dental school secondary essays

Dental School Secondary Questions

AL - University of Alabama School of Dentistry (UAB)

Supplemental questions location: emailed to everybody IS, only selected OOS applicants.  

Required for all applicants:

• What ties do you have to Alabama, if any? (no word/character limit)
• Why do you want to attend the UAB School of Dentistry? (no word/character limit)
• How would you describe your healthcare exposure? This may include shadowing, employment/volunteerism in healthcare setting, medical/dental mission, research, etc. Include your role/duties. (no word/character limit)
• To what activities or hobbies do you like to devote your time and efforts? (no word/character limit)
• What else do you want the admissions committee to know about you? (no word/character limit)

AZ - A.T. Still University, Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (ASDOH, ATSU-AZ)

Supplemental questions location: mailed to all applicants that meet requirements.

• Why are you applying to ASDOH? What makes our school different from other dental schools? (500 words)
• What changes do you think we will see in the profession in the future? (500 words)

Optional for all applicants:

• Please list any changes or updates to your AADSAS application. If your AADSAS application is complete and accurate, please move on to the next question. (no word/character limit)

AZ - Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine (CDMA, MWU-AZ)

Supplemental questions location: emailed to all applicants that meet requirements.

Required when applicable:

• If you were a non-science major, how has your major course of study prepared you for a career in the health professions?
• If you have any C- or lower grades and/or any course withdrawals on your transcript, please explain the circumstances of these grades and/or withdrawals.
• Is there any additional information that you would like Midwestern University to have that is not included in the AADSAS application?

CA - California Northstate University College of Dental Medicine (CNU)

Supplemental questions location: AADSAS.

• What is important in selecting a dental school? What factors do you take into consideration when deciding which dental school to attend? (3000 characters)
• Why do you want to join the California Northstate University College of Dental Medicine Family? Please state briefly how you will contribute to CNU College of Dental Medicine. (3000 characters)

Optional for all applicants:  

• Please use the following space to tell us anything additional that you believe is relevant to your application. (5000 characters)

CA - University of Southern California, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry (USC)

• Have you previously applied to the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC? If so, did you participate in an interview? (2000 characters)
• Have you taken any classes at a community college? If so, list each institution’s name and the number of units you have completed. (2000 characters)
• Please list your professional achievements and include when and how long. (2000 characters)

CA - Loma Linda University School of Dentistry (LLU)

Supplemental questions location: emailed to all applicants.

• Tell us what characteristics of Linda Linda University are particularly attractive and meaningful to you and why you have chosen to apply for advanced education. (4000 characters)
• Discuss how your spiritual origins, development, and experience have influenced and been integrated into your daily life. (4000 characters)
• Tell us the desirable qualities that you see in yourself that you believe would aid us in considering your application. (4000 characters)
• LLU believes deeply in integrated values into the educational experience. As a result, religion courses and chapel attendance are part of the curriculum. Tell us why you believe that a faith based education would be a special benefit to you. (4000 characters)
• As a Seventh-day Adventist institution, LLU has lifestyle expectations which include abstinence from alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug/substances in all forms while enrolled. If you are accepted to Loma Linda university, are you willing to abide by the lifestyle policies of the university while enrolled? (4000 characters)

CA - University of California Los Angeles School of Dentistry (UCLA)

• How do you deal with failure? (350 characters)
• How would you assess your ability to ask for help and give one example of when you had to do so? (350 characters)
• Please LIST 3 ways you deal with stress. (100 characters)
• Are you making, or have you already made, a career change prior to applying to dental school? Please explain. (350 characters)

Required for applicants not currently in school:

• If you are not currently enrolled in school, what have you been doing since graduation? (600 characters)

Required for applicants interested in the DDS-PhD program:

• Please explain your future plans for your DDS-PhD career. (600 characters)

CA - University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry (UCSF)

• What is important to you in selecting a dental school? How will you make your decision about which school to attend? (1500 characters)
• Why do you want to join the UCSF community? Please state briefly how you will contribute to the UCSF School of Dentistry. (1500 characters)
• Please use this space to tell us anything additional that you believe is relevant to your application. (5000 characters)
• If you intend to apply to the DDS/PhD program, you must submit an additional essay below which outlines your reasons for your interest in the DDS/PhD program. Your application will not be considered for the joint program if you do not supply this additional essay. If you selected "no", please enter "N/A" (1600 characters)

CA - University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry (UoP)

There are no supplemental questions that require an essay response.

CA - Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine

Supplemental questions location: admissions website.

• Please explain why you chose to apply to WesternU’s College of Dental Medicine (500 words)
• If you have any additional information you would like the Admissions and Selection Committee to consider or aspects of your application which you think may seem confusing or incomplete as they are stated elsewhere, you can upload a Word or PDF document (limit to one page).

You may also use this as an opportunity to explain factors such as: factors that may have had a negative effect on some aspect of your academic performance, experience in dentistry, including virtual experiences, extracurricular/volunteerism/community service, and why you are applying to the Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine specifically.

CO - University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine (CU)

Required for applicants with outstanding prerequisites:

• The University of Colorado requires that all prerequisite course work be completed at the conclusion of the spring term of the year accepted with a letter grade of C or better. If you have not completed all of the prerequisite courses (including upper division course work), please provide us with your timeline for completion of all prerequisite courses. (Not answering this question could delay processing your application) (1000 characters)

CT - University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine (UConn)

• Do you meet the 50 hour general dentist shadowing requirement? If yes, please list your shadowing experiences. If no, please explain how you will meet this requirement. (500 characters)

DC - Howard University College of Dentistry

• Explain what motivated your decision to apply to HUCD. (5000 characters)
• How does our program fit with your career plans? (5000 characters)
• Describe any experiences and/or skills that have made you more appreciative or sensitive to other cultures or the human condition. (5000 characters)
• Provide a specific example of how you promoted diversity in your community or school. (5000 characters)
• If you could appear before the Admissions Committee what information would you want them to know that is not already included in your application? (5000 characters)
• Tell us about your childhood/adolescence. Briefly describe your family, community, and disadvantage(s), and any other information that is important about your background before college. (5000 characters)
• How did you prepare for you DAT? If you took the DAT more than once, describe your preparation for each. (5000 characters)
• Please describe and explain any academic problems that occurred in college and / or graduate/professional school. This may include withdrawals from courses or school, incomplete grades, and grades of D or F (or their equivalent). (5000 characters)

FL - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Dental Medicine (LECOM)

Supplemental questions location: emailed to everybody that qualifies.

FL - Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine (NSU)

Fl - university of florida college of dentistry (uf).

Supplemental questions location: emailed to selected applicants.

There are no supplemental questions that require an essay response

GA - Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University (DCG)

• Are there any factors that may have affected your academic record? (1500 characters)
• Please explain any other responsibilities you may have outside of being a student. (1500 characters)
• Do you feel that the area where you grew up has health disparities such as medically underserved, dentally underserved, or reduced and free lunches provided for high school students? If yes please explain. (1500 characters)
• Why are you interested in receiving your dental education from The Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University? (1500 characters)
• Please describe your plans for practicing dentistry after graduating from dental school. (1500 characters)

IL - University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry (UIC)

Il - midwestern university college of dental medicine (cdmi, mwu-il).

• If you were previously accepted into a health profession but did not enroll, or enrolled in a health profession program but withdrew, please explain.

IL - Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU)

Supplemental questions location: AADSAS and admissions website.

• What is your particular reason for wanting to attend SIU School of Dental Medicine? (1500 characters)

IN - Indiana University School of Dentistry (IU)

Applicant’s choice, choose one out of the three:

• Discuss an accomplishment, event, realization or change of career plans that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. How has that illustrated resilience, determination, perseverance as part of your authentic character? (250 words)
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (250 words)
• Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, or an ethical dilemma—anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain the significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution (250 words)

IA - University of Iowa College of Dentistry (UI)

• Why do you feel that you are well prepared for a career in the dental profession? (2000 characters)
• Tell us about a time your integrity was challenged. (2000 characters)
• Besides dentistry, what are you passionate about? (2000 characters)
• Share obstacles that you may have overcome to achieve your goals. (2000 characters)
• In which type of community or setting would you like to practice? (2000 characters)
• How do you plan to use your dental education after you graduate? (2000 characters
• Why the University of Iowa College of Dentistry? (2000 characters)

Required for applicants who answer they are part of a community that is underserved:

• Please elaborate. (2000 characters)

KY - University of Kentucky College of Dentistry (UK)

• Describe an instance where you failed to achieve a goal (personal, professional, or academic) that you set for yourself. (2000 characters)
• Explain how you handled this situation.
• What did you take away from this situation?
• What failure might you anticipate as a dental student?
• Describe an instance where you received feedback from a mentor, supervisor or instructor that was critical of your performance. (2000 characters)
• Explain how you handled this feedback.
• Describe a time when you believe you were treated unfairly. (2000 characters)
• How did you handle this situation?
• Please identify one of your long-term service activities. (2000 characters)
• How did this service activity directly impact another individual?
• Explain how this service activity impacted you.
• Is there anything additional you would like to share that is not found in your application? (2000 characters)
• To assist us in reviewing your coursework, please explain your performance in any course in which you received a C+ or lower or chose to withdraw. (2000 characters)
• To assist us in reviewing your DAT scores, please explain any scores of 17 or below. (2000 characters)

KY - University of Louisville School of Dentistry (U of L)

Supplemental application location: AADSAS

• Briefly describe your personal or professional reasons for choosing the University of Louisville's DMD program. (1000 characters)
• What contributions do you see yourself making to the field of dentistry? (250 characters)
• Is there anything else you want ULSD to know that is not included in this application? (2000 characters)
• If you have not taken classes in the past year, please explain what you have been doing. (500 characters)
• Please briefly explain why you earned any D's, F's and/or W's on your transcript. (1000 characters)

LA - Louisiana State University Health Science Center School of Dentistry (LSU)

Supplemental questions location: emailed to qualified applicants.

Required for OOS applicants:

• If you were fortunate to be accepted to more than one dental school, how would you decide where to attend? Note: we are not looking for you to say, “LSU is my number one choice”. What we really want you to discuss is the process you would use and, more importantly, the criteria you would use to make your decision. (no word/character limit)

ME - University of New England College of Dental Medicine (UNE)

• Why do you want to attend a dental school with a mission grounded in public health? (3000 characters)
• Please describe a healthcare or social issue that you are passionate about, and explain why. What role can you play in addressing this issue? (3000 characters)          
• How has your background and experience prepared you to contribute to an environment that holds diversity as a core value? How do you see yourself demonstrating a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as a dental student and future dentist? (3000 characters)

Required for applicants that have not met shadowing hour requirements, optional otherwise:

• How have you engaged with the dental profession during the pandemic? (3000 characters)

MD - University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMB, UMD)

Ma - boston university, henry m. goldman school of dental medicine (bu, gsdm).

Supplemental questions location: AADSAS

• Consider your interests, experiences, characteristics and skills. What makes GSDM a good fit for your dental education? As a dental student, how will you contribute to the school community? (800 characters)
• Comment on any aspect of your application, if desired. (500 characters)
• If COVID-19 affected your dental school application preparations, please explain. For example, indicate affected courses, changes to instruction or grading policy, and outcomes. (500 characters)

MA - Harvard University School of Dental Medicine

Supplemental questions location: emailed to applicants invited to interview

MA - Tufts University School of Dental Medicine

Supplemental questions location: emailed to applicants invited to interview.

Required for applicants invited to interview, must be handwritten:

• Fear can sometimes have an immobilizing effect.  Explain a situation in which you were fearful, and what if anything, you did to overcome fear.
• Imagine being colorblind, what does that mean to you?

MI - University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry (UDM)

Mi - university of michigan school of dentistry (umich).

Required for applicants claiming disadvantaged status:

• Provide any information about your background that can help clarify your disadvantaged student status. (1000 characters)

MN - University of Minnesota School of Dentistry (UMN)

• Please provide context for any Incomplete "I", Withdraw "W", "C-", "D" and/or "F" grades. (3000 characters)

Required for reapplicants:

• If you have previously applied to ANY dental school (not just UMN) and were not accepted, please explain why you feel you are better prepared or better qualified as a candidate this year than when you last applied. Please specify changes/improvements made to your application. (3000 characters)

MS - University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry (UMMC)

Mo - a.t. still university, missouri school of dentistry and oral health (atsu-mo, mosdoh).

