanding

prerequisites, you meet with its Assistant Director on your interview day. Keep the date. If you can't attend after confirming, email ddsapply@umn.edu before your interview date with the reason and ask for a different date. "Applicants who fail to attend their interview day and do not notify the Office of Admissions will not be granted a rescheduled interview." Minnesota makes exceptions for health or family emergencies, and expects you to tell it promptly and provide supporting documentation. After the interview. A follow-up email brings "a Google Folder of resources, an interview day evaluation, and information on the student ambassadors you interacted with." Offers begin on December 15: "If you interviewed prior to this date, you are eligible to be offered admission. If you are not offered admission on this date, you are still being considered for admission." Part of the day. In person (July–November). On Zoom (January or February).

Arrival. Check in at the security desk of Moos Tower (2nd floor entrance, Washington Avenue). Check in via Zoom with the Office of Admissions. Welcome. Welcome and introductions with the Assistant Dean of Admissions; light breakfast available. Welcome and introductions with the Assistant Dean of Admissions. Interview. 2:1 interview with current faculty members. 2:1 interview with current faculty members. The school. Tour of Moos Tower and the Health Sciences Education Center (HSEC); presentations on research, community outreach, curriculum and student support. Recorded video presentations: a tour of the school, clinical education, outreach, research opportunities and student affairs; a recorded message from the dean, Dr. Keith Mays. Students. Panel and lunch with D4 dental students. Live conversation with current D4 dental students. What closed file means at Minnesota. Your interviewers "have no additional information on you besides

your name," and Minnesota's "How to stand out" page says the same: "they do not know any information about the applicant they are interviewing beyond the applicant’s name." In 20 minutes, with no file in front of them, they learn only what you tell them. Practice a short introduction and specific stories, rather than assuming your interviewers have read your essay. Two faculty, or faculty or staff?. Minnesota's interview process document, updated 29 July 2026, describes a "2:1 interview with current faculty members." Its undated "How to stand out" page says applicants "will meet with faculty or staff from the School of Dentistry for a structured interview." Both say the interview is structured and closed file. Prepare for two interviewers, as the dated process document says, and ask ddsapply@umn.edu if your invitation is unclear. Applying for summer research at your interview. Minnesota's summer research page says "Pre-D1 applicants who

are invited for an interview are offered the opportunity to submit an application form for a Summer Research Program, due no later than the date of their interview." Members of the DDS Admissions Committee offer the fellowships to selected students "when the first round of acceptance letters go out in December," and a pre-D1 fellow receives a $6,000 stipend for the 10-week program. If you want one, have the form in by your interview date. What applicants report These come from a public applicant forum and the forum's invite tracker, which a volunteer compiles from applicants' reports, not from Minnesota: This cycle (2026–27): the tracker, last updated 25 September 2026, lists Minnesota's first invitations on 9 July and a first interview on 3 August, "In person (virtual in Jan.)". In the forum's Minnesota thread, the tracker's compiler posted on 22 June 2026 that "Kira interviews have started to be sent out." One out-of-state applicant

invited to Kira on 18 July wrote that they had "until July 25th to complete" it (seven days, as Minnesota says), and a Canadian applicant reported a Kira invitation on 14 July, completed on 21 July. As of 7 October 2026, no applicant in the thread had posted their own invitation to the live interview; the tracker's compiler wrote on 14 July that "Minnesota sent out first batch of interviews." Last cycle (2025–26): the tracker, last updated 22 October 2025, listed first invitations on 14 July 2025 and a first interview on 31 July, "In person (virtual in Jan)". In the forum's thread, one in-state applicant reported a first-round invitation ("Virtual (Round 1)") on 23 June 2025 and an in-person interview invitation on 28 July; another in-state applicant reported an in-person invitation on 23 July. From Kira to the live invitation: one out-of-state applicant who finished Kira on 6 or 7 August 2025 was invited on 18 August; another

