Key takeaways
- ADEA AADSAS accepts up to four letters: four individual letters, or one committee letter plus up to three individual letters.
- Most schools want letters from science faculty and many want one from a dentist. Requirements vary by school.
- Committee letters are accepted almost everywhere, preferred at some schools and expected at a few if your college offers one.
- Ask early, ask in person when you can, and give writers everything they need.
- Waive your right to see letters unless you have a strong reason not to; it signals trust and makes letters more credible.
How letters work in ADEA AADSAS
Inside the application you list each evaluator, and ADEA AADSAS emails them a request to upload their letter. You can add evaluators before you submit and track whether each letter has arrived. Letters are generally sent to every school you apply to, so choose writers whose letters suit all of them. The rules for this cycle are summarized on our How to apply page.
- Up to four letters in total.
- Or one committee letter (or packet) plus up to three individual letters.
- Some schools require specific writers, for example two science faculty and a dentist. Check every school.
Who to ask
| Writer | Why it matters | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Science professors (often two) | Speak to your ability in the hard courses schools care about | Choose professors who know you: office hours, research, small classes |
| A dentist you shadowed or worked for | Speaks to your understanding of dentistry and your behavior in a clinic | Ask someone who saw you over time, not after one visit |
| A supervisor, coach, research mentor or service leader | Speaks to character, reliability and teamwork | Pick someone who supervised you directly |
Committee letters
Many colleges have a pre-health advising committee. It collects individual letters, often interviews you, and writes a composite letter that places you in the context of your school's applicants. Each college runs its process differently, often with internal deadlines months before ADEA AADSAS opens.
- Of the 79 U.S. and Puerto Rico schools on our map, 50 accept a committee letter, 12 prefer one, and 4 require one if your college offers it (East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine; Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry; Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine; University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine).
- 1 does not accept committee letters.
- 12 do not state a policy.
- If your college offers a committee letter, find out its deadlines in your sophomore or early junior year.
- If your college does not offer one, say so where a school asks; schools that prefer committee letters generally accept individual letters from applicants whose colleges do not offer them.
- If you have graduated, ask your college whether its committee still serves alumni.
When and how to ask
- Build the relationship earlyGo to office hours, ask questions, show your work. Letters are written about people, not grades.
- Ask a few months before you applySpring of your application year is common. Give at least a month's notice before you need the letter uploaded.
- Ask in a way that allows a graceful no"Do you feel you know me well enough to write a strong letter for dental school?"
- Send a packetRésumé, a draft or summary of your personal statement, the courses you took with them and your grades, specific memories they might mention, and the deadline.
- Follow up and thank themA polite reminder a week before the deadline, then a handwritten thank-you. Tell them where you end up.
Subject: Letter of evaluation for dental school, [Your name] Dear Professor [Last name], I took your [course] in [term] and [one specific connection: "worked in your lab," "came to office hours about enzyme kinetics"]. I am applying to dental school this cycle and would be honored if you felt you could write a strong letter of evaluation for me. If you are able to, I will send a short packet with my résumé, a summary of my personal statement and a few notes on my work in your course. Letters are submitted online through ADEA AADSAS, and I would need it by [date]. I completely understand if your schedule does not allow it. Thank you for considering it. Best regards, [Your name]
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Next steps
General guidance written by Dental School Map, not official policy. Schools set their own requirements, and rules change each cycle: confirm details with ADEA, the ADA, Acuity Insights and each school. Spot something out of date? Tell us.