• Why did you participate in the volunteer activities you listed in the Clinical, Volunteer and Community Service section of your AADSAS application? What did you gain from participating in these activities? (500 words)
• Why do you want to attend the Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health? (500 words)
• Please list any changes or updates to your AADSAS application. This section may be left blank if your AADSAS application is complete and accurate. (no word/character limit)

MO - University of Missouri Kansas City School of Dentistry (UMKC)

• Why are you interested in attending the UMKC School of Dentistry? (500 characters)

NE - Creighton University School of Dentistry

• What is your reason for choosing Creighton? (no word/character limit)
• Please state if there is anything of particular importance that the Admissions Committee should know about you. (no word/character limit)

Required for applicants with breaks in education:

• If there was a break in your education (other than the normal school vacations) please explain fully your occupation or activities during that time. (no word/character limit)

NE - University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry (UNMC)

• Please describe the most challenging situation or obstacle you have had to overcome. (500 characters)
• What was the life lesson you learned from this experience? (300 characters)

NV - University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine (UNLV)

Nj - rutgers school of dental medicine.

Supplemental questions location: none.

NY - Columbia University College of Dental Medicine

Ny - new york university college of dentistry (nyu).

• Why do you want to pursue your dental education at New York University College of Dentistry? (5000 characters)

Required for reapplicants who did not previously apply to NYU:

• Please explain why you are submitting an application to NYU Dentistry this cycle when you did not previously apply here? (500 characters)

NY - Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine

• Have there been changes in your preparation from the application to dental school? (500 characters)
• Is there anything you want us to know that we have not asked you? (500 characters)

NY - Touro College of Dental Medicine at New York Medical College

Ny - university at buffalo school of dental medicine (ub).

Supplemental questions location: none

NC - East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine (ECU)

• What specifically led you to apply to East Carolina University's School of Dental Medicine? (1000 characters)
• Describe a time that you collaborated with others in working toward a common goal. What did you learn from that experience? (1000 characters)
• Describe a crisis in your life and what you learned from it. (1000 characters)
• In times of academic or personal challenges, who is among your support network? In what specific ways has that person(s) been supportive? (1000 characters)            
• Describe a situation where your attempts at leadership were not successful? Why do you think that was? (1000 characters)

NC - University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Adams School of Dentistry (UNC)

Supplemental questions location: AADSAS and emailed to all applicants.

• Please describe your interest in choosing University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry for your dental education. (1500 characters)            
• We all have unique values, aspiration, and a sense of purpose that define who we are and how we live. What is your personal mission? Describe how your personal mission and professional goals align. (250 words)
• Comment on your ability to work with a team, both as a leader and as a productive team member. (250 words)
• The dental patient population is becoming more diverse with time. Share your experiences working with diverse groups of people. (250 words)
• Communication is key in modern healthcare. Share your skill set, experiences, and strengths/weaknesses in communication. This may include experiences in expository writing, public speaking, drama/acting, debate, etc. (250 words)
• Comment on your college course performance. (250 words)
• Comment on your DAT performance. (250 words)
• What have you done to explore dentistry as a career? (no character/word limit)

Applicant’s choice, choose one out of the two:

• Accessing dental care, for a variety of reasons, is a challenge for many Americans. In your opinion, what role should dentists play in addressing this issue? (250 words)
• Describe an ethical dilemma you have faced. How was it resolved and how might this experience influence your future career or your time as a dental student? (250 words)
• Describe a meaningful experience you have had either in a clinical encounter or with a dental role model. What did you learn and how will this influence the type of clinician you will become? (250 words)
• Describe a time when you have faced conflict. How did you work to resolve it? (250 words)
• Describe a time when you experienced failure. How did this change you? (250 words)
• Describe a time when you worked on a team to solve a problem or develop a project. What did you learn about the challenges faced by teams? (250 words)

OH - Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine (CWRU)

Required for applicants interested in the DMD/MPH program:

• Please write a statement about why you are interested in the MPH/DMD program and how this program fits into your long-term professional goals. (500 characters)

OH - The Ohio State University College of Dentistry (OSU)

• How has your undergraduate experience influenced your outlook on life? (500 characters)
• Describe a community to which you belong and share a way in which you have made a difference in that community. (500 characters)
• Describe a challenging circumstance in your life and how you coped with the challenge. (500 characters)

OK - University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry (OU)

Or - oregon health sciences university school of dentistry (ohsu), pa - university of pennsylvania school of dental medicine (upenn).

• What ethical dilemma(s) have you encountered during your education? Please describe. (1000 words)
• How will you judge if you are a successful dentist?  Please describe. (1000 words)
• What qualities of Penn Dental Medicine do you feel will help you achieve your professional goals and how? Please describe. (1000 words)
• Please list any additional predental experience not included in your AADSAS application. This experience can include but not limited to observation in a private practice, dental clinic, or hospital setting; dental assisting; dental laboratory work; dental research, etc. Please include time allotted to each activity, dates of attendance, location, and description of your experience. If you do not have any predental experience, please indicate what you plan to do in order to explore dentistry as a career prior to matriculation. Do not include, expand, or repeat information submitted on your AADSAS application in the Dentistry/Shadowing experience section. You may leave this question unanswered if applicable. (1000 words)
• Please use this space to add additional information regarding your application if needed.  You may use this space to provide information regarding courses (including AP or IB courses) used to meet your prerequisites, clarify areas of your application, provide additional information if you are reapplying this year, and other information relevant to your application. (500 words)

PA - University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine (Pitt)

Required for applicants interested in DMD/PhD:

• In order to apply for the program, please include an essay that addresses the following questions. This statement is a vital part of the application, and carries the most weight in our admissions decision for the simultaneous degree program. Please describe your intellectual and professional interest in graduate study in Oral Biology. What are your primary interests within your chosen field of study (i.e., Craniofacial Genetics or Tissue Regeneration) and list any relevant background experience that might make you a good candidate? Which faculty mentor and lab would you like to work with? Where do you see yourself after graduate school (what type of career are you training for)? (5000 characters)

PA - Temple University, Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry

Pr - university of puerto rico school of dental medicine (upr), sc - medical university of south carolina, james b. edwards college of dental medicine (musc).

• For the Essay section, write a brief essay that includes discussion of the following: Previous research experience(s); Current research interests; Why you want to pursue the combined DMD/PhD degree; Why you are applying to MUSC; Your long range goals. (no word/character limit)
• For the Resume/Personal History below, provide the following information in resume or curriculum vitae format: Past employment; Undergraduate or summer research experience(s); Publications; Academic honors, awards; Extracurricular / community / professional activities; Membership in professional organizations. (upload file no larger than 10 MB)

TN - Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry

• Please indicate why you wish to attend Meharry Medical College, School of Dentistry? (no word/character limit)

TN - University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry (UT, UTHSC)

Tx - texas a&m university college of dentistry, tx - texas tech university health sciences center el paso, woody l. hunt school of dentistry, tx - university of texas health science center at houston school of dentistry (ut-h, uthsc-h), tx - university of texas health science center at san antonio school of dentistry (ut-sa, uthsc-sa), ut - roseman university of health sciences college of dental medicine, ut - university of utah school of dentistry (u of u).

Supplemental questions location: AADSAS and emailed to qualified applicants.

• Please tell us why you are interested in the University of Utah School of Dentistry? (9999 characters)
• Please tell us any additional information about yourself not already in your application. (9999 characters)
• Please list three obstacles that you have encountered in your preparation for dental school and how you have or are managing each. (9999 characters)
• Please describe how your prior employment has helped prepare you for dental school. (9999 characters)

VA - Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry (VCU)

• Is there any information not included elsewhere in your application that you would like us to know? (no word/character limit)

WA - University of Washington School of Dentistry (UW)

• Embracing equity, diversity and inclusion is a value the UWSOD seeks to uphold in its teaching, service and research. We don’t take these values for granted, they are things that everyone in our dental school community must actively practice. If you are selected to be a member of the incoming predoctoral class, how would you contribute to developing and maintaining a sense of belonging for all of your classmates? What challenges do you think you might encounter? What benefits would you expect? (1500 characters)
• Service to others is highly valued at UWSOD. Please describe a memorable experience within the last two years in which your service to someone or to a community in need was enriching to the recipient(s) of your action. What was your motivation to pursue this particular area or theme of service and what was the most meaningful part of the service for you personally? (1500 characters)
• Please describe a challenge or barrier you have faced in your life. How has that influenced who you are today? (1500 characters)
• Is there an area of your application that you think is not an adequate representation of your abilities? If so, please explain. (1500 characters)

WV - West Virginia University School of Dentistry (WVU)

Wi - marquette university school of dentistry.

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Undergrad : UCLA

‍ Dental School : Harvard School of Dental Medicine

As a pre-dental mentor and Ambassador at UCLA, Alex uses her experience to help others achieve their goals of getting into dental school.

Alex is half Japanese and attended Japanese Language School for 10 years when she was younger!

Alex's passion extends beyond dentistry into community engagement, particularly working with underserved populations. She has dedicated her post-doctoral career to becoming a National Health Service Corps Scholar, demonstrating her commitment to providing quality healthcare to those in need. During a productive gap year, Alex honed her practical skills as a dental and surgical assistant in both private and community clinics, gaining hands-on experience that has further enriched her understanding of the dental field.

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Undergrad : The University of Texas at Austin

Dental School : UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry

UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry

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Sana has an Honors Bachelor of Science in Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin and is pursuing her DMD at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry.

During her undergrad, she was president of two long-standing pre-health organizations and spent most of her time volunteering and conducting research. She accumulated over 350 hours at Dell Children’s Hospital and over 200 shadowing hours under multiple dental specialties. She also conducted research at a cognitive science lab and interned at Mayo Clinic. 

Sana has years of experience as an educator and has always been passionate and driven to help others–having taught elementary school children abroad and served as a teaching assistant for Austin ISD students through the UTeach program. 

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Undergrad: UCLA

Medical School: Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Student at Harvard School of Dental Medicine

I'm half Japanese and went to 10 years of Japanese Language School!

Alex is currently a student at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM). She graduated from UCLA for her undergraduate education in Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology and took a gap year in which she worked as a dental and surgical assistant in community clinics. She has a strong passion for community engagement and working in underserved populations, which she will take into her post-doc career as a National Health Service Corps Scholar. She was also a pre-dental mentor and Kaplan Student Ambassador at UCLA, and wants to use those experiences to help others achieve their goals of getting into dental school.

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It’s never too early to begin working on your dental school secondaries and interview skills. You may receive multiple dental school secondaries around the same time, depending on the schools you applied to.

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Our matching process ensures we pair you with a dental school consultant we believe best fits your goals, needs, and preferences. We use what we learn about you in your first call (and in your intake form) to pair you with a dental school admissions expert ready to help you polish your secondary essays and provide stellar interview instruction.

What is Inspira Advantage’s delivery model?

All our services are provided online, meaning you benefit from the ability to schedule meetings and communicate with your consultant anytime, anywhere. Our dental school admissions experts make themselves available to fit the constraints of your busy schedule. Unlimited advising hours and email communication mean help is accessible when and where you need it. Have more questions about our delivery model? Book a free consultation with us to learn more!

How does working with Inspira Advantage give me a competitive edge in the dental school application process?

Dental school applicants who choose Inspira Advantage receive insider knowledge of admissions processes and expert feedback from some of the country’s top admissions counselors. 

We evaluate your application forms and persona assessment document to gain insight into how we can help you create compelling and impactful secondary application essays. These documents help us understand your candidacy, bring cohesion to your application, and inform our approach to your mock interviewing experience. 

With 96+% of applicants going from interview to acceptance, you can rest assured knowing Inspira Advantage is here to maximize your chances of dental school acceptance.

I want to work on my applications a few weeks from now; can I sign up now?

You can sign up to work with us before you decide to begin working on your dental school secondary essays.

Does Inspira Advantage offer unlimited essay revisions?

We really do mean unlimited revisions. Our dental school admissions experts are dedicated to boosting your chances of acceptance; as such, we want to ensure you’re happy and your work is polished and edited to perfection before submission. 

How does this program help me get ready for dental school interviews?

When we help you work on your secondaries, we start with evaluating your application documents, activities, experiences, and stories. What we learn about you is used to customize your interview coaching experience; the rigor of our interview prep aligns with what you’ll experience in the real thing.  

Whether you need assistance getting ready for traditional and MMI interviews or another type, we’re here to familiarize you with these formats. Your dental school interview coach will give you actionable feedback you can use to boost your skills, confidence, and performance.

Does Inspira Advantage help with MMI interview prep?

Yes, we help dental school candidates get ready for MMI interviews. 

I have more questions. Who do I connect with?

Our team is happy to speak with you and answer your questions. Book a free consultation with us today to set up your appointment!

Wondering how else we can help?

Complete end-to-end application support.

Support for every aspect of your application, right from school-selection and AADSAS, primary, secondary applications to interview prep, and more.

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Not sure what you need? Speak with an enrollment team member

Which program are you applying to?

Dental school application packages.

• Application Packages
• Dental School Applicants

You’ve come to the right place for dental school admissions help. Accepted’s long track record – 25 years in business – of helping applicants gain admission to U.S. dental and medical schools, along with the unparalleled expertise of our staff, distinguishes us from other consultancies.

