U.S. Dental School Applicants and Enrollees, 2016 Entering Class

Abstract

The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) collects information on dental school applicants and first‐time, first‐year enrollees as part of the administration of dental school applications. This report analyzes the data on the characteristics and academic qualifications of the 12,058 applicants who applied during the 2015–16 application cycle and of the 6,100 first‐time, first‐year enrollees who began dental school during fall 2016. Among the key findings are that the number of applications increased for the second year in a row, while enrollment continued its steady 12‐year rise. The number of women applicants exceeded the number of men by a larger margin than the previous year, reversing the long‐term trend of having more men apply to dental school. However, men continued to have slightly higher levels of enrollment. When race/ethnicity is viewed alone or in combination, the number of applicants and first‐time enrollees from most race/ethnic groups increased. The exceptions were Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander applicants and enrollees and American Indian or Alaska Native enrollees, which fell slightly. The Northwest had the highest share of its population applying for and enrolling in dental school. Applicants overwhelmingly had a biological or biomedical science background. The data and analysis presented in this report offer a unique picture of dental school applicants and enrollees. It provides school administrators with a national view of the qualifications of applicants, and it provides prospective students with a better understanding of the qualifications they likely need to enroll. The analysis also gives policymakers a preliminary view of future trends in the dental workforce.