Updated
Canadian Dental School Requirements: All 10 Schools Compared (2027)
Canada's 10 dental schools mostly ask for three years of university, a high GPA, the Canadian DAT, Casper and an interview. The rules differ school to school: McGill dropped the DAT this cycle, Montréal drops the DAT and Casper from fall 2027, and Alberta takes only the Canadian DAT.
Every fact below comes from the school's own admissions pages or the Canadian Dental Association, for the cycle open now (fall 2027 entry), checked on November 3, 2026. Rules change yearly, so confirm on each school's page before you apply.
Canadian dental school requirements at a glance
| School | DAT | Casper | Interview | Deadline | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto (DDS) | DAT: Canadian or US DAT (AA and PAT used) | Casper: Required | Interview: 20-minute interview with two faculty members | Deadline: November 1 | Class: 96 |
| University of British Columbia (DMD) | DAT: Canadian or US DAT | Casper: Not listed | Interview: In-person individual and group interviews | Deadline: October 10 (ADEA AADSAS) | Class: 64 accepted (Class of 2030) |
| University of Alberta (DDS) | DAT: Canadian DAT only | Casper: Required | Interview: MMI (10-minute stations) and a written statement | Deadline: November 1 | Class: 32 |
| Western University (Schulich) (DDS) | DAT: Canadian or US DAT (with Reading Comprehension) | Casper: Required | Interview: Virtual panel of three, in February | Deadline: November 1 | Class: 56 admitted (Class of 2030) |
| McGill University (DMD) | DAT: Not required this cycle | Casper: Required | Interview: Virtual, recorded MMI | Deadline: November 1 | Class: 29 admitted to the 4-year DMD (2026) |
| Dalhousie University (DDS) | DAT: Canadian DAT (US DAT for international) | Casper: Not listed | Interview: Structured interview with a panel of two to four | Deadline: October 1 (DAT and supplemental) | Class: Up to 46 (32 domestic, 14 international) |
| University of Saskatchewan (DMD) | DAT: Canadian DAT only | Casper: Not listed | Interview: MMI (10-minute stations) | Deadline: November 15 | Class: Not stated |
| University of Manitoba (DMD) | DAT: Canadian English DAT | Casper: Not listed | Interview: Interview for shortlisted applicants | Deadline: January 15 (last cycle) | Class: 29 |
| Université de Montréal (DMD, French) | DAT: Not required from fall 2027 | Casper: Not required from fall 2027 | Interview: See the school's page | Deadline: November 1 (university applicants) | Class: Not stated |
| Université Laval (DMD, French) | DAT: Perceptual Ability part only (15/30 minimum) | Casper: Required | Interview: Structured interview | Deadline: March 1 | Class: 48 |
The Canadian DAT
The Canadian Dental Association runs the Canadian DAT at Prometric centers across Canada. Per its FAQ, the English test has 210 multiple-choice questions: the Survey of Natural Sciences (40 biology and 30 general chemistry), Perceptual Ability (90) and Reading Comprehension (50). The French test has 160 questions and no Reading Comprehension. Scores run from 1 to 30, and the soap-carving Manual Dexterity Test is suspended.
Canadian DAT scores, fee and retakes
- Scores run from 1 to 30, unlike the US DAT's 200 to 600. Our good DAT score guide covers the US scale.
- The fee is $585 (Canadian dollars, 2026), per the DAT Candidate Guide. Scores arrive about four weeks after the test, and the CDA recommends writing at least 8 weeks before a school needs them.
- You can write it 3 times in 12 months. Each school decides which attempt and which sections count.
- No soap carving. The Manual Dexterity Test is suspended, per the CDA.
Schools read the DAT differently. Toronto uses only the Academic Average and Perceptual Ability. Western needs Reading Comprehension, so it won't take the French DAT. Laval needs only the Perceptual Ability part, with at least 15 out of 30. Toronto, UBC and Western also accept the American DAT.