The Accepted consultant you will work with has extensive dental school admissions experience in one or more of the following ways:

• Served on a medical or dental school admissions committee and evaluated applications
• Directed postbac programs where they both evaluated applications to those programs and advised students applying to dental school
• Advised undergraduate applicants to dental school as part of an undergraduate pre-healthcare profession advising office in a U.S. college or university
• Guided dental school applicants to acceptance as an admissions consultant.

While members of the Accepted team have MDs and PhDs, merely having been accepted and even having completed an MD or PhD doesn’t qualify one to be an Accepted consultant. Among other qualifications, Accepted healthcare admissions consultants must have served in an admissions capacity.

Now you can have that dental school admissions experience and expertise on your side as you prepare your critical dental school applications. Below are our most popular dental school application flat-rate packages .

If your program doesn't use the AADSAS, please ask us for guidance on choosing the best package for you. If you're interested in our TMDSAS application packages, please click here.

Starting at $97 /mo with Affirm .

More Information About Our Dental School Application Packages

Primary application package for the aadsas.

When you purchase our primary dental school application package, you'll receive comprehensive application guidance from conceptualization to final review for your AADSAS application. Your experienced consultant will guide you through your application, ensuring that you make the best use of your time to create a compelling portrait of yourself as a future leader in the dental field.

Primary + Secondary Package

With the Primary + Secondary Package, your experienced dental school admissions consultant will guide you through your AADSAS primary application as well as through secondary essays for up to eight applications. Plus, you’ll also receive one mock interview and decision counseling in the event of multiple acceptances. The benefits of this package: You demonstrate that you will be a wonderful dentist AND belong at the individual programs you are applying to.

Additional Secondary Package Add-On

The Additional Secondary Package is available for anyone who purchased a Primary + Secondary Package. It provides advising and editing for an additional eight secondary applications, one additional mock interview, and decision counseling in the event of multiple acceptances.

If you are a dentist/scientist hopeful, this add-on is for you. When you purchase the PhD Add-on in addition to any of the Dental Application Packages above, you will receive brainstorming, outlining, and editing of one Ph.D. statement of purpose and editing of one research description essay. Note: This add-on requires that you purchase a Primary Application Package.

Even if it’s not required for your dental school application, creating or refining your CV is important at this stage in your career. Get off to a strong start with the help of an experienced advisor, and save money by purchasing your CV at the same time as a Primary Application Package. Note: This package requires that you purchase a Primary Application Package.

Notes About The Package

• If your program doesn't use AADSAS, please ask us for guidance on choosing the best package for you.

We are happy to provide interview prep beyond what is included in your application package, but you will incur additional charges for the interview prep that is outside the scope of your package.

Advising on financial aid or the essays associated with financial aid applications is not included and will incur additional charges.

Please purchase the packages in the application cycle in which you will apply.

If you request to change consultants or work with a second consultant, you will incur additional charges.

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• Personal statement

Your personal statement is a one-page essay (not to exceed 4,500 characters, including spaces, carriages, numbers, letters, etc.) that gives dental schools a clear picture of who you are and, most importantly, why you want to pursue a career in dentistry.

Although there is no set of rules mandating what a strong personal statement should include, here are a few tips to help you successfully craft a winning personal statement:

• Explain a defining moment that helped steer you toward a career in dentistry. Consider using that moment as the focal point of your essay.
• Be colorful, positive, imaginative and personal when discussing why you’re a good candidate for dental school. Ask yourself—in a pile of 100 applications, would I enjoy reading my statement? Be sure to convey your passion for dentistry in your statement.
• Be yourself.  Don’t use jargon, clichés or big phrases that you would not use in daily conversation. Remember, dental schools want to know about the real you.
• Be original and thoughtful: Discuss how you would contribute to the profession and patient care, all of which will help you stand out from other applicants.
• Tell your story—make sure the essay is your story, not someone else’s. 
• Recruit a friend. Ask a friend, relative or faculty advisor to read your essay and provide constructive criticism. Ask them to think about whether the essay is a good representation of your character, and what they know of your ideals and aspirations.
• Give yourself time to organize your thoughts, write well and edit as necessary. And don’t forget to proofread, proofread, proofread!

Here are a few things to avoid when writing your personal statement:

• Writing what you think the admissions committee wants to hear.
• Using a gimmicky style or format.
• Summarizing your resume or repeating information directly from your transcripts or recommendation letters.
• Emphasizing the negative.
• Waiting until the last minute to get started on your statement.

You might be interested in...

This video provides suggestions on developing your applications strategically to highlight your strengths and maturing competencies for a future in dentistry.

Some tips for applying to dental school—apply early, ask early, research, proofread your work, be organized and talk to your health professions advisor!

Have some burning questions about dentistry and/or dental hygiene? Check out our FAQ section to see if we have the answers you're looking for!

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Secondary Statement Review

Write a secondary essay that wows the dental school adcoms, gets you an interview,  and g uarantees admission.

Hi there, I’m Muhammed Ziauddin, founder of DentalSchoolCoach.com. I am a UPenn graduate and I got into UPenn, UCSF, Pittsburg, UMDNJ, and NYU Dental Schools.

Now, I help pre-dental students get into their dream dental schools!

Over the last eight years, I helped 1500+ students to get into dental schools including Harvard, Penn, Stony Brook, ASDOH, Baylor, Midwestern – just to name a few!

Take a look at what my students are saying about me.

If you are confused, discouraged, or lost somewhere in the process of applying to dental school, then Muhammed will your savior.  You will have no doubt on his creditability due to his rich experience and intelligence. He is phenomenal when it comes to editing your personal statement. I have never seen anyone who is highly responsible as him and spends a tremendous effort for a meticulous revision. He responds to your email promptly, follows your timeline, and tears down your weaknesses by making a thorough youtube video.  I am so grateful for his time, understanding, and compassion. He is the person who not only has a big heart, but also has the sincerity to wish every student to succeed. Love you from the bottom of my heart-  Amy Liao

  Muhammed was a super cool guy when it comes to editing your Personal Statement. I believe it takes more than just effort and enthusiasm to make such nice and great suggestions. I like how cool it is   when he actually takes his time and makes a short video clip on how to specifically fix your essay.   With your own idea and with Muhammed’s great helps, a personal statement is not that big of a deal anymore. Thank you!   –  Khoa L

95% of all dental schools’ websites are B.S. and fluff. Only 5% of each school’s web content is relevant.

I will show you how to find the 5% information that matters and how to ignore the 95% that does not matter..

Supplementary statements are sold for $247 per school. If you need more schools, simply add how many schools you need help with. 

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Dental School Secondary Essay Editing

Are you prepared for your  Dental School Secondary Essays ? Dental schools use secondary applications to ask prospective students specific questions. In many cases, it is also the tool that determines if the school will offer an interview. The secondary essay is an opportunity to further highlight your individual talents and character and demonstrate how you would be a good fit for the school. It is for this reason that it is important to have good secondary essays. Code Blue Essays will help you construct effective responses that will strengthen your application and improve your chances at an interview.

• Why are Secondary Essays Important?
• Purpose of secondary essays
• Bottom Line

Dental schools use secondary essays to learn more about the personal characteristics of applicants. The information collected from the secondary application is combined with the rest of the application, in order to present a complete and holistic view of the applicant. . The goal is to present the applicant as a highly capable future dentist. Secondary essays are important because they often determine whether or not an applicant is invited for an interview.

Dental schools send out secondary applications to prospective students in the second step of the application process. They serve the purpose of helping dental schools determine which candidates are best suited for their dental program. 

Dental school secondary essays are extremely important. It is imperative that they are completed well in order to be admitted to dental school. Code Blue Essays has the knowledge and experience to help you submit the best dental school secondary essays possible

Dental School Secondary Essay Editing Service

Code Blue Essays specializes in perfecting dental school secondary essays.  During the secondary application process, schools will send prospective students prompts for short essays. Dental schools use secondary applications to determine which applicants to offer interviews. As secondary essays are very important for the dental school application process, they can be a source of significant stress for applicants. You can relax when you select Code Blue Essays for your editing needs. We will ensure that your secondary essays will be exceptional. At Code Blue Essays, we subject dental school secondary essays to an extensive and thorough review process:

The first step of the dental school secondary essay editing process is the initial overview. During this process, we review the essay for basic mechanics. Our editors will correct any errors in spelling and grammar. Applicants appear careless when they make simple errors of this sort. For this reason, it is of utmost importance that you have your essay edited.

Dental schools are looking for specific answers to their questions. Therefore, the content of the secondary application is especially important. Our editors maintain active licences as physicians. In addition, our editors know what dental schools want to hear in secondary essays.  In the second step of the review process, our editors will carefully evaluate the applicant’s answers to the questions. The editor will then provide recommendations for improving the content of the essay and make it align with the expectations of the admissions committee.

During the writing efficacy portion of the review process, our editors will evaluate the essay for organization, flow, and impact. Our editors will provide any necessary reworking of your essay to make it a more pleasurable and efficient reading experience. We will help you craft a persuasive, organized, and effective essay. You will be able to convince a dental school that you are an ideal candidate for admission.

Finally, the essay is reevaluated in its entirety to ensure that it is in superb condition and will withstand the scrutiny of a dental school admissions committee. You will be proud to submit your secondary essays after they have been subjected to our Code Blue review process.

Dental School Secondary Essay Editing Services Pricing

All include:

• check Editing by a licensed physician
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• check Word flow optimization
• check Spelling and grammar correction

0-500 Words: $109

501-1200 words: $159, 1201-1800 words: $209, 1801-2400 words: $249.

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10 Dental School Personal Statement Examples

Including key tips for a strong dental school personal statement.

Before you start crafting your own stellar dental school personal statement, you must review some dental school personal statement examples. Why? These sample essays can help you brainstorm and reflect on what you would like to include in your essay. This blog dives into some dental school personal statement examples from our own past successful students, and then our  dental school advisors  will go over our proven strategies to help you create your own from scratch! As you review these examples keep in mind that these are final works and the result of multiple rounds of reviews by our admissions experts as part of our  application review  programs. Writing fantastic statements for dental school requires patience and multiple rounds of revisions before a perfect statement can be written.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Listen to the blog!

Article Contents 15 min read

Dental school personal statement example #1.

In the final moments of a key game in a hockey tournament, I jumped over the boards and onto the ice without putting my mouth guard back in place. It was attached to my helmet, but I had a chance for the puck, and I took it. Moments later, an opponent’s stick caught me in the face, knocking out my front tooth. Play stopped, and my team found my tooth on the ice. I looked to the bleachers. My mom was already on the phone getting initial instructions from our dentist for saving the tooth. Within 15 minutes, we were outside the clinic as my dentist unlocked the door, despite it being a Saturday night. As I was treated within half an hour, my tooth could be saved by stabilizing it as it healed. Until that moment, I thought of my dentist as someone I only saw every six months; I hadn’t seen her as a critical part of my healthcare team.

I realized from this experience that time is a factor in dental care, and thus a career in dentistry. My tooth was saved because I lived in an urban centre and had immediate access to care, not to mention the continuity of care I’ve had since I was a child. My mother is employed and has good dental coverage, but this is not the case for many. Without timely check-ups, both oral and medical issues that could be detected and prevented can become more serious conditions.

With this awareness, I have for the last 6 years volunteered in two ways. In the time since my hockey accident, I’ve worked with my dentist on a safety awareness campaign for young hockey players and their families, teaching about the necessity of mouth guards, as well as how a quick response to such injuries may help in recovery. I’ve also worked alongside dentists for the Smiling Children Foundation in vulnerable neighborhoods, where dental neglect is not uncommon, and continuity of care is rare. Recently, we set up a mobile clinic in a school, where I record personal information and take a medical history for each child. A young boy, 10 years old, complained of constant headaches and pain in his body. Upon examination, the dentist noticed his gums were dark purple in places and bled easily. Our team alerted a community doctor of a potential immune disorder, and the young boy was diagnosed and treated, returning to good health within months. That day, I learned that oral healthcare is holistic healthcare, and that it is a privilege to support those who may not have time, resources, or access to oral healthcare.

I have had this privilege in what began as dental shadowing and is now part-time employment, where I liaise between patients and insurance companies, manage team schedules, and comfort anxious patients. This might be as simple as holding a hand while the dentist performs the procedure. Or, I might hold a baby while the father sees the hygienist. I’ve learned to read an X-ray accurately, prepare the instruments needed for a procedure, and balance the books. I have been mentored by both a medical and business professional, and I have borne witness to our patients’ high and low points. I have worked hard to understand what goes into growing and maintaining a successful dental practice and feel capable to meet the challenge of the multiple roles required in this dynamic vocation.