"completed the Kira on Friday and got the invite the next Wednesday," for an interview on 29 September; one who submitted Kira around 8 July posted on 1 September that they had "just got this batch of interviews"; and one invited on 9 September was offered "Alternating Thursdays and Mondays through early November." Kira invitations kept coming: applicants reported them on 24 October and 25 November 2025, and on 20 January 2026 one applicant asked whether anyone who did a Kira "last week (mid Jan)" had been invited to interview. Setting: six applicants listed an in-person interview in 2025–26. On 11 November 2025, one wrote "As far as I know November 10 was the last in person interview day before December 15. There are interview days in January but they are all virtual," and a second agreed. One who interviewed on the first January date posted on 6 February 2026 that they hadn't heard yet. Decisions: on 15 December 2025, three applicants

posted acceptances: one in state, one out of state and one "by phone." On 16 December, two posted that they had been waitlisted, one of them by email. On 13 January 2026, one who had interviewed in person in November posted "Rejected today by email." The cycle before: on 15 August 2025, one applicant who had interviewed at Minnesota the cycle before wrote that they hadn't had to do Kira then and "only had to do an in person interview." No post in either thread describes the interview questions or the Kira format, and none mentions an MMI or CASPer. What Minnesota doesn't publish. The Kira format, the live interview's questions, interview dates, when within its months live invitations go out, and how it weighs Kira against the live interview. It does say the live interview is structured, closed file and built on "behavioral based and hypothetical interview questions," and its process chart says its admissions committee meets weekly to

review interviewed applicants. Practice Your Minnesota Answers Out Loud. Minnesota's live interview is 20 minutes with two faculty who know only your name, built on behavioral and hypothetical questions from a set list. Practice introducing yourself and answering behavioral and hypothetical questions out loud, and get instant AI feedback on structure and clarity.. Start Practicing Free →. Minnesota's 2026–27 Admissions Timeline When. What Minnesota says. June, July or August 2026. When Minnesota “highly recommended” applying: earlier applicants “are more likely to be invited to interview in the fall”. From June 2026. First-round Kira interview invitations begin (“starting in June”); you have seven days to complete Kira. Before you submit AADSAS. An exemption request, if you don't meet the minimum GPA or DAT or the reapplicant policy. With your AADSAS application. The $95 non-refundable application processing fee, by credit card on

Minnesota's application webpage; for a waiver, forward your ADEA AADSAS fee waiver information to ddsapply@umn.edu. 11:59 pm EST, October 1, 2026. AADSAS deadline (passed). October 31, 2026. Fee, DAT scores, three letters and any additional materials (TOEFL scores, an academic difficulties essay) received. July–November 2026. Live interviews in person, for select applicants who have completed Kira. Weekly. The admissions committee meets to review interviewed applicants. December 15, 2026. Offers begin, “according to ADEA guidelines, with rolling admissions offers following”. December 2026. An alternate list is established, “with rolling offers of alternate status through August, as needed”. January or February 2027. Live interviews on Zoom. December 2026–August 2027. Applicants accept or decline offers. June 1, 2027. Every prerequisite complete with a C or above. Within a year before you start. A physical examination, signed by a

physician, attesting that you meet the technical standards. Mid-August 2027. Incoming students matriculate, with orientation. Minnesota's process chart gives months without years; the years above are for the class that starts in August 2027. Its tours page lists live Zoom Q&A sessions with its admissions counselor and a current dental student on October 13, November 11 and December 2, 2026, and January 13, 2027 (7–8 pm Central), and group tours of the school on October 23, November 13 and December 4, 2026, and January 15, 2027 (12:15–1 pm); RSVP is required. That page gives no years, but the weekdays it prints match these dates. Why applying early matters at Minnesota. Minnesota's process chart says "Applications are reviewed in the order they are received, once verified by AADSAS," and its "How to stand out" page says "Applicants who apply earlier in the cycle are more likely to be invited to interview in the fall, before the first

round of acceptance offers are delivered on December 15." October 1 has passed for 2026–27, so if you have applied, make sure everything else arrives by October 31: "Incomplete applications will not be reviewed." December 15, alternates and scholarships. Offers begin on December 15, and if you interviewed before then and aren't offered admission that day, "you are still being considered for admission." Its process chart says an alternate list is established in December, "with rolling offers of alternate status through August, as needed," that "Offers of admission are given to alternates, as needed," and that "Our alternate candidates are ranked internally and due to the fluidity of the list, ranking is not provided to candidates." Everyone offered admission is considered for admissions scholarships, with no separate application; Minnesota says offers "range from $1,000 one time to $30,000 per year for four years, to total cost of

