Dental School Letter Options

AADSAS states that each student is allowed 4 individual letters OR 1 Committee Letter/Report and 3 individual letters. Each student should discuss the following 3 options with their advisor to determine what is best.

OPTION 1 :GMS Letter Report (Packet) and 3 Additional Uploaded Letters

Option used by OHS students in June AFTER after completing OHS 

• The OHS packet contains
  • Advisor/Program Director letter (letter submitted to AADSAS from the fall -updated-  if you applied )
  • Academic professor(s) 1-3
    • At least one from a faculty who taught a DMD course
    • Additional OHS faculty letters  (Applied Physio, Histology, Biochemistry, Physio, ID, Micro, or Prevention, etc. to highlight rigorous coursework)
    • Additional extracurricular, service or research done POST undergrad
    • Dentist, extracurricular activity supervisor or research mentor
• 3 Additional letter(s) uploaded  separately should come from:
  • Usually 1 from your Undergrad –  a professor, research PI, advisor who knew you very well
  • Dentist (1-2)
  • Extracurricular and/or service supervisor

OPTION 2: Undergraduate Committee Letter and 3 Individual Letters

Option used by OHS students Prior to Matriculating to OHS 

• Undergraduate Committee Letter / Letter Packet contains
  • Committee letter or letter packet sent directly from your undergraduate pre-professional advising office includes a combination of recommender comments and/or letters from  professors. This may or may not include comments from extracurriculars supervisors and/or a dentist. NOTE: Some schools do not offer this option and will need to use OPTION 3 below.
• Additional letter(s) MAY be uploaded separately (but may not be needed) 
  • Dentist (1-2) if not included in packet/committee letter
  • Extracurricular and/or service if not included in packet/committee letter
  • It is RECOMMEDED that incoming OHS students LEAVE one open individual LETTER SPOT OPEN for the OHS Program to send a letter November 1st.
    • The letter will likely be a combine Program Director/Advisor Letter but could also be a GMS professor (discussed in the fall with your advisor as needed)

OPTION 3: 4 Individual Letter Writers

Option used by OHS students Prior to Matriculating to OHS if School Does NOT have the Packet /Committee Letter Option (Option i)

• Each individual letter writer uploads their recommendations directly to AADSAS.
• Most schools require 2 science professors and 1 dentists
• If possible students should submit 2 science professor letters and a dentist and LEAVE one open individual LETTER SPOT for the OHS Program to send a letter November 1st.
  • The 1 letter will likely be a combine Program Director/Advisor Letter but could also be a GMS professor
• It is harder to leave a letter spot open for OHS using this option but students can also have their November OHS advisor/program letters emailed directly to schools with about 75% of dental schools accepting additional letters.

ALL letters will be uploaded electronically by the OHS program to AADSAS

1. In May /June/early July (for students reapplying in June) provide OHS with the completed OHS Letter Request Form. This form includes your signature which will serve as your ‘waiver’ for all letters forwarded to GMS. Please sign the form. It can be  or emailed to ohsdocs@bu.edu directly.

2. Complete the AADSAS application in the following manner:

Check the box that indicates you will be submitting a Committee Letter/Report (if multiple letters) or Individual letter (if Individual letter only) and indicate electronic when prompted. Indicated the following:

• Evaluator’s name: Theresa A. Davies, Ph.D.
• Contact email and phone: ohsdocs@bu.edu , 617-358-9546
• Contact address 

Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Oral Health Sciences Program
Graduate Medical Sciences, R-1017
72 East Concord Street,
Boston MA 02118

It is your responsibility to confirm your letters have been received by GMS. After confirming that all recommendations that you have requested have been received in the office your letter file will be sent out.

Clearly indicate the authors of all letters you want included in your packet on the OHS letter request form.