It bears mentioning why my first-year grades are not what I’d hoped they would be. I joined a good number of co-curricular clubs with the intention of participating in our campus community and developing my professional skills. By midterm, I realized I had oversubscribed myself. Unfortunately, willpower and desire were not enough. My grades suffered as I tried to manage my responsibilities. By attending time management seminars and learning to manage time rather than be managed by time, I was able retrieve my grades. From 2nd year forward, I’ve maintained a 4.0 GPA while moving up the ranks of student organizations and taking an active role in a research project. Resilience is like a muscle that needs time, exercise, and perseverance to build.

From a sports accident, to volunteer work in an underserved community, to employment in a dental office and an academic career that shows both mistakes and recovery, I have thought carefully about what dentistry is. A dentist is part of a larger healthcare team, and a dentist can often treat not only a single patient over decades, but provide intergenerational care to a family. I aspire to dentistry to accompany my patients through life, 6 months at a time, offering compassionate, whole-person healthcare. (4,497 characters, including spaces)

• Inciting incident: the moment that influenced the student’s outlook on dentistry as a career is highlighted in spades. Seeing the structure here as almost like a story, you’re taking the reader on a journey from point A to point B. For the personal statement, your opening should hook in the reader. This writer does this well.
• Addresses weaknesses: the student mentions how their first-year grades weren’t what they’d hoped for. They acknowledge their faults and briefly outline the circumstances without making excuses before getting into the most important part: what they did to improve or learn from their mistakes. If you’re in a position to use your personal statement as a way to address gaps or inconsistencies, then you can follow the same rule.
• Major experiences are detailed: you need to show the admissions committee that dentistry is the right career for you. The best way to do this is to describe clinical experiences, ideally in a dental setting. The student who wrote this sample described their experiences shadowing, being a part-time employee, and volunteering at a foundation. If you have many experiences like these, don’t simply list them off, but select a few to describe in more depth.

Want some tips for writing a dental school personal statement? Check out this video:

"Ready, Set, Bake,” shouted the host of Bake-Off. I was 16 and a contestant of a televised baking show. Our 6th challenge gave us 3 hours to perfectly bake the most decadent and timing consuming dessert: the mille-feuille – layers of puff pastry, filled with whipped cream and custard, and glazed on top. Despite being the only teenager in a field of contestants ranging from 20-70 years of age, I’d made it through several days of cuts for one of the spots on the show. I wish I could say that my dessert was a masterpiece, but as the timer counted down and I plated it, the filling oozed, and the pastry crumbled. I’d made to the Top Six, but the mille-feuille defeated me and I was asked to hang up my apron. As I reflect on this experience, the solo and team challenges, the practice to get on the show, the mastery needed to gain a top spot, I realize that I’m grateful even for the defeat, because I learned valuable lessons that helped me develop key qualities and skills that are in-line with the core competencies necessary for dentistry, my chosen profession. Both dentistry and competitive baking require innovation and excellence, communication and accountability, and the necessity of precision, focus, and a steady hand.

Both of my parents are dentists. While the influence of their careers on my own access to knowledge cannot be underestimated, I have been deeply cognizant of making an autonomous career decision. That decision is my own, but my parents have admittedly opened unique conversations around ethics, technology, and patient care to me. My earliest memories include attending dental conferences with them and being encouraged to explore the Exhibits Floor, where I learned about the newest dental products and treatments and “test drove” the latest innovations in dentistry. I developed an aptitude for predicting which products and technologies were gimmicks and which would effectively support excellence in patient care. This knack has made me something of an informal consultant for my parents and their colleagues, who value my insights on innovation and efficacy of new treatments.

While technology is at the forefront of change, what remains consistent over time is the importance of communication and accountability to provide excellent patient care. I’ve had the privilege to shadow Dr. Ann Lee, an oral surgeon, over the past 3 years. Among many things, she showed me that inherent in communication is accountability. Many of her patients are children and teens having teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons. The son of a family who had been Dr. Lee’s patients for over a decade arrived for a complicated wisdom tooth extraction. Despite familiarity with the family, the doctor painstakingly reviewed the extraction process to prepare them effectively. The procedure went well in the office; however, on the way home, the boy began haemorrhaging. An artery had been compromised during the surgery. I watched as Dr. Lee packed bone wax around the artery to stem the bleeding. What struck me about this experience was the standard of accountability to which the surgeon held herself, as she communicated with the family by phone, made a house call later that evening on her way home, and remained on-call over the weekend to ensure the safety and healing of the child. The family maintained their trust in Dr. Lee because of her open communication and sense of accountability. I also learned just how fragile and technical dental work is, requiring both dexterity and precision.

Volunteering in a dental brigade in Haiti, Mirlande, 6, taught me about vulnerability and trust. Mirlande was scared and reluctant to open her mouth for her first dental exam. I took her aside and, as she watched, I carved a perfect tooth from soap using dental instruments. I carved slowly and precisely, and then presented her with the gift. She put the tooth in her pocket and then allowed me to clean her teeth. I was immediately struck by the vulnerability of not only soft tissue, but of hearts, as she leaned back and opened her mouth in trust. This moment solidified my decision to become a dentist.

Though the earlier comparison between baking and dentistry is merely an analogy, it is one that suggests I have developed key skills and am aware of the core competencies a dentist must hold to best serve their patients professionally and ethically. Dentistry is my vocation, baking a hobby, but both speak to my investment in excellence, precision, and doing for others.  (4,500 characters, including spaces)

A dental school personal statement is your opportunity to show admissions committees who you are as a person and aspiring dental professional, aside from your CV, GPA, Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) score, and other quantitative data. As any personal statement essay, the dental school personal essay should be a narrative account that gives the admissions committee the opportunity to learn more about you than what can be conveyed in a dry document like a CV or transcript. 

For dental school  ADEA AADSAS  applications, the American Dental Education Association requires an essay of no more than 4,500 characters (including spaces), which must demonstrate your key personal qualities, aspirations, and reasons for pursuing a career in dentistry to the schools to which you are applying. This process isn’t as standardized in Canadian programs, so you’ll need to check the application requirements for the programs and schools to which you are applying to see if a personal statement is required. In doing so, you can also learn whether there are any specific requirements regarding the length of the essay, whether there is a specific prompt to which you must respond in your dental school personal statement, and whether there are any other application requirements.

Want some more personal statement examples? Watch this video:

Writing a Strong Dental School Personal Statement

If you're applying to  dental schools in Canada  or the US, a personal statement, or similar essay, is often required as part of your application package, regardless of whether you're applying through AADSAS or  TMDSAS . It’s important to craft a statement that draws from your experiences, such as your dental school extracurriculars. You can also refer to your dental school application experience examples , or even your dental school letter of recommendation for help. This blog will help you understand the key things you must do (and that you must avoid) in composing your essay, with dental school personal statement examples that demonstrate these strategies, so that you can draft the strongest, most compelling dental school personal statement possible.

1. Tell a story

Ideally, you will craft a story or detail a defining moment that helped you realize why this is the profession you want to pursue. Providing an anecdote or vignette – perhaps an experience you’ve had as a dental patient, an interaction you’ve witnessed as a volunteer or while shadowing a dental care professional, a story about someone you know, etc., – is often a useful way of giving the evaluators a window into your life and motivations.

2. Demonstrate why you’re a “good fit”

Your dental school personal statement should also express why you are a strong candidate and a "good fit" for the school and program, while stirring the interest of your reader. Review our blog,  dental school acceptance rates  to find out which schools are best suited for you. Admissions committees will review hundreds of these personal statements, so draw on the values of the profession and the mission of the institution to highlight your alignment with the vision and goals of this vocation, and do so in a way that is engaging and enjoyable to read. Again, narrative is a great way of doing this – people love stories and are often naturally drawn in by them. Bear this in mind as you begin drafting your essay.

Here are some more tips for writing a dental school personal statement:

3. Be authentic and readable

In your personal statement, you want to present your very best self, emphasizing your genuine passion for the field and your enthusiasm for working in a healthcare profession like dentistry. Don’t try to cram in complicated terminology or jargon, thinking it will make you sound smarter (it won’t – true experts know how to explain their ideas effectively to an audience of non-specialists), and don’t rely on clichés (e.g., “I want to help people” – this is a lovely desire, but it’s over-used and too generic). Use polished prose that represents your genuine voice and reasons for pursuing the profession, and write in a way that will be comprehensible even to those outside this particular specialization. This can take practice. You might go through multiple drafts of your essay before you’re confident in submitting it. If you’re having trouble getting to this point, consider dental school admissions consulting . 

4. Express your desired contributions to the field

Quite simply, you need to explain why you will be a good dentist, in both practical terms and in terms of devoting yourself to patient care. You need to show that you know how to become a dentist in terms of skills and experience; there will be other opportunities to address other aspects of your candidacy through things like the dental school manual dexterity question or the multiple mini interview (MMI) collaboration station . For now, answer the following questions: what does it mean to you to dedicate yourself to the profession and to patients? What experiences have you had with the dental profession so far, and how have these impacted you? What are your priorities as an aspiring dentist? Thinking through these questions, while also pointing to concrete experiences or accomplishments that support your responses, will help the committee see not just who you are now, but who you are working to become as you pursue the goal of becoming a dental professional.

Need help with your dental school application? Learn what our students say about our services:

Things to Avoid in a Dental School Personal Statement

Here are some key “don’ts” in composing your dental school personal statement:

1. Don’t summarize your CV

Your personal statement shouldn’t simply repeat information available elsewhere in your application materials. Referring to experiences discussed in those materials, for the purpose of expanding on them or contextualizing them, is fine. Just ensure that you’re actually doing that work and demonstrating the significance of the experience(s) you describe. For example, if your CV indicates that you’ve done volunteer work at a dental clinic or with an organization, it’s totally fine to discuss this volunteer work in your personal statement; however, that discussion must go beyond what is offered in your other application materials. Your dental school personal statement shouldn't be a dry recitation of events in your CV. It should be a persuasive and engaging work that draws on just a few select experiences that epitomize your interests, priorities, and the work you've done so far in working toward becoming a dentist. For example, instead of giving names, dates, and general facts about your experience as a volunteer, you can tell a story of a particularly meaningful accomplishment or interaction, reflecting on how it helped solidify your desire to pursue this career.

2. Don’t dwell on negative experiences

If you’ve overcome challenges or if there are less-than-ideal aspects of your educational experience so far (such as a term where your GPA took a dip), it’s fine to address these in a personal statement essay. However, it is crucial that you reflect on this from a perspective of growth, resiliency, and capacity for improvement, rather than focusing on the negatives. If your grades took a hit one term because of extenuating circumstances, by all means, take some time to explain this, if you think it will be helpful (and it often is). However, the discussion around the circumstances should be minimal – just a set-up for a more substantial discussion of what you learned, how you grew, etc. – and you shouldn’t use this as an opportunity to make excuses. Rather, briefly describe the event, own up to your mistake or misstep (if applicable), and then spend the most time explaining how you addressed the issue, how you moved past it, and why you will be a better future professional for having gone through it.

Probably the biggest mistake students make is to not take the personal statement seriously enough, waiting until just a few days before it’s due to even begin. You must begin early – a strong personal statement essay can take months and numerous revisions to be the best it can possibly be. You need to put a lot of thought into this document, as it is a very important component of your application. This is your chance – and often your only chance – to address the evaluators on a human level, prior to answering  dental school interview questions , including   MMI questions . So, rather than thinking of this as a chore, think of it as an opportunity to demonstrate your best self to the admissions committee. 

4. Don’t submit your dental school personal statement without getting expert feedback

The personal statement isn’t just about what you’ve done, it’s about who you are – what your values are, what your priorities are, what your reasons for pursuing this profession are, and how all of these things align with the discipline and school you are approaching with your application package. Getting expert feedback from those on the “other side” of such applications, those who have gone through the process successfully or those who have been part of admissions committees, will give you incredibly valuable insights into how to make your own personal experiences stand out and work for you most effectively. At this stage of your professional development, you face a wealth of “unknown-unknowns”; i.e., things that you don’t even know to look for or consider, because it's likely that you simply haven’t been exposed to the field or the process long enough or in an official capacity. This can be a considerable hindrance, so don’t try to take on this task alone. Seek out expert feedback, and do so early enough that you can review, revise, and implement any necessary changes to make your dental school personal statement the best it can possibly be.

8 Dental School Personal Statement Examples

Dental school personal statement example #3, dental school personal statement example #4, dental school personal statement example #5, dental school personal statement example #6, dental school personal statement example #7, dental school personal statement example #8, dental school personal statement example #9, dental school personal statement example #10.

