USC Dental School Interview: Ostrow DDS 2026-27

USC Ostrow DDS guide: on-campus interviews by invitation (typically Oct–Apr), the Feb 1 deadline, Class of 2030 GPA 3.81 and DAT AA 450 (200–600 scale).

USC interviews DDS applicants in person on its Los Angeles campus, by invitation, typically from October through April. Here is what USC publishes, what applicants report (including a Kira video assessment), and how to prepare. return ( <> USC Ostrow DDS Requirements and Class Profile The Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, on USC's University Park Campus a few miles from downtown Los Angeles, admits 144 students a year to its four-year Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program. You apply through AADSAS and pay USC an $85 processing fee. USC publishes this profile of its DDS Class of 2030: Class of 2030. USC's figure. Students. 144 (59% women, 41% men). Average total GPA. 3.81. Average science GPA. 3.76. DAT academic average. 450 on the 200–600 scale. DAT PAT average. 450 on the 200–600 scale. DAT science average. 460 on the 200–600 scale. Degrees. All hold a bachelor's degree; three also hold a master's and one a doctorate. Age

range. 20–36. Where they come from. California and 15 other U.S. states and territories; 61 undergraduate universities; 42 majors. Which DAT scale are these on?. The 200–600 scale. USC notes that "As of March 1, 2025, the DAT moved to a three-digit score," and points applicants to the ADA's DAT website for a concordance table. It prints no old-scale (1–30) figures for the class, so if your score is on the old scale, don't compare it with a bare 450. Why this guide gives no acceptance rate. USC's pages give its class size and averages, but not how many people applied, were interviewed or received offers, so no honest acceptance rate can be worked out from them. Prerequisite coursework Course. Requirement. Note. General biology. 1 year of lecture and 1 year of lab. A complete sequence (e.g. 101a and 101b). General physics. 1 year of lecture and 1 year of lab. A complete sequence (e.g. 101a and 101b). Inorganic/general chemistry. 1 year of

lecture and 1 year of lab. A complete sequence (e.g. 101a and 101b). Organic chemistry. 1 year of lecture and 1 year of lab. A complete sequence (e.g. 101a and 101b). English composition. 1 year. A complete sequence; waived if you hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university before you start. Philosophy, history or fine arts. 1 year. Need not be a sequence; waived on the same terms. A year is two semesters or three quarters , and USC says it "must reflect a minimum of 8-10 units/credits." Every prerequisite needs a grade of C or better. Labs must be taken in person. Hybrid courses are allowed, but no online lab meets the requirement. USC doesn't accept accelerated programs in the sciences, or AP or IB credit toward the science prerequisites. At least 60 semester units must be completed or in progress when you apply, and you need a bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or

university before you start. No specific major is required. Community college courses count , but USC gives preference to applicants who took the prerequisites at a four-year college or university, and its catalogue accepts no more than 60 semester hours from a community college. Upper-division science is strongly recommended : USC names biochemistry, anatomy, histology and physiology. Letters: one from a dentist (a general dentist or a specialist) and two from lecture-based science professors in biology, chemistry or physics, not from a lab instructor or a research PI. USC says letters "must reflect your performance in the lecture component of class." A committee letter may be substituted if your school offers one. Shadowing hours: USC's pages name no number. USC's DDS admissions page and its 2026–27 catalogue name no minimum number of shadowing or dental-experience hours. USC does ask for a letter from a dentist. Time with a dentist

who knows your work also gives you specific stories for the interview. The USC Interview: What USC Says USC's admissions page and its 2026–27 catalogue say this about the interview: It is in person, on campus. Step 4 of USC's application steps reads "Visit the USC campus for an interview — by invitation only." Its catalogue says an interview "at the School of Dentistry is required of all applicants who appear qualified for consideration as determined by the Office of Admissions." It typically runs from October through April. In USC's words, "DDS admissions interviews typically begin in October and continue through April." Your file must be complete first. "No interview can be granted unless the file is complete, including DAT scores." Expect to send more information. Candidates "being seriously considered for acceptance will be sent an invitation for an interview and will be required to submit additional information." Offers: "sometime

