Dental Should I submit application with early deadline?

[artist2022]

i am a texas resident planning to apply this 2021-2022 cycle (first time) and i'm concerned about what is considered early submission. i have over 1000 hours in shadowing, but thats only with direct family, and then i have only about 40-50 hours shadowing a general dentist not related to me (but unfortunately has the same last name, so i will have to ask them to mention their lack of blood relation in their rec letter...). anyways i feel the need to add more shadowing in specialty areas, maybe about 20 if I'm lucky.

i was planning to submit mid to late july, but i know this cycle has more applicants than usual, so i'm concerned it will affect me badly.
I would shadow in june because i have funeral affairs to attend in another state, and i will still have to wait for a committe rec letter anyways in june (gave indiv writers a deadline of mid june, and then further waiting for the committee to write it).

is july too late for this cycle? should i forgo adding more shadowing? is my shadowing even an issue?

general stats i have is DAT aa 25/ pat 24 / ts 24 , gpa is 3.96 and sgpa is 3.98. volunteering over 100 hrs. two major leadership positions in predental club (undergrad school has strong relations with tamcod). i am applying to all texas schools and a couple cali, possibly one more out of state school.

Considering that TMDSAS opened at the beginning of May and submission started today, you'll be two months behind if you submit mid-July, which is kinda getting to be late. I do think your shadowing might be an issue because you have so many hours with family (which might almost seem made up given how high your number is [but it also depends on the length of time you did these hours]) and so few with a dentist you are not related to. I would skip the specialty shadowing and just focus on bumping your GP shadowing to at least 100 hours. Other parts of your app seem solid (pending PS and LOR strength) so just focus on submitting your app as soon as your committee letter is in, while getting more shadowing hours from now until it's in.

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[Mr.Smile12]

Keep shadowing but the number of hours you have already done by the time you submit will be what matters in screening. But don't delay submitting your application just to get a few more documented hours. Take advantage of your strong stats.