GPA and prerequisite courses
Minimums look modest: 3.00 at Toronto, 3.0 at Western, 3.3 at Alberta and 70% (2.8) at UBC. Admitted students sit far above them. Toronto's 2026 admits averaged a 3.96 GPA, Western's Class of 2030 a 3.98 and McGill's 2026 Quebec admits a 3.92.
Several schools soften one bad year. UBC drops your worst year once you have four or more, and Saskatchewan uses your two best years. Dalhousie looks at your last 60 credit hours and wants an A- average there.
Prerequisites are narrower than in the US. Biochemistry appears almost everywhere, and physiology at Toronto, Western, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Dalhousie. Several schools want English or a humanities course. McGill, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Dalhousie add physics. The details are in each school's row below. US applicants can compare with our US dental school requirements guide.
Residency and seats
Most seats go to people from the school's own province. Alberta has 32 seats a year, at least 29 of them for Alberta residents. Dalhousie's domestic seats are split among Nova Scotia (25), New Brunswick (5) and Prince Edward Island (2), and it takes up to 14 international students. Laval reserves its 48 seats for Quebec residents, and Manitoba gives priority to Manitobans.
So start with the schools in your province, then add the schools that take the most applicants from elsewhere. Out-of-province applicants made up 12 of UBC's 64 acceptances for the Class of 2030, and McGill admitted 7 Canadians from outside Quebec, from 133 applications, in 2026.
How competitive is each Canadian dental school?
Four schools publish both applicants and admits for one class, so we can work out applicants per seat:
| School | Applicants | Admitted | Per seat |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alberta | Applicants: 866 applicants, 2026 intake | Admitted: 32 | Per seat: 27.1 |
| Western University | Applicants: 1,093 applicants, Class of 2030 | Admitted: 56 | Per seat: 19.5 |
| University of British Columbia | Applicants: 444 applications meeting requirements, Class of 2030 | Admitted: 64 | Per seat: 6.9 |
| McGill University | Applicants: 456 applications to the four-year DMD, 2026 | Admitted: 29 | Per seat: 15.7 |
Toronto adds a fifth reference point: over 1,000 applications for 96 places, or more than 10 per seat. Counts differ in what they include (UBC counts only applications that met its requirements), so compare these with care. For US schools, our dental school acceptance rate guide has the national numbers.
Requirements school by school
Open a school for its GPA rule, courses, DAT, interview and numbers, each linked to its own page.
University of Toronto, Ontario (DDS)
- Three full years of university and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, calculated on the OMSAS scale.
- Prerequisites: one full year of general biochemistry, one full year of mammalian physiology, two full years of life sciences and one full year of humanities or social sciences, at a university by the end of May 2027.
- Take the DAT within 24 months of the November 1 deadline. Toronto only looks at the Academic Average and Perceptual Ability scores and uses your highest set.
- Complete the Canadian Casper 2 test. Results are valid for one cycle only.
- Over 1,000 applications a year for 96 places, and about 180 interviews in February. Admitted students in 2026 averaged a 3.96 GPA, 25 on the DAT Academic Average and 23 on Perceptual Ability.
University of British Columbia, British Columbia (DMD)
- UBC takes applications through ADEA AADSAS. The application deadline is October 10, 2026, documents are due October 23, 2026 and AADSAS verification by October 31, 2026.
- Complete 90 credits (three full-time years) by April 30 of the year you enter, with a minimum overall average of 70% or 2.8 on a 4.0 scale. If you have four or more years, your worst year is dropped (rules apply).
- Prerequisites: at least 6 credits each of English, chemistry, biology, organic chemistry and biochemistry, with letter or percentage grades.
- Canadian and American DAT scores from a writing no later than August 31 count. The Manual Dexterity part of the Canadian DAT and Quantitative Reasoning on the US DAT are not required.
- Interviews are in person on February 17 and 19, 2027, run by general practitioners and faculty who don't see your file or grades.
- For the Class of 2030, 444 applications met the requirements, 100 applicants were interviewed and 64 were accepted, with an average DAT of 25.70 out of 30.
