Enrollment, cost, and academic admission criteria of U.S. Dental schools by geographic region and institution type.

This article presents the academic qualifications of matriculating dental students (as indicated by overall undergraduate GPA, undergraduate science GPA, average DAT scores, and average PAT scores) and total cost of education for students at U.S. dental schools according to geographic location and funding sources. Dental schools were divided on the basis of geographic location (Northeast, South, Central, or West) and principal means of funding (public versus private). Average four-year total educational expenses as reported in the 1996-97 and 2000-01 matriculation years were compared as well as undergraduate overall GPA, science GPA, DAT academic average, and PAT score. Public dental schools in the southern region cost significantly less than any other region of any funding type. Public dental schools in the western region had significantly higher average GPA, average science GPA, DAT academic average, and PAT scores among their matriculating classes than did any other region. Public dental schools from the western region also had the least amount of increase in projected four-year expenses between the two matriculation years compared. Excluding PAT scores, western public dental schools had the highest academic admission criteria of any region of either funding type.