attendance for four years." What Minnesota Looks For Minnesota invites applicants to interview "based on a holistic application review." Its application page lists what it reviews: "We review applicants' exposure to the dental field (shadowing, volunteering, paid work, internship, etc.) as well as their research, paid work, and leadership experience and organizational involvement. Additionally, we look at volunteer experience/service orientation, extracurricular and community involvement (athletics, music, community service, etc.), letters of recommendation, essay responses including your personal statement, and applicant background." Its technical standards add that "Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities that will be assessed during the admission and educational processes." With its "How to stand out" page and its code of conduct, they make the best

checklist for Kira and the interview: Exposure to dentistry: Minnesota expects you to learn about dentistry "through discussions with professionals in the field and through observation of patient care and lab procedures in dental offices, labs and clinics," and strongly encourages observing more than one dentist in different practice settings. Be ready to compare what you saw in two of them. Service, over time: "Competitive applicants typically have multiple volunteer experiences which take place over a length of time." Minnesota says a strong record of service shows "the compassion, empathy, and willingness to serve that is required to be an exceptional dentist," and it strongly encourages volunteering related to your interests outside health care, too. Leadership and communication: "Being an effective leader requires applicants to have excellent communication skills (including being an active listener), organizational skills, and the

ability to build relationships with a wide variety of people. These are all qualities the dental school is looking for in applicants." Research: not a prerequisite, but "strongly recommended as a part of the holistic review," and it "does not need to be related to the field of dentistry." Minnesota's summer research page says "The admissions committee is interested in applicants who have conducted high-quality research, in any field of science." Communicating with patients: the technical standards ask students to "communicate clearly and effectively with a degree of sensitivity with patients, parents and/or guardians; establish good rapport," and say communication "must be culturally appropriate." Practice explaining something technical in plain words. Steady under pressure, and open to criticism: students must be able to "function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility and learn to function in the

face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients," to manage apprehensive patients tactfully and with cultural sensitivity, and to "accept criticism and respond by appropriate modification of behavior." Have one example of each. Integrity and the patient first: Minnesota's code of conduct says students "Must engage patient treatment with the patient’s overall health and welfare as the highest priority" and "Must maintain the highest academic integrity," and that "all oral healthcare providers must possess the highest level of integrity and ethics." Hand skills: students must be able to "move in all directions within one millimeter of tolerance" and "comprehend and mentally visualize three-dimensional relationships," and Minnesota's preferred electives include art: drawing and sculpture. Be ready to describe something you have made or repaired with your hands. Minnesota's own interview advice. "It is highly recommended

that applicants practice their interviewing skills prior to their professional interview at the School of Dentistry." Minnesota points to the mock interview services many college career offices offer, and its Preparing to Apply page says the University's Pre-Health Student Resource Center "offers workshops on interviewing skills and writing personal statements." Its questions are "behavioral based and hypothetical," so practice telling specific stories (what happened, what you did, what you learned) and reasoning out loud through situations you haven't faced. The best Why Minnesota material is in its clinics and its reach. Minnesota calls itself the state's only dental school and "a regional resource to five states," and says it educates approximately 73% of the state's practicing dentists. It says it became "the first dental school in the nation to educate dental therapists" in 2009, and its DDS students practice in teams with dental

hygiene and dental therapy students. Its DDS features case-based learning; students begin treating patients in the second year and "establish their first dental practice" in the third. Every DDS student spends 10 to 12 weeks on community outreach rotations, required for graduation, at 24 affiliate clinics in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, which include Indian Health Service and tribal clinics and a mobile dental clinic. Its students are full members of the Minnesota Dental Association as its 8th District Dental Society, and each can choose one of four career tracks (academic dentistry, clinical practice and leadership, research or rural dentistry), which ends in a capstone project. Minnesota also offers an eight-year DDS/PhD, and a DDS/MPH through the University's School of Public Health. 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.

