ADEA Associated American Dental Schools Application Service

AMERICAN DENTAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 
 
 
ADEA Associated American Dental Schools Application Service  
(ADEA AADSAS
®
) Application Instructions 
2018 
Contents 
Overview: 2018 ADEA AADSAS
®
 ........................................................................................................... 1 
Create an Account ................................................................................................................................. 1 
Review Required Components .............................................................................................................. 2 
Fee Assistance Program (optional) ......................................................................................................... 2 
ADEA AADSAS FAP Launch Date .................................................................................................... 2 
Fee Assistance Benefits .................................................................................................................... 3 
Processing ADEA AADSAS FAP Requests ........................................................................................ 3 
Manage My Programs ............................................................................................................................ 4 
Personal Information ........................................................................................................................ 5 
Release Statements ................................................................................................................... 5 
Biographic Information .............................................................................................................. 5 
Contact Information .................................................................................................................. 5 
Citizenship Information ............................................................................................................. 5 
Family Information .................................................................................................................... 6 
Socioeconomic Status and EO Indicator ................................................................................... 6 
Environmental Factors ............................................................................................................... 7 
Race and Ethnicity ..................................................................................................................... 7 
Other Information ..................................................................................................................... 7 
Academic History ............................................................................................................................. 8 
High School Attended ............................................................................................................... 8 
Colleges Attended .................................................................................................................... 8 
Study Abroad and Overseas U.S. Institutions.................................................................. 9 
U.S. and Canadian Transcripts ...................................................................................... 10 

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions 
ii 
Transcript Entry ....................................................................................................................... 12 
Preparing for Transcript Entry ....................................................................................... 12 
Entering Coursework .................................................................................................... 12 
Transcript Review.......................................................................................................... 14 
Standardized Tests .................................................................................................................. 16 
Self-Reported Canadian DAT........................................................................................ 17 
Other Tests ................................................................................................................... 17 
Supporting Information .................................................................................................................. 18 
Evaluations .............................................................................................................................. 18 
Preparing for Evaluations .............................................................................................. 18 
Requesting Evaluations ................................................................................................. 18 
Evaluator Instructions.................................................................................................... 19 
Experiences ............................................................................................................................. 19 
Achievements .......................................................................................................................... 21 
Certifications ........................................................................................................................... 21 
Applicant Summary ................................................................................................................. 22 
Program Materials ............................................................................................................................... 22 
Submit ADEA AADSAS Application ..................................................................................................... 23 
Application Fees .................................................................................................................................. 24 
Verification Process and GPA Calculations........................................................................................... 24 
Manage Your Application .................................................................................................................... 26 
Updates After Submission .............................................................................................................. 26 
Application Status .......................................................................................................................... 27 
Academic Update .......................................................................................................................... 27 
Supplemental Applications ............................................................................................................ 27 
Criminal Background Check ........................................................................................................... 28 
ADEA Policies ...................................................................................................................................... 28 
ADEA Application Services Refund Policy ...................................................................................... 29 
ADEA Privacy/Confidentiality Statement ........................................................................................ 29 
Contact ADEA AADSAS....................................................................................................................... 29 

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

Overview: 2018 ADEA AADSAS

The American Dental Education Association Associated American Dental Schools Application Service

(ADEA AADSAS) is the centralized application service for dental school. ADEA AADSAS simplifies the

application to dental school process by providing one standard application. Applicants save time and

energy by completing one application for multiple dental schools. ADEA AADSAS is open from early

June through February each year.

All U.S. dental schools participate in ADEA AADSAS and require it as the primary application. Texas

residents applying to Texas dental schools, though, will need to apply through the Texas Medical &

Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS).

Foreign trained dental graduates interested in completing an advanced standing program at a U.S.

dental school will need to apply through the ADEA Centralized Application for Advanced Placement

for International Dentists (ADEA CAAPID

Create an Account

To create an account, select “Create an Account” beneath the log in information on the ADEA

AADSAS homepage. Applicants will be asked to create a username, password and security question,

as well as to supply valid contact information, agree to terms, before selecting the “Create My

Account” button to activate a new account and be assigned an ADEA AADSAS identification number.

For security, applicants should not share the password or account information with anyone.

Applicants may only create one account per application cycle. Creating more than one account will

lead to delays and difficulty in handling the receipt of transcripts and letters of reference. Any

applicant who creates multiple accounts will have their duplicate accounts terminated, including any

documents associated with those accounts.

Reapplicants to the 2018 ADEA AADSAS cycle will be required to complete a new application. No

information from the previous application will be available. It is recommended that all potential

reapplicants print a copy of their 2017 application in preparation for the 2018 cycle. Applicants will not

be able to access their 2017 applications after May 1, 2017.

FAQ

How do I reset my password?

The ADEA AADSAS staff do not have access to applicant password information. To retrieve

your password, please click the “Forgot your username or password?” link under the log in

prompt, and an email will be sent to you prompting you to reset your login information. Please

note that password and username are case sensitive.

When can I start my application?

The 2018 ADEA AADSAS application will open on June 1, 2017 around noon Eastern Time.

Applicants should request all postsecondary transcripts as early as possible. ADEA AADSAS

will not process any document that is received prior to June 1, 2017.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

Review Required Components

The sections each applicant needs to read/complete include:

1. Fee Assistance Program (optional),

2. Add Programs, Submit Application and Check Status tabs,

3. Personal Information,

4. Academic History,

5. Supporting Information, and

6. Program Materials.

The documents each applicant needs to submit include:

1. Official Transcripts from every postsecondary institution attended.*

2. Letters of Evaluation.*

*Transcripts and letters of evaluation can be received after the application is submitted.

Dental schools may require additional information in addition to a complete ADEA AADSAS

application. To ensure all the necessary requirements have been completed, be sure to review each

school’s website and profile in the 2017-2018 ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools.

Fee Assistance Program (optional)

ADEA AADSAS FAP is designed to assist students who demonstrate extreme financial need while

applying to ADEA AADSAS. ADEA AADSAS FAP is an independent program offered by ADEA

AADSAS, and is not affiliated with any government, college or university, scholarship, grant or

fellowship program. Approval for a fee assistance is at the sole discretion of ADEA.

Any applicant requesting to be considered for the ADEA AADSAS FAP must be a U.S. Citizen or

Permanent Resident. The income for the applicant, parent/guardian and/or spouse (if married) must

not exceed 100% of the U.S. Federal Poverty Guidelines set forth by the U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services (aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines).

The 2018 U.S. Federal Poverty Guidelines are different from the 2017 ADEA AADSAS FAP Guidelines.

If interested in applying for fee assistance, applicants must have already created a 2018 ADEA

AADSAS account.

Applying for fee assistance?

 Read and follow all instructions carefully.

 Submit the ADEA AADSAS FAP Cover Form and all required supporting documents.

 Review the ADEA AADSAS FAP processing timeline.

The ADEA AADSAS application should not be submitted until a decision on your ADEA AADSAS FAP

request has been rendered. Submitting an ADEA AADSAS application prior to receiving a status

notification for fee assistance will result in an automatic withdrawal of your ADEA AADSAS FAP

request.

ADEA AADSAS FAP Launch Date

The ADEA AADSAS FAP becomes available in early June, after the opening of the ADEA AADSAS

application, and remains available until all funds are expended.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

Required Supporting Documents (these documents must be accompanied by the ADEA AADSAS FAP

Cover Form):

 Applicants who are considered dependent (based on tax return status) must submit self,

parent/guardian and/or spouse (if married) 2016 1040 tax returns (including schedule A), along

with the W2s/1099s.

 Applicants who are considered independent (based on tax return status) must submit self and

spouse (if married) 2016 1040 tax returns (including schedule A), along with the W2s/1099s.

 Applicants enrolled in a college/university for the 2016–17 academic year, and receiving

financial aid, must submit a Financial Aid Award Notification (downloaded from the institution’s

website), along with appropriate tax returns.

