Predoctoral US dental school applicants and first-time, first-year enrollees, 2023 Entering Class.

Purpose/objectives: This article aims to provide an overview of the characteristics of applicants and first-time, first-year enrolled predoctoral oral health students in the 2023 Entering Class, while highlighting trends over the past decade.

Methods: The study employs a descriptive analysis of predoctoral US dental school application data sourced from the ADEA Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (ADEA AADSAS^®) and Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Services (TMDSAS) portals.

Results: Between 2013 and 2023, the number of first-time, first-year enrollees increased by 14%. Applicant numbers rebounded post-COVID pandemic and were 0.5% higher in 2023 compared to 2019. The proportion of female predoctoral applicants and first-time, first-year enrollees each increased by 11 percentage points over the last decade. Racial and ethnic diversity among first-time, first-year enrollees improved, particularly among Hispanic or Latino and Black or African American students, with both groups increasing by 51% between 2013 and 2023.

Conclusions: There has been a steady increase in first-time, first-year enrollees, reflecting growth in the number of US-trained predoctoral oral health professionals. Applicant numbers have rebounded from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in the share of female dental school applicants and first-time, first-year enrollees has brought the gender distribution in predoctoral oral health programs more closely in line with that of postsecondary education. While progress has been made in terms of increased representation of historically underrepresented racial and ethnic (HURE) groups, much work remains to achieve greater representation.