ADEA DHCAS is a nationwide, web-based application system that facilitates a streamlined admissions process for dental hygiene programs through collection and dissemination of uniform applicant information.

Programs that participate in a CAS: 

• Reduce their administrative burden,
• Access a powerful admissions management software at no cost and
• Receive uniform application data and materials.

The ADEA DHCAS application opens each year in late October and closes the following August.

All dental hygiene education programs accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) can participate in ADEA DHCAS.

There is no charge for programs to use the service.

Programs using the service are expected to:

• Consider ADEA DHCAS applications official,
• Complete a brief training about the service prior to gaining access,
• Keep their information within ADEA DHCAS up to date,
• Use ADEA DHCAS as their primary source of applications an
• Include information regarding their participation, as well as a link to the ADEA DHCAS application, on the program’s website.

Yes! Institutions can sign up any or all dental hygiene education programs offered by their schools for ADEA DHCAS.  

The Program Finder is a publicly available online database of profiles for participating programs. Each participating program is asked to share important information, such as program description, deadline dates, required supplemental applications, prerequisite coursework and any special announcements.

Current or potential applicants can search for participating programs by name, program type/level, teaching method (e.g., on campus, online or hybrid) or state, and can view a program’s profile at any time.

Applicant information is broken into four quadrant sections, and includes:

• Basic biographic, contact, citizenship, race and ethnicity, and criminal background information,
• High school(s) and college(s) attended,
• Official transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended,
• Self-reported standardized test scores for 11 different standardized tests; and
• Dates and descriptions of any professional, volunteer or extracurricular experiences, achievements or awards received and certifications held.

Participating programs can opt to add program-specific requirements to the application, including questions, documents (e.g., CV/resume), identification of prerequisite coursework and letters of recommendation.

Yes! In addition, programs can request letters of recommendation and ask applicants to provide supplemental documents (e.g., shadowing hours verifications) or a list of courses they believe fulfill the prerequisite coursework requirements for program applicants.

Supplemental questions can be added to the ADEA DHCAS application in the Program Materials section.

Some programs also opt to continue using a separate supplemental application, especially if their institution requires it.

While most application information is locked once the applicant has submitted, some portions of the application can be updated, such as the address and new experiences.  

Applicants pay $50 to apply to one program and $35 for each additional program.

ADEA DHCAS also offers a Fee Assistance Program that waives the $50 fee for eligible applicants. 

ADEA DHCAS provides electronic application information and associated documents to an applicant’s designated program(s) via WebAdMIT, the free admissions management software that comes along with participating in ADEA DHCAS.

WebAdMIT is accessible online at any time by any individual at a program who has been granted access by the program administrator.

Applicant information is provided in real time to programs via WebAdMIT.

As soon as an applicant submits the ADEA DHCAS application their information is available to programs for viewing. 

Features within WebAdMIT include:

• Tailored user access for users,
• Locally defined, program-specific application statuses,
• Exportable reports for all data points,
• Scoring or ranking models and
• Interviewing and communication templates.

No. ADEA DHCAS is an application and data clearinghouse only and is not involved in the decision-making process. 

No. Programs are responsible for sharing admission statuses and decisions with applicants. 

No. ADEA DHCAS does not share any admissions statuses or information for applicants to a program with any other participating program. 

Yes. Participating in ADEA DHCAS is voluntary, and can be ceased any time a program no longer wishes to use the service.

All application information collected through ADEA DHCAS while the program was participating will be available to the program via WebAdMIT for a specified period of time.

Participating programs have access to phone and e-mail support for questions or concerns about their application, WebAdMIT or specific applicant issues.

Numerous online help guides and videos are also available, in addition to self-paced online basic and advanced training courses about the use of the WebAdMIT software. 

While programs can answer questions if they wish, applicants have phone and e-mail access to ADEA DHCAS customer service teams who are happy to answer questions about the application process or status, as well as help with any technical issues they may experience with the application.  

ADEA DHCAS APPLICANT CUSTOMER SERVICE

Representatives are available Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time (except federal holidays).

Phone: 617-612-2095
Email: dhcasinfo@dhcas.org

It generally takes two to three weeks to get a program active in ADEA DHCAS, although the timing can vary depending if a program needs