Minnesota does not publish its interview questions. Internationally trained dentist? Minnesota says dentists from other countries who wish to practice in the United States "matriculate through our Program for Advanced Standing Students"; see our UMN PASS guide . ); }; export default UMNDentalSchoolInterview; umn-dental-school-interview University of Minnesota School of Dentistry Minnesota Minnesota Dental School Interview (DDS) 2026- Kira 1 Faculty Interview & Requirements Minnesota Dental School DDS 2026-27 University of Minnesota DDS guide from its own a Kira first round a 20-minute closed-file interview with two faculty and the Oct 1 deadline. University of Minnesota dental school interview Minnesota DDS interview UMN School of Dentistry interview Minnesota dental school Kira UMN DDS requirements Minnesota dental school requirements Minnesota dental school closed file interview 2026-10-07 2026-10-07 Domestic Program Kira first-round

interview by invitation then a 20-minute structured 1 faculty interview (closed file) Minnesota invites select applicants to a first-round interview on Kira then select applicants who have completed it to a live 20-minute structured interview with two faculty closed in person July–November on Zoom in January or February. Here is what Minnesota publishes what applicants report and how to prepare. After a Kira first round Minnesota s live interview is “Scheduled for 20 minutes ” with “Two faculty and yourself ( 1 format) ” a set list of questions and a closed “the interviewers have no additional information on you besides your name.” Degree DDS (four years) Minneapolis Minnesota First Round A Kira interview by invitation (from June per its process chart); seven days to complete it Live Interview 20 minutes two faculty ( 1) structured closed file Interview Setting In person July–November; on Zoom in January or February Questions Behavioral

and hypothetical from a set list (not published) Deadline October 1 2026 (AADSAS; passed); fee DAT scores and letters by October 31 2026 Application Fee $95 non-refundable Minimums Total GPA 2.5; DAT Academic Average 330 (200–600 scale); exemptions by request Class Size 105 Class of 2029 GPA 3.72 total 3.63 science; DAT Academic Average 20.87 (old 1–30 scale by our reading; Minnesota doesn t label it) Dental Exposure 40 in-person hours or 50 hours of shadowing in general its pages differ so plan on at least 50 Offers From December 15 then rolling; an alternate list from December (its process chart) CASPer / Kira Kira; CASPer isn t on Minnesota s DDS pages requirements Requirements & Class Profile 2 prerequisites Prerequisite Coursework 3 kira The Kira First Round 2 interview-format What Minnesota Says About the Interview 2 what-applicants-report What Applicants Report 3 timeline Minnesota s Admissions Timeline 2 what-minnesota-looks-for

What Minnesota 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. Minnesota does not publish its interview questions; these are practice questions built on what it says it weighs. Its live interview is closed “the interviewers have no additional information on you besides your name.” Build a 90-second answer that stands on its who you are the experiences that led you to dentistry and why Minnesota is the next step. Why dentistry? Minnesota expects applicants to learn about dentistry “through discussions with professionals in the field and through observation of patient care and lab procedures in dental offices labs and clinics.” Anchor your answer in something specific you saw in a dental office then say what it confirmed for you. Why Minnesota? Use what

Minnesota says about the state s only dental school DDS students practicing in teams with dental hygiene and dental therapy students 10 to 12 weeks of community outreach at affiliate clinics in Minnesota North Dakota and South Dakota and career tracks in academic dentistry clinical practice and leadership research and rural dentistry. Connect one of them to how you want to learn or whom you want to serve; the Twin Cities alone is not a reason. What did you learn from shadowing? Minnesota strongly encourages applicants to “observe with more than one dentist and gain exposure to different practice settings.” Compare two things you saw in different offices or settings and say what each taught you about the profession. Behavioral Tell me about a time you received criticism. What did you do with it? Minnesota s technical standards say “A candidate must reasonably be expected to accept criticism and respond by appropriate modification of

behavior.” Show that you listened changed something specific and what improved as a result. Describe a time you had to work under pressure or with uncertainty. Minnesota s standards ask students to “function effectively under stress adapt to changing environments display flexibility and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients.” Pick a real situation say what you prioritized and why and what you would do differently. Tell me about a leadership role and what you accomplished in it. Minnesota says competitive applicants “have demonstrated initiative in pursuing leadership positions and opportunities ” and that leading takes “excellent communication skills (including being an active listener) organizational skills and the ability to build relationships with a wide variety of people.” Show a time you listened organized others and changed an outcome. Tell me about your volunteer work. Why

