Updated · 15 min read
Case Western Reserve Dental Interview: Dates, Casper, Prep
Key facts (2026-27)
- Format
- Personal interview with faculty or staff, required for an offer
- Also required
- Casper (Acuity Insights) before the Admissions Committee reviews your file
Dates for 2026-27
Rolling, first completed, first considered, from mid-to-late August
Interview invitations
First offers around December 1 to 15, then rolling
Offers and decisions
Checked November 2026 against CWRU School of Dental Medicine: Apply to CWRU SoDM and CWRU School of Dental Medicine: Timeline to Apply. Confirm details in your invitation.
Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine requires a personal interview with faculty or staff before your file can be considered for an offer of admission, and invitations go out on a rolling, first-completed first-considered basis starting in mid-to-late August. For the Entering Class of 2025, CWRU received 1,836 applications, interviewed 285 applicants (15.5%), and matriculated 80 students (28% of interviewees), according to the CWRU School of Dental Medicine Admissions Data page. Every applicant must also complete the Acuity Insights Casper test before the Admissions Committee will review their application.
What the CWRU dental interview is and how invites work
A personal interview with faculty or staff at CWRU School of Dental Medicine is required for your file to be considered for an offer of admission. Confirm your session schedule, platform or campus details, and interviewer assignments in your invitation email from the Office of Admissions.
Invitations are issued on a rolling, first-completed first-considered basis. Interview invitations are based solely on the information submitted in your ADEA AADSAS application, including your collected letters of recommendation, and the committee will not review your application until your Acuity Insights Casper scores are received.
Because CWRU does not ask for a secondary application with extra essays, your AADSAS personal statement, experience descriptions, and letters of evaluation carry all the weight in getting you to the interview table. If you need to reschedule or cancel an interview, notify the Office of Admissions early as a professional courtesy so other applicants can be accommodated.
To practice answering faculty and staff questions out loud, Confetto, an AI mock interviewer for dental, medical, and other healthcare program interviews, runs mock sessions with follow-up questions based on your application. Start your free week.
Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine interview and cycle facts (2026-27)
| Item | What CWRU School of Dental Medicine says |
|---|---|
| Interview requirement | Personal interview with faculty or staff is required for an offer of admission |
| How invites are issued | Rolling, first-completed first-considered process based on the AADSAS application and letters |
| When interviews begin | Mid-August to end of August for entrance the following August |
| Secondary application | None. Only a $65 supplemental fee paid directly to CWRU |
| Casper requirement | Required for all applicants: US Professional Health Sciences test (CSP-20100), 90-110 minute online, open-response situational judgment test |
| First offers of admission | Around December 1 (Timeline page) or about December 15 (Checklist page), then rolling |
| Deposit to hold a seat | 1,000 US dollars non-refundable deposit, applied to first-year tuition |
2026-27 cycle timeline and Casper rules
Every applicant must complete the Acuity Insights Casper assessment, a 90-110 minute online, open-response situational judgment test that CWRU uses to measure competencies and attributes important for students and graduates and to enhance fairness and objectivity in selection. When you register at AcuityInsights.app, select the US Professional Health Sciences test, code CSP-20100. CWRU cannot accept the Canadian version or any other version of the assessment.
Do not treat the January 5, 2027 Casper deadline as a target date. CWRU's Checklist for DMD Applicants page warns that the Admissions Committee will not review your application until it has received your Casper scores, so early testing directly affects when your file enters the rolling queue.
2 official CWRU pages give slightly different dates for the first round of acceptance offers. The Timeline to Apply page says the first round of offers is sent around December 1, while the Checklist for DMD Applicants page says the school strives to send out the first offers on about December 15, with rolling admission after that date. The school intends to keep seats available until all interviews are conducted, though that may not always be possible. Some well-qualified interviewed applicants remain under review or are placed on the Alternate List. If every applicant on the Alternate List receives an offer and pays a deposit, applicants on the Hold List may rarely be considered.
- On or soon after June 1: Submit your ADEA AADSAS application, send official transcripts to AADSAS, and pay the $65 CWRU supplemental fee.
- July 1, 2024 to January 1, 2027: Acceptable testing window for DAT scores for the 2026-27 application cycle.
- Mid-August to end of August: CWRU Admissions Committee begins scheduling and conducting interviews.
- Beginning in November: AADSAS academic update window opens to add fall coursework grades and recalculate your GPA.
- December 1 / December 15: First offers of admission go out, followed by rolling admissions. Accepted students submit a non-refundable $1,000 US deposit to hold a seat.
- January 1, 2027: Final deadline to apply through AADSAS and final acceptable test date for the DAT.
- January 5, 2027: Final deadline to take the Acuity Insights Casper assessment.
- Early August: Entering DMD class begins dental school at CWRU.
