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Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry
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School Ranking by Areas
Clinical
Research
Social
Specialization
Why are you applying to Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry?
Reviews
3 Review quotes:
What are the best things about attending VCU School of Dentistry?
VCU is a solid, well-rounded school with particular emphasis on quality clinical education. Most other students seem to really like it here even if there are some things they complain about. The dental school and VCU Health in general have an excellent reputation in the community, meaning the patient pool is very strong. It can be difficult to get some requirements (mostly endodontics) finished if you don’t stay on top of things, but most students complete significantly more than their graduation requirements for most procedures. The opportunity is there as long as you actually take cases instead of being lazy.
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What are the worst things about attending VCU School of Dentistry?
I can and will go into some negative aspects, but before I do that, I want to strongly emphasize again that they are the sort of thing I think would be commonly encountered at almost any other dental school in the country, i.e. the way some faculty run their courses can be frustrating. These aren’t the kinds of things that would make me think the quality of education is worse than anywhere else, but rather these are some specific examples of the kinds of things that are obnoxious about higher education and dental school in general.
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What do students need to know/what do you wish you knew before attending VCU School of Dentistry?
The major theme of dental school is just being ready to manage your time. There’s such a huge amount of material that, despite advice against cramming, you basically end up cramming for every test. The difference between VCU and undergrad is that you’ll have 1 or 2 tests almost every week and each could cover ~200 slides of material, so you have to cram for 2-3 days before if you want an A. In the larger classes (phys, anatomy, histology, path), the hardest-working students are basically on their laptops reading PowerPoints from when they get up to when they go to sleep.
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School Information
About school of dentistry
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry (VCU SOD), a state-supported, research dental school, is located in a historic district of Richmond, which has a population of around 200,000. VCU has two major campuses less than three miles from each other with an enrollment of more than 31,242 students. The medical campus, the site of a nationally ranked comprehensive academic health center, comprises the VCU Medical Center and the schools of allied health professions, dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy.
Mission
• Education of highly qualified dental professionals • Research that advances oral health, disease and effective treatment • Service to the community • Improved oral and general health
Dean
Dr. Lyndon F. Cooper, DDS, PhD
Vision
The school’s overall higher purpose includes enhancing the quality of life through improved oral health and maintaining a commitment to Virginia residents’ oral health needs.
Core values
Excellence in teaching | Promotion of learning | Advancement of scholarship | Ethical, compassionate, evidence-based care | Lifelong learning | Professional/social responsibility | Respect
Location
Virginia, United States
Contact Information
School website:
Main address:
520 North 12th Street Box 980566 Richmond, VA 23298-0566
Academic affairs:
Dr. Ellen Byrne, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Phone: 804-828-3784 Email: bebyrne@vcu.edu
Admissions:
Dr. Mary Pettiette, Associate Dean for Admissions Phone: 804-828-9196 Email: denadmit@vcu.edu
Dental deans office:
Dr. Richard Archer, Senior Associate Dean of Clinical Education Phone: 804-628-1552 Email: rdarcher@vcu.edu
Diversity:
Dr. Carlos Smith, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Phone: 804-828-2977 Email: cssmith2@vcu.edu
Financial aid/registrar
Ms. Karen D. Gilliam, Director for Financial Aid Phone: 804-828-6374 Email: kdgillia@vcu.edu
Housing:
VCU Residential Life and Housing Phone: 804-828-7666 Email: vcuhousing@vcu.edu
International students and scholars:
Phone: 804-828-9196 Email: IDP@vcu.edu http://www.dentistry.vcu.edu/idp
Recruitment:
Dr. Tiffany Williams, Director for Recruitment Phone: 804-828-9196 Email: twilliams25@vcu.edu
Student affairs:
Dr. Michael Healy, Senior Associate Dean for Student Services Phone: 804-828-9953 Email: mhealy@vcu.edu
Student services:
Dr. Michael Healy, Senior Associate Dean for Student Services Phone: 804-828-9953 Email: mhealy@vcu.edu
Preparation — Prerequisites
BCP (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
| Required | Recommended | Lab Required | Credits (Semester/Quarter) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry, General/ Inorganic | ░░ | |||
| Chemistry, Organic | ░░ | |||
| Physics | ░░ | |||
| Biology | ░░ |
Additional biological sciences
| Required | Recommended | Lab Required | Credits (Semester/Quarter) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry | ░░ | |||
| Anatomy | ░░ | |||
| Cell Biology | ░░ | |||
| Histology | ░░ | |||
| Immunology | ░░ | |||
| Microbiology | ░░ | |||
| Molecular Biology/Genetics | ░░ | |||
| Physiology | ░░ | |||
| Zoology | ░░ |
English
| Required | Recommended | Lab Required | Credits (Semester/Quarter) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | ░░ |
Other sciences
| Required | Recommended | Lab Required | Credits (Semester/Quarter) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | ░░ |
Notes:
Mathematics OR statistics, level based on your degree requirements.
Preparation — Community College Coursework and AP Credits
Limits on community college credit hours?
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Maximum number of community college credit hours?