• Starting too late. Getting your personal statement right requires multiple edits and revisions. If you start working on your statement too late, you risk running out of time for proper revisions and edits, leaving a rushed, sub-par statement. Remember, your personal statement is a direct reflection of who you are as a person, and who you'll become as a dentist. It's not something that can be, nor should be rushed.
• Showing instead of telling, for example, saying “I'm a great listener” instead of demonstrating that you're a great listener through real examples in your essay.
• Focusing on too many experiences. In general, it's best to discuss 2-3 experiences in your personal statement. You should be able to discuss each experience in-depth, and reflect on what you learned from a particular experience. Too many experiences crammed in doesn't allow you to really expand on each experience and doesn't provide an in-depth analysis of how this experience was transformative on your path to becoming a dentist.
• Listing information that's already found in your application materials. Your personal statement is not a list, instead, it should be a story of your journey to dentistry.
• Jumping around in time. Your personal statement should be in chronological order, beginning with your initial interest in dentistry and evolving to your absolution that dentistry is the right career path for you. Jumping around in time makes for a disjointed essay that will come across as confusing to admissions committee members. In addition, you want to ensure that you utilize strong transitional sentences, as these tie together paragraphs and aid in the overall flow of your essay.
• Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Mistakes and errors in your personal statement are harmful because they tell admissions committees that you're not detail-oriented, you rushed your statement and because of that, you don't really care about it, or their program. Ensure your statement is reviewed multiple times, ideally with a professional's help, to ensure your essay puts your best foot forward and is free from any spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
• Boasting. While you can certainly highlight a few key accomplishments in your statement, such as finishing at the top of your class or raising money for a good cause, it's important that you are tactful in how you phrase your accomplishments. You always want to be humble, and think about what an achievement means to you and why. Lastly, it's a good idea to reflect on what you learned from your achievements and how that can translate in your career as a dentist.

While the majority of your personal statement should be about you - your experiences and how they relate to your decision to pursue dentistry, you can certainly include information relating to another person. For example, you could mention a family member's struggle with a disease, a patient's story, or a conversation with a dentist. As long as you circle back to why this story is significant in your pursuit of dentistry, what you learned from the experience or even how an experience changed your point of view.

Your personal statement must adhere to the ADEA's character count of 4500 characters, including spaces. However, this doesn't mean that you must include this many characters. As long as your essay is below the count, it's most important that you focus on creating a powerful, in-depth essay that proves to the admissions committee why you want to be a dentist and why you would be suitable for a career in this field, then it's perfectly acceptable.

Your personal statement is one of the most important aspects of your entire dental school application. It will serve as your introduction to admissions committees – letting them know who you are a person, who you are as a candidate, and essentially, that you're suitable for a career in dentistry. A poorly crafted personal statement can result in rejection from dental school, so it's essential that your statement is both engaging and memorable to secure you an invitation to interview.

No, remember, this information will be included elsewhere in your application, so it's not suitable to include this in your personal statement.

• Brainstorm ideas.
• Create an outline.
• Focus on body paragraphs first using a maximum of 3 experiences.
• Ensure you SHOW what you learned (don’t tell) by using examples.
• Write your conclusion.
• Write your introduction last.
• Attention-grabbing introduction: Not just a thesis statement, but something interesting to draw the reader in, like a quote or a story.
• Transitions: These should lead from one paragraph to the next, creating flow. Use linking words such as however, additionally, also, next, etc.
• Strong examples: This way you are showing, not telling.
• Clear and direct language: Your language does not have to be fancy, what's most important is that it's easy to read and follow. For example, “utilize” is one of the most over-used words in academic essays and “use” works just as well.
• Conclusion: This should summarize your main points, but also leave the reader with a compelling closing sentence that makes them want to find out more about you. For example, include a call back to your opening anecdote and highlight how far you have come.

Dental school personal statement editing, just like medical school personal statement editing , is very important. Begin by writing the BEST first draft you can and then begin your edit. Don’t write something of average quality, half-done, or way over the character limit. Trying to work from these copies will only create confusion and delays. Next, you should read your essay out loud to yourself sentence by sentence to ensure it flows well and to catch any grammatical errors. Each sentence should be contributing to the overall point. If you find yourself repeating your thoughts in multiple forms, think about paring your sentences down. Quality is more important than quantity.

Next, repeat this process 2-3 times. Resist the urge to keep tinkering over and over again. There are multiple strong ways to word sentences and express your thoughts. There are probably even multiple experiences you could highlight and have an equally strong personal statement. However, obsessing over each sentence and word once you have written a strong statement will just lead to changing too many things, delays, you feeling nervous, and sometimes even a weaker essay than you started with!

Yes, you can definitely mention experiences in your personal statement that are non-academic or not related to dentistry. A strong experience to mention should be one that taught you important skills and that influenced your decision to pursue dentistry. Personal experiences can also have a strong influence on which profession you pursue, so you can definitely mention non-academic experiences.

It’s certainly normal to want input from others when we are crafting personal statements. A strong reviewer is one who has experience and expertise with professional school applications and has helped other students before. For example, someone with an advanced degree like a practicing dentist or other professional. Even though you may feel tempted to ask friends and family, you may want to refrain from this, as they are often invested in your success and may find it hard to be objective.

Try to find someone who does not know you so well so they can give objective guidance. The other thing you want to avoid is having “too many chefs in the kitchen.” Too many different people reviewing your statement is only going to pull it in too many different directions, ultimately leading to confusion and even more delays. And again, some students might feel more comfortable using a dental school admissions consulting service for this aspect of their application.

Just like you would address this during an interview, your statement can address areas of concern by following these steps:

• Take responsibility.
• Explain mitigating factors.
• Don't make excuses.
• Share strategies for what you learned and how you would avoid a situation like this in the future. 
• Make sure you end on a positive or proactive note.

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Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions.

Yutika Maharaj

Hi there Do you have any sample personal statements for a foreign trained dentist applying to ADEA PASS and ADEA CAAPID. Thanks

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Yutika! Thanks for your comment. As an international applicant, your personal statement should follow the same structure and contain pertinent info about yourself and your application. Use these samples to construct your own, unique narrative!

It is remarkable, very good information

Thanks, Code!

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Dental School Personal Statement, Curriculum Vitae and Secondary Essays

Your written materials are essential to distinguish you from hundreds of other applicants at the outset of the dental school admissions process. 

Dr. Finkel acts as a writing coach, assisting you with content, organization, form, focus, and syntax.  Learn how to market your experiences with polish and professionalism, highlighting the salient points that program directors and faculty desire. Each Editing Service includes up to three revisions of your written material. Dr. Finkel provides only editorial services; Insider does not generate content.

Applicants demonstrating financial hardship through an ADEA-AADSAS Fee Assistance Program grant may be considered for reduced rates at the discretion of Dr. Finkel. Contact her for more information.

Step 1. Make payment below.

Step 2. submit your written material(s) in microsoft word as an attachment to [email protected] . include in your written materials the name of the person receiving services and the name of the person paying with credit card..

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* Please ensure the personal statement, TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay, TMDSAS Optional Essay, and/or letter of interest does not exceed the Insider standard length of 800 words.

^ Please ensure the entries do not exceed the AADSAAS/TMDSAS character limit.

**For the Secondary Essay service, you may include as many essays as fit, up to 800 words. For the Secondary Essay Expanded Package, you may include as many essays as fit, up to 2400 words. For both services, please include secondary essay prompts for clarity; the prompts will not count toward the word limit.

To get the best final product, each editing service above provides three revisions of the originally-submitted materials only; clients may not substitute a new essay or essays for second or third edits. Please note the original document, as well as subsequent drafts submitted for editing, must fit within the word count.

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Dental School Personal Statement and Secondary Application Consultation

The dental school personal statement is one of the most critical elements of a strong application. The personal statement is an opportunity to articulate why you want to be a dentist, how you arrived at this decision, and what qualities make you an outstanding candidate for dental school. In addition to the AADSAS personal statement or  TMDSAS personal statement, individual schools ask applicants to complete supplemental applications with essay questions. These are either found in the program material section of the AADSAS or sent to applicants after they submit their AADSAS application or TMDSAS application. The purpose of the supplemental application is to convince the committee to grant you an interview at that dental school.

Like dentistry, crafting a strong dental school personal statement is a science and an art.

Having worked on more than a thousand essays, we have mastered the art and science of the dental school personal statement

Learn our systematic approach for putting together a dental school personal statement that reflects your true self

Infuse creativity into your personal statement and supplemental essays to avoid sounding generic

Get guidance every step of the way from brainstorming to writing and editing so you are never left in the dark

The Admissions Helpers consultants are experts who always paid attention to my concerns and treated me with professionalism and respect. They know what they are talking about and their advice definitely helped me to land a spot in my top choice for dental school. I would recommend them to all applicants who want to secure their admission without a headache!

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At Admissions Helpers, we recognize the importance of the secondary application as an integral part of a strong dental school application. We work closely with applicants to ensure they develop strong answers to secondary essay questions. Our consultants work around the clock with you on your secondary applications to ensure you submit your secondary applications in a timely fashion. Whether you need help developing your ideas for answers to secondary application questions or you need proofreading of your essays, we are here to help. Our services include:

Secondary Essay Idea Development

This service is for meant to help applicants come up with ideas for dental school secondary application essays. We help you develop compelling answers to the secondary application essay questions. We work with you to ensure you can develop a clear, concise, organized answer and touch on the necessary key points in the allotted space.

Secondary Essay Editing

This service is for applicants who have already written their dental school secondary essays and need help modifying their answers. It consists of written or oral (depending on the client’s preference) feedback on your dental school secondary application essays by one of our dental school admissions consultants.

Dental School Secondary Application General Review

This service includes a review of your entire dental school secondary application to ensure that the application looks professionally written, the grammar and punctuation are correct, and there are no formatting errors.

Combination Package

A combination of the above three services.

Turn in supplemental applications early by creating a well-organized and efficient timeline with the help of our team

Get the guidance you need to put together outstanding responses to a variety of dental school supplemental essay prompts such as:

• Why do you want to attend our dental school?
• What are some qualities that make you a good candidate for our program?
• Tell us about a challenge you have had to overcome and the lessons you learned from it
• How will you bring diversity to our incoming dental school class?

What we Offer:

During online video meetings, our dental school admissions consultants work with you to craft thoughtful responses to application essay prompts. We teach you a systematic approach for answering the different supplemental application essay prompts. We review and edit your responses to make sure they inch you closer to an interview. We also help you develop a plan for prioritizing and submitting supplemental applications so you get them in at the earliest possible time.

Our Packages:

Dental School Supplemental Application Concierge Services : Receive unlimited video meetings, essay editing, and access to a dental school admissions consultant between meetings to answer pressing questions (terms and conditions apply). This service includes:

• Help developing an outline and brainstorming ideas for each dental school supplemental essay
• Guidance on how to respond to different genres of questions efficiently without compromising quality
• Review and edits to your responses

Customized Packages : A package tailored to your needs to offer you the help you need when you need it including online video meetings and editing services

Editing Services : Send us your essays and a one of our dental school admissions experts will review your writing, providing edits along with written recommendations on how to improve the content of each dental school supplemental application essay.

Our dental school supplemental application consulting services focus on the following:

• Idea Development: We brainstorm ideas and help you come up with thoughtful responses to different genres of questions you may encounter in the dental school supplemental essays
• Organization: We show you how to organize your ideas and present them in a logical manner to show clarity of thought
• Style: We teach you how to incorporate key stylistic elements into your essays that make for good writing.
• Knowledge Base: We help you present clinical information accurately to demonstrate a working knowledge of the field of dentistry when you write about your dental shadowing or dental assisting experience
• Timeliness: Many dental schools use rolling admissions, which means the earlier you apply, the more seats available. This is why turning in your application early is important. We help you create template responses for different essay types so you can turn in your dental school supplemental applications early.

Common AADSAS Application and Dental School Personal Statement Concierge

Common AADSAS Application and Supplemental Application Concierge

Common AADSAS, Supplemental Application, and Interview Preparation Concierge

Pre-Dental Strategy to Dental School Matriculation All-Inclusive Concierge

Customized Concierge

All services also available for the TMDSAS application

• Applicant Agreement
• Select Schools
• Applicant History
• Personal Information
• Education History
• Letters of Evaluation
• Transcripts
• Test Scores
• Chronology of Activities
• Certification & Payment
• After Submitting

The time has come for you to complete the essay portion of the application. This is your opportunity to shine in a way that is less driven by data and more driven by your personal experiences and your unique perspective.

4 Things to Remember About Essays

• Timing - The application can time out on you, especially when completing this lengthy portion. Avoid losing your essays or other data by saving frequently!
• Spacing - Watch your spacing! Remember that the character count includes spaces.
• Abbreviations - Spell out all words. Do not use shorthand or abbreviations.
• Formatting - Avoid formatting issues by typing your essay directly into the TMDSAS application, rather than copying and pasting your essay from word processor programs. Copying formatted text into the application may result in issues that cannot be edited once your application has been submitted.