did you stay with it? Minnesota says “Competitive applicants typically have multiple volunteer experiences which take place over a length of time ” and that service shows “the compassion empathy and willingness to serve that is required to be an exceptional dentist.” Pick one commitment you kept up what you did and what it taught you about the people you served. Hypothetical / Ethical A patient is anxious and upset before treatment. How do you handle it? Minnesota s technical standards ask students to manage apprehensive patients tactfully and with cultural sensitivity so as not to alienate or antagonize them. 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. You see a classmate cheating on an exam. What do you do? Minnesota s code of conduct lists “Scholastic Dishonesty – Cheating on written examinations assignments or practical

examinations” as a violation and says “all oral healthcare providers must possess the highest level of integrity and ethics.” Describe what you would do including reporting it through the proper channel and why integrity matters when patients trust you. You need one more procedure for a clinic requirement and a patient s tooth could arguably wait. What do you do? Minnesota s code of conduct names “Overtreatment of patients” as a violation and says students “Must engage patient treatment with the patient’s overall health and welfare as the highest priority.” Recommend only what the patient needs explain the options honestly and talk it through with your supervising faculty. A patient can t afford the treatment you recommend. What do you do? Minnesota s mission includes “the highest-quality care for all communities ” and its students treat patients at outreach sites in underserved communities. Acknowledge the patient without judgment

explore legitimate options such as phased treatment or a community clinic and never lower the standard of care. Show your reasoning; a question like this rarely has a single right answer. Apply early then have everything in by October 31 Minnesota s process chart says applications are reviewed “in the order they are received once verified by AADSAS ” and its “How to stand out” page says applicants who apply earlier “are more likely to be invited to interview in the fall before the first round of acceptance offers are delivered on December 15.” The AADSAS deadline October 1 2026 has passed; the $95 fee DAT scores three letters and any additional materials must be received by October 31 2026 and Minnesota says review won t begin until all three letters arrive. Watch for the Kira email and finish within seven days Minnesota s first-round interview invitations come by email from no-reply@kiratalent.com starting in June according to its

process chart and you have seven days to complete Kira. Your responses are “independently evaluated by multiple reviewers” using “competency-based criteria and structured rubrics ” so give specific well-organized answers and contact Minnesota early if you need an accommodation. Introduce yourself to interviewers who know only your name Minnesota s live interview is closed “the interviewers have no additional information on you besides your name.” It is structured and 20 minutes long with two faculty and a set list of questions that Minnesota calls “behavioral based and hypothetical.” Practice a short introduction and specific stories and practice reasoning out loud through situations you haven t faced. Send the felonies & misdemeanors form and keep your interview date Minnesota says “Only those who have submitted this are eligible to be offered admission.” If you can t attend after confirming email ddsapply@umn.edu before the date with

the reason and ask for another; applicants who miss their interview without telling the Office of Admissions “will not be granted a rescheduled interview ” except in health or family emergencies. Requirement Detail Degree awarded DDS four years; Minneapolis Minnesota Application AADSAS by 59 pm EST on October 1 2026 (passed); the $95 non-refundable fee DAT scores three letters and any additional materials received by October 31 2026 Kira A first-round interview for select applicants after a holistic review from June (its process chart); seven days to complete; scored by multiple reviewers using competency-based criteria and structured rubrics Interview A live second round for select applicants who have completed 20 minutes two faculty ( 1) structured with a set list of questions closed file; in person July–November on Zoom in January or February Minimum GPA and DAT Total GPA 2.5 and DAT Academic Average 330 (200–600 scale); an exemption

request before you submit AADSAS if you fall short Class size 105 GPA DDS Class of 2029 3.72 total 3.63 science 3.59 BBCP (averages) DAT DDS Class of 2029 Academic Average 20.87 Reading Comprehension 21.95 Perceptual Ability 20.26 Total Science 20.63 (averages; old 1–30 scale by our reading since Minnesota doesn t label it) Acceptance rate Not published; Minnesota s pages give no counts of applicants interviews or offers DAT Scores from June 1 2023 or later this cycle; retakes after 60 days; all attempts reviewed; no superscoring; the Canadian DAT accepted from applicants at Canadian institutions Prerequisites Biology or zoology general chemistry organic chemistry and physics (8 semester credits each with labs; one organic lab) biochemistry (3 no lab) mathematics (3) and English (6); C or above by June 1 2027 College credits At least 87 semester (130 quarter) credits from an accredited US or Canadian college or university; no more than