 Applicants must submit a “2018 ADEA AADSAS Income Verification Form” if none of the

situations above apply to you.

 If the applicant, parent/guardian or spouse did not have income in the 2016 tax year, the

applicant must submit a letter of explanation.

Note: Tax return transcripts will not be accepted.

Fee Assistance Benefits

Applicants approved for fee assistance will receive a total of $443 in fee assistance which will cover the

initial ADEA AADSAS dental school designation ($245) and two additional dental school designations

($99 each) for a total of three designations. Applicants must designate at least three dental schools at

one time in order to receive fee assistance. If you choose to submit with fewer than three dental

school designations remaining funds are forfeit and cannot be used in the future.

Processing ADEA AADSAS FAP Requests

Applicants are responsible for mailing the “2018 ADEA AADSAS FAP Cover Form” and all required

supporting documents. Applicants have only one opportunity to submit all documents, and all

documents must be received at one time. Any documents received without the “2018 ADEA AADSAS

FAP Cover Form” will be automatically denied.

 Once ADEA AADSAS FAP receives the 2018 ADEA AADSAS FAP Cover Form and the required

supporting documents, processing starts. It will take approximately four to five business days

for a decision. Please contact FAPAADSAS@adea.org with any inquiries regarding the status of

an ADEA AADSAS FAP application.



 If an ADEA AADSAS application is submitted before the ADEA AADSAS FAP request has been

processed, the individual seeking fee assistance will no longer be eligible to receive ADEA

AADSAS FAP and the ADEA AADSAS FAP application will be withdrawn.

 ADEA AADSAS FAP Decisions:

o Approved – Applicants approved for a fee waiver have 14 calendar days from the date

of the email notification to submit the ADEA AADSAS Application.

o Denied – Applicants denied for fee assistance can submit the ADEA AADSAS

application at any time until February 1, 2018.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

Please mail all required supporting documents and ADEA AADSAS FAP Cover Form to:

American Dental Education Association

ADEA AADSAS FAP

655 K Street, NW

Suite 800

Washington, DC 20001

Manage My Programs

To create an application, each applicant must first select at least one dental school to apply to.

Selections can be edited while the application is in-progress and new selections, also called

designations, can be added after the initial submission.

“Manage My Programs” contains three sections: Add Program, Submit Application and Check Status.

 Add Program: This list includes all participating dental schools and includes their deadline

dates. Schools can be filtered by state where the dental school is located and by the name of

the dental school applicants are interested in applying to. Applicants may filter for all

programs, any past programs whose deadlines have already passed, and any future programs

whose open dates are in the future. Select the blue plus symbol (+) to the left of a program’s

name to add this dental school. Select “UNDO” button to the right of the dental school to

remove it. Please note that the application requires applicants to have at least ONE program

selected at all times. When a school is selected, its profile will appear in the Program Materials

section.

 Submit Application: This list includes all programs selected. This is the location submission and

payment can be made.

 Check Status: This list includes the status of an application after submissions occurs and is

listed for each school. Applicants may also download a copy of their Full Application PDF,

Applicant Summary Page, and Academic Audit in the Program Status section. Applicants are

required to complete the “Program Materials” section of the application before submitting to

any dental school.

After creating an application, it is encouraged that applicants request all postsecondary transcripts. To

avoid an unnecessary delay, requesting an official transcript from the institution(s) should be

completed as early as possible in the application cycle. To obtain a Transcript Request Form,

applicants should first complete the “Colleges Attended” section in Academic History.

FAQ

How many schools should I apply to?

It is important to determine the best fit in advance of applying by looking at each school’s

mission statement, focus, location, size and other relevant factors. On average, ADEA AADSAS

applicants apply to about ten schools.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

Personal Information

 Release Statements

Provide responses to three required releases:

Pre-Submission Release of Information

Selecting “Yes” authorizes ADEA AADSAS to release the applicant’s name and contact

information to the designated programs BEFORE the submission of the final application. This

will allow the dental schools to send the applicant important information about the local

admissions process before the application is completed.

Advisor Release

Selecting “Yes” authorizes ADEA AADSAS to release applicant’s selected information

regarding ADEA AADSAS application and admission status to the health professions advisory

committee of the postsecondary institution(s) the applicant has attended. By releasing this

information, the applicant’s advisor is better able to assist in the admissions process, as well as

better guide other students in the future. The applicant cannot make changes to this item after

the application is submitted to ADEA AADSAS.

This is an optional release, and the applicant may select “No.” ADEA AADSAS encourages

applicants to authorize this release, as it is useful to advisors assisting applicants with the

application process; however, it will not affect the consideration given to the application.

ADEA AADSAS Release

This statement serves as a contractual agreement between the applicant and ADEA AADSAS.

Each applicant is required to agree to these terms in order to submit the application. Part of

these terms indicates that the applicant agrees to all of the ADEA AADSAS instructions, so it is

important to read and understand these instructions.

FAQ

What happens if I say no to the release statements?

By selecting “No” to the pre-submission release, dental schools will not be able to view your

name and contact information until you submit the application. Conversely, if you select “Yes,”

only your name and contact information will be displayed. By selecting “No” to the advisor

release, the health professions advisor on your campus will not be able to view your application

to assist you in your application. All applicants must agree to the ADEA AADSAS Release

Statement in order to submit the application.

 Biographic Information

Provide alternate names, and birth information.

 Contact Information

Provide current address and contact information.

 Citizenship Information

Provide citizenship, residency, visa, and DACA status information. DACA, or Deferred Action

for Childhood Arrivals, is an American immigration policy that allows certain undocumented

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

immigrants who entered the country before their 16th birthday and before June 2007 to

receive a renewable two-year work permit and exemption from deportation. Note, applicants

who select “U.S. Citizen” will not be able to fill out any information about holding a Visa. For

further information, read the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), DACA.

 Family Information

Provide information about each parent/guardian. If an applicant adds a parent/guardian,

information about that person’s relationship to applicant, name, gender, gender, occupation,

residency, education and status as a member of the applicant’s primary household is required.

By providing information about family, schools are better able to understand an applicant’s

background.

 Socioeconomic Status and EO Indicator

The EO indicator is derived from an applicant’s parental education and occupation information.

Four education levels and two aggregate groups of occupations provide the schema that is

used to determine the EO indicator for each parent of each applicant.

One of the following EO indicators will be displayed for each parent of each applicant on the

ADEA AADSAS application: EO-1, EO-2, EO-3 or EO-4, NC (not calculated). The lowest

socioeconomic group is EO-1 and the highest is EO-4. As shown on the chart below, the

occupational categories are aggregated into service, clerical, skilled and unskilled labor; and

executive, managerial, and professional. These categories are based upon the U.S. Department

of Labor Standard Occupational Classification scheme. The educational categories are

aggregated into less than a bachelor’s degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and

doctorate/professional degree.

Parental Occupation

Service, clerical,

skilled and

unskilled labor

Executive,

managerial,

professional

position

Parental Education

Level

Doctorate/professional

degree

EO-3

EO-4

Master’s degree

EO-3

EO-4

Bachelor’s degree

EO-2

EO-3

Less than Bachelor’s

degree

EO-1

EO-2

The EO indicator is based upon having complete information for each parent. An indicator of

NC (not calculated) will display when the parental occupation is listed as retired, military,

homemaker, other, unknown or not applicable. Additionally, when the parent is deceased

and/or the education/occupation information data is not available, NC will be the EO indicator

listed.

The EO indicator is a tool that is intended to provide additional information on an applicant’s

socioeconomic status which can aid a dental school’s review of applicants as part of a holistic

review process. It is intended to help schools more accurately identify individuals who may be

from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background. Dental schools can use these data along

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

with other important factors to identify which applicants best help them to achieve their

institutional goals and support their core missions.

 Environmental Factors

Provide information about childhood residency location and description, family and limited

financial situation during childhood, disadvantaged consideration and relatives in dentistry.