Dental Applicant Personal Statement  

The personal essay asks you to explain your motivation to seek a career in dentistry. You are asked to discuss your philosophy of the dental profession and indicate your goals relevant to the profession.

The essay is limited to 5000 characters, including spaces.

Medical Applicant Personal Statement  

The personal essay asks you to explain your motivation to seek a career in medicine. You are asked to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician.

Podiatry Applicant Personal Statement 

The personal essay asks you to explain your motivation to seek a career in podiatry. You are asked to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician.

Veterinary Applicant Personal Statement 

The personal essay asks you to describe opportunities and challenges (veterinary-related and non-veterinary-related) you have experienced and how these have helped to prepare you to enter the veterinary profession.

Personal Characteristics 

Required of all applicants - new prompt for ey 2025.

A key aspect of holistic review includes the consideration of applicants' attributes within the context of their experiences and academic metrics. 

Describe any personal qualities, characteristics, and/or lived experiences that could enrich the educational experience of others. (5000 Characters)

Optional Essay 

There is one optional essay available for all applicants. This essay is an opportunity to provide the admissions committee(s) with a broader picture of who you are as an applicant. The essay is optional; however, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity.

Optional Essay:

Briefly discuss any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application, which have not previously been presented. Optional Essay is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

• Additional Essays

DO/PhD & MD/PhD Program Essays

• Explain your motivation to seek a MD/PhD or DO/PhD dual Discuss your research interests and career goals as an applicant to a dual degree program.
• Describe your significant research Include the name and title of your research mentor as well as your contributions to the project. List any publications that have resulted from your work.

Each essay is limited to 5000 characters, including spaces.

DDS/PhD Program Essays

• Explain your motivation to seek a DDS/PhD dual
• Describe your significant research experiences, research interests and career goals as appropriate for an applicant to the DDS/PhD dual degree program.

Table of Contents

• Dental - Personal Statement
• Medical - Personal Statement
• Podiatry - Personal Statement
• Veterinary - Personal Statement
• Personal Characteristics
• Optional Essay

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2024 TMDSAS Ultimate Guide (Essay Examples Included)

Learn everything about the texas medical school application, plus an example tmdsas personal statement, personal characteristics essay, and optional essay.

The TMdsas Application is used by medical schools in texas

(Note: We recommend using this resource alongside our free, 102-page comprehensive guide to medical school applications,  Get Into Medical School: 6 Practical Lessons to Stand Out and Earn Your White Coat .)

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: tmdsas overview, part 3: tmdsas application details, part 4: tmdsas essays.

If you’re gearing up to apply to U.S. medical schools , you’re probably familiar with AMCAS , the centralized application system that you can use to apply to nearly any med school in the country. But, if you’re planning to apply to medical schools in Texas, you’ll also need to get to know another system: TMDSAS.

TMDSAS (Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service) provides a centralized application that you can use to apply to all public medical, dental, and veterinary schools in Texas. In February 2021, Baylor College of Medicine became the first private medical school to join the TMDSAS network , further simplifying applications for those hoping to earn their MD in Texas.

Given that Texas is the second-most populous state in the nation and that its med schools carry strong reputations and relatively low tuition costs, in-state and out-of-state applicants alike are often on the hunt for more details about the TMDSAS application process. Yet, there is relatively little information available covering this.

For that reason, we’ve created this guide in order to help you better understand the TMDSAS application. We’ll answer the most common questions that we routinely receive about TMDSAS and Texas medical school admissions, plus we’ll provide guidance that will help you successfully tackle the required TMDSAS essays, with example essays included.

Which medical schools use TMDSAS?

Below is a list of the 14 medical schools in Texas that participate in TMDSAS:

Baylor College of Medicine

(Related reading: How to Get Into Baylor College of Medicine )

Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio

McGovern Medical School at UT Health Houston

Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Texas A&M College of Medicine

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at El Paso

Texas Tech University Health Science Center School of Medicine at Lubbock

University of Houston College of Medicine

University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School

University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine

University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine

Which Texas medical schools don’t use TMDSAS?

There are currently two Texas med schools that don’t use TMDSAS: TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine is part of the AMCAS system, and University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine requires you to apply through AACOMAS .

In addition, students applying to Baylor’s MD/PhD program will still apply through AMCAS.

How much does TMDSAS cost?

TMDSAS requires a flat fee of $220 , regardless of the number of schools you apply to. Compared to AMCAS , which charges $175 for your first application and $46 for each additional application you submit, TMDSAS is relatively economical, especially if you take advantage of the flat fee structure and apply to several Texas med schools.

How hard is it to get into Texas medical schools?

The most recent TMDSAS admissions statistics show that, among the 2023 applicants, out-of-state applicants comprised ~26% of the TMDSAS applicant pool but only 7% of matriculants. On the other hand, Texas residents accounted for 74% of applicants and 93% of matriculants.

There are a couple of reasons why the vast majority of students at Texas medical schools are coming from in-state. Non-Texas residents tend to apply mostly to non-Texas schools through AMCAS and just a small handful of TMDSAS schools, and then enroll in whichever school they believe is strongest and the best fit for them. On the other hand, Texas residents are more likely than out-of-state applicants to apply to many TMDSAS schools and, in turn, enroll in one for personal (e.g., to be close to family) or financial reasons (e.g., reduced in-state tuition).

On top of this, public medical schools in Texas are legally required to cap their out-of-state enrollment at 10%.

So, how does this translate to acceptance rates for in-state and out-of-state applicants? 49% of applicants from Texas were accepted to at least one TMDSAS school in 2023, whereas only 18% of out-of-state applicants received an acceptance. Therefore, it’s clear that in-state applicants are at a substantial advantage when it comes to getting into Texas medical schools.

For the entering class of 2023, the average undergraduate GPA and MCAT score of successful TMDSAS applicants were 3.84 and 511.5. We encourage you to look up the  average GPA and MCAT scores of all Texas medical schools to better understand your odds of getting into each program.

(Suggested reading: What MCAT Score Do You Need to Get Into Medical School? )

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Thank you! Your guide is on its way. In the meantime, please let us know how we can help you crack the the medical school admissions code . You can also learn more about our 1-on-1 medical school admissions support here .

What is the ideal TMDSAS timeline that I should follow?

Our general  medical school application timeline applies to Texas medical schools as well, but it’s important to note a few TMDSAS-specific dates :

May 1: Application becomes available

May 15: Application submission opens

August 1: Early decision application deadline

August 15: All supporting documents for early decision must be received by this date

October 1: Early Decision Program decisions announced

October 15: Medical schools begin extending offers of acceptance

November 1: Regular decision submission deadline

November 15: Letters of evaluation should be uploaded or post-marked by this date

February 2: Match preference submission deadline

February 16: Match results released and rolling admissions period begins

April 30: Applicants with multiple offers must decide which program to attend and withdraw from other schools

May 15: Medical schools can no longer make offers to Texas resident applicants holding another seat

How long does it take TMDSAS to process applications?

TMDSAS typically takes 2–4 weeks to process your application after submission. However, processing can take up to 6 weeks during the busiest part of the applicant season. You’ll receive an email once your application is processed.

What are TMDSAS pre-match offers?

Medical schools may extend pre-match offers (i.e., offers of acceptance) to Texas residents between October 15 and January 29.

You may receive  and accept multiple pre-match offers to reserve your spot at those schools. However, it’s courteous to decline pre-match offers at medical schools you don’t intend to enroll at so that other students can be notified of interview invitations and pre-match offers in a timely manner. Offers of acceptance should only be considered valid if an acceptance letter is received.

How does the TMDSAS Match work?

The TMDSAS Match is a process through which pre-match offers are finalized and remaining med school seats are filled. Only Texas residents who apply to medical school through TMDSAS are eligible for the TMDSAS Match. 

Assuming you meet these criteria, here’s how the TMDSAS Match works. You’ll rank all the med schools you interviewed at in your order of preference. Medical schools in turn rank the candidates they’ve interviewed. Then, the Match system, accounting for both lists, attempts to pair you with the school you most prefer, assuming that the school in question has also ranked you highly.

To better understand the nuances and complexities of the Match process, we recommend watching the helpful Match video tutorial offered by TMDSAS.

There are a few important things to note about the TMDSAS Match:

Participation in the Match does not guarantee you an admission offer.

You must participate in the TMDSAS Match even if you received a pre-match offer.

If you have a pre-match offer(s), you may still get into a school that you prefer more highly than the one(s) you were already admitted to.

If you entered the Match holding multiple pre-match offers, you’ll come out with only one acceptance.

What happens if you don’t match? The standard rolling admissions process will begin after the Match period ends, so medical schools with remaining open slots will continue to accept students throughout the spring and summer.

Do TMDSAS schools require secondary applications?

The majority of TMDSAS schools require you to submit school-specific secondary applications. You can view all of their prompts through our medical school secondary essay prompts database .

TMDSAS vs. AMCAS: What are the biggest differences?

TMDSAS and AMCAS ask for similar information, so if you’re also submitting AMCAS applications this cycle, you should be able to adapt your answers from one application to the other without too much struggle. Nevertheless, they do differ in certain ways, so you’ll want to ensure that you put in the time to craft high-quality, tailored responses to each.

The most noteworthy differences between AMCAS and TMDSAS include:

Character limit to describe extracurricular activities : The AMCAS Work and Activities section offers a 700-character limit to describe each of your 15 entries (plus an additional 1,325 characters for your three ‘most meaningful’ activities). Meanwhile, the TMDSAS Personal Biography and Activities section does not limit the number of extracurricular activities you may enter—offering a 500-character limit for each entry, with an additional 500 characters for your three most meaningful experiences, across the following categories:

Research Activities

Healthcare Activities

Community Engagement

Extracurricular Activities

Planned Activities

(Note: Academic Recognition, Non-Academic Recognition, and Employment entries allow a 300-character limit.)

Age of MCAT scores:  Schools that use AMCAS typically require that you take the MCAT sometime in the two to three years before applying, whereas your MCAT scores for TMDSAS can be up to nearly five years old. For example, students applying to enter med school in 2024 can submit MCAT scores earned between January 2019 and September 2024. The one exception is the Baylor College of Medicine which has a three-year limit on acceptable scores from September 2021 to September 2024.

Recommendation letter limits:  TMDSAS requires you to submit three individual “letters of evaluation”   or  one health professions committee packet , and they also allow you to submit one optional letter. Schools that use AMCAS may allow you to submit more  medical school letters of recommendation .

Number of essays:  Beyond their respective activities sections, you’re required to submit the following essays for AMCAS and TMDSAS (all character limits below include spaces):

AMCAS: Personal statement (5300-character limit)

Medical applicant personal statement (5000-character limit)

Personal characteristics essay (5000-character limit)

Optional essay (2500-character limit)

Which TMDSAS schools require CASPer?

As of May 2024, the following TMDSAS schools require the CASPer test :

Texas A&M University College of Medicine

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine

(Suggested reading: How to Prepare for the CASPer Test to Get Into Medical School and Casper, Snapshot, and Duet: Everything You Need to Know )

TMDSAS personal statement guidance and example

Just like the AMCAS personal statement, the TMDSAS personal statement is where you’ll write about why you want to enter medicine and describe the experiences that have led you to your present path. As discussed earlier, the difference between the two is that TMDSAS gives you a slightly shorter character count to work with—5,000 characters including spaces.

Because your personal statement is one of the most important factors in determining your admissions success , you should plan to spend a considerable amount of time crafting a unique, well-written essay that gives adcoms a sense of who you are and what makes you different from other candidates. Our  guide to medical school personal statements provides in-depth advice on how to write a standout personal statement, plus numerous full-length examples.

Many applicants wonder if they can use the same personal statement for both their AMCAS and TMDSAS applications. Since the prompts are extremely similar, so long as you adapt your essay to fit within each application’s character limits, you should be able to use it for both applications.

Let’s take a look at the TMDSAS personal statement prompt and an example essay.

Prompt: Explain your motivation to seek a career in medicine. Be sure to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician (5,000 characters, including spaces).

I could only focus on how hard it was to breathe. The surgical mask felt like a damp cloth over my face from my own sweat. Ten minutes into the C-section, I stepped away to stand under a vent and avoid passing out. When the haze cleared, I focused on the surgeon cutting into each layer of skin and the uterus until, finally, the baby’s piercing cries filled the room. While I had turned 5 shades lighter while struggling to stay conscious, I was filled with curiosity about what I had just seen. That night, I pestered my mother with questions and she made fun of me for almost passing out. I was drawn to how dedicated and knowledgeable she was and wanted to learn more. 

That experience was one of my first encounters with medicine and came during my sophomore year of high school while observing my mother, an OB/GYN. My family was based in Dallas, but my mother had to live and work in Houston for over 5 years to have her Hungarian M.D. transferred to an American one. Due to grueling hours during this second residency, I could only see her a few weekends a month when I made the trip south. The more time I spent shadowing her during these weekends, the more I appreciated her sacrifices to pursue medicine and developed my own affinity for it. I was intrigued by the impact and diversity of the medical field, and through my various extracurricular experiences have come to view medicine as resting upon several pillars: a desire to help others and the roles of educator, teammate, leader, and problem solver.