64 from community or junior colleges Letters Three by October 31 two from science or math faculty who taught you one from a professional of your choice (an employer or supervisor recommended) Dental exposure 40 hours in person by matriculation half recommended in general dentistry; its “How to stand out” page says 50 hours of shadowing in general dentistry is the minimum; plan on at least 50 CASPer Not on Minnesota s DDS pages Residency No admission preference stated on Minnesota s DDS admissions pages; residency audited if you are invited to interview Offers From December 15 then rolling; an alternate list from December with rolling offers of alternate status through August and offers of admission to alternates as needed (its process chart) Start Mid-August 2027 with orientation (its process chart) What to have in place Every prerequisite on track for a C or above by June 1 2027 with lecture and lab for the sciences (one organic

chemistry lab; none for biochemistry) At least 87 semester (130 quarter) credits from an accredited US or Canadian college by the time you start no more than 64 of them from community or junior colleges A DAT taken on or after June 1 2023 a total GPA of at least 2.5 and a DAT Academic Average of at least 330 or an exemption request before you submit AADSAS At least 50 in-person hours shadowing in general dentistry (Minnesota s pages say 40 or 50) with more than one dentist and in more than one practice setting Three two from science or math faculty who taught you and one from a professional of your choice ideally an employer or supervisor Apply Submit AADSAS by 59 pm EST on October 1 (passed for 2026–27) and pay the $95 fee at the same time Make sure your DAT scores three letters any TOEFL scores and if you have an I W D or F grade an academic difficulties essay are received by October 31 2026 (Minnesota s pages call the essay optional

in one place and required in another) Don t hold AADSAS for DAT submit with a projected test date and follow up once you have tested If you are invited to Kira (the first round) Complete it within seven days of the email from no-reply@kiratalent.com Practice short specific answers about why dentistry why Minnesota service and teamwork Ask Minnesota s admissions office early if you need an accommodation If you are invited to the live interview (the second round) Submit the felonies & misdemeanors only applicants who have submitted it are eligible for an offer Prepare for 20 minutes closed file with two a short introduction specific stories and your reasoning through hypothetical situations If you want a pre-D1 summer research fellowship submit its application by your interview date For a Zoom interview in January or February set up your camera light and sound in advance Hard dates October 1 AADSAS deadline (passed) October 31 fee DAT

scores letters and other materials received December 15 offers begin June 1 prerequisites complete Mid-August matriculation and orientation What is the Minnesota dental school interview format? Two rounds. Minnesota s interview process document updated 29 July 2026 says “Select applications will be invited to complete a first round interview via Kira and will have seven days to complete the interview ” and “Select applicants who have completed a Kira first round interview will be invited to complete a live second round interview.” The live interview is “Scheduled for 20 minutes ” with “Two faculty and yourself ( 1 format) ” and is “Structured - interviewers use a set list of questions.” It is closed “the interviewers have no additional information on you besides your name.” Minnesota s “How to stand out” page says the questions are “behavioral based and hypothetical” and the interviewers “faculty or staff”; prepare for two faculty as

the dated process document says. Minnesota doesn t publish the questions. Does Minnesota require Kira for dental school? Kira is Minnesota s first-round interview and its pages describe an invitation rather than a requirement of every after a holistic review “Select applications will be invited to complete a first round interview via Kira ” starting in June according to its process chart with seven days to complete it. Invitations to the live interview go to “Select applicants who have completed a Kira first round interview.” Minnesota says your Kira responses “will be independently evaluated by multiple reviewers who will assess your strengths using competency-based criteria and structured rubrics.” It doesn t publish the Kira format and its DDS pages don t mention CASPer. Is the Minnesota dental interview virtual or in person? It depends on when you “In person during the months of July - November virtual via Zoom in January or

