Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry applicant admission requirements (2024-2025)

January 15, 2024

This information is available with, and constitutes part of, the application. It is assumed that all applicants have read and understood it prior to submitting the completed application.

Degree programs offered

Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.)

A. Application Fees

Here’s what you need to know about application fees and correspondence:

• Canadian/Permanent Residents: The fee is $100.00. For details, refer to Section 2: Eligibility Requirements, B. Canadian Residency.
• Payment: Your application will not be considered received until you have submitted the application and paid the non-refundable fee by the deadline.
• Correspondence: All updates and decision information will be sent via email and posted to your application portal.

NOTE: It is important to check your email and application portal regularly and specifically around the deadlines and important dates listed below.

B. Deadlines and Important Dates

1. All Applicants

2. Canadian Indigenous Applicant Category

In addition to the above deadlines, applicants to the Canadian Indigenous Applicant Category are required to meet the following deadlines:

3. Individual Applicant Category

In addition to the above deadlines, applicants to the Individual Applicant Category are required to meet the following deadlines:

4. Applicant selected for Interview

In addition to the above deadlines, applicants that are granted an interview are required to meet the following deadlines:

C. Required Application Documentation

The following documents will be required to complete your application:

Sending your documentation

Mailing address:

Send all physical documents to:

Admission for Dentistry
University of Manitoba
424 UMSU University Centre
66 Chancellors Circle
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2

Electronic transcripts:

Submit electronic transcripts to: applicant.services@umanitoba.ca

• Official transcripts: Ensure electronic transcripts are sent directly from the office responsible for issuing them. Transcripts forwarded by you are considered unofficial.
• Using MyCredsTM: If your institution participates in MyCredsTM, release your transcripts to the University of Manitoba through their MyCredsTM portal. Choose 'Share' and then 'Organization' rather than 'email'.

Forms:

• Self-declaration form and essential skills form: Complete these forms as part of your online application.

Complete applications:

• Your application is not complete until all required documents are received.
• It is your responsibility to ensure that all necessary information is submitted.

Notify us of changes:

• Inform the Admissions Office immediately if you enroll at a new postsecondary institution or take additional coursework not previously declared.
• You will need to provide proof of registration for any new or additional coursework.

D. Required Admission Documentation

All successful applicants to the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry are required to submit the following:

A. Citizenship and Residence

The Admissions Committee prioritizes applicants from Manitoba. Here’s what you need to know about being classified as a Manitoba applicant:

• Graduates from Manitoba high schools: If you have graduated from a high school in Manitoba, you qualify as a Manitoba applicant.
• Degrees from Manitoba universities: If you hold a recognized degree from a university in Manitoba before applying, you are considered a Manitoba applicant.
• Consecutive academic studies in Manitoba: If you have completed at least two consecutive years of full-time academic studies at a university in Manitoba while physically residing there before applying, you qualify.
• Residence in Manitoba: If you have been a resident of Manitoba for a minimum of two years following high school, you are eligible. This residence period is not considered broken if you were temporarily out of the province for vacation, short-term volunteer work, employment, or as a full-time student.

The University of Manitoba allocates a minimum of 25 out of 29 positions in the first-year dental program to Manitobans. The official date of your application will determine your citizenship or residence status.

B. Calculation of the Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA)

For applicants with two years of pre-dental studies:

1. Multiply the average on CORE courses by 2.
2. Multiply the average on the lowest year by 1.
3. Multiply the average on the best year by 3.
4. Add these values together.
5. Divide the total by 6.

For applicants with three or more years of pre-dental studies:

1. Multiply the average on CORE courses by 2.
2. Multiply the average on the lowest year by 0.
3. Multiply the average on the best year by 3.
4. Multiply the average of each additional full academic year by 1.
5. Add these values together.
6. Divide the total by the total number of years used (e.g., 6, 7, 8).

Notes on AGPA Calculation

Responsibility for Updates

It is your responsibility to inform the Admissions Office in writing of any deferred exams or grade changes. All final grades, including any changes, must be submitted by the document deadline. Grade changes will not be accepted after this deadline. If a grade is not available by the deadline, an ‘F’ grade will be used in the final admission determination and calculation.

GPA Calculation Details

• Retained grades: If a grade is retained on your record but excluded from your institutional GPA calculation, it will still be used to meet admission requirements and calculate your GPA for the University of Manitoba.
• New credit hours: You must submit grades from at least 24 new credit hours (courses never previously taken) per Fall/Winter session (September - April) for your year's average to be included in the ranking process.
• Satisfactory/Pass/Fail grades: Grades marked as “Satisfactory” or “Pass/Fail” will be excluded from the Core Average, AGPA, and sessional credit hour count, and will not be considered for meeting admission requirements.

Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Courses

• Use for core requirements: AP/IB courses can be used to fulfill core course requirements if submitted in writing at the time of application. However, AP/IB courses cannot be used to meet the minimum new credit hour requirement (see Section 2: Eligibility Requirements, A. Academic Requirements, 1. Completed Coursework).

Repeating Courses

• Core subjects: You may repeat up to six credit hours of core subjects (e.g., Chemistry 1 and Chemistry 2). Only the higher grades obtained will be used in the core average calculation.
• Additional repeats: If you repeat more than six credit hours of core subjects, all additional grades not included in the repeat will be averaged into the core average.

Elimination of Older Grades

• Request for exclusion: You may request the elimination of grades completed at least eight years prior to starting a more recent program of studies for the purpose of calculating your AGPA. This request must be made in writing at the time of application.
• Requirements for recent studies: All academic requirements, as specified in Section 2: Eligibility Requirements, must be met in the more recent program of studies.

