UTHealth San Antonio (UTHSCSA Dental)
UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
School Information
Mission Statement
To improve oral health through excellence in education, research, patient care, and community engagement.
Combined Degree Programs
- D.D.S./Ph.D.
A component of the Craniofacial Oral-Biology Student Training in Academic Research (COSTAR) T32 Training Program funded by the NIH/NIDCR.
- Dental Early Acceptance (3+4) Program (DEAP)
Accelerated pathway in partnership with undergraduate institutions to earn both a Bachelor's and DDS degree in seven years.
International Student Programs
Other Paths:
- International Dentist Education Program (IDEP) - A 29-month D.D.S. pathway starting with a 6-month hybrid introductory course followed by two years of integration with traditional dental students.
- International Continuing Education - Offers bench prep, hand skills, and diagnosis courses for internationally-trained dentists.
Degree Requirements
Coursework Requirements
| Subject | Credits (Sem) | Lab Required | Min Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| biology | 14 | Yes | C |
| general chem | 8 | Yes | C |
| organic chem | 8 | Yes | C |
| physics | 8 | Yes | C |
| biochem | 3 | No | C |
| english | 6 | No | C |
| math | 3 | No | C |
Credit Policies
Experience Requirements
Letters of Recommendation
Required Types:
- dentist (1)
- science professor (2)
Test Requirements
Application Logistics
Admissions Cycle
2024-2025
Mean Age
23
Class Size
99
GPA Statistics
Cumulative GPA
3.81
Science GPA
3.76
DAT Scores
Primary Scores
Academic Average
21.9
Total Science
21.9
PAT
20.5
Entering Class Percentile Ranges
Reported 5th, median, and 95th percentile values for the entering class. Missing points were not reported.
DAT Academic Average
Entering-class percentile
- 5th
- 19
- 50th
- —
- 95th
- 26
Lower
Median
Upper
Cumulative GPA
Entering-class percentile
- 5th
- 3.55
- 50th
- —
- 95th
- 4.00
Lower
Median
Upper
Science GPA
Entering-class percentile
- 5th
- 3.43
- 50th
- —
- 95th
- 4.00
Lower
Median
Upper
Applicants & Enrollees
| Category | Applicants | Enrollees | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| overall | 1,131 | 99 | 8.8% |
| in state | 924 | 91 | 9.8% |
| out of_state | 190 | 8 | 4.2% |
| international | 17 | 0 | - |
Class Composition
Academic Year
2026-2027
Tuition & Fees (Program Total, In-State)
$167,009
Cost by Program Year
Detailed Cost Breakdown
| Year | In-State Tuition | Out-of-State | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | $37,980 | $49,860 | $8,738 |
| D2 | $37,980 | $49,860 | $7,186 |
| D3 | $37,980 | $49,860 | $6,533 |
| D4 | $24,150 | $34,950 | $6,462 |
| Total (4 Years) | $138,090 | $184,530 | $28,919 |
Research Opportunities
Research Themes:
Clinical Experiences
The curriculum provides over 2,000 hours of clinical experience in the state-of-the-art Center for Oral Healthcare & Research, utilizing 8 General Practice Groups for comprehensive patient management.
Clinical Rotations:
- Junior Year Rotations - Includes Oral Surgery, Dental Emergency, Geriatrics, Pediatric Dentistry, and Periodontics.
- Senior Year Rotations - Includes Dental Emergency, Dental Hygiene, Oral Medicine, Oral Surgery, and Pediatric Dentistry.
- South Texas Community Rotations - Primary Dental Care rotations in Laredo and at the SACDC Haven for Hope for underserved populations.
- Sophomore Introduction to Patient Care - Early rotations involving Fluoride Varnish programs, School-Based Prevention, and the Community-Based Sealant Program.
Postdoctoral Programs
- Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD)
- Dental Public Health
- Endodontics
- Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Periodontics
- Prosthodontics
Graduate Programs
- M.S. in Dental Science
- Ph.D. in Oral Biology
- Master of Dental Science (Dental Hygiene)
- Certificate in Dental Clinical Specialties Foundations