diff --git a/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov.js b/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov.js
index f3b41eb51..70659b009 100644
--- a/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov.js
+++ b/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov.js
@@ -1599,7 +1599,7 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
             const domainName = request.requested_domain ? request.requested_domain : `New domain request <br><span class="text-base font-body-xs">(${utcDateString(request.created_at)})</span>`;
             const actionUrl = request.action_url;
             const actionLabel = request.action_label;
-            const submissionDate = request.submission_date ? new Date(request.submission_date).toLocaleDateString('en-US', options) : `<span class="text-base">Not submitted</span>`;
+            const submissionDate = request.last_submitted_date ? new Date(request.last_submitted_date).toLocaleDateString('en-US', options) : `<span class="text-base">Not submitted</span>`;
             
             // Even if the request is not deletable, we may need this empty string for the td if the deletable column is displayed
             let modalTrigger = '';
@@ -1699,7 +1699,7 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
               <th scope="row" role="rowheader" data-label="Domain name">
                 ${domainName}
               </th>
-              <td data-sort-value="${new Date(request.submission_date).getTime()}" data-label="Date submitted">
+              <td data-sort-value="${new Date(request.last_submitted_date).getTime()}" data-label="Date submitted">
                 ${submissionDate}
               </td>
               <td data-label="Status">
diff --git a/src/registrar/management/commands/populate_domain_request_dates.py b/src/registrar/management/commands/populate_domain_request_dates.py
index 90fc06dcf..19d8e4f00 100644
--- a/src/registrar/management/commands/populate_domain_request_dates.py
+++ b/src/registrar/management/commands/populate_domain_request_dates.py
@@ -17,26 +17,26 @@ class Command(BaseCommand, PopulateScriptTemplate):
 
     def update_record(self, record: DomainRequest):
         """Defines how we update the first_submitted_date and last_status_update fields"""
-        try:
-            # Retrieve and order audit log entries by timestamp in descending order
-            audit_log_entries = LogEntry.objects.filter(object_pk=record.pk).order_by("-timestamp")
+        
+        # Retrieve and order audit log entries by timestamp in descending order
+        audit_log_entries = LogEntry.objects.filter(object_pk=record.pk).order_by("-timestamp")
 
-            # Loop through logs in descending order to find most recent status change
-            for log_entry in audit_log_entries:
-                if "status" in log_entry.changes:
-                    record.last_status_update = log_entry.timestamp.date()
-                    break
-            
-            # Loop through logs in ascending order to find first submission
-            for log_entry in audit_log_entries.reverse():
-                if log_entry.changes_dict['status'](1) == 'Submitted':
-                    record.first_submitted_date = log_entry.timestamp.date()
+        # Loop through logs in descending order to find most recent status change
+        for log_entry in audit_log_entries:
+            if 'status' in LogEntry.changes_dict:
+                record.last_status_update = log_entry.timestamp.date()
+                break
 
-        except ObjectDoesNotExist as e:
-            logger.error(f"Object with object_pk {record.pk} does not exist: {e}")
-        except Exception as e:
-            logger.error(f"An error occurred during update_record: {e}")
+        # Loop through logs in ascending order to find first submission
+        for log_entry in audit_log_entries.reverse():
+            if log_entry.changes_dict['status'](1) == 'Submitted':
+                record.first_submitted_date = log_entry.timestamp.date()
+                break
 
         logger.info(
-            f"{TerminalColors.OKCYAN}Updating {record} => first submitted date: " f"{record.first_submitted_date}{TerminalColors.OKCYAN}, last status update:" f"{record.last_status_update}{TerminalColors.OKCYAN}"
+            f"{TerminalColors.OKCYAN}Updating {record} => first submitted date: " f"{record.first_submitted_date}{TerminalColors.OKCYAN}, last status update:" f"{record.last_status_update}{TerminalColors.ENDC}"
         )
+
+    def should_skip_record(self, record) -> bool:
+        # make sure the record had some kind of history
+        return LogEntry.objects.filter(object_pk=record.pk).exists()
diff --git a/src/registrar/migrations/0119_add_domainrequest_submission_dates.py b/src/registrar/migrations/0119_add_domainrequest_submission_dates.py
index 0b94e1257..ea209626e 100644
--- a/src/registrar/migrations/0119_add_domainrequest_submission_dates.py
+++ b/src/registrar/migrations/0119_add_domainrequest_submission_dates.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class Migration(migrations.Migration):
             field=models.DateField(
                 blank=True,
                 default=None,
-                help_text="Date of last status updated",
+                help_text="Date of the last status update",
                 null=True,
                 verbose_name="last updated on",
             ),
diff --git a/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py b/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
index 74d275d95..09f200793 100644
--- a/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
+++ b/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ class DomainRequest(TimeStampedModel):
         help_text="Acknowledged .gov acceptable use policy",
     )
 
-    # initial submission date records when domain request was first submitted
+    # Records when the domain request was first submitted
     first_submitted_date = models.DateField(
         null=True,
         blank=True,
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ class DomainRequest(TimeStampedModel):
         help_text="Date initially submitted",
     )
 
-    # last submission date records when domain request was last submitted
+    # Records when domain request was last submitted
     last_submitted_date = models.DateField(
         null=True,
         blank=True,
@@ -581,13 +581,13 @@ class DomainRequest(TimeStampedModel):
         help_text="Date last submitted",
     )
 
-    # last status update records when domain request status was last updated by an admin or analyst
+    # Records when domain request status was last updated by an admin or analyst
     last_status_update = models.DateField(
         null=True,
         blank=True,
         default=None,
         verbose_name="last updated on",
-        help_text="Date of last status updated",
+        help_text="Date of the last status update",
     )
     notes = models.TextField(
         null=True,