To challenge myself in the role of educator, I took a position as a teaching assistant for the introductory life sciences lab at Emory. During my second quarter teaching, one student struggled to understand the mechanism behind the Lac Operon in E. Coli. In my previous interactions with the student I had learned he loved cars, so I likened lactose and glucose to gas and electricity in a hybrid vehicle. I remember how his face lit up when he finally grasped that concept; it left me with a sense of accomplishment that I was able to use his interests to guide his understanding. Success as a teaching assistant has given me confidence in my ability to educate others and strengthened my motivation to pursue medicine. As a physician I look forward to the opportunity to educate and inspire both patients and colleagues. The sense of fulfillment I feel when a student successfully grasps a concept will be central to my career.

I’ve explored the importance of being a team player in medicine through my research in exercise physiology. A large portion of my lab focuses on using exercise interventions in clinical trials to treat chronic illnesses, such as Friedreich’s Ataxia or COPD. Brian, a patient with whom I have worked frequently, comes to mind. Brian often comes in with his father, a bodybuilder. As we talk, giving each other advice on lifting and diet while motivating Brian during the exercise intervention, we all play a role in working toward the same goal: improving Brian’s maximal exercise tolerance. Having seen the effectiveness of this team-based approach to patient interventions, it has become one of my favorite components of medicine.

Perhaps the most beautiful and rewarding pillar of medicine is interpersonal interaction. Ironically, entering college, my biggest fear was public speaking. During sophomore year, however, I took charge of that fear as a campus tour guide. Two years of giving tours to 5,000 visitors has not only made me a more effective and comfortable orator, but also unearthed a hidden passion. As a tour guide I share a part of my life with a diverse group of strangers in an effort to guide them along their college application path. In turn, visitors sometimes share with me their life story and unique perspectives. I find that meaningfully connecting with others in this way excites me about the prospect of cultivating relationships with my patients throughout my career.

My years as a student have led me to develop a deeper appreciation and love for medicine. I could not have predicted eight years ago that I would be applying to medical school after barely staying conscious during a C-section. Yet, this past summer I found myself observing that very procedure again. This time, I wasn’t woozy—instead, I could see the various pillars in action and the roles I will play in the future.

Why is this personal statement successful?

The applicant does a great job of engaging the reader from the get-go with a memorable hook and keeps it up throughout the essay with vivid details and in-depth anecdotes that clearly illustrate why she’s decided to enter medicine.

This essay also illustrates qualities in the applicant that will be desirable as a physician, such as her desires to learn and help others, her capacity for teamwork, and her persistence through challenges.

She also touches on her connection to Texas. While it’s not strictly necessary to do so, and you certainly don’t want to force these kinds of details, they’re a nice touch for your TMDSAS personal statement if you can fit them in naturally.

TMDSAS personal characteristics essay guidance and example

This prompt essentially asks for a “diversity essay”—a type of essay frequently found on medical school secondary applications. Because they are so common, our guide to medical school secondary essays offers detailed advice on how to tackle diversity essays effectively.

What’s crucial to remember about diversity essays is that “diversity” can mean anything that makes you different or interesting; it isn’t strictly limited to factors like race, gender, sexuality, and so forth. So, to write a great response to the TMDSAS personal characteristics prompt, highlight what you have to offer that is unique, making sure to tie that characteristic to how it would enhance the med school experience of your future peers.

Let’s go over the prompt and a sample response.

Prompt: A key aspect of holistic review includes the consideration of applicants' attributes within the context of their experiences and academic metrics. Describe any personal qualities, characteristics, and/or lived experiences that could enrich the educational experience of others. (5,000 characters, including spaces)

Music had never been a large part of my life until two years ago when I went to Coachella on a whim. I still remember that fateful day. It was a sweltering April afternoon, and the air thrummed with the energy of thousands of people.

Before this, my relationship with music was purely passive. It was the playlist shuffling in the background as I commuted to work, the Top 40 hits blaring from the speakers at the gym, the familiar melodies that filled the silence when I was alone. I never actively sought out new artists, rarely ventured beyond my comfort zone of pop and classic rock, and certainly never considered myself a music enthusiast.

As I stood in that vast desert landscape, surrounded by a sea of people from all walks of life, I felt a sense of belonging I had never experienced before. The music was more than just sound; it was a living, breathing entity that connected us all. Every beat, every melody, seemed to resonate deep within me, unlocking emotions and experiences I had never even known existed.

Ever since then, music has become a haven from life’s stressors and one of my favorite ways to connect with others. It's the soundtrack to my morning jog, the soothing melodies that lull me to sleep, the anthems that inspire me to push through challenges. It's a way to express myself, to connect with my emotions, to make sense of the world around me.

But perhaps the most significant change is how I use music to connect with others.

As an only child, an immigrant from Hungary, and the son of two busy professionals, my childhood was very lonely. I grew up in a spacious house filled with silence. My parents, both dedicated physicians, were often absent, their days consumed by the demands of their careers. I spent countless hours alone, wandering through the empty rooms, my only companions the books on the shelves and the characters on the television screen.

In college, I threw myself into extracurricular activities, joining clubs, attending parties, and making friends from all walks of life. I wanted to belong, to feel like I was part of something bigger than myself. I succeeded, to a certain extent. I had a wide circle of acquaintances, people I could chat with in the dining hall or study with in the library. But few of these relationships went deeper than the surface. I still felt like an outsider, a chameleon adapting to different social situations but never truly fitting in.

One of my favorite memories is meeting Michelle and her friends. It was during Moby's set at Coachella. I was lost in the music, my mind a million miles away, when I accidentally bumped into a girl named Michelle. I mumbled an apology, but instead of brushing me off, she smiled and struck up a conversation.

We talked about the music, about our lives, about our hopes and dreams. We laughed, we danced, we shared stories. It was as if we had known each other for years, not just minutes. By the end of the set, we had exchanged numbers and made plans to meet up the next day. Michelle and her friends welcomed me into their circle with open arms. We spent the rest of the festival together, exploring the various stages, discovering new artists, and simply enjoying each other's company. It was a whirlwind of music, laughter, and new experiences.

That seemingly minor interaction marks the moment I finally stopped feeling like an "outsider" in new settings because it highlighted my ability to connect with complete strangers and also to bring groups together and facilitate new friendships. It was a turning point in my life, a moment of realization that I wasn't destined to be alone. I had the power to create connections, to build relationships, to find my place in the world.

As I think about entering medical school with a group of colleagues that I have yet to meet, I am certain that many future classmates are feeling as scared as I am about the challenges ahead. The road ahead is long and arduous, filled with sleepless nights, grueling exams, and the weight of responsibility. It's a path that will test our limits, both mentally and emotionally.

Yet, despite those fears, I’m confident that working together as a class will make the journey much easier. We'll be a team, a support system, a community of like-minded individuals striving towards a common goal. We'll lean on each other for strength, celebrate each other's successes, and comfort each other in times of doubt.

I look forward to helping foster a supportive, comfortable environment to help us all succeed. I want to create a space where everyone feels heard and valued, where we can learn from each other's strengths and weaknesses, where we can grow together as both individuals and professionals. I envision a collaborative learning environment where we share resources, study together, and support each other through the challenges of medical school.

What’s working in this essay?

For this personal characteristics essay, the applicant has chosen her ability to forge bonds with strangers and bring groups of people together. While she chooses to discuss this skill within a non-medical context, music festivals, it’s easy to see how she’ll also make use of it as a future medical student, and, by extension, as a doctor.

An interesting aspect of this essay is that the applicant touches on another part of her background that makes her unique—her status as an immigrant. Yet, this isn’t the focus here. Instead, being an immigrant serves to underpin the loneliness and outsider feelings she’s familiar with. Through this, she’s able to demonstrate another characteristic that will enhance the experiences of her future classmates and patients: empathy.

TMDSAS optional essay guidance and example

In their application instructions, TMDSAS notes that the “optional essay” isn’t a space to continue your other essays or reiterate what you’ve stated elsewhere. Instead, you should use it to offer details or address any issues which have not been previously mentioned.

The first question many students ask is, “Is the TMDSAS optional essay really optional?” Here’s what TMDSAS says: “The optional essay is an opportunity to provide the admissions committee(s) with a broader picture of who you are as an applicant. This essay is optional; however, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity.” We advise you to interpret “strongly encouraged” as “required.”

If you’re unsure of how to handle this open-ended prompt, there are a few different directions you might choose to take in your response:

You can adapt one of your other secondary essays, such as an adversity essay.

You could write a new essay that highlights an experience or achievement that hasn’t yet gotten the spotlight.

If your candidacy has any issues or red flags that you haven’t yet explained—such as low grades or a disciplinary incident, for example—this would be an excellent place to tackle them.

Our aforementioned secondary essay guide also covers this kind of essay in detail, which we refer to as an “Anything else you’d like us to know?” essay.

Here’s the prompt and a well-executed sample response.

Prompt: Briefly state any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application, which have not been previously presented. (2,500 characters)

My two parents are successful professionals who have a healthy relationship with each other. However, for the majority of my childhood I felt more like an extension of them than like an individual. My parents grew up in Hungary during communist rule and I was born there a few years after the Revolution. When I was 4, we were able to immigrate to America, due to my father’s expertise in software engineering, with just the clothes on our backs. Because my parents lived and breathed school in an attempt to improve our family’s circumstance, success was only defined academically. I understood the stipulations of my father’s job-sponsored visa and my mother’s need to redo her residency through the only program that accepted her four hours away. I also greatly appreciate the sacrifices they made to shield me from hardships and to pull our family out of poverty. Still, when I was younger, I could not identify any personal passions because I led a life focused strictly on academics, set by my parent’s expectations and reinforced by their praises. 

The turning point was deciding to go to an out-of-state university so that I could learn to navigate the world on my own. It was quite a shock my freshman year when I realized that all of the things my parents did for me, from cleaning to cooking, would now be on my shoulders. Having always tried to live up to my parents’ expectations, I felt directionless and didn’t know how to channel my new freedom. I turned to people I considered strong, authoritative leaders as role models for how I wanted to shape my life. I wished to adopt the charisma and humility that Derek Shepard carries himself with, and the compassion and wisdom that Steve Jobs displayed in his 2005 Stanford commencement speech. Exploring these qualities gave me the confidence to pursue incredibly rewarding opportunities, like studying abroad in Ecuador and approaching physicians to shadow them. I’ve also learned that I’m passionate about educating others, working in teams, and creating meaningful, lasting relationships. Taking charge of my own life and participating in activities like Campus Tours, coaching, and teaching also allowed me to break out of my shell and learn more about myself.

I’m still young and have a lot left to explore, but I’m glad to now look in the mirror and see myself as someone with a unique personality and the confidence to pursue my own ambitions.

What makes this essay successful?

For this prompt, this applicant chose to adapt her adversity essay, which highlights her background as an immigrant and the high-pressure environment that accompanied it. However, the challenge she focuses on isn’t related to this high-stakes upbringing, as you might expect, but rather to the lack of personal direction she felt upon entering college.

Through this essay, the applicant demonstrates a few personal qualities that reflect positively upon her candidacy: introspection, independent thinking, the desire to find personal meaning in her life, and the ability to meet a challenge. Not only are these desirable traits in med students and physicians, but they also go a long way toward convincing adcoms that her decision to enter medicine is well-thought-out and entirely her own.

TMDSAS MD/PhD & DO/PhD dual degree program essays

If you’re applying to dual degree programs, you’ll also encounter the additional essays below.

Be aware that MD/PhD applications to public Texas medical schools must be submitted through AMCAS. So, if you want to be considered for MD/PhD  and MD programs at Texas public medical schools, you’ll need to submit both AMCAS  and TMDSAS.

DO/PhD applications to Texas public med schools, on the other hand, are submitted through TMDSAS.

We advise you to read  our comprehensive MD-PhD guide for advice on how to approach the following two types of essays asked for below, and to view samples of each.

Prompt 1: Explain your motivation to seek a MD/PhD or DO/PhD dual degree.  Discuss your research interests and career goals as an applicant to a dual degree program.

Prompt 2: Describe your significant research experiences.  Include the name and title of your research mentor as well as your contributions to the project.  List any publications which have resulted from your work.

Final thoughts

The affordability and strength of Texas medical schools make them popular choices for many prospective medical students, particularly the many Texas residents who can apply as in-state candidates. For the best chances of admission, take the time to understand TMDSAS’s unique matching system, and plan to invest considerable energy into your TMDSAS application—particularly the three required essays—in order to stand out from the crowd.

