Ph.D. in Dental Sciences

Apply to the Ph.D. in Dental Sciences program

The Indiana University School of Dentistry offers a Ph.D. in Dental Sciences with tracks in dental biomaterials, oral biology, and preventive dentistry. The only program of its kind in Indiana, the Ph.D. focuses on basic and clinical science areas as they relate to the human organism and on the effect of dental materials on cariology, molecular biology and etiology, and pathogenesis.

Learn about the Ph.D. program

Admission requirements

To be eligible to apply to the Ph.D. program, you must:

  • Hold a doctorate in dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D) or a Bachelor of Science degree
  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (dental school GPA for applicants with D.D.S. or D.M.D. degrees; undergraduate GPA for applicants with B.S. degrees)
  • Have a minimum GRE score of 160 on the verbal section or 148 on the quantitative reasoning section
  • Have a minimum GRE score of 3.0 on the analytical writing section
  • Demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If English is not your native language, you must earn a minimum score of 79 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) or a minimum score of 6.5 on the Cambridge International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Enrollment in the program is limited by the number of appropriate faculty available to serve as research mentors.

Step 2: Submit supplemental materials

All applicants

All applicants must submit the supplemental materials listed here. Read all the instructions carefully to make sure you submit your materials correctly.

You must submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. The transcripts should include work already completed and work currently in progress. They should also include:

  • A complete list of courses taken
  • The number of credits awarded for each course or the number of hours of classroom, lecture, and laboratory
  • Grades received for each course
  • Diplomas or certificates earned
  • Information about the school’s grading scale

If the original documents are not in English, a verified translation must be sent with your official transcripts in your native language.

Transcripts should be sent electronically to dsgrad@iu.edu

GRE scores

You are required to submit GRE scores from within the past five years to IU Indianapolis unless:

  • You have a graduate or professional degree from a U.S. college or university
  • You are applying to the D.D.S./Ph.D. dual-degree program. Applicants to the dual-degree program can submit DAT scores in lieu of GRE scores.

The IU Indianapolis school code is 1325.

NBDE scores

You may submit Integrated National Board of Dental Examination (INBDE) scores to the School of Dentistry if applicable.

Download the certification of disciplinary history form, fill out the candidate section, and send it to your dental school. A school official must complete the form and email the completed form to dsgrad@iu.edu.

International applicants

International applicants are required to submit additional supplemental materials. You are considered an international applicant if either of these statements apply to you:

  • You are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident (green card holder), refugee, or political asylee whose secondary education was outside of the U.S.
  • You are not a U.S. citizen.

If you’re an international applicant, you must have Educational Credential Evaluators review your official transcripts and provide a course-by-course report to the School of Dentistry.

If English is not your native language, you must demonstrate English proficiency to be admitted to the Ph.D. program. You must earn a minimum score of 79 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) or a minimum score of 6.5 on the Cambridge International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

If you’re admitted to the program, you will need to provide financial support information to the IU Indianapolis Office of International Affairs.