Updated October 29, 2026

UCSF dental school acceptance rate

UCSF School of Dentistry does not publish exact applicant and admission counts for one class, so there is no acceptance rate to give. Here is what it does publish.

Acceptance rate: Not published by the school
Average DAT AA: 23.1; Class of 2029, old DAT scale
Average DAT TS: 23.2; Class of 2029, old DAT scale
Average GPA: 3.78; Class of 2029
Average science GPA: 3.72; Class of 2029
Interview format: Two one-on-one interviews

Every number is from UCSF's own DDS admissions pages, checked October 29, 2026. The school does not publish exact applicant counts for a class.

UCSF's interview: two one-on-one interviews

Practice a dental school interview free: Confetto's AI interviewer asks real dental school questions out loud, follows up on your answers and gives feedback on each one.

Practice a dental interview free Read the UCSF dental school interview guide

How the UCSF rate is worked out

UCSF School of Dentistry does not post exact applicant and admission counts for one class, so we don't give a rate and don't estimate one. For schools that do publish applicant counts, see the table of dental school acceptance rates by school.

UCSF DAT scores and GPA

UCSF reports an average DAT Academic Average of 23.1 (Class of 2029, old DAT scale). The average DAT Total Science score was 23.2. Source

UCSF reports an average overall GPA of 3.78 (Class of 2029). The average science GPA was 3.72. Source

These describe admitted students, not cutoffs. See how they compare across schools in our average GPA for dental school guide, and work out your own with our AADSAS GPA calculator.

What UCSF asks of applicants

UCSF has removed its minimum GPA and DAT requirements and uses holistic review to evaluate every complete application on academic preparedness, community engagement and fit. Prerequisite courses must be completed by September 1st before arriving on campus for orientation. Source
Every UCSF applicant must still take the US DAT (Canadian DAT scores are not accepted) no later than September 1 of the year before entry, with scores valid for two years from the start of the admissions cycle, and each prerequisite needs a C minus or better. Source
UCSF sets no minimum for shadowing but recommends at least 100 hours. Source

For the courses, DAT and shadowing most schools ask for, see our dental school requirements guide.

The UCSF dental school interview

UCSF's interview is closed file: a one-on-one Zoom interview with a faculty member, a one-on-one interview with a current student (virtual on Zoom or in person with a campus tour and lunch with student club leaders) and a 30-minute writing exercise. Candidates must complete both interviews, and each interviewer assesses four key competencies: motivation, self-awareness, problem-solving and critical thinking, and collaboration, teamwork and leadership. Source

Full UCSF dental school interview guide with practice questions

About UCSF School of Dentistry

UCSF says it interviews about 200 applicants a year for the four-year DDS program. Source

Questions people ask

What is the UCSF dental school acceptance rate?

UCSF School of Dentistry does not publish exact applicant and admission counts for one class, so there is no acceptance rate to give.

What DAT score do you need for UCSF?

UCSF reports an average DAT Academic Average of 23.1 (Class of 2029, old DAT scale). The average DAT Total Science score was 23.2. These are typical scores of admitted students, not minimums.

What GPA do you need for UCSF dental school?

UCSF reports an average overall GPA of 3.78 (Class of 2029). The average science GPA was 3.72. These are typical figures, not minimums.

What is the UCSF dental school interview like?

What are the UCSF dental school requirements?

UCSF has removed its minimum GPA and DAT requirements and uses holistic review to evaluate every complete application on academic preparedness, community engagement and fit. Prerequisite courses must be completed by September 1st before arriving on campus for orientation. Every UCSF applicant must still take the US DAT (Canadian DAT scores are not accepted) no later than September 1 of the year before entry, with scores valid for two years from the start of the admissions cycle, and each prerequisite needs a C minus or better. UCSF sets no minimum for shadowing but recommends at least 100 hours.

Compare other dental schools

Confetto is not affiliated with UCSF School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco or ADEA. Every figure on this page is from the school's own website (San Francisco, California), checked October 29, 2026. Schools update these pages each year, so check the source links before you apply.