About the Author

Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.

Struggling to write your TMDSAS essays?

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Pre-Health Professions

Pre-Health Professions Program

Vandal Success Center Idaho Student Union Building, 3rd floor

875 Perimeter Drive MS 2436 Moscow, ID 83844-2436

Phone: 208-885-5809

Email: [email protected]

Pre-Dentistry

Dentistry is the branch of the healing arts and sciences devoted to maintaining oral health. It is a dynamic health profession, offering opportunities to become a successful, highly respected member of the community.

Dental specialties:

• Endodontists diagnose and treat injuries that are specific to the dental nerves and pulp (matter inside the tooth)
• Oral and maxillofacial pathologists study and research the causes, processes and effects of diseases with oral manifestations
• Oral and maxillofacial radiologists take and interpret conventional, digital, CT, MRI and allied imaging modalities of oral-facial structures and disease
• Oral and maxillofacial surgeons provide diagnostic services and treatment for injuries, diseases and defects of the neck, head, jaw and associated structures
• Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedists diagnose and treat problems related to irregular dental development, missing teeth and other abnormalities.
• Pediatric dentists treat children from birth to adolescence
• Periodontists provide corrective surgery on gums and supporting bones to treat gum disease
• Prosthodontists restore and replace teeth damaged by decay or lost from trauma or disease, with fixed or removable appliances constructed with newly developed dental material
• Dental public health specialists develop policies and programs, such as health care reform, that affect the community at large
• Dental hygienists work with dentists to provide preventative oral care and perform a wide range of duties depending on state licensure

(source:  Explore Health Careers - Dentist )

• Join the Pre-Health Professions Program and request to be added to the Pre-Dentistry Email List
• Meet with the Pre-Health Professions Advisor each semester to make a professional and academic development plan and review your progress
• Choose a degree major that you enjoy and that provides a good “back-up plan” and career path in case you change your mind about dentistry; common majors include biology , chemistry , and microbiology , but all majors will be considered if a student completes the prerequisite courses and other admissions standards established by individual dental programs
• Carefully check admission requirements at dental schools of most interest and take the required coursework (visit the Commission on Dental Accreditation website for more details). Here is  suggested U of I coursework  for students interested in Dentistry.
• Consider purchasing the  ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools which includes each school's entrance requirements (GPA, Dental Admissions Test scores, and pre-dental education), application and selection processes, dental curriculum, special programs and services, costs, and financial aid
• For students interested in dental hygiene, visit the ADHA website.

Co-Curriculars

• Get significant shadowing and clinical experience and maintain a formal log ( Professional Development Activities Log ); be sure to meet clinical experience requirements of your preferred schools, as they can vary widely
• Get involved in extracurricular, leadership, and volunteer activities
• Develop strong relationships with faculty mentors, dental professionals, and others who will be writing letters of reference
• Attend Pre-Health Professions Program workshops and networking  events

Applying to Dental School

The application process consists of taking the  Dental Admission Test (DAT) , applying through the  ADEA Associated American Dental Schools Application Service , submitting college transcripts and letters of reference, and participating in invited interviews.

Your Pre-Health Advisor can assist you with preparing these materials and conducting mock interviews prior to meeting with admissions personnel.

The Pre-Health Professions Program office has several study materials to help students prepare for the DAT. Please contact [email protected] for more information about the Pre-Health Lending Library . Those intending to take the DAT should also carefully review this DAT Test Prep Guide .

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• Lending Library pdf
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12 Best Dental schools in Moscow, Russia

Updated: February 29, 2024

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• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in Moscow ranked based on their research performance in Dentistry. A graph of 19.8K citations received by 3.81K academic papers made by 12 universities in Moscow was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Moscow State University

For Dentistry

2. Moscow Medical Academy

3. RUDN University

4. National Research University Higher School of Economics

5. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology

6. Russian National Research Medical University

7. Bauman Moscow State Technical University

8. National Research Nuclear University MEPI

9. Moscow Aviation Institute

10. Moscow State Pedagogical University

11. N.R.U. Moscow Power Engineering Institute

12. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia

Universities for Dentistry near Moscow

Medicine subfields in moscow.

The #1 private high school in Idaho in 2024—plus, see the runners-up

Posted: May 23, 2024 | Last updated: May 23, 2024

Best private high schools in Idaho

As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a '96 commencement address at Wellesley College, "Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead." If that's the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.

It's a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, education is key: 1.4 million students enrolled in private high schools in fall 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. There were about 3,600 private secondary schools nationwide as of 2020.

For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these private high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to send their kids to better schools. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.

Stacker compiled a list of the best private high schools in Idaho using 2024 rankings from Niche . Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students.

#18. Classical Christian Academy

- Location: Rathdrum, ID - Enrollment: 239 (12:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B-

#17. Greenleaf Friends Academy

- Location: Greenleaf, ID - Enrollment: 171 (9:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B-

#16. Christian Center School

- Location: Hayden, ID - Enrollment: 195 (8:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B-

#15. Centennial Baptist School

- Location: Caldwell, ID - Enrollment: 291 (17:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B-

#14. Genesis Preparatory Academy

- Location: Post Falls, ID - Enrollment: 551 (15:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B

#13. River of Life Christian School

- Location: Payette, ID - Enrollment: 60 (9:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B

#12. Nampa Christian Schools

- Location: Nampa, ID - Enrollment: 996 (15:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B

#11. Lighthouse Christian School

- Location: Twin Falls, ID - Enrollment: 416 (13:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B

#10. Cole Valley Christian Schools

- Location: Meridian, ID - Enrollment: 1,355 (19:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B

#9. Immaculate Conception Academy

- Location: Post Falls, ID - Enrollment: 171 (6:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B+

#8. Gem State Adventist Academy

- Location: Caldwell, ID - Enrollment: 65 (7:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B+

#7. Logos School

- Location: Moscow, ID - Enrollment: 459 (27:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B+

#6. The Ambrose School

- Location: Meridian, ID - Enrollment: 594 (13:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade B+

#5. St. John Bosco Academy

- Location: Cottonwood, ID - Enrollment: 102 (9:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A-

#4. Bishop Kelly High School

- Location: Boise, ID - Enrollment: 967 (14:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A-

#3. The Sage School

- Location: Hailey, ID - Enrollment: 69 (4:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A-

#2. Sun Valley Community School

- Location: Sun Valley, ID - Enrollment: 438 (6:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+

#1. Riverstone International School

- Location: Boise, ID - Enrollment: 420 (7:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Emma Rubin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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Russia’s War Machine Revs Up as the West’s Plan to Cap Oil Revenues Sputters

Russia has largely evaded attempts by the U.S. and Europe to keep it from profiting from its energy exports.

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By Alan Rappeport

Alan Rappeport covers the Treasury Department and has written about the oil price cap since it was created in 2022.

The United States and its allies in the Group of 7 nations set two goals in 2022 when they enacted a novel plan to cap the price of Russian oil: restrict Moscow’s ability to profit from its energy exports while allowing its oil to continue flowing on international markets to prevent a global price shock.

A year and a half later, only the latter goal appears to have worked. Energy prices have been relatively stable across the world, including in the United States, which helped devise the plan. But Russia’s war effort in Ukraine is intensifying, making it increasingly clear that efforts by Western allies to squeeze Moscow’s oil revenues are faltering.

A variety of factors have allowed Russia to continue profiting from strong oil revenue, including lenient enforcement of the price cap. Russia’s development of an extensive “shadow” fleet of tankers has allowed it to largely circumvent that policy. That has allowed the Russian economy to be more resilient than expected, raising questions about the effectiveness of the coordinated sanctions campaign employed by the Group of 7.

The Biden administration maintains that the strategy has been effective and that the price cap has imposed costs on Russia and forced it to redirect money that it would have used in Ukraine to finance an alternative oil ecosystem.

Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said in an interview on Sunday that the price of Russian oil was not the only measure of their profits, noting that Russia has had to invest significant resources in response to the cap.

“We’ve made it very expensive for Russia to ship this oil to China and India in terms of acquiring a shadow fleet and providing insurance,” Ms. Yellen said on her flight to Europe, where she is holding meetings in Germany and attending a gathering of finance ministers in Italy. “We still think it’s working.”

Keeping oil flowing has been an important priority for the Biden administration, which has been eager to avoid the kind of spike in gasoline prices that angered American drivers two years ago.

The cap forbids shipping companies and maritime insurers that are based in the Group of 7 countries to handle Russian crude unless the shipment is below the $60-per-barrel limit set by the coalition in late 2022.

After it was enacted, the price of Russian oil fell below the $60 cap in early 2023, but by the end of last year was trading above $70 a barrel. As Russia built up its own supply of tankers and insurance alternatives, it redirected its exports to countries such as China, India and Turkey, which now make up the bulk of its sales. This year, Russia also adopted a so-called price floor that is designed to extract more tax revenue from its oil producers on the oil that they sell.

A report published this month by S&P Global said that 76.6 percent of Russian oil exports, or three million barrels per day, were transported in April on tankers operated by companies that were not based in the Group of 7 or backed by Western insurance. The volume of Russian oil exports last month was the highest it had been since December 2022, and tax revenues from oil doubled from April 2023.

In April, the International Monetary Fund upgraded its 2024 outlook for Russia’s growth to 3.2 percent, noting that most of its oil was being exported at prices above the $60 cap.

Russia’s private fleet of tankers and alternative insurance services have blunted the impact of the price cap, which does not apply to oil transactions using ships and insurance that fall outside the realm of the Group of 7 countries. In response to an inquiry by the British government, a group of international insurers said last month that the price cap had become “increasingly unenforceable as more ships and associated services move into this parallel trade.”

Finance ministers from the Group of 7 who are gathering in Italy later this week are expected to discuss the price cap as part of their continuing deliberations about how to tighten sanctions on Russia and provide more aid to Ukraine. As part of that effort, they have been warning international financial institutions and countries such as China that they could also face sanctions if they facilitate the sales or transfers of weapons components to Russia.

However, major changes to the policy appear to be unlikely for now.

Energy and sanctions experts said the leaks in the price cap were the result of design flaws that were largely associated with American interests in keeping Russian oil flowing.

“It’s hard to argue that the price cap is working,” said Edward Fishman, a senior research scholar at Columbia University. “It’s undeniable that Russia has more quickly than U.S. policymakers thought was possible shipped a lot of oil on non-Western ships and found alternatives to Western insurance.”

Mr. Fishman, a former State Department official who oversaw Russia sanctions during the Obama administration after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, noted that the price cap included a large loophole that allowed banks to continue facilitating Russian energy transactions. To truly make the cap effective, he said, it would need to be applied to any shipper that transported oil above $60 and buyers would need to face the threat of secondary sanctions.

“Just as Russia can adapt to sanctions, so, too, can the U.S. and the G7,” Mr. Fishman said. “Unfortunately, we have not adapted.”

Robin Brooks, a senior fellow in the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institution, said that the United States should have pushed for a lower price level for the cap and that tougher enforcement would discourage evasion and most likely cause the price of Russian oil to fall. Mr. Brooks suggested, however, that Europe was responsible for many of the problems with the cap and noted that Greek vessels had been supporting Russia’s oil trade.

“The main issue is that there have been a lot of oil tankers that have been sold to the shadow fleet,” Mr. Brooks said, arguing that shipowners should have to document who is buying their vessels. “The E.U. has not done what needs to be done.”

In the United States, the Treasury Department said this year that it would be enforcing the price cap more rigorously. It announced more sanctions on Russian ships and warned against evasion tactics, such as the use of inflating shipping costs to mask oil prices that are actually being sold above the cap.

“We certainly did take steps to enforce the price cap more strictly, both in terms of service providers in the G7 and making more rigorous requests for documentation,” Ms. Yellen said.

During a speech in India last month, Eric Van Nostrand, Treasury’s assistant secretary for economic policy, said the new measures were succeeding in increasing the discount for Russian oil compared to global oil prices. He also pointed out that the policy was fulfilling the goal of keeping oil prices under control.

“The price cap is helping maintain a steady supply of energy to global consumers and businesses,” Mr. Van Nostrand said.

But critics of the price cap contend that encouraging Russian oil sales to China and India is only enriching the coffers of the Kremlin and that the United States should be pursuing more rigorous oil sanctions similar to those that it has imposed on Iran.

“The only way to bring this war to any reasonable form of conclusion is to dry up the hard currency that’s keeping Russia’s war machine running,” said Marshall Billingslea, a former assistant secretary for terrorist financing in the Treasury Department during the Trump administration.

Describing the price cap as a bait and switch, Mr. Billingslea added: “It had the appearance of doing something without actually affecting the global energy market, which effectively means not degrading Russian revenues.”

Alan Rappeport is an economic policy reporter, based in Washington. He covers the Treasury Department and writes about taxes, trade and fiscal matters. More about Alan Rappeport

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

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