Introducing the DDS Class of 2028, Dental Therapy Class of 2027 and Dental Hygiene Class of 2026

The School of Dentistry welcomed 134 new clinical learners into the School of Dentistry this month, comprising the DDS Class of 2028, the Dental Therapy Class of 2027 and the Dental Hygiene Class of 2026.

The DDS Class of 2028 includes 105 learners, 59 of whom are female and 46 of whom are male. The class’s average age is 23.7, with an age range of 21 to 39 years old.
The class is 31.4% racially and ethnically diverse, with one student not reporting their race/ethnicity. It includes 24 students from rural areas, 17 from urban, 58 from suburban areas and 6 from areas not reported. Sixty-eight of the incoming students are Minnesota residents, and twenty-six hail from other Midwestern states. The class hails from 80 unique hometowns across six countries: the United States, Afghanistan, Canada, China, South Korea and Vietnam.
Learners were born in twelve distinct countries and bring undergraduate degrees from 47 unique institutions—with 104 in the United States and one in Canada. Two of the students have a Master of Science degree. Eighteen students are the first in their family to complete a four-year degree. The class brings an average total GPA of 3.75 and an academic average DAT score of 21.53.
The DDS Class of 2028 is well-rounded, having chosen more than 25 unique majors for their undergraduate degrees. Majors in biology were popular, with more than half of the class focusing on biology or biological sciences. Other majors included biochemistry, other science degrees, dental hygiene, business, communication studies and sociology. The class speaks 20 languages, including English.

The Dental Therapy Class of 2027 includes eight students, with 7 female and one male. They range in age from 21 to 39 years old, with an average age of 26.25. They hail from eight different hometowns—three in Minnesota and one each in Arizona, Alaska, Colorado, Washington and Wisconsin. Four of the learners are racially and ethnically diverse, and 37.5% of the class hails from rural areas. They hold an average overall GPA of 3.53. Four of the learners are the first in their family to complete a four year degree.

The Dental Hygiene Class of 2026 includes 21 incoming learners. Eighteen are female, and three are male. All learners come from urban or suburban areas. The class is 47.6% racially and ethnically diverse, with two learners not reporting their race/ethnicity. The class has an average age of 20 years, with a range of 19 to 24 years old. Five learners are the first in their family to complete a four year degree, and three are part of the school’s freshman guarantee program. The class holds an average GPA of 3.59.
Join us in welcoming these incoming classes to the School of Dentistry!