The childhood residency section will ask for the following information: county, city and state of

residency, whether the area was medically underserved, income levels of the family during

childhood, and the family’s receipt of federal or state assistance. Questions about high school

situations regarding graduation rates, matriculation into college rates, and free or reduced

prices lunches are also included.

The relatives in dentistry section will request this information of all family members in dentistry:

relationship to applicant, name, school attended and graduation or anticipated graduation

date. Applicants can include a maximum of four family members.

 Race and Ethnicity

Provide information on race and ethnicity. Dental schools recognize the importance of diversity

in their student body and in the profession. Accordingly, programs strongly encourage

applications from persons from all socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, religious, and educational

backgrounds and persons from groups underrepresented in health care.

 Other Information

Provide DENTPIN number, language proficiency, felony and misdemeanor convictions,

academic and license infractions, military status, previous applications to dental school,

previous attendance at a health profession program and any education interruption.

Applicants who have felony or misdemeanor convictions or academic or license infractions will

be asked to provide an explanation including a brief description of the incident, specific

charges made, related dates and a reflection on the incident. Applicants should carefully

review their responses to these questions. This section cannot be edited post-submission.

Applicants who have previously applied to dental school will be asked to indicate the year(s), to

which schools and what has changed since last applying. Reminder: Reapplicants in the 2018

cycle will not be able to use information from the 2017 cycle and will be asked to complete a

new application.

Applicants who have previously attended a health professions program will be asked to

indicate which type of program, the school and degree, related dates and eligibility to return.

FAQ

Do I have to report an arrest, a charge that did not result in a conviction, traffic violations,

convictions that have been expunged, records that are sealed, or campus policy violations?

You should use your judgment in including criminal and campus arrests and convictions on the

application. Remember, dental schools conduct criminal background checks on applicants who

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

have been accepted so if it will appear on the record, it is best to disclose it early to avoid

appearing to hide the information.

I have a felony or misdemeanor on my record. Can I still apply to dental school?

Many dental schools look to state licensing board policies to determine if they can accept an

applicant with a felony or misdemeanor on record. If the state will not allow a person in that

situation to become licensed, it is unlikely you will be considered. Check with the state

licensing board and individual dental schools for more information on each one’s policy.

What is the EO indicator and what will it be used for?

The EO indicator is a tool that is intended to provide additional information on an applicant’s

socioeconomic status which can aid a dental school’s review of applicants as part of a holistic

review process. The indicator- EO1, EO2, EO3, EO4, or NC- is derived from your parent’s

occupation and highest level of education obtained. It will be used by the dental schools as

part of a holistic review and is intended to provide the school more information about your

background.

Academic History

 High School Attended

Provide the name, location and graduation date.

 Colleges Attended

Provide the name, location, dates of attendance and graduation, and type of degree earned or

in-progress. Send in all official U.S. and Canadian Transcripts. Applicants should enter each

school attended only once.

Applicants are required to report all postsecondary institutions attended, including but not

limited to: Courses taken in high school; summer courses; community college courses; military

institutions; postbaccalaureate, graduate and doctoral work; study abroad and foreign work.

Report each institution once, regardless of the number of degrees earned or gaps in the dates

of attendance.

When adding a college, type the beginning of the name in the box so that several options

display. If the name is not immediately available, try different spellings or punctuation (i.e. Saint

James or St. James). If the name is still not available, check with the institution to see if it has

had a name change. If all options have been exhausted and it does not appear, select “Non-

Listed” from the list.

Add the degree type earned or in-progress. Multiple degrees may be added by selecting

“Add Another Degree.” Enter the in-progress or most recent degree first. Include the degree

type, the date earned or expected graduation, and the major and minor.

Add the term system used (semester, quarter or trimester). Transcripts specify the term type on

the back of the page; term type refers to the type of hours the credits are worth.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

Add the dates of first attendance and the final term, unless the coursework is still in-progress.

When all of the required information has been completed, click “Save this College” to

complete this section. When complete, a Transcript Request Form will be generated.

Repeat all the steps for each institution attended. Applicants are required to report every U.S.

and Canadian postsecondary institution from which credit has been received, regardless of

whether or not the work is relevant to the pursuit of a dental education. This includes but is not

limited to: Schools which granted credit while the applicant was a high school student; schools

whose credits transferred to a primary university; doctorate classes, summer classes,

community college classes or technical/vocational classes; military; massage and/or alternative

medicine classes, etc. If the applicant attended schools within a college consortium, each

school must be reported separately.

Study Abroad and Overseas U.S. Institutions

Please use the checklist below to determine how best to report the study abroad and/or

overseas college transcript and coursework:

1. If coursework was completed at a U.S. institution overseas (i.e. American University Beirut

or Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar), report the institution from the dropdown list and

proceed to enter in all related information, including coursework in the Transcript Entry

section. In Transcript Review, mark the courses as study abroad.

2. If coursework was completed using another school’s program to study abroad, i.e.

Semester at Sea (University of Virginia), SIT, or a CEA Global Campus Network (University

of New Haven), report the U.S. school whose program was used and proceed to enter in all

related information, including coursework in the Transcript Entry section. In Transcript

Review, mark the courses as study abroad.

3. If coursework was completed via a study abroad company such as IES, ISA, CIEE, or DIS,

directly via the undergraduate institution, or by any other method proceed with the options

below:

 If your FULL CREDITS AND GRADES for these courses appear on your

undergraduate transcript, then you should list these courses normally with the

rest of your undergraduate work. During the transcript review process, you

would mark these courses as “Study Abroad.” No additional documentation is

necessary. Do NOT report your study abroad school as a foreign institution.

Acceptable grades include A-F, Credit, Pass, etc. “TR” for “transfer” is NOT an

acceptable grade, nor are credits and grades which do not match those on the

rest of your undergrad transcript (i.e. the grades are not U.S. grades). If your

courses have grades of TR, or are recorded in foreign grades, please use the

second option below.

 If your CREDITS AND/OR GRADES for these courses DO NOT APPEAR on your

undergraduate transcript, you should report that you attended a foreign

institution. You do not need to list your courses under the foreign school, as

ADEA AADSAS does not allow foreign coursework to be recorded. DO NOT

SEND ANY DOCUMENTATION UNLESS AN EVALUATION IS REQUIRED BY

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

YOUR DENTAL SCHOOL. Please check with your Dental School to determine if

they will require a foreign evaluation.

U.S. and Canadian Transcripts

All U.S. and Canadian transcripts are required to be sent to ADEA AADSAS. The application

cannot be processed without official transcripts sent directly to:

ADEA AADSAS Transcript Processing Department

P.O. Box 9110

Watertown, MA 02471

Only original, official transcripts will be accepted. To send a transcript:

1. List all schools in “Colleges Attended.”

2. Download the “Transcript Request Form” for each college and provide it to the college

registrar who will, in turn, attach to the official transcript. While transcripts can be sent

directly to ADEA AADSAS from the college registrar without the Transcript Request Form,

asking the registrar to submit with a personalized Transcript Request Form will expedite the

process. If sent in without the form, request that the ADEA AADSAS identification number

is included somewhere on the transcript or accompanying document.

3. Request all transcripts from all U.S. and English speaking Canadian colleges attended to be

sent to ADEA AADSAS.

4. Monitor the application to ensure the transcript is received. It is the applicant’s

responsibility to monitor their application for transcript receipt, even after the application is

submitted. ADEA AADSAS will not notify applicants concerning missing transcripts. If it has

been longer than 10 business days since the transcript was mailed and it has not been

posted, the materials should be resubmitted. The status of all transcripts can be viewed in

the “Check Status” tab at the top of the application home screen.

FAQ

When should I send my transcript?

Aside from creating an account on ADEA AADSAS, this is the first item that should be on every

applicant’s checklist. Due to mailing and processing times, transcript verification can take up to

six weeks. It is best to start the process early.