after December 15," per the catalogue. The catalogue says notification of acceptance is sent then. What applicants report These are posts by applicants in the 2025–26 cycle on a public applicant forum, not USC's words. The forum's 2026–27 thread had no interview reports as of 6 October 2026. Applicants reported a Kira video assessment first. From July 2025, applicants reported receiving a Kira assessment from USC before being invited to interview. One described it in January 2026 as "4 questions, 2 minutes to answer," thought "they give 30 sec to think about each question," and added "All video"; another, the day after receiving the invitation, wrote that it was "due in 2-4 days." Several who completed it in October 2025 or January 2026 posted weeks or months later that they were still waiting for an interview invitation. Applicants reported in-person interviews. An in-state and an out-of-state applicant reported email invitations dated

8 September 2025 for in-person interviews; one was offered 26 or 29 September, earlier than the October start USC calls typical. An applicant who reported a Kira on 24 July 2025 was invited on 12 February 2026, for dates from 6 to 19 March, and interviewed on 6 March. Others posted interviews in early February, on 9, 16 and 23 March, and on 10 April 2026. An interview packet. In February 2026, one applicant wrote that a few days after booking an interview date, USC emailed an "interview packet," and asked whether to fill in only "the space they give us for the personal experience questions." A PBL portion? One applicant who interviewed in early February 2026 later asked whether they had done a poor job "in my PBL", short for problem-based learning, the approach of USC's DDS curriculum. USC's pages don't describe a PBL exercise in the interview. Decisions. One applicant posted on 15 December 2025 that they had been "accepted via email,"

and the out-of-state applicant invited for a September interview posted on 18 December that they had been waitlisted. An applicant who interviewed in mid-March posted on 29 May 2026 that they had been accepted. What USC doesn't publish. The interview's format (one-on-one, a panel, MMI stations or a group exercise), how long it lasts, who interviews you, whether they have read your file, and what is asked. USC's DDS pages and catalogue don't mention Kira or CASPer either. If USC emails you an assessment or an interview packet, follow its instructions and deadlines, and if your invitation describes the format, go by it. Practice Your USC Answers Out Loud. USC interviews DDS applicants in person, on its Los Angeles campus. Answer interview and ethical scenario questions out loud and get instant AI feedback on structure and clarity.. Start Practicing Free →. USC's 2026–27 Admissions Timeline The dates and rules USC publishes for the DDS

program (USC gives the deadline as February 1; the year is our reading of its rule): When. What USC says. June. The AADSAS application becomes available (USC: “beginning June 1 each year”); USC evaluates applications as they arrive from AADSAS. After you apply. Pay the $85 processing fee through USC's Online Payment Portal; USC notifies you when it has received your application from AADSAS. Typically October to April. Interviews on campus, by invitation, once your file is complete with DAT scores. October 16, November 20 and December 11, 2026. Fight On! Friday information sessions for DDS applicants: in person in October and November, virtual in December. Sometime after December 15. Notification of acceptance. February 1, 2027. AADSAS deadline for the class entering in 2027. By July 15 before you enroll. Complete transcripts, with degree notations, on file with the Office of Admissions. USC evaluates applications as they arrive, and its

catalogue recommends "Early application and file completion." It can't act on an application until your DAT scores arrive, so take the DAT before you apply, as USC recommends. USC says to take it "no later than February 1 of the year in which you're applying for acceptance," and your scores must be no more than three years old. Admitted students pay two non-refundable commitment fees, $2,000 and then $1,000, by the deadlines in their acceptance letter; both are applied toward tuition upon enrollment. Before you enroll, you also undergo a background screening and meet USC's health requirements. What USC Looks For USC's catalogue says the Admissions Committee bases its decision on "an applicant's personal qualities, aptitude and superior scholarship necessary for the successful study and practice of dentistry." It doesn't list those personal qualities, and it evaluates out-of-state applicants on "the same criteria as California