University of Alberta, Alberta (DDS)
- A minimum overall GPA of 3.3 to be eligible. Alberta uses the GPA only to check eligibility, not to rank applicants.
- Required courses include general and organic chemistry, cell biology, English, statistics, microbiology, biochemistry and 6 units of human physiology.
- Only the Canadian DAT is accepted. Results are due January 15, and Casper 2 results by January 2.
- The interview is an MMI with 10-minute stations: two minutes to read each scenario and eight to answer. A written personal statement follows the same day.
- Enrollment is 32 seats a year: at least 29 for Alberta residents and up to 3 for everyone else, international applicants included. For the 2026 intake, 866 people applied and 32 were admitted.
Western University (Schulich), Ontario (DDS)
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and at least three years (90 credit hours) of undergraduate coursework by April 30 of the year you enter.
- Prerequisites: biochemistry (0.5 credit), mammalian physiology (1.0), biology (2.0) and English (0.5). Labs are not required.
- The DAT must be written within two years of the November 1 deadline and must include Reading Comprehension, so the French DAT does not qualify. The Manual Dexterity section is not required.
- Western also uses its own autobiographical sketch (written and video, through Kira Talent) and Casper.
- Interviews are virtual in February with three-person panels of dentists, community members and dental students.
- For the Class of 2030, 1,093 people applied, 264 were interviewed and 56 were admitted, with an average cumulative GPA of 3.98.
McGill University, Quebec (DMD)
- McGill removed the DAT as a requirement for the 2026-2027 application cycle, and says its future use is under review.
- Interview invitations weigh academic performance at 70%, Casper at 20% and your CV at 10%.
- Science prerequisites with labs: 6 credits of introductory biology, 6 of general chemistry, 3 of organic chemistry and 6 of introductory physics.
- The MMI is virtual and recorded: you answer the stations at any time between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm on interview day.
- For 2026, the four-year DMD admitted 19 Quebec residents, 7 other Canadians and 3 international applicants, from 294, 133 and 29 applications. Admitted Quebec residents averaged a 3.92 cGPA.
- The fall 2026 class, which also includes students from McGill's DENT-P preparatory year, has 39 students with an average undergraduate GPA of 3.90.
Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia (DDS)
- Domestic seats go to the Maritimes: 25 for Nova Scotia, 5 for New Brunswick and 2 for Prince Edward Island. There is no set allocation for the rest of Canada.
- No degree is required, but you need at least 60 credit hours of prerequisites and an A- average (3.7 on a 4.3 scale, or 80%) in your last 60 credit hours and in biochemistry, microbiology and human physiology.
- Canadian residents take the Canadian DAT. You need at least 17 on Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension and Natural Sciences in one attempt, and Dalhousie says most successful applicants score 20 or better on each.
- DAT scores and the supplemental information are due October 1, 2026.
- Dalhousie normally grants twice as many interviews as places. The interview is structured (every applicant gets the same type of questions) and run by a panel of two to four faculty or staff members.
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan (DMD)
- The deadline for the 2027-2028 intake is November 15, with documents due December 1.
- Three 30-credit-unit years of university and a cumulative weighted average of 75% over your two best years, plus 39 credit units of pre-dentistry courses averaging at least 70%.
- The Canadian DAT is required, with at least 15 on the Academic Average and 14 on Perceptual Ability and on Reading Comprehension.
- Selection weighs academics at 65%, the DAT at 15% and the MMI at 20%.
- Saskatchewan reports 511 applications for 2026-27.
University of Manitoba, Manitoba (DMD)
- The first-year class has 29 students, and Manitoba gives priority to Manitoba applicants. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
- Required courses include two terms each of introductory chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics and biology, plus English and humanities or social sciences.
- General applicants are ranked on an equal weighting of adjusted GPA, Canadian DAT scores and the interview.
- Its posted requirements for the 2026-2027 class set a DAT deadline of December 1, 2025 and an application deadline of January 15, 2026. Check the page for the 2027 dates before you plan around them.