What CWRU looks for: attributes, mission, and letters
CWRU evaluates applicants holistically and states on its Apply to CWRU SoDM page that matriculants articulate pre-professional attributes that build a supportive, collegial learning environment. Its About page and General Bulletin define core values around collegiality, a culture of inquiry, innovation, integrity, responsible stewardship, interprofessional leadership, and serving Ohio communities, the nation, and the world.
On its DMD overview page, the school says it wants students who are curious about how and why dental health care decisions are made, take responsibility for their own learning, and enjoy an active learning environment that includes group work. Similarly, the Admissions Committee notes in its letter of evaluation instructions that perspectives from facilitators of environments that engage small groups in discussions, advocacy, or creativity are of particular interest. In your interview, be ready to talk about how you contribute inside a small group when there is a problem to solve.
- Respect, integrity, and responsibility: Tell a concrete story where you owned an error or stood up for a patient or colleague.
- Initiative and curiosity: Show how you ask why behind clinical decisions or scientific problems rather than just memorizing steps.
- Creative teamwork and consensus building: Describe how you help a small group reach agreement when members disagree.
- Dedication to service and cultural acceptance: Connect your volunteer work to CWRU's mission to improve oral and overall health across diverse communities.
- Self-management: Explain how you organize your time, handle heavy workloads, and take responsibility for your own learning.
CWRU program features to know before your interview
When an interviewer asks why you want to attend Case Western Reserve, connect your experiences to the specific ways CWRU teaches and treats patients. If you are preparing for multiple schools, compare how you frame these answers using our guide to dental school interview questions.
CWRU's 4-year DMD program uses the REAL curriculum, which stands for Relevant Experiential Active Learning. REAL centers on small-group problem-based discussion sessions guided by facilitators, time for self-directed inquiry, and 4 curriculum themes: Health and Well-Being, Disease Processes, Restoration of Health, and Maintenance of Health, with 2 4-year professional threads in Inquiry and Leadership.
Since 2019, dental students have trained at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic. You take classes in the 477,000-square-foot Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion alongside medical, nursing, physician assistant, and social work students, including first-year interprofessional education in the Collaborative Practice I curriculum, and treat patients across the street in the 4-level, 132,000-square-foot Dental Clinic.
- Simulation and mixed reality: D1 and D2 students train with A-dec simulators, Bien-Air Optima MX2 electric motor systems ($350,000 in-kind donation), CAD/CAM scanning and milling, 3D printing, a 10-seat Sim-Ex augmented reality simulator space for 3D real-time handpiece feedback, and HoloAnatomy and HoloNeuro 3D mixed reality human anatomy ($91,000 investment in HoloLens visors and software).
- Preceptor groups and practice management: The Dental Clinic has 225 patient care spaces, a Yomi robotic implant surgery unit, and an Ambulatory Surgery Center with 2 hospital-size operating rooms, serving nearly 19,000 patients a year. D3 and D4 students work in 8 practice groups (15 chairs and about 16 to 19 students per group) led by 2 faculty preceptors and a patient care coordinator (PCC), and every D4 student develops a business plan for a hypothetical practice critiqued by accountants and practicing dentists.
- Community service cornerstones: Through the Outreach Preventative Dentistry course up to Thanksgiving break, D1 students join the Healthy Smiles Sealant Program to perform exams and place sealants for 2nd-, 3rd-, and 6th-grade students in Cleveland-area schools. D2 students participate in the Family First program, and students also volunteer at the Circle Health Clinic and on elective international mission trips to Peru and the Dominican Republic.
- Hospital affiliations and dual degrees: CWRU partners with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, MetroHealth, University Hospitals, and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. Students can present at the annual Professionals Day each spring or pursue a 5-year NIH-funded DMD/Master's in Clinical Research Training (MCRT) or a DMD/Master of Public Health (MPH).
How to prepare: 5-step plan and 10 practice questions
We wrote the 5-step preparation plan and the 10 practice questions below around the attributes on CWRU's Apply page, the REAL curriculum, and the questions dental admissions officers recommend on ADEA GoDental. They are for practice and do not predict what you will be asked.
Work through the 5 steps first: (1) Audit your AADSAS personal statement and experience entries so you can tell 1 specific story from each without notes. (2) Build 2 stories from a small discussion group, lab, or advocacy team where you shared responsibility for learning or built consensus. (3) Tie your 'Why CWRU' answer to specific mechanics like the D1 Healthy Smiles Sealant Program, D3/D4 preceptor groups with a patient care coordinator, or interprofessional classes at Samson Pavilion. (4) Use CWRU's pre-professional attributes as your lens for ethical or clinical scenarios. (5) Prepare 3 questions for your interviewer from ADEA GoDental's admissions officer list, such as how CWRU promotes its collegial environment, how students learn practice management inside preceptor groups, or what resources support students academically.
