Future applicants, mark your calendars!

Are you considering dental school in the near future? The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) has created a three-year timeline for the next three application cycles.

The soft open will be on the second Tuesday in May, with the official submission day three weeks later. While the portal closes officially on the first Friday in February, please note that Detroit Mercy Dental’s deadline for verified applications is always December 31 of each year. Please plan to apply at least one month earlier than the posted deadline

ADEA AADSAS Important Dates
*Dates are subject to change.

2023-24 Cycle

  • ADEA AADSAS soft open: May 9, 2023
  • ADEA AADSAS official opening: May 30, 2023
  • Detroit Mercy deadline: December 31, 2023
  • ADEA AADSAS closes: February 2, 2024

2024-25 Cycle

  • ADEA AADSAS soft open: May 14, 2024
  • ADEA AADSAS official opening: June 4, 2024*
  • Detroit Mercy deadline: December 31, 2024
  • ADEA AADSAS closes: February 7, 2025

2025-26 Cycle

  • ADEA AADSAS soft open: May 13, 2025
  • ADEA AADSAS official opening: June 3, 2025*
  • Detroit Mercy deadline: December 31, 2025
  • ADEA AADSAS closes: February 6, 2026

So, if you are looking to attend dental school in the coming years, there’s no better time than now to meet your academic requirements and mark your calendars for the ADEA/AADSAS application! Keep reading to learn the path toward becoming a Detroit Mercy dentist!

  1. Complete all academic prerequisites
  2. Complete 60 hours of shadowing a general dentist (D.D.S. or D.M.D.) All applicants are required to shadow a general dentist for a minimum of 60 hours.
  3. Take the Dental Admission Test (DAT) and send scores directly from the Dental Association (American or Canadian) to Detroit Mercy Dental. Though all scores will be looked at, only scores from the last two years will be considered valid for admissions purposes, counting backward from when the application is submitted.
  4. Submit an application to the ADEA Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (ADEA AADSAS®), including submittal of all official transcripts, DAT scores and letters of recommendation. Once the Office of Dental Admissions receives your AADSAS application, an acknowledgment will be sent to you via email.
  5. Submit supplemental materials. All links will be sent to all Detroit Mercy applicants after submission to AADSAS with instructions on required supplemental materials, including a non-refundable application fee ($125.00 USD). If invited for an interview, applicants must complete Kira and Casper (Casper test only) online assessments. Completion is mandatory and must be completed within the time frame given in the interview invitation. Applicants do NOT need to complete the Casper test unless they are invited for an interview. 

Our admissions team is here to help guide you on the journey toward becoming a dentist, so please email them at dental@udmercy.edu with any questions. We look forward to seeing your application soon, and thank you for considering Detroit Mercy Dental School!