What are the top three things I should do to ensure I successfully match my transcripts to my

ADEA AADSAS application?

1.) List the institution in the “Colleges Attended” section.

2.) Make sure your ADEA AADSAS identification number is included on or with each transcript.

3.) Send in ALL transcripts EARLY.

Note: Please list any alternate names used such as a nickname, maiden name, or name

variance in the Alternate Name field under the Biographic section of the application.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

Can I send in an unofficial copy of my transcript?

No. Don’t send an unofficial copy or a copy that is marked “Student-issued.”

Can I submit my application before my transcripts are received by ADEA AADSAS?

Yes. Once you have successfully filled out your application, you can submit it to ADEA AADSAS

at any time. However, your application will not be processed until ADEA AADSAS has received

all of your official transcripts and your payment.

Can I print one transcript matching form and send it to all the colleges I attended?

No. Each institution you have attended has a unique transcript matching form which you are to

use specifically for that institution. When mailing the transcript matching forms, pay attention

to the name of the institution which is printed on each form. Transcripts sent without the

appropriate transcript request form may result in the delay of your application.

If I have attended multiple colleges and transfer credit is listed on the transcript of my primary

institution, do I still need to send a transcript from each school?

Yes. You are required to send ONE transcript from each college you have attended regardless

of the number of courses you have taken.

Should I send my high school transcript?

No. To report university-level credit earned while a high school student, these courses must be

reported under the college or university which awarded you the credit. This includes both

Advanced Placement or dual-enrollment credit.

Do I need to send transcripts for planned or in-progress coursework?

No. You are only required to send transcripts covering all of your completed coursework.

ADEA AADSAS does not require transcripts for coursework labeled as “Planned/in-progress.”

Please note that when you do complete these courses, updated transcripts can be submitted

directly to the schools to which you are applying, or you can use the Academic Update to

update this information in your ADEA AADSAS application.

Do I also need to send copies of my transcripts to the dental schools I am applying to?

In general, you only need to submit transcripts to ADEA AADSAS. Some schools, if you reach a

certain point in the admissions process, may request additional transcripts at a later date while

others will not. You should contact the program(s) directly to determine if they require any

additional transcripts.

I have a different name on my transcript than on my application. Will that cause a problem?

This can delay the processing of your transcript, but there are steps you should take to

minimize any difficulties. FIRST, fill out the “materials under another name” section under

“Personal Information.” SECOND, ask your registrar’s office to physically write your current

name and ADEA AADSAS identification number on the transcript. FINALLY, include the

transcript request form with your transcript. If you have done step one, your former or alternate

name will print out on this form.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

My school won’t issue a transcript to ADEA AADSAS and must use my name. What do I do?

ADEA AADSAS can accept transcripts issued to an applicant’s name and address as long as

they are accompanied by a letter from the school registrar’s office stating their policy for

addressing transcripts and confirming that the transcript was mailed by the registrar to ADEA

AADSAS directly. The transcript still cannot have an “Issued to Student” or “Student Copy”

stamp and may not be picked up by the student. Transcripts without this letter will not be

accepted.

Can my designated programs view the transcripts I send to ADEA AADSAS?

Yes. The transcripts that you are required to send to ADEA AADSAS are visible electronically to

your designated program(s). Please note that upon a program’s request, you may still be asked

to send an official transcript directly to the school.

Can ADEA AADSAS forward my transcripts to me, my schools, or schools not affiliated with

ADEA AADSAS?

No. As per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), ADEA AADSAS may

not release transcripts to anyone other than your designated schools, including other schools

or the applicant themselves.

 Transcript Entry

Provide course specific information for each post-secondary class taken.

By entering coursework into the ADEA AADSAS application, the electronic transcript format

and content is standardized so that dental schools may compare course subjects, credit values,

and grade values on a level field for all applicants who are seeking admission.

Preparing for Transcript Entry

1. Obtain a copy of each college level transcript. It is recommended that applicants acquire a

new copy of the transcript to ensure the coursework entered matches the official transcript.

2. Complete the “Colleges Attended” section.

3. Decide whether or not to take advantage of the Professional Transcript Entry.

All applicants must enter in coursework. It can be done by the applicant or Liaison

International, ADEA’s technology partner. By selecting “Professional Transcript Entry,” the

applicant relies on Liaison to enter and verify all coursework. This process will begin as soon

as all official transcripts are received and can take up to ten business days to complete.

The application will then be placed into a verification queue which can take an additional

four weeks. The service is $65 for 1-3 transcripts, $90 for 4-6 transcripts, and $140 for 7 or

more transcripts.

Applicants who choose to enter in their own coursework should allot at least half a day to enter

and review coursework to prevent errors. Errors will delay the verification the application.

Entering Coursework

1. Add a term for the first institution.

Term choices are Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer or Interim. Academic status choices are

Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Graduate and Postbaccalaureate.

FRESHMAN-SENIOR: All college-level courses taken prior to graduation from the

bachelor’s degree. ADEA AADSAS does not monitor credit levels in regards to freshman-

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

senior designations. In general, four-year students list one year per designation and five-

year students list their last two years as senior. Non-traditional students label their terms as

evenly as possible, but should remain in chronological order (i.e. do not report yourself as a

junior in 1999 and as a freshman in 2000).

POSTBACCALAUREATE: Undergraduate level courses taken after the first bachelor’s

degree is earned. If a second bachelor’s degree is earned, the entire second degree would

be considered “postbaccalaureate.”

GRADUATE: Master’s degree and doctorate degree-level work only. Applicants do not

need to have earned the degree in order for the work to be graduate degree level. Work

taken in pursuit of a Ph.D., M.D., Pharm.D., J.D. and JurisD are all considered doctorate

degree-level.

2. Add all courses for the new term.

Use a recent copy of the transcript to enter in the course code, course title, subject, credits

and grade.

Course Code: List the department prefix and number of the course, which will look

something like this: “BIOL 101” and cannot be shortened or altered. Some schools have a

numeric department prefix instead of a letter one, so instead of “BIOL 101,” enter “367

101.”

Course Title: The title of the course, just as it appears on the transcript, which will say

something like: “Anatomy and Physiology I.” The course title may be abbreviated if it does

not fit into the space provided and it is clear that it corresponds with the title listed on the

transcript, i.e. “Anat and Phys I.”

Subject: For a list of all ADEA AADSAS Course Subjects, click here.

Credits: Enter the number of credits for each course. A “credit” is the value of the course,

and remains the same no matter the grade. If the transcript lists both attempted and

earned credits, list attempted credits.

 Semester, Trimester or Quarter Credits: If your course credits are mostly “3.0,”

“4.0,” or “5.0,” the transcript is listing either semester, trimester, or quarter

credits and NO conversion is necessary. List the credits as they appear on the

transcript.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

 Unit Credits: If all of the course credits are listed as “1.0″ or 0.50,″ the transcript

is listing credit units and a credit conversion is required. Check the back of the

transcript and search for a conversion ratio, which will say something like “1 unit

is equivalent to 4 semester hours.” If there is no conversion on the back of the

transcript, contact the registrar’s office to determine the conversion ratio. Once

conversion ratio is determined, convert the credits by multiplying the number of

units listed on the transcript by the conversion factor. For example, if the

conversion is 1 unit = 4 hours and the transcript lists 1 unit for a course, enter in

4.00 credits. If 0.50 is listed, enter in 2.00.

ADEA AADSAS Grade: Enter the grade exactly as it appears on the official transcript. Once

a grade is entered, ADEA AADSAS automatically converts it to the equivalent in for ADEA

AADSAS. This section allows ADEA AADSAS to standardize transcripts for the dental

schools and this box cannot be edited. The charts which detail how grade conversions work

can be viewed by clicking here. Please note that there are different conversions for numeric

grades depending on attendance at a U.S. or Canadian institution.