- 1. Why Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine, and how does our REAL curriculum fit the way you learn best?
- 2. Tell me about a time you were in a small group where 1 member dominated the discussion or another fell behind. How did you help the group build consensus?
- 3. In your first year here, you will go into Cleveland-area elementary and middle schools for the Healthy Smiles Sealant Program. Tell me about an experience you have had working with children or underserved community members.
- 4. Our third- and fourth-year clinics run in practice groups with 2 faculty preceptors and a patient care coordinator, and fourth-year students write a business plan. Why does learning the business and management side of dentistry matter to you?
- 5. Describe a moment from your dental shadowing where you were curious about why the dentist chose 1 treatment plan over another. What did you ask, and what did you learn?
- 6. At the Health Education Campus, you will learn alongside medical, nursing, physician assistant, and social work students. Tell me about a time you collaborated with someone from a different academic or professional background.
- 7. Tell me about a mistake you made in a class, lab, or job where you had to take personal responsibility and fix it.
- 8. What have you done with your hands outside of science coursework that required patience, fine motor control, and self-assessment when the first attempt did not go right?
- 9. How do you manage your own learning when a course gives you open-ended problems instead of a step-by-step study guide?
- 10. If you are accepted to several dental schools, what will matter most to you when you choose where to enroll?
Entering Class of 2025 statistics and selectivity
According to the CWRU School of Dental Medicine Admissions Data page, the school received 1,836 applications for the Entering Class of 2025, interviewed 285 applicants (15.5% of applications), and matriculated 80 students (28% of interviews and 4.3% of applications). If you are still building your school list and weighing interview odds across programs, see our guide on how many dental schools you should apply to.
By our calculation from CWRU's Entering Class of 2025 Admissions Data table, CWRU interviewed about 1 in every 6.4 applicants (285 of 1,836) and matriculated 1 in every 3.56 interviewed applicants (80 of 285). Because more applicants are offered admission than eventually matriculate, your post-interview chance of receiving an offer is at least 28%. Of the 80 matriculants, 65 held a BA or BS degree, 5 held an MA, MS, or MPH degree, and 10 had completed between 100 and 128 college credits without a degree.
CWRU School of Dental Medicine Entering Class of 2025 GPA and DAT statistics
| Metric | Overall GPA | Science GPA | DAT Academic Average (AA) | DAT Perceptual Ability (PAT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | 3.72 | 3.66 | 446.75 | 445.84 |
| Median | 3.77 | 3.71 | 440 | 450 |
| 25th Percentile | 3.60 | 3.49 | 420 | 410 |
| 75th Percentile | 3.94 | 3.91 | 462.50 | 477.50 |
Application steps, fees, prerequisites, and 2026-27 tuition
To compare CWRU's coursework rules with other DMD and DDS programs, read our overview of dental school requirements. As a private dental school, CWRU applies a single tuition rate ($92,760) and evaluates all applicants who have completed at least 60 semester hours and all prerequisites at an accredited US or Canadian institution under the same holistic standards. When you pay the $65 supplemental application fee on CWRU's payment portal, enter your ADEA AADSAS application ID carefully so the office can match your payment to your file, and save your QuikPAY confirmation email and order number. If you applied for an AADSAS application fee waiver, CWRU prefers that you do not pay the non-refundable supplemental fee until you receive your AADSAS fee waiver letter and forward it to dentadmit@case.edu. Waiting for the fee waiver letter does not put your application at a disadvantage in screening.
Once your interview is on the calendar, rehearse your answers out loud with Confetto so your stories on small-group learning, service, and why CWRU come across clearly. Start your free week.
