If you are a foreign-educated dentist and you wish to become licensed to practice in the United States, this article will guide you through the various states that allow foreign-trained dentists to acquire a license.
A Foreign-Trained Dentist is an individual who has attended, graduated, and earned a dental degree from a dental school in a country other than the United States or Canada.
There has been an increasing need for dentists in the USA. According to an article from the Journal of Dental Education, five thousand areas have been designated Oral Health Professionals Shortage Areas by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The reason for this increase is as a result of the aging population of the US which gives rise to a larger cohort of older patients that need oral health care services.
Dentistry is one of the top 4 year medical degrees that pay very well hence, many medical students are heavily invested in it and seek to make it their career choice in the medical field.
To meet this need for more dentists, the US has opened several dental schools in the past five years and the already existing schools have increased their class sizes.
There are dental schools in the USA where international students can apply for dental courses and kickstart their dental career. Also if you have a low GPA and you are worried that it may not be enough to get you into a dental school, worry no more because there are dental schools that accept students with low GPA that you can apply for and get enrolled in.
They have also welcomed international dentists into their schools by creating avenues for these dentists to incorporate into their various programs such as the D.D.S., residency, masters, and fellowships.
An international dentist could join an accredited post-graduate program and apply for a license thereafter instead of going back to school. This is not an option for most states.
Not all states in the US accept Foreign-Trained Dentists. But in this article, I’ll be listing out the various states that accept them.
States That Allow Foreign-Trained Dentists
Listed below are the states to which an internationally-trained dentist may apply for licensure after completion of an ADA-accredited residency program
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Oregon
- Texas
- Wisconsin
- Massachusetts
1. Connecticut
This is the first state on our list of states that accept Foreign-Trained Dentists. Connecticut is a U.S. state in southern New England that has a mix of coastal cities and rural areas dotted with small towns.
Foreign-trained dentists are allowed to get their licenses from this state. But before applying for licensure, candidates are advised to familiarize themselves with the general licensing policies.
You can apply for a license provided you have done the following:
- Successfully completed the National Board of Dental Examiners (NBDE) examinations.
- Successfully completed an acceptable Regional Board Examination approved by the Connecticut State Dental Commission and Department of Public Health.
- You must have successfully completed all components of a regional board examination.
- You must have successfully completed a clinical performance examination other than the Commission on Dental Competency.
- Successfully completed not less than two years of graduate dental training as a resident dentist in a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
You are also expected to come with the following documents:
- Official Transcript of Dental Education.
- Official report of National Board scores.
- Official report of successful completion of an acceptable clinical performance examination.
- A complete application with a photo and a fee in the amount of $569.75.
2. Illinois
This is the second state on our list of states that allow foreign-trained dentists.
Illinois is a state in the Midwestern United States. It shares borders with Wisconsin to its north, Iowa to its northwest, Missouri to its southwest, Kentucky to its south, and Indiana to its east.
To get a licensing in this state as a Foreign-Trained Dentist, the following are required:
- Certification of graduation from a dental college or school
- Clinical Training
- Proof of successful completion of the Theoretical examination given by JCNDE
- Certification, on forms provided by the Division
3. Michigan
This is the next state on our list of states that allow foreign-trained dentists.
Michigan is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. It has land borders with Wisconsin to the southwest, and Indiana and Ohio to the south.
To get a licensing in this state as a Foreign-Trained Dentist, the following are required to be Checked
- Criminal background check
- Good moral character questions
- Social security number
- Human trafficking check
- Verification of licensure
- English language proficiency
- Implicitly biased training
- Take and pass all parts, written and clinical, of the American Board of Dental Examiners’ clinical examination.
Arrange for official transcripts to be sent that confirm graduation from an ADA-accredited dental program where a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree was awarded.
4. Mississippi
Mississippi is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas.
It is the next state on our list of states that allow foreign-trained dentists.
To get a licensing in this state as a Foreign-Trained Dentist, the following are required:
- You must register using a verified link
- After registration, you log in using your email and username or password
- You make payment into any of the specified payment methods.
- A processing fee based on the overall renewal fee will be added to the renewal payment.
5. Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and the next state on our list of states that allow foreign-trained dentists.
To get a licensing in this state as a Foreign-Trained Dentist.
6. Wisconsin
This is the next state on our list of states that allow foreign-trained dentists.
In order to get a license in this state, the following are required:
- You must have been awarded a DDS or DMD degree from an accredited dental school
- Your verification of having received a dental diploma, degree, or certificate from a full-time, undergraduate supplemental dental education program of at least two academic years at an accredited dental school and more!
7. Massachusetts
This is the last state on our list of states that allow foreign-trained dentists. Massachusetts, officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode Island to its south, New Hampshire and Vermont to its north, and New York to its west.