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Accepted credit hours
| Prerequisites | |
|---|---|
| AP Credit Accepted | Community College Coursework Accepted |
░░ | ░░ |
| Electives | |
|---|---|
| AP Credit Accepted | Community College Coursework Accepted |
░░ | ░░ |
Preparation — Dental Shadowing
Dental shadowing and other admission factors
| Required | Strongly Recommended | Recommended | No. of Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Shadowing | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
Application and Selection — Timeline
Entering class
Fall
Earliest application filling date
Early June
Latest application filing date
Priority will be given to applications received by Nov. 1. Applications received between Nov. 2 and Jan. 1 will be considered as space allows.
Earliest date for acceptance offers
Dec. 1
Application and Selection — Fees and Deposits
Application fee
| Supplemental Application Fee |
|---|
░░ |
| Fee Waiver Available |
|---|
░░ |
| Fee Amount |
|---|
░░ |
First deposit required?
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Second and third deposit required?
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In-state resident amount
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Out-of-state resident amount
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International resident amount
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Deposit due date
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Applied to tuition?
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Refundable?
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Applicant & Entering Class — Application and Enrollment
First-year enrollment
░░
Number of received applications
░░
Acceptance rate
░░
Application and enrollment details
Number of received applications: ░░
Examined by review committee: undefined
Applicants offered a position: undefined
First-year enrollments: undefined
Applicant & Entering Class — Application and Enrollment by Gender
Gender ratio of applicants
I'd definitely recommend to refresh the page, data is random :)
Other: 859 (94.92%)
905
Total Applicants
Female: 30 (3.31%)
Male: 16 (1.77%)
Gender ratio of first-year enrollment
I'd definitely recommend to refresh the page, data is random :)
Other: 443 (51.75%)
856
First-Year Enrollment
Female: 411 (48.01%)
Male: 2 (0.23%)
Applicant & Entering Class — Application and Enrollment by Race
Application received by dental schools in the U.S. by race and gender
| Male | Female | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White (Not Hispanic or Latino) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Black or African American (Not Hispanic or Latino) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Hispanic or Latino (Any Race) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Asian (Not Hispanic or Latino) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| American Indian or Alaska Native (Not Hispanic or Latino) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (Not Hispanic or Latino) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Two or More Races (Not Hispanic or Latino) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Nonresident Alien | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Unknown | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Total | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
First-year U.S. dental school enrolment by race and gender
| Male | Female | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White (Not Hispanic or Latino) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Black or African American (Not Hispanic or Latino) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Hispanic or Latino (Any Race) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| American Indian or Alaska Native (Not Hispanic or Latino) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Asian (Not Hispanic or Latino) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (Not Hispanic or Latino) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Two or More Races (Not Hispanic or Latino) | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Nonresident Alien | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Unknown | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Total | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
Applicant & Entering Class — International Dental School Graduates
Admitted international dental school graduates in 2021-22?
░░
International dental school graduates information
| Class Year Admitted | Number of Graduates Admitted with Advance Standing in 2021-22 |
|---|---|
░░ | ░░ |
Applicant & Entering Class — State of Residence
State of residence ratio
░░
in-state residents
░░
out-of-state residents
State of residence of first-year U.S. dental students, 2021-22
░░ |
Applicant & Entering Class — DAT Score
DAT score distribution
| Mean | 5th and 95th Percentiles | |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Average | ░░ | ░░ |
| Perceptual Ability | ░░ | ░░ |
| Total Science | ░░ | ░░ |
Applicant & Entering Class — GPA
GPA distribution (Graduate and Undergraduate Combined)
| Mean | 5th and 95th Percentiles | |
|---|---|---|
| Science | ░░ | ░░ |
| Total | ░░ | ░░ |
Clinical Experience
Patients visited per student
░░
Patients screened per student
░░
Patient care details
| On-campus Clinics | Extramural Facilities | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients Visited | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Patients Screened | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
Tuition and Fees
Total cost for 4 years
░░
for all residents
Tuition and fees breakdown
| 1st Year | 2nd Year | 3rd Year | 4th Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Mandatory General Fees | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Instructional Materials | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Health Services | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| Instruments | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ | ░░ |
| 1st Year | |
|---|---|
| Tuition | ░░░░ |
| Mandatory General Fees | ░░░░ |
| Instructional Materials | ░░░░ |
| Health Services | ░░░░ |
| Instruments | ░░░░ |
| 2nd Year | |
|---|---|
| Tuition | ░░░░ |
| Mandatory General Fees | ░░░░ |
| Instructional Materials | ░░░░ |
| Health Services | ░░░░ |
| Instruments | ░░░░ |
| 3rd Year | |
|---|---|
| Tuition | ░░░░ |
| Mandatory General Fees | ░░░░ |
| Instructional Materials | ░░░░ |
| Health Services | ░░░░ |
| Instruments | ░░░░ |
| 4th Year | |
|---|---|
| Tuition | ░░░░ |
| Mandatory General Fees | ░░░░ |
| Instructional Materials | ░░░░ |
| Health Services | ░░░░ |
| Instruments | ░░░░ |
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