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University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine: Average DAT, GPA, and How to Get In
University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine (CU SDM) is a public dental school in Aurora, Colorado, granting the DDS degree. Below is everything CU publishes about DAT scores, GPA, class size, deadlines, and tuition — and, just as important, what CU does not publish, so you're not chasing a number that isn't real.
Numbers below come from the school's own published materials as of July 2026 (each is linked to its source). Admissions stats shift every cycle — treat these as a snapshot and confirm on the school's official admissions page before you apply.
CU dental school stats at a glance
| Metric | CU's published figure |
|---|---|
| Avg DAT | Not published |
| Avg GPA | Not published |
| Class size | 80 students per entering DDS class |
| Deadline | AADSAS filing: October 15 · Verification: October 22 · Cycle opens: June 4 |
| Tuition | Resident: $46,057/yr · Non-resident: $96,184/yr (2024–2025, projected) |
Does CU publish an average DAT score or GPA?
Not currently. CU's own Apply page tells applicants that "DAT scores close to the averages of the most recent entering class are considered competitive" and points to a Class Profile page for the current numbers — but as of this writing, that Class Profile link does not resolve to a live page anywhere on CU's site. Rather than repeat a secondhand average from a third-party site (several exist, and they don't agree with each other), we're reporting this plainly: check CU's admissions page directly for the current cycle's figures.
What CU does say, per that same official Apply page, is that admissions runs on holistic review with an invitation-only on-campus interview, weighing academic credentials, DAT/GPA, and letters of recommendation together — explicitly stating there is "no minimum or cutoff" DAT score. That's a meaningfully different admissions philosophy than a hard-cutoff school, and it's worth knowing going in.
Where does a DAT score actually rank nationally?
Since CU doesn't publish a number to aim for, the more useful move is understanding where your own practice scores sit in the national distribution. Our breakdown of the official ADA percentile data shows exactly what a given Academic Average converts to on the new 200–600 scale and where it lands percentile-wise, and our DAT score converter translates old-scale (1–30) and new-scale scores instantly if you're comparing yours to an older benchmark.
What else CU requires before you apply
A few requirements from CU's official Apply page are easy to miss and can disqualify an otherwise strong application. First, a minimum of 50 hours of dental shadowing must be completed and documented before you submit — applicants without it aren't reviewed or considered for interview. Second, CU requires 3 letters of recommendation: two must come from science professors who taught and graded you at the university level (biology, chemistry, physics, biochemistry, or microbiology), plus a third from an evaluator of your choosing.
Class size, deadlines, and tuition
CU's entering DDS class has held at 80 students since 2012, when it expanded from 52, per the school's official History page — the most recent official figure we could find, since it isn't broken out on a separate class-profile page. That same History page notes CU also runs an Advanced Standing International Student Program (ISP) and, since 2020, a DDS/MPH dual degree with the Colorado School of Public Health.
For the current cycle, CU's Apply page lists an AADSAS filing deadline of October 15, an application verification deadline of October 22, and a cycle open date of June 4, with rolling admissions and early acceptances beginning December 13. On tuition, CU's tuition page lists projected 2024–2025 rates of $46,057/year for residents and $96,184/year for non-residents; note the non-resident rate can also apply if a student voluntarily withdraws after year one for non-medical reasons.
Their average is the bar. Beat it.
CU doesn't publish an average DAT to chase, and its own Apply page says there's no minimum or cutoff score — which means your number gets weighed holistically, not measured against a public bar. That makes consistent, full-length practice under real timing even more important: it's the only way to walk into a holistic review with a score you actually trust.
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FAQ: CU dental school admissions
What DAT score do you need for CU?
CU does not publish an average or minimum DAT score. Per the school's official Apply page, DAT scores are reviewed holistically alongside GPA and letters of recommendation, and the page explicitly states there is "no minimum or cutoff" DAT score for consideration. Check CU's admissions page directly for the current cycle before you apply.
What GPA do you need for CU dental school?
CU does not publish an average GPA either. The school's official Apply page describes a holistic review that weighs GPA together with DAT scores and letters of recommendation rather than screening against a published GPA cutoff, so there is no single number to target — confirm current guidance on CU's admissions page.
How hard is it to get into CU?
CU does not publish an acceptance rate, so we can't quantify difficulty with a number. What is published, per CU's official Apply page: a minimum of 50 documented shadowing hours is required before submission (applicants without it aren't reviewed), interviews are invitation-only, and 3 letters of recommendation are required, two from science professors. The entering DDS class has held at 80 students since 2012, per the school's official History page.
When is the CU dental school application deadline?
Per CU's official Apply page, the AADSAS filing deadline is October 15, with an application verification deadline of October 22; the application cycle opens June 4. Admissions are rolling, with early acceptances beginning December 13. Confirm these dates on CU's admissions page, since deadlines can shift by cycle.