February.” In person the day at Moos Tower includes a welcome from the Assistant Dean of Admissions the 1 interview with current faculty members a tour presentations and a panel and lunch with D4 dental students. On Zoom it has the same welcome and interview recorded video presentations a live conversation with current D4 students and a recorded message from the dean. In a public forum s 2025–26 thread six applicants listed in-person interviews and one wrote that the January interview days “are all virtual.” Does Minnesota use the MMI? Minnesota s DDS pages describe no MMI. Its process is a Kira first-round interview then a live structured 20-minute interview with two faculty members ( 1) closed file and none of its admissions pages or the documents they link mentions stations or multiple mini interviews. Lists that call Minnesota an MMI school aren t supported by its own pages. No applicant in a public applicant forum s 2025–26 or

2026–27 Minnesota threads described an MMI. What GPA and DAT do I need for Minnesota dental school? Minnesota says “A minimum total GPA of 2.5 and a minimum Academic Average DAT of 330 are required in order to apply to the School of Dentistry.” The 330 is on the 200–600 scale the DAT has used since March 2025 and you can request an exemption before you submit AADSAS if you fall short. For the DDS Class of 2029 Minnesota reports averages of a 3.72 total and 3.63 science GPA and a DAT Academic Average of 20.87 Total Science of 20.63 and Perceptual Ability of 20.26. Minnesota doesn t say which scale those DAT figures are on; by our reading they are on the old 1–30 scale since no 200–600 score can be 20.87. It gives no conversions between the scales and we don t make any. This cycle it considers DAT scores as old as June 1 2023 and it says it expects competitive applicants to score at or above the national average. When is the Minnesota DDS

application deadline? AADSAS must be submitted “no later than 59pm EST on October 1 2026 ” which has passed for 2026–27. Minnesota s $95 non-refundable application processing fee your DAT scores three letters of evaluation and any additional materials must be received by October 31 2026 and “Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.” Minnesota s process chart says applications are reviewed in the order they are received once AADSAS verifies them and its “How to stand out” page recommends applying in June July or August. Offers begin on December 15 with rolling offers after that. How many shadowing hours does Minnesota require? Minnesota s pages disagree. Its Preparing to Apply page and application checklist say it “requires 40 hours of in-person exposure to dentistry by the time of matriculation ” counting shadowing and paid or volunteer work as a dental assistant hygienist or therapist but not virtual shadowing or hours with a

relative and recommend that at least half be in general dentistry. Its “How to stand out” page says “50 hours of shadowing in general dentistry is the minimum number of hours required for admission ” and that “most competitive applicants have over 100 hours of shadowing in multiple clinics or hospitals.” To be safe have at least 50 in-person hours shadowing in general dentistry more if you can and confirm with ddsapply@umn.edu. Does Minnesota accept out-of-state applicants? Minnesota s DDS admissions pages state no residency requirement or preference for admission and in a public forum s 2025–26 thread one out-of-state applicant posted an acceptance on 15 December 2025. If you are invited to interview Minnesota audits your residency; its residency page gives the University s definition of a resident which includes being “continuously present in the state of Minnesota for at least one calendar year prior to the first day of class

attendance at the University.” Montana residents can seek one of “a limited number of openings” through the University of Minnesota Dental Exchange Program and North Dakota s Professional Student Exchange Program covers the University of Minnesota; each needs its own application. Iowa Dental School Interview Guide (DDS) In Iowa timed “one-on-two” interviews each with a different pair of interviewers in person from August to November 2026 plus one virtual day. The September 30 deadline has passed. Domestic Program /schools/iowa-dental-school-interview Marquette Dental School Interview Guide (DDS) In Marquette s virtual personal interviews for 2026–27 on dates its own pages list from September 18 2026. Domestic Program /schools/marquette-dental-school-interview UIC Dental School Interview Guide (DMD) In UIC s virtual typically closed-file faculty interview its December 1 deadline and its Illinois preference. Domestic Program

/schools/uic-dental-school-interview Stony Brook Dental School Interview Guide (DDS) Another Kira Stony Brook invites applicants who have completed their file and met its preferred criteria to a Kira Talent Assessment which it uses with AADSAS to choose whom to interview; its October 1 deadline has passed. Domestic Program /schools/stony-brook-dental-school-interview