3. Repeat 1 and 2 for all terms and courses at an institution.

4. Once all courses have been entered, a blue button will appear on the Transcript Entry page

which says “Review and Finalize My Transcripts.” This process will allow applicants to

designate specific courses study abroad, repeat, advanced placement, etc.

5. Repeat steps 1, 2 and 3 with each institution listed.

Transcript Review

o Primary College: The “Primary College” is the school at which the applicant earned a

Bachelor’s Degree. Designate the primary college by clicking the circle next to the

institution at which the Bachelor’s Degree was earned. If two or more Bachelor’s

Degrees have been earned, please select the first Bachelor’s Degree.

o Repeated Classes: Courses retaken at the same school for a higher grade are

considered “Repeated.” Withdrawn courses, courses taken at different schools or

courses taken repeatedly but not retaken for a better grade (i.e. school band, gym

courses, etc.) are NOT considered repeated. If you have repeated a course, select

“Yes,” and then check off each attempt at the class to mark it as “Repeated.”

ADEA AADSAS is required to factor ALL attempts at courses into the GPA calculation,

regardless of a school or state’s academic forgiveness policies. Marking a course as

“repeated” will NOT exclude it from your GPA calculation.

o Advanced Placement: Credits granted by a college or university for a performance on

the College Board Advanced Placement Exam are considered “Advanced Placement.”

o Other Test Credit: If the applicant has other test credits including International

Baccalaureate (IB), CLEP, DANTE, REGENTS, or Institutional/Departmental exams

(courses a person “tested out of” at the college), click “yes” and select them here.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

o Honors Courses: A college course taken at an honors level is considered “Honors.”

These are usually designated on a transcript by an “H” in the course number. Please

note that earning Latin honors upon graduation does not mean courses are

retroactively considered “Honors.”

o Study Abroad: If courses were taken as part of a study abroad program, mark them as

Study Abroad here. Please double check the “Study Abroad and Overseas U.S.

Institutions” section of the instructions to ensure these are reported correctly. PLEASE

o NOTE: study abroad work listed in any way other than as a foreign school WILL factor

into the GPA.

ADEA AADSAS allows each dental school to request applicants to identify prerequisite

coursework. Once the “Colleges Attended” and “Transcript Entry” sections are complete,

go to “Program Materials” to identify prerequisite coursework for each dental school.

FAQ

How do I indicate that a course is honors, AP or another special designation?

After entering all courses, you will be prompted to complete the “Transcript Review” where

identification of courses that are repeated, advanced placement, other tests, honors, or study

abroad.

How do I list a lab?

If the transcript lists labs separately, then they must be listed separately on the application as

well. Record the lab as it appears on the transcript, with the title, prefix/number, amount of

credits, and grade given. If the transcript combines lab/lecture courses into one class on a

transcript, they should be reported as one entry on the application.

How do I enter in planned or in-progress terms and courses?

1. List the school “Colleges Attended” section of the application. Make sure that the

attendance dates entered for this school include the time period for in-progress or planned

courses. For example, if the applicant is entering a planned Spring 2017 term, end date should

include spring 2017.

2. In the coursework section, add the planned or in-progress term and year. Select “In-

Progress/Planned” from the drop-down menu rather than “Completed.”

3. Enter the course information. The box for the grade will be grayed out so that nothing can

be entered into it.

4. Add additional planned/in-progress terms if necessary.

5. Update in-progress and planned coursework grades during the Academic Update.

Information can be added to the application as soon as it is verified.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

How do I edit a course or term I have already entered?

As long as you have not yet submitted your application, you can edit courses or terms by

clicking the pencil icon to the right of each entry. You can delete courses or terms by clicking

the trash icon. You cannot edit or delete term information when classes are listed underneath

the term. The classes must be removed to edit term information.

My school uses a narrative transcript. What do I do?

To enter this school into your coursework section, you should list all of your courses as you

would for a regular institution. If your transcript provides “suggested” credits and/or grades,

enter those as well. Otherwise, list the credits as “0.0” and the grades as “Pass.” Although

these will not factor into your GPA, your schools will see the list of classes you took, and a copy

of the official narrative transcript from your school which you will submit to ADEA AADSAS can

be viewed by dental schools.

I don’t know the specific course information for my planned coursework, such as the course

prefix and number. What do I do?

Enter the course information to the best of your ability. Planned/in-progress courses can be

edited in the future once you have more information.

Can I update my coursework after I submit my application?

No. Once you have submitted your application to ADEA AADSAS, no changes to coursework

can be made. If you submit your ADEA AADSAS application before your updated grades are

available, you may update your coursework during the Academic Update period. An email will

be sent to applicants when the Academic Update period opens.

Can you tell me how my coursework looks on my transcripts or send a copy/fax of my

transcripts to me?

No. As per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, once a transcript arrives at

ADEA AADSAS, it becomes illegal for us to release that information to any third party,

including the individuals who originally sent it. All applicants must obtain their own copy of

their official transcripts in order to properly fill out their application.

 Standardized Tests

Provide the date(s) of all taken or planned American Dental Association Dental Admissions Test

(DAT) administrations as well as the DENTPIN.

The DAT, which measures academic ability, scientific understanding and perceptual ability, is:

− In English,

− Multiple choice,

− Computer-based,

− $415 each time you take it,

− Given most days of the year,

− Required by all U.S. dental schools,

− Over four hours in length, and

− Taken at specified testing centers throughout the country.

ADEA AADSAS requires applicants who have taken it to provide U.S. DAT scores in two ways:

manually entering in score information in the application and sending official score reports

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

from the ADA. ADEA AADSAS applicants who have taken the Canadian DAT can manually

enter in the score information in the application.

1.) Self-Reported U.S. DAT Scores

Applicants will be asked if they have already taken the test. If yes, reporting a date is required

and all scores are optional. Applicants should use their unofficial score report. Upon

completion of the test, an unofficial score report at the Prometric Test Center will be made

available to the applicant. In the unofficial score report, scale scores are reported. All scores

entered as completed cannot be edited after the application is submitted.

2.) Official U.S. DAT Scores

When registering for the U.S. DAT, applicants can select any number of schools to receive the

DAT score at no additional cost. It is strongly encouraged that an applicant selects all dental

schools s/he plans on applying to, as the dental school can also access official score through an

online portal outside of ADEA AADSAS. The test fee remains the same regardless of how many

schools are selected at this time. There is an additional fee if schools are added at a later time.

If any U.S. dental school is selected, the official score will be sent electronically to ADEA

AADSAS 3–4 weeks after the test date and be matched to the application based on the name,

birthdate and DENTPIN of the applicant. Because ADEA AADSAS is a centralized application,

the official score will be shared with all dental schools the applicant applies to, even if a school

was not selected by the applicant at the test administration site.

Self-Reported Canadian DAT

Applicants will be asked if they have already taken the test. If yes, reporting a date is required

and all scores are optional. Applicants should use their unofficial score report.

Other Tests

ADEA AADSAS does not collect other official or unofficial test scores.

FAQ

How do I check if my official DAT scores have been received?

Once official DAT scores will be imported into your profile, they will be viewable on the in-

progress PDF available to applicants. To view the PDF, you should go to the Check Status tab

of your application and click the download button next to each program selection.

I took the test more than once. How many scores are reported to ADEA AADSAS?

The most recent four test administrations are reported. Dental schools have different policies

on how they review applications with more than one DAT score; applicants are encouraged to

contact the individual dental schools for more information on how multiple DAT scores are

handled.

I applied to ADEA AADSAS last year and sent in my DAT scores then. I haven’t retaken the

test; do I need to resend my DAT scores?

No, if you are reapplying to the same schools. Yes, if you are applying to new schools.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

The ADEA AADSAS application opens in June, but I took the test before June. Can I send in

my scores early? How early?

Yes, you can send in the score up to two years before you create an application. If your score

was sent more than two years ago, it should be resent.

