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Application

Students must submit the following to the MRDSP executive director by Feb. 1:

• Complete online MRDSP undergraduate application
• Official transcripts of all college-level course work
• Experiences, including exposure to dentistry, volunteer/community service and employment or other time commitments outside the classroom should be listed on the online application. Be thorough if you wish to be a competitive applicant. Prepare a well-written and thoughtful essay describing motivation to become a dentist and vision of practice.
• Three science faculty evaluation forms must be completed online. Click here for form.
• Unofficial ACT or SAT score reports (include DAT scores, if taken)
• One letter from a hometown dental provider or community leader describing the applicant's interest in practicing rural dentistry.

Undergraduate applicants should submit the online application after fall semester grades are posted on the transcript. Note the deadline of Feb. 1. Sophomore applicants who will complete the 30 semester hours of required coursework should still apply by Feb. 1 even though they are currently enrolled in the final semester of the required course(s).

Applicants may not retrieve, amend or supplement their application once submitted.

Incomplete applications or those missing required documents will not be considered after the posted deadline. No exceptions will be made.

Interviews and selection

Applicants will be screened for those who meet MRDSP admissions criteria and, if the number is sufficiently large, rank applicants for interviews based on the selection criteria. Interviews with MRDSP Commission members will be held in March. The purpose of these interviews by practicing rural physicians is to evaluate an applicant's:

• Knowledge of the mission, benefits, and expectations of the MRDSP
• Desire to practice in rural or underserved areas
• Communication skills
• Maturity

The MRDSP Commission will review applicant files and select those interviewed applicants who will be named Mississippi Rural Dentists Scholars.

Acceptance to this program is conditional. The MRDSP Commission may rescind an offer of acceptance at any time if a participant fails to maintain expectations upon which the acceptance was based. Examples include, but are not limited to, a significant decline in academic performance, failure to complete prerequisites, program requirements or other course work in progress, patterns of unprofessional behavior or criminal incidents.