residents." Its DDS program page says the four-year program is meant "to help you," among other aims: "Develop effective communication skills" : practice out loud until your main stories run clearly in about two minutes. "Work effectively with colleagues" : USC's students "work in collaborative groups to solve challenging, patient-based problems." Have a story about a group that wasn't working and what you did about it. "Become a lifelong, self-motivated learner" : a current student quoted on USC's admission page says the problem-based curriculum "allows us more autonomy with our schedule." Be ready to describe something you taught yourself, and how. "Assess dental patients and deliver excellent care" : the first of the program's 25 competencies is to "Provide compassionate care for all individuals, including those from diverse, disadvantaged and at-risk populations." Talk about time you spent with people who struggle to get care. The

best Why USC material is in how it teaches. USC's 2026–27 catalogue lists a sequence of "Dental Problem Based Learning" courses in the DDS curriculum, and its program page says students "work in collaborative groups to solve challenging, patient-based problems." First-year students train on simulators "for a seamless transition to direct patient care by the end of year one." The USC Mobile Clinic is a required rotation for all DDS students, and USC says its students provide free dental care to more than 17,500 low-income people a year through its mobile clinics, local clinics and community events. Connect one of these to the dentist you want to become. The practice questions below are ours, built on these aims. USC does not publish its interview questions. Internationally trained dentist? USC runs a separate Advanced Standing Program for International Dentists (ASPID), which you apply to through CAAPID: see our USC advanced standing

guide . ); }; export default USCDentalSchoolInterview; usc-dental-school-interview Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC USC USC Dental School Interview (DDS) 2026- In-Person Interview Timeline & Class Stats USC Dental School Ostrow DDS 2026-27 USC Ostrow DDS on-campus interviews by invitation (typically Oct–Apr) the Feb 1 deadline Class of 2030 GPA 3.81 and DAT AA 450 (200–600 scale). USC dental school interview USC Ostrow interview Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry interview USC DDS interview USC dental school requirements USC dental Kira 2026-10-06 2026-10-06 Domestic Program In-person interview (by invitation) USC interviews DDS applicants in person on its Los Angeles campus by invitation typically from October through April. Here is what USC publishes what applicants report (including a Kira video assessment) and how to prepare. Interviews are in person on USC s Los Angeles campus typically October to April and USC evaluates

out-of-state applicants on the same criteria as California residents. Degree DDS (four years) Los Angeles Interview In person on USC s campus by invitation Interview Window Typically October – April Format Not published by USC Kira / CASPer Neither on USC s pages (2025–26 applicants reported a Kira video assessment) Deadline February 1 2027 (AADSAS) Offers Sometime after December 15 Class Size 144 Avg GPA (Class of 2030) 3.81 total 3.76 science Avg DAT (Class of 2030) 450 AA 450 PAT 460 science (200–600 scale) Residency Out-of-state applicants judged on the same criteria Processing Fee $85 requirements Requirements & Class Profile 2 prerequisites Prerequisite Coursework 3 interview-format What USC Says About the Interview 2 what-applicants-report What Applicants Report 3 timeline USC s Admissions Timeline 2 what-usc-looks-for What USC 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. USC does not publish its interview questions; these are practice questions built on what it says it weighs and what its program aims to teach. USC doesn t say whether your interviewer has read your file so build a 90-second arc that works either who you are the two or three experiences that led you to dentistry and why USC is the next step. Why dentistry? Anchor your answer in something specific you saw or did with a dentist then say what it confirmed for you. The first of the 25 competencies USC s program builds is “compassionate care for all individuals including those from diverse disadvantaged and at-risk populations ” so a moment with a patient says more than an interest in science. Why USC? Use what USC says about its a problem-based learner-centered curriculum in which students “work in

collaborative groups to solve challenging patient-based problems ” direct patient care by the end of the first year and the USC Mobile Clinic a required rotation for all DDS students. Connect one of them to the dentist you want to become; praise for the name is not a reason. How do you learn best on your own? USC s program aims to help you become “a lifelong self-motivated learner ” and a current student quoted on its admission page says the problem-based curriculum “allows us more autonomy with our schedule.” Describe something you taught yourself how you organized it and how you checked that you had it right. Behavioral Tell me about a time you worked in a group that wasn t working. USC s program aims to help you “Work effectively with colleagues ” and its students “work in collaborative groups to solve challenging patient-based problems.” Say what you noticed what you did and how the group s work changed without blaming anyone.

