Graduate students on graduation day

Dental Scientist Training Program (DSTP)

MUSC’s dual degree Dentist Scientist Training Program (DSTP) begins with 1 year of dental school, followed by ~4 years of research, and then the final 3 years of the dental school curriculum. This paradigm helps students concentrate on their research and/or clinical work for better retention and offers a more satisfactory blend of academic and patient experiences. Additionally, dental students need continuity in their clinical training to maintain the skills acquired during their second year of preclinical, laboratory-based dental classes. To stimulate and promote integration of the basic research skills and interests likely to be acquired during the years of PhD training, we plan to provide two new opportunities for DSTP students to gain knowledge about and actively participate in clinical and translational research.

This combined degree program is designed for outstanding students who wish to become dentist scientists and pursue research careers in an academic environment. The curriculum typically is completed in seven to eight years. Stipends of $28,000 per year and tuition, paid by a number of sources including a NIH/NIDCR T32 institutional training grant, are also provided for DMD/PhD students. More information can be found at College of Dental Medicine's Dental Medicine Scientist information page.

Academic Prerequisites

To be considered for admission, applicants must complete the following prerequisite coursework from a regionally accredited U.S. institution prior to matriculation. Required coursework may include coursework taken at a community or technical college and/or offered in an online format.

This program does accept AP credits to fulfill prerequisite requirements. If the AP credits are not listed individually on your university's transcript, you can order a score report from CollegeBoard and have it sent to us.

Subject Credit Hours
General Chemistry
The General Chemistry prerequisite requirement consists of general or introductory college-level Chemistry courses. Each science course must include the corresponding laboratory credit.
8
Organic Chemistry
The Organic Chemistry prerequisite requirement consists of college-level Organic Chemistry courses. Each science course must include the corresponding laboratory credit.
8
Biology or Zoology
The Biology prerequisite requirement consists of general or introductory college-level Biology or Zoology courses. Each science course must include the corresponding laboratory credit.
8
Physics
The Physics prerequisite requirement consists of general or introductory college-level Physics courses. Each science course must include the corresponding laboratory credit.
8
Science Electives
The science elective prerequisite requirement consists of upper-level natural sciences courses. Each science course must include the corresponding laboratory credit. Examples: Microbiology, Biochemistry, Anatomy, Physiology, Genetics, etc.
8
English
The English prerequisite requirement consists of introductory college-level English courses. Examples: Reading and Composition, Rhetoric, Literature, etc.
6
Mathematics
The Mathematics prerequisite requirement consists of college-level Math courses. Examples: College Algebra, Statistics, Calculus, etc.
6

Application Requirements

  1. ADEA AADSAS Application: The following materials must be submitted through the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) application system, which may be accessed by clicking here. You do not need to send any of the following information directly to MUSC.
    • Official transcripts from all institutions attended: Strong preference is given to applicants who have, or will have completed, four years of college coursework and have earned a bachelor's degree at a regionally accredited US institution prior to matriculation. In extremely rare circumstances a minimum of three years of exemplary college work, including an exceptional science GPA and DAT scores, may be considered.
    • Official Dental Admission Test (DAT) Scores: Your official U.S. DAT scores must be less than five years old. Canadian DAT scores are not accepted. It is recommended that you take the DAT early to allow ample time for official scores to be received or retesting if necessary.
    • Letters of Recommendation: A minimum of three individual letters of recommendation or one confidential committee letter are required. It is recommended that letters of recommendation come from those most familiar with the applicant (i.e., faculty member, dentist, leader or mentor in volunteer organization).
  2. MUSC Supplemental Application: All applicants must submit the MUSC Supplemental Application, which may be accessed by clicking here.

Both applications must be received in full before an applicant will be marked complete and reviewed by the admissions committee.

Applicants that have applied in previous years must submit new ADEA AADSAS and MUSC supplemental applications and should update all application materials for each new admissions cycle.

Application Process

The following process outlines how and when your materials will be reviewed.

  1. Submit the ADEA AADSAS application as early as possible. After fee payment and official transcripts are received, it usually takes four to six weeks to process and verify the application. The application must be verified by the application deadline to be eligible for review.
  2. Complete the MUSC Supplemental Application.
  3. Once both applications are complete and the ADEA AADSAS application has been verified, your application will be reviewed. Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview.

Application Deadlines

Start Term Application Type Available Deadline
Summer 2025 Regular July 1, 2024 Dec 15, 2024

Tuition & Fees

Fee Type Fee
Application Fee (per application) $95
Matriculation Fee (upon applicant acceptance) $485

Tuition and fees listed below are per semester unless otherwise noted.

Tuition/Fee Type Fall Spring Summer Annual
In-state Tuition $7,905 $7,905 $5,610 -
Out-of-state Tuition $7,905 $7,905 $5,610 -
Gross Anatomy Fee
(first-year students only)
- - $1,000 -
Histology Fee
(first-year students only)
$100 - - -
Clinical and Lab Support Fee - - - $7,903
Dental Informatics Fee - - - $6,209
Instrumentation Fee - - - $4,657
Student Disability Insurance Fee
(first- and second-year students)
- - - $95
Student Disability Insurance Fee
(third- and fourth-year students)
- - - $135
International Student Fee - - - $30,000
Tuition/Fee Type Fall Spring Summer Annual
In-state Tuition $7,834 $7,834 $7,834 -
Out-of-state Tuition $10,686 $10,686 $8,471 -

Scholarship Eligibility

MUSC offers scholarships for which you may be eligible. Some are awarded based on academic achievement; others are awarded based on community service, for example. However, the majority of scholarships awarded at MUSC are based on financial need. This means that these scholarships are only awarded to students who need some financial assistance to cover the cost of tuition and fees. If you would like to be considered for a financial need-based scholarship, you must have an up-to-date Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file. Make sure you list the Medical University of South Carolina on your FAFSA form, along with MUSC's code: 003438. We encourage you to submit your FAFSA as early as possible. It is recommended to submit your FAFSA in January if you plan to enroll in the fall.

Click here to visit our scholarship application system to view a complete listing of MUSC scholarships.