C. The Results of the Canadian Dental Aptitude Test (DAT)

In the interview selection process applicants will not be considered for admission if they have, in the best Canadian English DAT score a PAT score of less than 14.

Only the average of the Reading Comprehension, Biology, Chemistry and PAT scores (DAT average) from the single best Canadian English DAT of the last three years will be used in the calculation of the overall score.

D. Selection of Applicants for Interview

1. General Applicant Category

• Core Course Average
  To be considered for an interview, you must meet the minimum core course average set by the Committee. This average may vary each year based on the competitiveness of the applicant pool.
• Canadian Dental Aptitude Test (DAT)
  To qualify for an interview, you must achieve the minimum DAT average, which includes scores from Reading Comprehension, Biology, Chemistry, and PAT. This average is determined by the Committee and may change annually.

2. Canadian Indigenous Applicant Category

• Core Course Average
  To be considered for an interview, you need to meet the minimum core course average set by the Committee. Preference is given to Manitoba applicants. This average may vary each year based on the competitive nature of the applicant pool.

• Canadian Dental Aptitude Test (DAT)
  To qualify for an interview, you must meet the minimum DAT average for Reading Comprehension, Biology, Chemistry, and PAT, as determined by the Committee. This average may change yearly.

  Interview offers are based on core course averages, DAT scores, and information from your autobiographical sketch, along with the competitive nature of the applicant pool.

3. Individual Applicant Category

• Core Course Average
  To be considered for an interview, you must achieve the minimum core course average set by the Committee. Preference is given to Manitoba applicants. This average may vary each year depending on the competitiveness of the applicant pool.

• Canadian Dental Aptitude Test (DAT)
  To qualify for an interview, you must meet the minimum DAT average for Reading Comprehension, Biology, Chemistry, and PAT. This average is set by the Committee and may change annually.

  Offers for interviews are based on core course averages, DAT scores, and information from your autobiographical sketch, along with the competitive nature of the applicant pool.

NOTE: Selection decisions are subjective, and rationale for decisions is not recorded or provided to applicants.

E. Final Selection

1. General applicant category

• Ranking criteria
  Applicants are ranked based on the following equal-weight components:

  • Adjusted grade point average (AGPA) as of June 1st of the application year
  • Canadian Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) scores
  • Interview scores

  Acceptance
  A minimum of 20 applicants will be accepted from this category.

2. Canadian Indigenous applicant category

• Selection criteria
  A maximum of five applicants may be accepted based on:
  • Interview performance
  • Academic standing as of June 1st of the application year
  • Canadian DAT scores

3. Individual applicant category

• Selection criteria
  A maximum of four applicants may be accepted based on:

  • Interview performance
  • Academic standing as of June 1st of the application year
  • Canadian DAT scores

  Positions unfilled
  Any unfilled positions from this category will be offered to applicants in the general applicant category.

NOTE: Selection decisions are subjective. The rationale for decisions is not recorded or provided to applicants.

F. Tie Breaking Procedure for Offers

In the event of a tie, the following procedure will be used:

1. Increase the number of significant figures used in the calculation.
2. Where a tie still exists, the application that was received first will be used to break the tie.

All completed applications are time stamped upon submission; in the case of a paper application, these applications will be time stamped after they have been entered into the system by a University of Manitoba Admissions Office staff member.

G. Notification of Decision

Viewing the decision

• Decisions will be posted to your application portal.
• Log into your portal to view your decision and to accept or decline the offer.
• It is crucial to regularly check your emails and application portal.

Accepting the offer

• You have 5 business days to respond to an offer.
• To accept, you must pay a non-refundable deposit of $1000.00 within this period.
• The deposit will be credited toward your first-year fees.
• If you decline the offer or miss the payment deadline, the offer will lapse and be considered declined.

H. The Incoming Class of 2023

In 2023, we received 211 applications for the first-year Dentistry class. Of these, 79 applicants were shortlisted and granted an interview. The class consists of 29 students.

If you wish to have your application reconsidered, please follow these steps:

1. Submit a request: Send your request in writing to the Chair of the Selection Committee within ten (10) business days of the posted decision date. Most inquiries can be resolved at this level without further action.
2. Further appeal: If you wish to appeal the reconsideration decision, you will need to follow the Senate Committee on Admission Appeals Procedures.
3. Review procedures: Appeals focus on whether the Selection Committee adhered to published policies and procedures, not on subjective issues or the merits of the application.

For contact information and details on the Senate Committee on Admission Appeals Procedures, see Section 8: Contact Information for Faculty.

The Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry and Admissions Office can assist you with counselling regarding admission. However, they will not provide specific instructions on what course of action to take. Instead, they will provide you with the information needed to make your own decisions. Please note the following:

1. Seek advice wisely: While it is encouraged to discuss your plans with advisors, be cautious of second- and third-hand information about admission policies, as it may not be accurate.
2. No guarantees: No university official can guarantee admission. Admission decisions are made by the Committee based on annual competition.
3. Request written responses: Supplement any personal enquiries with a written request to receive an official written response. Only written responses will be considered as evidence of advice given. For contact information, see Section 8: Contact Information.

The University of Manitoba is committed to providing all students equal access to learning opportunities. If you are a student with a diagnosed disability (permanent, chronic, or temporary) who may require academic accommodations, please contact Student Accessibility Services at 204-474-7423 or by email at student_accessibility@umanitoba.ca to learn more about the confidential supports that are available.

The following other contacts may also be useful.