University of Minnesota School of Dentistry: Average DAT, GPA, and How to Get In

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.

The University of Minnesota School of Dentistry is a public DDS program in Minneapolis, MN. Here's exactly what Minnesota has told applicants about its own program, straight from the school's own pages, with nothing rounded or guessed — and wherever the school doesn't publish a figure, we say so plainly instead of filling in a guess.

Minnesota dental school stats at a glance

Minnesota's average DAT score

Per the school's published class profile, the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry's DDS Class of 2029 (entering fall 2025) averaged an Academic Average of 20.87 (median 21) on the old 1–30 DAT scale, with Reading Comprehension averaging 21.95 (median 22), Perceptual Ability 20.26 (median 20), and Total Science 20.63 (median 21). This is worth flagging clearly: Minnesota reports this average on the old scale, not the new 200–600 scale current applicants are scored on. The school's minimum required Academic Average to apply is 330 on the new scale, which it notes is roughly equivalent to the old-scale minimum historically cited as ~17.

To see where 20.87 AA (old scale) or 330 AA (new scale) actually falls nationally, our DAT score percentiles guide breaks down the ADA's official percentile tables, and our DAT score converter will convert any practice score between scales so you can compare it directly to Minnesota's published figures.

Minnesota's average GPA

The same class profile lists an average Total GPA of 3.72 (median 3.73), Science GPA of 3.63 (median 3.66), and BBCP GPA of 3.59 (median 3.61) for the DDS Class of 2029. Minnesota's minimum required total GPA to apply is 2.5 — so, as with the DAT numbers, the published class average sits well above the stated floor.

Class size

Per the school's news release announcing the DDS Class of 2029, Minnesota enrolled 105 students (67 female, 38 male), with 68 of those 105 being Minnesota residents. The prior DDS Class of 2026 was also 105 students, so ~105 appears to be a stable annual class size, though the school does not publish an acceptance rate alongside that figure.

Application deadline

Per Minnesota's official Apply and Interview page, the AADSAS application is due by 11:59pm EST on October 1, 2026, with supplemental materials — application fee, DAT scores, and letters of evaluation — due by October 31, 2026. These deadlines are listed for the current admissions cycle, for fall 2027 entry.

Tuition

Per the school's official 2025-2026 Cost of Attendance PDF, per-semester tuition for DDS1 students (Class of 2029) is $25,529 for residents and $47,741 for nonresidents, which works out to roughly $51,058/yr and $95,482/yr in tuition alone across fall and spring semesters. The school's own bundled "Total Annual Cost of Attendance" figure — which adds fees, books, and living expenses on top of tuition — comes to approximately $88,017 for residents and $132,441 for nonresidents for 2025-2026.

What makes Minnesota's DDS program distinct

A few admissions details worth knowing beyond the raw numbers, all per the school's own pages. Minnesota requires a minimum total GPA of 2.5 and a minimum Academic Average DAT of 330 on the new scale just to apply, though the school notes competitive applicants typically present much higher than either floor. Applicants must also complete 40 hours of in-person dental exposure — shadowing, paid work, or volunteering as a dental assistant, hygienist, or therapist — by matriculation, with at least half of that time in general dentistry; hours spent with a relative do not count. And on letters: three are required, two from science or math faculty and one from a professional contact such as an employer or supervisor, due by October 31. The school uses holistic review and allows applicants to apply for up to three consecutive cycles before requiring a cycle off.