International Dentist Program (IU-IDP)

Apply to the International Dentist Program

The Indiana University School of Dentistry offers an International Dentist Program (IU-IDP) for graduates of qualified international dental programs who want to earn a D.D.S. degree and become licensed to practice in the United States.

All qualified international dentists can apply to this program.

Please note: If the applicant is offered a provisional offer of acceptance to the IDP program, you must be one of the following:

    • U.S. citizen,
    • Permanent resident, or
    • Holder of a valid visa*

*The Office of International Affairs (OIA) will directly notify the student and assist with visa statuses during the final review process.

For additional information about international admissions, review the information found here:

Office of International Affairs

Contact us

Office of Admissions
1121 W. Michigan Street, Room 118 
Indianapolis, IN 46202
  • Phone: 317-274-8173
  • Fax: 317-278-9066
  • Email: dsadmit@iu.edu

Application process

To apply to Indiana University School of Dentistry - International Dentist Program you must complete both the ADEA-CAAPID application and the supplemental application through IU Grad CAS to move forward for review to the IDP program.

Step 1: Apply to the School of Dentistry

The School of Dentistry uses the Centralized Application for Advanced Placement for International Dentists (CAAPID), an online application managed by the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), to receive applications for the IUSD-IDP.

Only ADEA-CAAPID-verified applications with all required application materials and submitted by the May 17, 2024 deadline will be considered.

All application materials must be submitted to CAAPID through the online application. Do not send any application materials to the School of Dentistry.

Application deadline

The CAAPID application cycle opens March 7, 2024. IU School of Dentistry will begin accepting applications at that time. The application deadline is May 17, 2024. However, it is strongly recommended that you submit your application as soon as possible after the application cycle opens.

Required application materials

Your personal statement is your first introduction to the Admissions Committee and should include information about what makes you special.

Include life experiences which demonstrate how you overcame challenges or shown perseverance. You may also include information about dental education experiences, dental-related activities, and professional goals.

When you fill out the CAAPID application, you will receive instructions for submitting your personal statement.

Requirements

You are required to submit two original letters of evaluation with your application. 

  • One letter must be from a U.S./Canadian dental professional with whom you have worked.
  • One letter must be from a U.S./Canadian organization through which you performed community service.  "Community service" is assistance that you provide (without pay) through a non-profit organization that benefits the community.
Submission process

All letters of evaluation must be submitted directly to CAAPID. When you fill out your CAAPID application, you will provide the names of your evaluators and their contact information, and CAAPID will contact them via email with instructions on how to submit a letter. The email will include a link to an online portal where they will upload their letters.

Each letter must:

  • Be on the official letterhead of the organization with which the evaluator is affiliated.
  • Include the evaluator’s mailing address, phone number, email address, and signature.
  • Have been written within 12 months of the application’s submission date.

Letters that do not meet these criteria will not be accepted.

Special notes

We encourage you to let your evaluators know that they will receive an email from CAAPID with your request for a letter of evaluation. The School of Dentistry’s Office of Academic Programs ensures that evaluations are valid by calling evaluators at random.

Your dental school transcripts must be evaluated by Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), an organization that reviews the educational credentials of people educated outside the United States. When you fill out the CAAPID application, you will receive instructions for submitting your ECE evaluation.

Only ECE evaluations are accepted. We do not accept evaluations from any other service.

  • 100 hours of shadowing U.S. (or Canadian), in-person or virtual  
  • 20 hours of U.S. Continued Education
  • Kira is a video and written assessment that assists in our holistic approach in finding candidates that best fit our IDP program
  • Kira allows applicant engagement and provides a deeper insight about the candidate by accurately assessing the candidate’s personality, potential, and motivation.
  • Applicant will be invited to participate in the Kira assessment after the initial review of all requirements and supplemental application is completed.

Step 2: Supplemental Application

IU Grad CAS is the supplemental application used to generate your Indiana University profile for registration to the IU School of Dentistry. For admission to IUPUI, you must complete the IU Grad CAS application and pay an $80 fee.

Start your application

  • After your CAAPID application has been successfully submitted and verified by ADEA CAAPID, you will receive an email with a link to complete the IU Grad CAS supplemental application. Only verified CAAPID applications submitted on or before the May 17, 2024 deadline will receive the link.
  • Complete the IU Grad CAS application in full, but do not upload any additional documents or scores (TOEFL, transcripts, etc.) to the application. If you have technical questions about the IU Grad CAS, please contact the IUPUI Graduate Office.
  • Only applicants who successfully complete both the CAAPID application and IU Grad CAS Supplemental application by the May 17, 2024 deadline will receive an invite to the Kira assessment and move forward for further review.

Step 3: Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INDBE) or (NBDE parts I/II)

  • Must be completed prior to submission of the CAAPID Application
  • Must pass the Integrated National Board Dental Examination to be considered for admission to the IUSD-IDP.
  • Score reports issued during or after 2012 must be sent directly from the ADA to CAAPID. When you fill out the CAAPID application, you will receive instructions on how to have the ADA send your score report.
  • Score reports issued before 2012 must be emailed directly from the ADA to the School of Dentistry at dsadmit@iu.edu. Score reports received from applicant email addresses will not be accepted.

Step 4: TOEFL – English Proficiency Exam

  • All IUSD-IDP applicants must be proficient in the English language. If your native language is not English, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
  • We accept only the TOEFL iBT (test center or home edition). You must have taken the test no more than two (2) years prior to the date you submit your application.
  • Minimum score of 100 is required and must be submitted directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to ADEA CAAPID. **Please note: My Best Score (the sum of highest scores) is NOT accepted.
  • We do NOT grant TOEFL waivers for personal circumstances or for scores lower than the minimum requirement.

Step 5: Virtual personal interview**

After review of all application requirements and materials, qualified applicants may be offered a virtual interview. If you are selected, you will be notified by email of the next steps involved in the interview process. Interviews are conducted in late May through July of the application year.

**Please Note: IUSD reserves the right to conduct in-person interviews. Should a change arise, each selected applicant will be notified and this change will be published.

Step 6: Bench Test

After all interviews have been completed, a select group of applicants will be invited to take the bench test. A non-refundable bench test fee of $400.00 will be required upon invitation. The fee is in addition to the tuition and regular fees for the International Dentist Program. Applicants will be provided more information regarding the Bench test at the time of the invite.

All procedures will be accomplished on Typodont, utilizing air turbine handpieces. Materials needed for the bench test will be provided by IU School of Dentistry. All procedures will be evaluated by multiple faculty members. Evaluating faculty will not have knowledge of the applicants during evaluation.

The bench test will be July 19, 2024.

Provisional Offer of Acceptance notification

Applicants will be notified by phone no later than September 1, 2024. An official provisional offer of acceptance letter will follow via mail. 

For information on costs and financial aid, refer to D.D.S. Cost and Financial Aid.

Find out more