CWRU School of Dental Medicine requirements, fees, and 2026-27 costs
| Category | Official requirement or figure |
|---|---|
| Application fees | $259 AADSAS application fee plus a $65 supplemental CWRU School of Dental Medicine fee (no secondary application. Fee waived with an AADSAS fee reduction waiver letter sent to dentadmit@case.edu) |
| Credit hour minimums | At least 90 semester hours of collegiate coursework at an accredited institution (excluding physical education or military training), with at least 60 semester hours and all prerequisites from an accredited US or Canadian institution taught in English. Up to 60 semester hours from a community college may be applied |
| Required prerequisites | At least 6 semester hours each of General Chemistry (2 semesters or 3 quarters sequential), Organic Chemistry (2 semesters or 3 quarters sequential), Biology, Physics (2 semesters or 3 quarters sequential), and English or similar reading/writing-intensive humanities coursework |
| Grades and AP/IB policy | All prerequisites must be completed for a letter grade of C or higher (C- does not satisfy the requirement). AP, IB, and test-exemption credits are not recognized for prerequisites. Applicants who placed out must retake the courses or take an equal number of upper-level credits in the same discipline |
| Recommended coursework | Science (lab not required): statistics, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, anatomy, physiology, advanced cell biology, histology, neuroscience, and engineering. Social sciences/humanities: ethics, business, psychology, sociology, epidemiology, cultural anthropology, art, music, dance, media studies, and foreign languages including American Sign Language |
| Letters of evaluation | Institutional evaluation letter strongly preferred. Otherwise, an institutional composite letter or packet with at least 2 letters from science faculty who taught you in lecture, lab, or independent research, plus optional letters from non-science faculty, work supervisors, clinical mentors, or facilitators of small-group discussion, advocacy, or creativity |
| DAT validity window | Exams taken between July 1, 2024 and January 1, 2027 for the 2026-27 cycle |
| 2026-27 D1 tuition and costs | D1 tuition is $92,760, total billed by the university for D1 is $110,033.63 (includes $10,788.63 estimated instrument kits and $4,220 health insurance, which may be waived if eligible), and total estimated D1 cost of attendance is $147,153.63. About 95% of students receive financial aid (FAFSA code 003137) |
Case Western dental school practice question (written by us, not Case Western)
Why do you want to earn your DMD at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, and how have your past experiences prepared you for our REAL curriculum?
Example answer (written by us, invented applicant)
Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented. "I want to train at Case Western Reserve because the REAL curriculum teaches dentistry the way I already learn best, in small groups where students share responsibility for solving a clinical problem. For the past 3 semesters, I served as a peer facilitator for a 12-student organic chemistry workshop. Instead of re-lecturing, my job was to ask guiding questions while students worked through synthesis problems together, and I saw firsthand how much deeper people remember concepts when they have to explain their reasoning out loud to peers. I also love how CWRU pairs that small-group classroom inquiry with early community care and real-world practice management. Having assisted at a county pediatric mobile clinic, I am excited that first-year students here prepare through the Outreach Preventative Dentistry course and go straight into Cleveland schools for the Healthy Smiles Sealant Program before Thanksgiving. Later on, working in a D3 and D4 preceptor group with 2 faculty preceptors and a patient care coordinator, and writing a critiqued business plan in fourth year, will give me the clinical and operational readiness I need to run a community-focused general practice."
Why this answer works: It names specific CWRU features from the school's own pages (the REAL small-group model, the D1 Outreach Preventative Dentistry course and Healthy Smiles Sealant Program, and the D3/D4 preceptor groups with a patient care coordinator and fourth-year business plan) and connects each one to a concrete experience the applicant has already lived.
Case Western dental school interview FAQ
When does Case Western Reserve dental school start sending interview invites and conducting interviews?
The CWRU Admissions Committee begins scheduling and conducting interviews around mid-to-late August for entrance the following August. Invitations go out on a rolling, first-completed first-considered basis based on your ADEA AADSAS application and letters of recommendation.
Does Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine require the Casper test?
Yes. All applicants must complete the Acuity Insights Casper situational judgment test for US Professional Health Sciences (CSP-20100) by January 5, 2027, and the Admissions Committee will not review your application until your Casper scores are received.
Does Case Western Reserve dental school have a secondary application?
No. CWRU does not ask applicants to complete a secondary application after submitting AADSAS, and requires only a $65 supplemental application fee paid directly to the school (or an AADSAS fee waiver letter emailed to dentadmit@case.edu).
What percentage of applicants get an interview at Case Western Reserve dental school?
For the Entering Class of 2025, CWRU received 1,836 applications, interviewed 285 applicants (15.5% of applications), and matriculated 80 students (28% of interviewees and 4.3% of applications).
When does Case Western Reserve dental school send offers of admission?
CWRU's Timeline to Apply page notes that the first round of offers is sent around December 1, while its Checklist page says the school strives to release first offers on about December 15, followed by rolling admissions. Accepted applicants submit a non-refundable $1,000 US deposit to hold a seat.
Sources, checked November 3, 2026:
- CWRU School of Dental Medicine: Apply to CWRU SoDM
- CWRU School of Dental Medicine: Checklist for DMD Applicants
- CWRU School of Dental Medicine: Timeline to Apply
- CWRU School of Dental Medicine: Admissions Data (Entering Class of 2025)
- CWRU School of Dental Medicine: Experience the Curriculum (REAL)
- CWRU School of Dental Medicine: Pay Your DMD Supplemental Application Fee
- CWRU School of Dental Medicine: Financial Aid and 2026-27 Tuition
- CWRU Programs: Dental Medicine (DMD)
- CWRU 2026-27 General Bulletin: School of Dental Medicine
- ADEA GoDental: Best Interview Questions by Predental Students
Confetto isn't affiliated with Case Western Reserve University. Everything here about the school comes from its public pages, checked in November 2026.
Formats and dates can change between cycles, so go by your invitation email.