Top Dental Schools in the United States

Best Dental Schools in the U.S. [2022 Ranking]

Quick Overview

It takes around 8 years of education before someone becomes a full-fledged dentist. You need a bachelor’s degree in any field. Then, you must obtain a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) or a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree. 

You will need to pass national and state examinations. To do this, a strong foundation is essential.

A top-ranking dental school will help equip a dental student with the knowledge, skills, and expertise required to become a dentist. There are approximately 64 universities in the U.S. that offer advanced dentistry degrees.

What Factors Should You Consider When Choosing a Dental School?

There are several factors to consider when choosing a dental school:

• Student body
• Geographical location
• Curriculum type
• Dental experiences provided (clinical or community-centric)
• Research or clinical focus
• Facilities
• Overall reputation

ShanghaiRanking’s 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities has named the following as the top 5 dental schools in the United States:¹

• The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor School of Dentistry
• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry
• Harvard School of Dental Medicine
• The University of California Los Angeles School of Dentistry 
• The University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry

Highlights from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data include:^{2, 3}

• There are currently 146,200 dentists in the country
• From2021-2031, there’s a projected 6% growth in job outlook
• From 2021-2031, about 8,400 dentist jobs are expected to open up each year
• The average annual salary for dentists is $163,220

Dental School Applicant Statistics

The past 20 years have seen fluctuations in the number of dental school enrollments.

For example, the first 3 years of the 2020s have shown a steady increase in the number of enrollments, followed by a decline for the next 4 years.⁴

The good news is that, since 2008, the numbers have risen steadily.⁴ With a projected 8% growth in dentist jobs in the next 10 years—an average of 5,000 dentists yearly—the enrollment numbers are expected to increase.²  

Here are some important dental school applicant statistics from the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA):^{4, 5} 

• For the academic year 2021-2022, there were 74,158 dental school applications submitted to 67 dental schools
• From these applications, 11,756 applicants were screened, averaging at 1,123.6 per dental school
• From these applicants, there were 6,360 first-year enrollees
• In 2021, there were 6,665 dental school graduates
• The number of dental school graduates increased by 0.85% from 2020 to 2021

Here is a list of dental specialties duly recognized by the ADA. They are approved and adopted by the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards (NCRDSCB):⁶

• Endodontics
• Dental Anesthesiology
• Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
• Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Periodontics
• Prosthodontics
• Public Health Dentistry

Oral Medicine and Orofacial Pain are dental specialties also recognized by the ADA and the NCRDSCB.

Top 10 Dental Schools in the United States

Here are the top 10 dental schools in the US according to ShanghaiRanking’s 2021 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects:¹

1. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor has a wide network of affiliated clinics that provide extensive opportunities and exposure for dentistry students to gain hands-on experiences. 

120 full-time faculty members are handling 15 different programs. The school also provides dental care and oral health services to the community.

2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry has consistently been on the list of the best dental schools in the United States.

Its Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) Program boasts a curriculum that follows the Advocate-Clinician-Thinker (ACT) premise.

Dentistry students are trained to be problem-solvers and act as their patients’ advocates. They provide exceptional clinical care.

The students gain clinical experience through 50 rotation sites in North Carolina, with two free student-led free clinics. These clinics provide dental and oral health care to more than 90,000 patients annually.

3. Harvard University

Regarding top university rankings, Harvard University never falls off the list — both in the country and in dental schools worldwide. This Ivy League school houses one of the best dental schools in the United States. 

The Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) is located in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston.

For a portion of their coursework, HSDM students typically study together with Harvard medical students.

Hands-on experiences are gained through clinical rotations at the Harvard Dental Center, which caters to more than 25,000 patients yearly.

4. University of California, Los Angeles

The University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Dentistry graduates over 100 students with its Doctor of Dental Dentistry degree.

Most of this school’s graduates either go on to obtain post-graduate training or earn advanced degrees in oral biology. During their second year, UCLA students start their hands-on patient care.

They continue to gain clinical experiences through rotations in various community service projects and specialty clinics.

5. University of California, San Francisco

The University of California in San Francisco (UCSF) School of Dentistry provides its students with clinical education and research opportunities. It produces more than 100 graduates each year. 

Hands-on experiences are gained from the school’s dental center, which sees more than 120,000 dental patients annually.

The UCSF School of Dentistry also scores high points for research. It has been the number one U.S. dental school based on funding from the National Institutes of Health. 

6. University of Washington

The University of Washington’s School of Dentistry ranked #2 in last year’s Academic Ranking of World Universities by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy. 

Dentistry students gain experiences through the following:

• A mobile geriatric clinic
• A specialty clinic for persons with disabilities
• A specialty clinic for people with psychological conditions and significant dental fears

Additionally, there are plenty of opportunities to gain clinical experiences in places such as Seattle Children’s Hospital, Harborview Medical Center, and the School of Dentistry’s very own clinics.

7. University of Pennsylvania

Another Ivy League school made it to this list of the top 10 best dental schools in the United States. University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine was established in 1878. The University of Pennsylvania provides DMD students with various degree options:

• Bioethics
• Business Administration
• Education
• Law
• Public Health

The school also provides a wide range of clinical opportunities for its students, with outreach programs for the community. Its Primary Care Unit provides dental care and services to approximately 22,000 patients annually.

8. University at Buffalo, the State University of New York

The University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine (UBDM) provides comprehensive study programs to its dentistry students, focusing on research and clinical practice.

Students start their clinical training during the first year of the program. Approximately 500 students are pursuing either a DDS degree or a dual degree program of DDS with a Master of Business Administration degree.

 9. University of Iowa

Since its establishment in 1882, the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics has been a leading institution in patient care, dental education, and oral science research. It is the only dental school in Iowa, with 78% of the state’s dentists graduating from this university.

Their dental program is comprehensive and competitive. It focuses on teaching its students the importance of critical thinking and problem-based learning. Their dental clinics see over 170,000 patients annually.

10. New York University

New York University (NYU) dental school is considered the largest in the United States. Nearly 10% of US dentists have earned their degrees at NYU. Its College of Dentistry graduates nearly 400 DDS students each year. 

Dentistry students take courses in different clinical, behavioral, and biomedical areas. NYU provides extensive clinical experiences involving diverse sets of patients. 

Real-world experiences are gained throughout a student’s four years of education.They work closely with the faculty, their group, and practice directors. NYU caters to approximately 300,000 patients annually, providing top-notch experiences and opportunities unlike anywhere else.

Full List of Accredited Dental Schools in the United States

Here is a list of all the dental schools in the U.S. accredited by the American Dental Education Association:⁷