Supporting Information

 Evaluations

Letters of Evaluation (LOE) are not required to complete the application, but most dental

schools require LOEs to be complete before they can review the application. Letters of

evaluation are traditional recommendation letters written by a person qualified to recommend

a person to dental school.

Preparing for Evaluations

Determine what requirements, if any, dental schools have regarding evaluator’s roles or

relationship to applicant before listing any evaluators on ADEA AADSAS. Many programs have

guidelines for who should complete an evaluation on their Program Materials profile on the

ADEA AADSAS application or on their website. Once a reference is completed on the ADEA

AADSAS application, it cannot be removed or replaced, so it important to define which

evaluations each dental school has requested before submitting requests to your evaluators.

Please note that references from family members are generally frowned upon by admissions

offices.

Once evaluators are selected, be certain to inform them of the process and that they will be

filling out the reference electronically. Obtain their preferred email address and make sure they

are monitoring their email inbox for the request email.

Requesting Evaluations

Applicants can select to submit:

Four individual evaluations. Each letter should be written by one person.

o One committee letter and one individual evaluation. A committee letter can either be

one letter that is collaboratively written by a group of people or a collection of letters

submitted on behalf of an institution or office.

In the application, the applicant must indicate these items for each letter: identification of an

individual or committee letter, name, contact information, due date and personal

message/notes. The due date and personal message/notes are opportunities for the applicant

to communicate with the evaluator when s/he receives the request. Indicate which date the

evaluation needs to be submitted based on the earliest dental school deadline date; the

deadline is not imposed by ADEA AADSAS and evaluators can still submit after the date. Write

a message (only the evaluator will see it) to assist the evaluator. Example notes might include

dates when the applicant was in a faculty member’s class or a reminder of when the applicant

sent his/her resume to assist the evaluator.

For each evaluation, the applicant must select whether or not to waive their access to the

evaluation. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) provides applicants

the right to access letters of evaluation written after January 1, 1975, unless they choose to

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

waive their right of inspection and review. Prior to requesting an evaluation, ADEA AADSAS

applicants are required to indicate if they wish to waive their rights to each evaluation. ADEA

AADSAS does not release any letters of evaluation to applicants regardless of waiver status.

Evaluator Instructions

When an applicant saves an evaluation request, the evaluator will receive an email request to

complete the evaluation. The email will include a link to an online portal where the evaluator

can upload a letter up to 5 MB. ADEA AADSAS does not provide a prompt or set of

characteristics to include in the letter; evaluators are encouraged to provide information about

the applicant’s academic ability, character, time management skills, among other items

deemed important. It is recommended that the letter be on letterhead and include a signature.

Please check the “Program Materials” section for school specific requirements regarding letters

of evaluation.

FAQ

I didn’t agree to the evaluation waiver by mistake. Can I change it?

If the applicant has indicated the wrong waiver status, the applicant must delete the evaluator,

correctly re-enter the evaluator's name and other information and save. A new email

requesting a letter of evaluation will be sent by ADEA AADSAS to the evaluator. This cannot be

changed after the evaluation or application is submitted.

Who should I invite to write my evaluations?

ADEA AADSAS does not require evaluations from specific individuals. Dental schools, on the

other hand, do request letters from specific individuals like science professors or pre health

professional advisors. Check with each dental school for more information.

What should I tell my evaluators to write?

ADEA AADSAS does not provide a prompt or set of characteristics to include in the letter;

evaluators are encouraged to provide information about the applicant’s academic ability,

character, time management skills, among other items deemed important. It is recommended

that the letter be on letterhead and include a signature.

 Experiences

While ADEA AADSAS does not collect a resume, applicants are encouraged to use the

experience section to provide detailed information about academic enrichment, dental

shadowing, employment, activities, research and volunteer positions.

The definitions for these categories are as follows:

Academic Enrichment: Programs sponsored by colleges, universities or other not–for–profit

organizations (e.g., Summer Medical and Dental Education Program/Summer Health

Professions Education Program).

Dental Shadowing: Time spent officially following and observing a health care professional at

work, preferably a dentist.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

Employment: Paid work done outside of the health care field; for example, a retail or restaurant

job.

Extracurricular Activities: Any sports teams and other activities through a college or university.

Research: Research projects done in addition to classroom work; research should NOT appear

as credit on a school transcript.

Volunteer: Volunteer work done outside of the health care field; for example, working for

Habitat for Humanity, tutoring students, participating in or working for a fundraiser walk or

blood drive, etc.

For each experience listed, applicants should include the name and address of the

organization, supervisor, dates associated with the experience, title held by the applicant,

average weekly hours, a description of key responsibilities, and a release for the dental schools

if they chose to contact the organization. Applicants should only record experiences obtained

during college and should limit their entries to the top six experiences in each category.

FAQ

Where do I send documentation of my experience hours?

ADEA AADSAS does not collect any documentation for the experience sections. If any schools

require documentation, it should be submitted directly to them.

What is my “Title?” Who is my supervisor?

If you did not have an official title, you enter the type of activity you did; for example, “Dentist

Shadow” or “Nurse Shadow,” etc. The organization is the location where or for whom the work

took place and the supervisor is the person who was responsible for you or was in charge of

your activity.

I’ve begun my experience, but plan on accumulating more hours before dental school begins.

Can I include those?

In the experience sections, you may only document (in hours/weeks, etc.) the time already

completed. Once you submit your application, you may not update your hours. However, in

the text box under “duties,” you may clarify your expected time commitment, and send any

updates directly to the schools to which you are applying.

I haven’t begun my experience yet, but plan on doing so soon. Can I report that?

No, you cannot report “planned” experience. Once you have accumulated the experience,

however, you can add new experiences to your application, even if you have already submitted

it. Please note you cannot edit experiences which have already been entered. You may send

updated information directly to the schools to which you are applying.

Where can I report my publications or presentations?

There is no place on the application specifically for publications as the dental schools have not

requested that this be documented on ADEA AADSAS. If you wish to include this type of

activity, you may be able to list them in the “Achievements” section of the application, if

appropriate.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

I have plans to add experiences after I submit my application. Can I add new experiences after

I submit?

Yes, new experiences can be added but existing experiences cannot be updated after the

application is submitted.

 Achievements

Provide information about relevant academic awards, honors, and scholarship achieved.

When adding achievements, applicants will be asked to detail the name of the presenting

organization, issue date and a brief description. For honors, awards or scholarships received in

multiple years or semesters, applicants may either enter them as multiple entries with the same

name, or, if the honor or award was received consecutively, as one entry spanning multiple

years.

FAQ

How far back in my career should I list achievements?

It is recommended to include important achievements from during and after college.

Can I add new achievements after I submit?

Yes, new achievements can be added but existing achievements cannot be updated after the

application is submitted.

 Certifications

Provide information about certification. Types include registered dental hygienist (RDH),

certified dental assistant (CDA), certificated dental technician (CDT) and other. List only valid

certifications.

FAQ

Can I add new certifications after I submit?

Yes, new certifications can be added but existing certifications cannot be updated after the

application is submitted.

I do not have a certification, but was trained in various health-related activities as part of my

work experience. Can I list that here?

No. If you completed courses as part of on-the-job training, these can be listed under the

appropriate job in the “Experiences” section of the application.

I do not have a transcript for my certification. What do I do?

Transcripts are not required for certifications. Even transcripts for certificates or Associate

programs in Dental Hygiene or Dental Assisting don’t include the certifications on them, as the

certifications are usually granted by state boards or similar organizations, not the schools

themselves.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

 Applicant Summary

The Coversheet is not a unique section on the application, but an important summary of all the

information included in the ADEA AADSAS application. It is a one-page document that

appears at the beginning of the PDF application and is automatically generated after the

application is submitted.

Items included on the coversheet are:

o Biographic Information,

o Selected GPAs,

o Official DAT scores, if they have been received, and Planned DAT date for future tests

listed,

 Self-Reported Canadian DATs, if applicable

o Up to four “most important achievements,” and

o Up to six “most important experiences.”