Describe a time you had to explain something complicated to someone. “Develop effective communication skills” is another of the program s aims and its competencies include assessing patients “goals values and concerns to establish rapport.” Pick a real conversation and spend most of the answer on how you adjusted to the listener. Tell me about a time you received critical feedback. USC s competencies include applying “principles of self-assessment critical thinking and problem-solving.” Say what the feedback was what you did with it and what changed because of it. Tell me about time you spent with people who have trouble getting care. USC says its students provide free dental care to more than 17 500 low-income people a year. Talk about the people you served and what you learned from them not the hours. Ethical / Scenario A patient needs treatment they cannot afford. What do you do? 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. You see a classmate cheating on an exam. What do you do? Describe an escalation path from a direct conversation to the proper channels and say why integrity matters when patients trust your license. USC s competencies include applying “ethical legal and regulatory policies and principles” to oral health care. A patient refuses the treatment you recommend. How do you respond? Balance the patient s right to decide with their wellbeing. Explain clearly find out what worries them offer alternatives document the conversation and do not abandon the patient. Complete your file early DAT included USC evaluates applications as they arrive from AADSAS and its catalogue says “No interview can be granted unless the file is complete including DAT scores.” Take the DAT

before you apply as USC recommends and get your scores and transcripts to AADSAS early. Watch for a Kira assessment USC s pages don t mention one but applicants in the 2025–26 cycle reported a Kira video assessment from USC before interview invitations one of them with a deadline two to four days away. One described four video questions with two minutes to answer each. If you receive one complete it by its deadline. Plan for an in-person interview in Los Angeles USC s application steps say “Visit the USC campus for an interview — by invitation only ” and interviews typically run from October through April; in the 2025–26 cycle one applicant was offered dates as early as 26 September. USC s catalogue says invitees must also submit additional information; in the same cycle one applicant described an interview packet of personal experience questions emailed a few days after booking. Prepare to talk about learning with others USC s DDS

curriculum includes a sequence of “Dental Problem Based Learning” courses and its students “work in collaborative groups to solve challenging patient-based problems.” One applicant in the 2025–26 cycle mentioned a PBL portion of the interview. Have stories ready about learning on your own and solving a problem in a group. Requirement Detail Degree awarded DDS four years (11 consecutive 14-week trimesters) Application AADSAS plus a nonrefundable $85 processing fee through USC s Online Payment Portal ($150 for Canadian students per USC s admissions page; its catalogue says $150 for international students requiring a student visa; uscsdadm@usc.edu can confirm which applies to you) Deadline February 1 2027 through AADSAS for the class entering in 2027; USC evaluates applications as they arrive and recommends early application and file completion Class size 144 a year; 144 in the Class of 2030 Acceptance rate Not published (USC s pages give

no applicant interview or offer counts) Class of 2030 averages GPA 3.81 total 3.76 science; DAT 450 academic average 450 PAT and 460 science on the 200–600 scale DAT Required; taken no later than February 1 of the year you are applying for acceptance and no more than three years old; USC recommends taking it before you apply and can t act on an application until scores arrive Prerequisites One year each of general biology general physics inorganic/general chemistry and organic chemistry each with a year of lab; a year each of English composition and of philosophy history or fine arts (both waived with a bachelor s degree from an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university before you start); C or better; labs in person; no AP or IB credit toward science prerequisites Units and degree At least 60 semester units completed or in progress when you apply; a bachelor s degree from an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university

before you start; USC s catalogue accepts no more than 60 semester hours from a community college Letters One from a dentist (general dentist or specialist) and two from lecture-based science professors in biology chemistry or physics; a committee letter may be substituted Dental experience No number of hours stated on USC s DDS admissions page or in its catalogue Interview Required of applicants who appear qualified; in person on campus by invitation; typically October to April; format not published Residency Out-of-state applicants are evaluated on the same criteria as California residents Decisions Notification of acceptance sometime after December 15 Commitment fees $2 000 then $1 000 non-refundable applied toward tuition upon enrollment Before you enroll A background screening USC s health requirements and complete transcripts on file by July 15 Before you apply Take the DAT; USC recommends taking it before you submit your

