2024 Best Dentistry Schools (2024)

Overview

Rankings
  • Top Ranked
  • Top Online
  • Highest Paid
  • Best Value
  • Popular
  • Popular Online
  • Focused
  • Non-Traditional
  • Veterans

Related Majors

2024 Best Dentistry Schools (2) by our College Data Analytics Team

Unbiased Factual Guarantee

64Colleges in the United States

6,771Dentistry Degrees Awarded

$103,395Avg Early-Career Salary

If you plan on majoring in dentistry, you won't be alone since the degree program is ranked #105 in the country in terms of popularity. As a result, there are many college that offer the degree, making your choice of school a hard one.

For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 64 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for dentistry students pursuing a degree. Combined, these schools handed out 6,771 degrees in dentistry to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

  • Best Overall Dentistry Schools List

Choosing a Great Dentistry School

2024 Best Dentistry Schools (3)Your choice of dentistry school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. We derive our Best Overall Dentistry School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Dentistry Rankings by Degree Level

Doctor's Degreesin Dentistry

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Dentistry Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you.If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat.Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.

Best Schools for Dentistry in the United States

The schools below may not offer all types of dentistry degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.

10 Top Schools in Dentistry

1

University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA

Doctor's DegreeHighest Degree Type

169Dentistry Degrees Awarded

3.6%Growth in Graduates

University of Pennsylvania is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in dentistry. UPenn is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Philadelphia. A Best Colleges rank of #4 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.

There were about 169 dentistry students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the dentistry program state that they receive average early career wages of $71,965.

More information about a degree in dentistry from University of Pennsylvania

2

Doctor's DegreeHighest Degree Type

108Dentistry Degrees Awarded

11.1%Growth in Graduates

Every student pursuing a degree in dentistry needs to look into The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Located in the large city of Houston, UTHealth is a public university with a medium-sized student population.

There were about 108 dentistry students who graduated with this degree at UTHealth in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the dentistry program report average early career income of $102,392.

More information about a degree in dentistry from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

3

University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE

Doctor's DegreeHighest Degree Type

61Dentistry Degrees Awarded

11.5%Growth in Graduates

It is difficult to beat University of Nebraska Medical Center if you wish to pursue a degree in dentistry. Located in the city of Omaha, UNMC is a public university with a small student population.

There were roughly 61 dentistry students who graduated with this degree at UNMC in the most recent data year. Dentistry degree recipients from University of Nebraska Medical Center receive an earnings boost of about $34,876 over the typical earnings of dentistry graduates.

More information about a degree in dentistry from University of Nebraska Medical Center

4

A T Still University of Health Sciences
Kirksville, MO

Doctor's DegreeHighest Degree Type

115Dentistry Degrees Awarded

0.9%Growth in Graduates

A T Still University of Health Sciences is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in dentistry. A T Still University of Health Sciences is a small private not-for-profit university located in the town of Kirksville.

There were roughly 115 dentistry students who graduated with this degree at A T Still University of Health Sciences in the most recent year we have data available. Dentistry degree recipients from A T Still University of Health Sciences receive an earnings boost of about $22,317 over the average earnings of dentistry graduates.

More information about a degree in dentistry from A T Still University of Health Sciences

5

University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA

Doctor's DegreeHighest Degree Type

169Dentistry Degrees Awarded

$84,839Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 169 dentistry students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the dentistry program report average early career income of $84,839.

More information about a degree in dentistry from University of Southern California

6

Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, CA

Doctor's DegreeHighest Degree Type

131Dentistry Degrees Awarded

$109,055Median Starting Salary

Loma Linda University is a small private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Loma Linda.

There were approximately 131 dentistry students who graduated with this degree at Loma Linda University in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the dentistry degree program at Loma Linda University earn $5,660 above the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in dentistry from Loma Linda University

7

Midwestern University - Glendale
Glendale, AZ

Doctor's DegreeHighest Degree Type

1stMost Popular In AZ

143Dentistry Degrees Awarded

Midwestern University - Glendale is a small private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Glendale.

There were roughly 143 dentistry students who graduated with this degree at Midwestern University - Glendale in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in dentistry from Midwestern University - Glendale

8

University of Nevada - Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV

Doctor's DegreeHighest Degree Type

84Dentistry Degrees Awarded

$115,835Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized city of Las Vegas, UNLV is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 9 schools for overall quality in the state of Nevada.

There were approximately 84 dentistry students who graduated with this degree at UNLV in the most recent year we have data available. Dentistry degree recipients from University of Nevada - Las Vegas receive an earnings boost of about $12,440 over the typical earnings of dentistry majors.

More information about a degree in dentistry from University of Nevada - Las Vegas

9

University of California - San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

Doctor's DegreeHighest Degree Type

127Dentistry Degrees Awarded

$73,553Median Starting Salary

UCSF is a small public university located in the large city of San Francisco.

There were about 127 dentistry students who graduated with this degree at UCSF in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the dentistry program state that they receive average early career income of $73,553.

More information about a degree in dentistry from University of California - San Francisco

10

University of Florida
Gainesville, FL

Doctor's DegreeHighest Degree Type

108Dentistry Degrees Awarded

13.9%Growth in Graduates

UF is a fairly large public university located in the city of Gainesville. This university ranks 1st out of 77 schools for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were roughly 108 dentistry students who graduated with this degree at UF in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the dentistry program report average early career income of $105,121.