Program Materials

This is a new section of the ADEA AADSAS application that includes profiles created by each dental

school. Each profile provides information regarding a dental school’s program and includes tips on

how to be a successful applicant. Each profile has three sections: The home page, questions and

prerequisites. To view a school’s profile in “Program Materials,” an applicant must first select the

school in the “Add Programs” section of the application. Applicants should carefully review each

school’s requirements.

Home: This tab contains basic information about the selected dental school including deadline, start

term, and other important, program-specific information.

Questions: This tab may or may not be available, depending on the selections of each dental school. If

a program has opted to add program specific questions, these questions may be optional or required.

Questions regarding this section should be directed to the dental school.

Prerequisites: This tab may or may not be available, depending on the selections of each dental

school. If it is available, applicants will be given a list of the school’s prerequisite course requirements

and asked to designate which courses have been taken or are planned which fulfill the requirements.

Applicants must first complete the Transcript Entry section before courses can be selected as

prerequisites.

 Entering these courses does not mean an applicant has met the school’s prerequisite

requirements. Instead, the school is asking applicants to self-identify courses for their review. If

an applicant has any questions regarding what the program will accept regarding these

prerequisites, please contact the program directly.

 Applicants can learn more about prerequisites required by each dental school in the 2017-2018

ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools.

FAQ

Is the Program Materials section required?

Yes, you must complete this section in order to submit the ADEA AADSAS application. Some

questions, though, will be optional depending on the dental school’s selection.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

Does completing this section I don’t have to submit a supplemental application to the school

directly?

The answer depends on the dental school. This is a new section in the ADEA AADSAS

application and many schools are experimenting with the features in hopes of eliminating a

supplemental application. Please check with each school to determine if information, fees, or

documents are required outside of ADEA AADSAS.

Submit ADEA AADSAS Application

The sections each applicant needs to read/complete include:

1. Fee Assistance Program (optional),

2. Manage My Programs,

3. Personal Information,

4. Academic History,

5. Supporting Information, and

6. Program Materials.

Once these sections are complete, an applicant can submit and pay. Submitting the ADEA AADSAS

application does not mean the application is being reviewed by the dental schools. The documents

needed to complete an application include:

 Official Transcripts from every postsecondary institution attended.

The application can be submitted before the receipt of these documents. All applicants are

encouraged to submit the application as early as possible in the cycle, well in advance of posted

deadline dates. Applicants who submit early, usually sometime in the summer, are more successful in

being invited to interviews.

FAQ

How do I know my application has been submitted?

Go to the Submit Application tab of your application. You may select “Pay for My Programs” to

pay for all programs you have selected, or click on “Pay and Submit This Program,” to submit

to one program at a time. After selecting “Pay” and completing all of the steps, you will

receive a confirmation email and notification to your application message inbox that your

application was submitted.

I have received my final grades for current courses, but transcripts are not yet available. Should

I wait to submit the application until ADEA AADSAS receives the updated transcript?

You have two choices in this case:

1.) You may list your current courses as completed on your online application, and wait

to submit your application until ADEA AADSAS has received the updated transcript,

which will cause a delay in your application. Please note that once all materials have

been received, it may take four weeks for your application to be verified. ADEA

AADSAS recommends that all information arrive at ADEA AADSAS at least four

weeks prior to your earliest deadline.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

2.) You may leave the course listed as in-progress on your ADEA AADSAS application

and submit your application. In this case, you would send the transcripts with only

the completed courses to ADEA AADSAS and, once the in-progress courses are

complete, either update your information during one of the Academic Update

periods or send updated transcripts directly to the schools to which you are

applying. This would avoid a delay in your application, and this is not an uncommon

practice.

When should I submit my application?

Submit your application early, at least four weeks before the first deadline of the schools you

are applying to. Applicants who complete their application in the summer are more likely to be

successful. Transcripts and letters should also be received early so the application can be fully

processed by the school’s deadline.

Application Fees

The application fee for ADEA AADSAS depends on the number of dental schools an applicant applies

to. The fee is $245 for the first dental school and $99 for each designation. After submitting the

application, additional dental schools can be selected and paid for at a later date. Payment for the

ADEA AADSAS application is by credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Discover) only.

Some dental schools request an additional fee (supplemental) after the completed ADEA AADSAS

application. Do not send the supplemental fees to ADEA AADSAS. Supplemental fees should be sent

directly to the dental school(s).

FAQ

Does ADEA AADSAS give refunds?

It is a vital part of the process that the full instructions are read and the application is reviewed

to ensure the necessary steps are taken to complete the application. Once an application is

submitted, refunds are typically not granted. In special circumstances, though, refund requests

will be reviewed. Applicants must submit a brief, written request within 30 calendar days of the

end of the cycle to paynel@adea.org. ADEA reserves the right to grant or deny requests at its

own discretion. Any refund granted will be returned to the applicant in the format it was paid.

Reapplicants accepted after June 1 to the previous cycle can request a refund; requests must

be made within two weeks of the acceptance which will be verified by ADEA AADSAS staff.

Verification Process and GPA Calculations

Once an application is complete (submitted and all transcripts are received), it is put in a queue to be

verified. Verification is a process where professional verification staff match manually entered

coursework and official transcripts to ensure no errors were made. Verification also allows ADEA

AADSAS to calculate grade point averages (GPA) that are standard calculations for all applicants.

ADEA AADSAS calculates standardized GPAs to help participating dental schools evaluate applicants

using uniform and consistent criteria, regardless of various institutional transcript policies. ADEA

AADSAS GPAs will be calculated within four to six weeks after ADEA AADSAS receives the completed

application and all transcripts.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

To calculate a GPA, ADEA AADSAS calculates total quality points by multiplying semester hours

attempted by the value of the verified ADEA AADSAS grade. Quality points are divided by the total

number of hours for completed courses. ADEA AADSAS reports GPAs in semester–based 4.0 grading

scales.

ADEA AADSAS calculates GPA and reports it in a number of ways:

 BCP GPA: All undergraduate, graduate and cumulative courses identified on transcripts as

Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

 Science GPA: All undergraduate, graduate and cumulative courses identified on the transcript

as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math and Other Science.

 Non–science GPA: All undergraduate, graduate and cumulative courses not used in calculating

the Science GPA.

 Undergraduate GPA: All courses for which undergraduate credit is received.

 Graduate GPA: All courses for which graduate credit is received.

 Overall GPA: Includes undergraduate and graduate. For most dental school applicants who

have not completed graduate courses, the overall GPA is the same as the undergraduate GPA.

 College/University GPAs: GPAs are reported for each college/university attended.

 The following course types are not included in ADEA AADSAS GPA calculations:

o Advanced Placement/CLEP.

o Institutional Department Exam.

o Audit.

o International Baccalaureate.

o Incomplete.

o Pass/Fail.

o Withdraw/withdraw passing.

o Grades of P or Credit.

 ADEA AADSAS includes all initial and repeated coursework in its GPA calculations.

 Grades and credit hours for all failed courses will be included in the ADEA AADSAS GPA, even

if they are not included in the GPA calculations of the transcript–issuing institution.

 ADEA AADSAS calculates GPAs in two different ways: with and without + and –. Some dental

schools prefer to use the +/– system and others prefer to use grades without + and –. For

example, grades without a +/– will simply round—grades with a + will round down to the next

letter grade (e.g., B+ [3.3] will round down to a B [3.0]) and grades with a – will round up to the

next letter grade (e.g., B– [2.7] will round up to a B [3.0).

Factors that may result in a GPA calculation that is different from the transcript include the

following:

1.) Many college/universities count only the new grade in repeated course(s) in GPA

computation. ADEA AADSAS counts the previously earned grade and the new grade. For

example, if the applicant took Introduction to Biology in Fall 2012 and earned a grade of C,

then retook the same course in Spring 2013 and earned an A, ADEA AADSAS would use

both the C grade and the A grade to calculate the GPA.

