You asked a series of questions about admissions to the UConn Dental School. Specifically, you asked about (1) the number of in-state versus out-of-state residents admitted, (2) whether state residents or UConn undergraduates are given preference in admission decisions, (3) tuition costs for in- and out-of-state residents, (4) state funding for the dental school, (5) other dental schools in the Northeast, and (6) any other information concerning the school's admissions policies.

SUMMARY

The Dental School's goal has been to have Connecticut students comprise between 30% and 40% of each class. It achieved or exceeded that goal in six of the nine classes admitted since 2002. It recently revised the goal to 50%. The school gives preference to Connecticut residents and those from the rest of New England. It accepts all qualified Connecticut residents before considering any out-of-state applicants.

Connecticut residents pay $ 14,665 in tuition. Residents of other New England states pay $ 25,664, and residents of other states and international students pay $ 37,587. The Dental School received over $ 14 million in General Fund appropriations in both FY 06 and FY 07.

The American Dental Association accredits 56 dental schools in the United States; 12 are in the Northeast. They are UConn, Boston University, Tufts, Harvard, New Jersey University of Medicine and

Dentistry, the State Universities of New York at Buffalo and Stony Brook, Columbia, New York University, Temple, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Pittsburgh.

UConn has begun two initiatives to increase the number of qualified dental school applicants from Connecticut: (1) a combined Bachelor's and Dental degree and (2) an undergraduate pre-dental society to help students become excellent dental school applicants. It is also developing an early assurance program to allow highly qualified juniors to be accepted to the Dental School.

ADMISSIONS DATA

Until recently, the Dental School sought to have Connecticut residents comprise 30 to 40% of each incoming class. Table 1 shows its success in attaining that goal. It has reevaluated this goal, and for the next five years, its goal is to have Connecticut students make up 50% or more of its incoming classes; it almost reached this goal for the class of 2010.

Table 1: UConn Dental School Enrollment Data

Source: UConn Dental School for class of 2007-2010; Auditors of Public Accounts for class of 2002-2006

Several state auditors reports beginning in 1998 noted that the Dental School enrolled a relatively high proportion of out-of-state students. The university's response stated that only 40 to 50 Connecticut residents annually apply to any US dental school and that its proportion of in-state to out-of-state residents is not low given national and state statistics. A copy of the response is enclosed.

UConn is the only public dental school in New England. Of the 20 out-of-state residents admitted to the class of 2010, 14 come from other New England states (five from Massachusetts, five from Maine, and four from Rhode Island). The remaining six out-of-state residents come from Delaware (two); Georgia, New Jersey, and Virginia (one each); and Trinidad and Tobago (one).

ADMISSION PREFERENCES

The Dental School gives preference to Connecticut residents and those from the rest of New England. It accepts all qualified Connecticut residents before considering any out-of-state applicants. It invites all Connecticut residents who are not accepted to schedule a counseling visit with the assistant dean for admissions to discuss their application.

In its response to the 2006 auditors' report citing its relatively high proportion of out-of-state students, the university stated that, while it gives preference to Connecticut residents, its dental school students must take the same basic science curriculum as its medical school students. Consequently, UConn's dental students must have exceptionally high ability in the sciences compared to dental students in most other US dental schools. Harvard is the only other dental school in the country with this requirement.

The university also noted that it has begun two initiatives to increase the number of qualified dental school applicants from Connecticut and is developing a third. The first is a combined degree program that allows students to be admitted to the dental school when they are admitted to the undergraduate program. They ultimately receive a BA or BS degree and a DMD from UConn. Thirteen Connecticut students are currently enrolled in this program (out of 19). The second initiative is the Pre-Dental Society, which enables UConn undergraduate students interested in dentistry to participate in activities designed to help them become excellent dental school applicants.

The university is also developing an early assurance program that will allow highly qualified juniors at the Storrs campus to be accepted to the Dental School when they graduate.

TUITION

Annual tuition for Connecticut residents is $ 14,665. Residents of other New England states pay $ 25,664, and residents of other states and international students pay $ 37,587. New England residents pay a reduced rate because the Dental School participates in the New England Regional Program, which enables students from a New England state where a particular program is not offered to enroll in another state and pay in-state or reduced tuition. Fees and estimated equipment and supply costs are the same for all students ($ 7,000 and $ 7,000, respectively).

STATE FUNDING

The state supported the Dental School with over $ 14 million in each of FYs 06 and 07. The money pays staff salaries and fringe benefits. In FY 06, $ 10,827,871 was appropriated for salaries and $ 3, 3551,465 for benefits; in FY 07, $ 10,629,367 was appropriated for salaries and $ 3,915,014 for benefits.

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