Application Procedures

The VCU School of Dentistry participates in AADSAS* and abides by all the rules and regulations that they recommend. All candidates, including re-applicants and D.5 students, are required to submit credentials through this service. The earliest date for applications being accepted by AADSAS is June 1st. Applications for VCU must reach the AADSAS offices by November 1st to be considered for the following year. However, it is HIGHLY recommended that applications be submitted to AADSAS as early as possible as the process is time intensive. AADSAS processing takes 4-8 weeks after your application, transcripts and payment is received. Our school also recommends that candidates apply to AADSAS electronically through the web site www.adea.org.

At the same time that the application is sent to AADSAS, the candidate must send VCU a non-refundable application fee of $70.00 and a personal 2x2 passport type photograph to the Office of Admissions. You MUST include your full legal name, address, AADSAS ID number, telephone number and email address with your check and photograph. Send all of the information to the following address:

Office of Admissions
School of Dentistry
Virginia Commonwealth University
P.O. Box 980566
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0566

Make checks/money orders payable to: VCU School of Dentistry.

Please note that if you are re-applying through AADSAS for 2010 you need to submit an entirely new application, including DAT scores and letters of recommendation. No data from the 2009 application cycle is carried over to the 2010 applicaton cycle.

A minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation are needed to complete the application. At least two of these are to be from science professors and the third must come from a dental practitioner who knows the candidates professional abilities through direct observation via shadowing or volunteer work. AADSAS accepts and processes a maximum of four individual letters of evaluation or one Pre-dental Committee Report/Letter, plus the option of one additional letter of evaluation. AADSAS has created this option for applicants whose Pre-dental Committee Report does not include a letter that may be required by a particular dental school, e.g., from a practicing dentist.

Letters of recommendation and official transcripts should also be sent at this time directly to the AADSAS office at the following address:

AADSAS
1400 K Street NW
Suite 1100
Washington, D.C. 20005
(617) 612-2045

Once the candidate's application is received in our office from AADSAS, it then is reviewed and a decision is made on whether or not an interview will be granted. We highly discourage applicants calling our office to find out the status of their application. All calls requesting such information will be directed to the AADSAS portal to identify information necessary to complete your application. Check the "Status" button on the application tool bar or email inquiries to aadsasinfo@aadsasweb.org. Only candidates who are invited to interview will be sent a supplemental application with his or her invitation letter to be completed and returned to our office as soon as possible.

* The American Association of Dental Schools is now known as the American Dental Education Association. However, their application service continues under the name American Association of Dental Schools Application Service.