2.) The college/university's grade weighting scale. Some schools use different scales than

those used by ADEA AADSAS. For example, at some schools, a B+ grade equals a grade

weight of 3.5, but for ADEA AADSAS, a B+ grade equals a grade weight of 3.33.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

FAQ

I think my GPA was calculated incorrectly. How can I get ADEA AADSAS to review my GPA

calculations?

ADEA AADSAS cannot recalculate entire GPAs for each applicant; however, ADEA AADSAS is

willing to look at specific areas upon request. After reviewing the ADEA AADSAS policies and

grade calculation worksheets, submit a request by email to aadsasinfo@aadsas.org with a

specific set of calculations for a certain portion of your GPA what you think should be reviewed.

When will my GPAs be available?

After all application materials are processed and transcripts have been verified (can be

approximately four weeks), ADEA AADSAS calculates the GPAs.

Where will I be able to view my GPAs?

Once coursework is verified, please login to your account and visit the “Check Status” tab on

the homepage of your application to download a PDF of your application and review your

GPAs as your programs will see them.

Do repeated courses factor into my GPA?

ADEA AADSAS must standardize applicant information throughout the country, and therefore

does not recognize individual school or academic “forgiveness” policies in regards to repeated

courses, as each college treats these situations differently. Some schools average the two

grades together, other factor in the higher grades, some take the second grade even if it’s

lower than the first, and others don’t recognize repeated courses at all. Therefore, ADEA

AADSAS must factor both grades in your AADSAS GPA. Once your application arrives at your

designated programs, they may or may not recalculate your GPA depending upon their own

individual policies.

Manage Your Application

Updates After Submission

These sections can be edited after the ADEA AADSAS application is submitted:

 Current address

 Permanent address

 Phone

 Email

 High Schools Attended

 Colleges Attended (if still attending)

 Transcript Entry (if still attending)

 U.S. and Canadian DAT (new test results only)

 Evaluations (may be deleted after submission if not completed; new evaluations may be added

up to the maximum)

 Experiences (new or in progress only)

 Achievements (new or in progress only)

 Certifications (new or in progress only)

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

Application Status

Each applicant can view each the status to each dental school applied to by clicking the “Check

Status” tab in the upper right hand corner of the application dashboard. Here is a list of statuses an

applicant might see:

 In-Progress: The application has not yet been e-submitted to ADEA AADSAS. A confirmation e-

mail and notification will be sent to the application message inbox once the application is

submitted.

 Received > Awaiting Materials: The application has been e-submitted and fees have been

paid.

 Materials Received > Verifying: The application is complete and in line for verification.

 Undelivered: An error has been found and the application has been returned to the applicant

for correction. It must be re-submitted to ADEA AADSAS in order to be processed.

 Verified: The application has been processed and the GPA has been calculated. A confirmation

email and notification will be sent to your application message inbox that the application was

verified.

Academic Update

Applicants can make updates to the coursework section for newly completed or planned courses using

a system called Academic Update. After the application is verified, an applicant can log in to the

ADEA AADSAS application and update coursework. Verification of this new coursework will begin in

November 15, 2017.

FAQ

Am I required to use Academic Update?

ADEA AADSAS recommends, but does not require, applicants with updated grades to

participate in “Academic Update.” However, the dental schools you apply to may require it.

Please check with them directly to determine whether or not you are required to use Academic

Update. If you fail to enter your updated courses, your designated programs may not consider

your application or may revoke a previous offer of admission.

Can I update courses that were already reported as completed?

No, courses that were originally reported as completed cannot be modified.

Do I have to send updated transcripts to my dental schools?

Depending on each program’s admissions policy, you may be required to send updated

transcripts directly to each dental school. You should contact the programs directly to

determine if this is necessary.

Supplemental Applications

Some dental schools require applicants to send additional information directly to the dental school.

This can be 1.) information required of all applicants, or 2.) information required of a subset applicant

as defined by the dental school. In both cases, requests from the dental schools should be fulfilled.

Check with each dental school for more information on supplemental applications.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

Send only required documents to ADEA AADSAS. Any other documents received by ADEA AADSAS,

including supplemental materials requested by specific dental schools, will be considered unrelated

materials. ADEA AADSAS will not return unrelated materials, nor forward the unrelated materials to

designated dental schools. Examples of unrelated materials include resumes, photographs, writing

samples, certificates and other non-required documents.

Criminal Background Check

ADEA AADSAS provides a service to dental schools that wish to obtain a criminal background check

on admitted students through Certiphi Screening

, Inc.

Once accepted at a participating dental school, Certiphi Screening, Inc. will send an email to the

applicant’s email entered in the ADEA AADSAS application. This email will provide access to a secure

online form where the applicant provides basic identifying information and consent for this report to

be obtained. Applicants can review the final report prior to its distribution.

Applicants will have 10 calendar days from when the report is emailed to review it before it is made

available to participating dental schools. Applicants will be provided with an opportunity to contest

the accuracy of the contents of the report within 10 calendar days. After 10 calendar days, the report

will be made available to the participating dental schools from which the applicant received an

acceptance.

Tip: The criminal background report will not be released to any party other than the dental schools

requesting it. ADEA AADSAS does not have access to this report.

For more information about Criminal Background Check, contact:

Certiphi Screening

, Inc.

Applicant inquiry only: (800) 803–9582

[email protected]om

3:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time

ADEA Policies

The policies of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) that govern ADEA AADSAS are

recommended by the ADEA AADSAS Task Force, an official committee of the Association. ADEA

AADSAS makes every effort to process and transmit application materials to dental schools

designated by the applicant. ADEA, however, assumes no responsibility for delays in processing

application materials caused by the applicant's failure to follow instructions or by circumstances

beyond the control of ADEA AADSAS. It is the applicant’s responsibility to monitor his or her ADEA

AADSAS application and report any discrepancies or problems.

ADEA does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, marital

status, age or handicap. Such information in the ADEA AADSAS application is requested only for the

purpose of gathering and reporting applicant flow data, or to confirm information used to process the

application.

2018 ADEA AADSAS Instructions

ADEA Application Services Refund Policy

It is a vital part of the process that the full instructions are read and the application is reviewed to

ensure the necessary steps are taken to complete the application. Once an application is submitted,

refunds are not granted. In special circumstances, though, refund requests will be reviewed.

Applicants must submit a brief, written request within 30 calendar days of the end of the cycle to

[email protected]rg. ADEA reserves the right to grant or deny requests at its own discretion. Any refund

granted will be returned to the applicant in the format it was paid.

Reapplicants accepted after June 1 to the previous cycle can request a refund; requests must be made

within two weeks of the acceptance which will be verified by ADEA AADSAS staff.

ADEA Privacy/Confidentiality Statement

The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) will prevent the exposure of confidential personal

data without the permission of the individual involved. Except for ADEA aggregate research, directory

information and communications with participating schools and/or programs as a part of the

application and record keeping process, information about individual applicants and matriculates is

not shared with anyone in a way that would permit individual identification.

Application data submitted by an applicant will not be shared with third-party individuals or

organizations. ADEA will only discuss an application with the applicant and the applicant's designated

schools and/or programs. Staff will not discuss an application with a parent, spouse, relative, friend or

employer.

Information about applicants is, of course, disclosed to the schools and/or programs to which a

student applies. Applicants to one of ADEA’s centralized application services will be required to

release their application information and supporting documents by agreeing to the ADEA AADSAS

Release Statement and Code of Conduct within the application.

Application data gathered by ADEA in the process of providing its centralized application services will

only be reported in aggregate form so as not to divulge student-specific demographic information.

ADEA will use this data to perform analysis on the national applicant pool and might use individual

applicant information in the analysis, but will ensure that individual applicants will not be identified.

Contact ADEA AADSAS

Phone: 617-612-2045 (applicant inquiries only)

Application: coming soon

Email: aadsasinfo@aadsasweb.org

Web: adea.org