Université de Montréal, Quebec (DMD)
- From fall 2027, Montréal no longer requires the DAT or Casper, and has adjusted its selection weights to match.
- Motivation is a selection criterion, with an extra fee for that assessment.
- The deadline is November 1, 2026 if you are or were a university student or studied outside Quebec.
- The program is taught in French, per the Canadian Dental Association's school list.
Université Laval, Quebec (DMD)
- Laval needs only the visual perception part of the Canadian DAT, with at least 15 out of 30. You can take it in French or English.
- All applicants take Casper (Canada Casper 2).
- Final selection weighs your academic record at 60%, Casper at 20% and the structured interview at 20%.
- Laval lists 48 fall 2027 seats with a March 1 deadline, reserved for Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are also Quebec residents.
How Canadian dental schools interview
The schools that describe their interviews use three formats:
- MMI. Alberta and Saskatchewan run 10-minute stations: two minutes to read a scenario, eight to answer. McGill's MMI is virtual and recorded. Our MMI practice questions show the station types.
- Panel or faculty interview. Toronto holds a 20-minute interview with two faculty members. Western uses virtual three-person panels, Dalhousie a structured interview with a panel of two to four faculty or staff, and Laval a structured interview worth 20% of its final score.
- Individual and group interviews. UBC runs both, in person, and its interviewers don't see your file or grades.
Several schools also screen with Casper before the interview. Our Casper for dentistry page has practice scenarios, and the dental school interview questions guide covers what panels ask.
Practice a question Canadian panels ask
Because seats are tied to provinces, interviewers often ask why you want to train and practice there. Answer with a real connection, not a ranking.
“Why do you want to study dentistry in this province?”
Canadian schools fill most seats with residents and ask what ties you to the community you'd serve. Name a real connection, one need you have seen and how you would help meet it.
Example answer written by Confetto (the applicant is invented)
I grew up in a town of 4,000 people three hours from the nearest dental school. Our one dentist retired when I was in high school, and for two years my grandparents drove to the city for every appointment.
That's why I want to train here. I volunteered at a mobile dental clinic that visits northern communities, and I saw how much a single visit meant to families who had waited months. I want to practice in a rural part of this province, and your community outreach rotation is the training I need for that.
Sources: the admissions pages and published statistics of Toronto, UBC, Alberta, Western, McGill, Dalhousie, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Montréal and Laval, and the Canadian Dental Association's DAT pages and 2026 Candidate Guide, linked throughout and checked as of November 3, 2026. Applicants per seat is our own math.
Frequently asked questions
How many dental schools are there in Canada?
Ten: Toronto, Western, UBC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, McGill, Montréal, Laval and Dalhousie. Montréal and Laval teach in French. See the CDA's school list.
Do Canadian dental schools accept the American DAT?
Some do. Toronto, UBC and Western accept the Canadian or American DAT. Alberta accepts only the Canadian DAT, and Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Dalhousie (for Canadian residents) require it. Laval needs only its Perceptual Ability part. McGill doesn't require the DAT this cycle, and Montréal drops it from fall 2027. See Toronto's DAT rule.
What GPA do you need for dental school in Canada?
Minimums run from 70% (2.8) at UBC to an A- average at Dalhousie, but admitted students average far higher: a 3.96 GPA at Toronto in 2026 and 3.98 at Western for the Class of 2030. See Western's statistics.
Is the soap carving test still part of the Canadian DAT?
No. The Canadian Dental Association says the Manual Dexterity Test, which involves carving soap, is suspended. The rest of the test is multiple choice at Prometric centers. See the CDA's DAT page.
Which Canadian dental schools require Casper?
Toronto, Alberta, Western, McGill and Laval ask for Casper this cycle. Montréal no longer requires it from fall 2027. Practice Casper for dentistry.
Can out-of-province students get into Canadian dental schools?
Yes, but most seats go to residents. Alberta keeps at least 29 of 32 seats for Albertans, Dalhousie's domestic seats go to the Maritimes and Laval reserves its seats for Quebec residents. See Alberta's seat rule.