application and scores must be no more than three years old Line up a letter from a dentist and two from lecture-based science professors in biology chemistry or physics (USC says a committee letter may be substituted if your school offers one) Check your a C or better in each and every lab taken in person When you apply (AADSAS) Submit early; USC evaluates applications as they arrive from AADSAS Send your DAT scores and an official transcript from every college you attended to AADSAS Pay the $85 processing fee through USC s Online Payment Portal While you wait Watch for a Kira in the 2025–26 cycle applicants reported a Kira video assessment from USC before interview invitations; one wrote it was “due in 2-4 days” Practice your communication teamwork and patient-care stories out loud If you are invited (interviews typically run October–April) Book a date and plan your trip to USC s University Park Campus in Los Angeles Submit the

additional information USC asks invitees for (in the 2025–26 cycle one applicant described an emailed interview packet of personal experience questions) Prepare a Why USC answer tied to its problem-based curriculum or the USC Mobile Clinic Hard dates After December 15 (no fixed date): notifications of acceptance per the catalogue February 1 AADSAS deadline for the class entering in 2027 By July 15 before you complete transcripts on file What is the USC dental school interview format? USC says it interviews DDS applicants on its campus by invitation and that interviews typically run from October through April. It does not publish the format length or questions. Applicants in the 2025–26 cycle reported in-person interviews; one described an interview packet of personal experience questions emailed a few days after booking a date and another mentioned a PBL (problem-based learning) portion of the interview. Is the USC dental interview in

person or virtual? In person. Step 4 of USC s application steps is “Visit the USC campus for an interview — by invitation only ” and its catalogue says the interview is “at the School of Dentistry.” Applicants in the 2025–26 cycle reported in-person interviews. Does USC require CASPer or Kira? USC s DDS admissions page and its 2026–27 catalogue mention neither and a search of its dental school website finds no page on either. But applicants in the 2025–26 cycle reported receiving a Kira video assessment from USC before interview invitations; one described four video questions with two minutes to answer each. If USC sends you one complete it by its deadline. When does USC interview dental applicants? USC says DDS interviews “typically begin in October and continue through April ” and that no interview can be granted until your file is complete including DAT scores. In the 2025–26 cycle two applicants reported email invitations dated 8

September 2025 one of them offering in-person dates of 26 or 29 September and the latest interview posted was on 10 April 2026. What GPA and DAT do I need for USC dental school? USC s DDS Class of 2030 averaged a 3.81 total GPA and a 3.76 science GPA with DAT averages of 450 academic 450 PAT and 460 science on the 200–600 scale; USC gives no old-scale equivalents. Its pages publish averages not minimums and its catalogue says the Admissions Committee weighs personal qualities aptitude and superior scholarship. What is the USC dental school application deadline? February 1. USC s catalogue requires your application to reach AADSAS “no later than February 1 of the year in which enrollment is anticipated ” which for the class entering in 2027 is February 1 2027. USC evaluates applications as they arrive and recommends early application and file completion and it can t act on an application until your DAT scores arrive. Does USC dental

school prefer California residents? No. USC s catalogue says that as a private institution it seeks a culturally and geographically diverse population so “out-of-state applicants are evaluated and selected based on the same criteria as California residents.” Its Class of 2030 came from California and 15 other U.S. states and territories. How many shadowing hours does USC require? USC s DDS admissions page and its 2026–27 catalogue name no minimum number of shadowing or dental-experience hours. USC does ask for a letter of recommendation from a dentist either a general dentist or a specialist alongside two from lecture-based science professors; a committee letter may be substituted if your school offers one. USC Dental Advanced Standing Interview Guide For internationally trained USC s Advanced Standing Program for International Dentists (ASPID) applied to through CAAPID. International Program

/schools/usc-dental-advanced-standing-interview UCLA Dental School Interview Guide Also in Los UCLA interviews four-year DDS applicants by invitation between July and January and publishes no format. Domestic Program /schools/ucla-dental-school-interview Western University Dental School Interview Guide Also in Southern WesternU s DMD interview CASPer requirement and class stats. Domestic Program /schools/western-university-dental-school-interview