More information about a degree in dentistry from University of Florida

Honorable Mentions

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Dentistry Schools award.

RankCollegeLocation
11Western University of Health SciencesPomona, CA
12The University of Texas Health Science Center at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX
13Midwestern University - Downers GroveDowners Grove, IL
14New York UniversityNew York, NY
15University of California - Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
16Tufts UniversityMedford, MA

Dentistry by Region

View the Best Dentistry Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

Other Rankings

Doctor's Degreesin DentistryHighest Paid Gradsin DentistryBest for Veteransin DentistryMost Popularin DentistryMost Focusedin Dentistry
Best Valuein DentistryBest for Non-Traditional Studentsin DentistryBest Onlinein DentistryMost Popular Onlinein Dentistry

View All Rankings >

Dentistry is one of 34 different types of Health Professions programs to choose from.

Dentistry Concentrations

MajorAnnual Graduates
Dentistry6,771

View All Dentistry Focus Areas >

Most Popular Majors Related to Dentistry

Related MajorAnnual Graduates
Nursing319,502
88,600
85,339
Allied Health Professions83,905
83,587
Public Health41,651
36,762
30,594
30,331
Medicine29,089

View All Dentistry Related Majors >

Notes and References

  • The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Michal Jarmoluk.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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2024 Best Dentistry Schools (2024)

FAQs

What college has the best dentistry program? ›

Best Dental Schools in the US
  • Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
  • UCSF School of Dentistry.
  • Columbia University College of Dental Medicine.
  • University of Michigan School of Dentistry.
  • University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.
  • University of Washington School of Dentistry.
Jul 5, 2024

What is the highest accepting dental school? ›

Top Ten of the Easiest Dental Schools to Get Into
  • University of Mississippi. Acceptance rate: 44.3% ...
  • University of Minnesota. Acceptance rate: 38.54% ...
  • University of Puerto Rico. Acceptance rate: 36.70% ...
  • University of Detroit Mercy. ...
  • University of Utah. ...
  • University of Washington. ...
  • East Carolina University. ...
  • Ohio State University.

What is the most prestigious dental school in the US? ›

Harvard University - Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

What is the easiest dental school to get accepted to? ›

List of Easiest Dental Schools to Get Into
  • Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health. ...
  • East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine. ...
  • The University of Utah. ...
  • The University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine. ...
  • Augusta University Dental College of Georgia. ...
  • The University of Minnesota School of Dentistry.
Apr 11, 2024

What do most dentists major in? ›

The majority of dental students, however, still majored in biology and chemistry. Dental schools look for students who demonstrate a strong ability to handle a rigorous course load, which will hopefully translate to their success with the academic curriculum of dental school.

Is a 3.5 GPA good to get into dental school? ›

Aim for a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale to increase your chances of getting into dental school. However, remember that admissions are holistic, so other factors like test scores, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, and personal statements are also important.

Is the DAT harder than the mcat? ›

The DAT is generally considered to be less challenging than the MCAT due to its narrower content focus.

Is dental school harder than medical school? ›

However, the curriculum for medicine is generally more intense, with more hours spent in the classroom and clinical rotations. In contrast, dental students often have more flexible schedules and less time in class. Based on the curriculum alone, you can consider medicine the tougher educational path.

What dental college has the highest acceptance rate? ›

1. WHICH DENTAL SCHOOL HAS THE HIGHEST ACCEPTANCE RATE? The University of Mississippi School of Dentistry has the highest acceptance rate of 19.3%.

What is the highest paid dentist in us? ›

What Dentist Makes the Most Money? The highest dental salary in the US is the salary of a dental anesthesiologist. oral and maxillofacial surgeon. They can earn anywhere from $290,000-$400,000 per year.

What is the most expensive dental school in us? ›

The University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., has the most expensive dental school in the U.S., according to data from the American Dental Association. Here are the top 10 most expensive dental schools in the U.S., based on tuition for 2021-22. Note: Tuition is listed for first-year students.

What is the hardest dental specialty to get into? ›

oral surgery. This is still a good specialty and will continue to be for well into the future. It is probably the hardest to accomplish and one of the hardest to be accepted into.

What is the best college for dentistry? ›

1) Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

Which dental schools have the highest acceptance rate? ›

The University of Mississippi has one of the highest acceptance rates The school has an average acceptance rate of about 40.2%, which is much higher than many of its competitor dental schools. The University of Minnesota also has a high acceptance rate of approximately 38%.

What GPA can get you into dental school? ›

To be competitive applicant, a 3.5 or higher GPA is recommended ● Courses: Grades of the following prerequisites have to contain an average grade of C or higher.

Which dental degree is best? ›

The three-year, full-time postgraduate Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) is the highest degree in dentistry awarded in India, and its holders are bestowed as consultants in one of these specialties: Prosthodontics (fixed, removable, maxillofacial, and implant prosthodontics) Periodontics. Oral and maxillofacial surgery.

How many dental schools are there in Arizona? ›

Arizona Dental Schools

There are two dental schools in the state of Arizona: Midwestern University of Dental Medicine – Arizona (in Glendale) offers a DMD degree.

Is Iowa dental school good? ›

Educational Excellence

Since its inception, Iowa's graduating dental students have achieved a 100% pass rate on the American Dental Association licensure exam, the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INDBE).

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