A Message from the Director of Admissions and Recruiting, Dr. Joan E. Kowolik:
This message is to help applicants and prospective applicants to Indiana University School of Dentistry understand how we are responding to the unprecedented effects on education and grades of the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand that everyone is feeling great stress at this time and wish to remove the pressure of grades for many students.
National Boards Part 1, Part 2, and the TOEFL – We will accept applications from individuals who are unable to take these tests due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect any student who is offered a provisional acceptance to complete these tests and submit the grades as soon as possible and before final decisions will be made.
Letters Of Recommendation - If for some reason an applicant is unable to submit any letters of support or recommendation during this time of difficulties due to the COVID -19 pandemic they should continue to submit their application. These letters may be submitted late and as soon as possible.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their application on time even if some or all of these are not available.
May 4, 2020 remains the deadline for the CAAPID application. May 4, 2020 remains the final test date for the CASPer. The new deadline for application materials is June 1, 2020 (subject to further extension).
• CASPer test results
• ECE Evaluations
• National Dental Board Examinations Part I and Part II results
• TOEFL scores
• IU Graduate CAS (secondary application)
Update Regarding COVID-19
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.
Applicants must have one of the immigration statuses listed here to be eligible for the program:
- U.S. citizen
- Permanent resident
- Holder of a valid visa
NEW REQUIREMENT: Applicants for the 2020-2021 IDP admissions cycle must complete and submit the CASPer test by the application deadline. Please see below for more information.
Contact us
Office of Academic Programs1121 W. Michigan Street, Room 105 North
Indianapolis, IN 46202
- Phone: 317-274-8173
- Fax: 317-278-9066
- Email: dsadmit@iu.edu
Application process
You must apply both to the School of Dentistry and to IUPUI in order to be admitted to the IU-IDP.
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, to receive applications for the IU-IDP. Only CAAPID-verified applications with all required application materials and submitted by the 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 IU-IDP application deadline is May 4, 2020.
Required application materials
Your personal statement may 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 in the past 12 months.
- One letter must be from a U.S./Canadian organization through which you performed community service in the past 12 months. "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.
You are required to complete a minimum number of hours of continuing education and shadowing, in the U.S./Canada to be eligible for the IU-IDP.
- 20 hours of continuing education (online courses are acceptable)
- 100 hours of shadowing
When you complete the CAAPID application, you will receive instructions for documenting these requirements.
All applicants to the International Dentist Program at Indiana University School of Dentistry are required to complete an online assessment (CASPer), to assist with our selection process. The date options for this assessment are: April 2, 2020, and May 4, 2020. Successful completion of CASPer is mandatory in order to maintain admission eligibility.
CASPer is an online test allowing assessment of non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. CASPer will complement the other tools that we use for applicant screening. The CASPer implementation will allow us to enhance fairness and objectivity in our holistic review selection process.
To register for the CASPer assessment on April 2 or May 4, go to www.takeCASPer.com. You will need your CAAPID ID number and a form of government-issued photo ID (passport, state driver’s license). Specific instructions will be provided to you upon successful submission of your CAAPID application. If you choose to register for the CASPer test prior to submission of your CAAPID application, please select the 2019-2020 test cycle to register for the April 2 and May 4 test dates. The CASPer test must be taken on these dates to maintain admissions eligibility.
Note: Make sure that you send your CASPer scores to the IU School of Dentistry, not IU School of Medicine.
In order to take CASPer, you will be responsible for securing access to a computer with audio capabilities, a webcam, and a reliable internet connection on your selected test date. CASPer can be taken practically anywhere that you can satisfy the aforementioned requirements. No exceptions will be provided for applicants unable to take CASPer online due to being located at sites where internet is not dependable due to technical or political factors.
The CASPer test is comprised of 12 sections of video and written scenarios. Following each scenario, you will be required to answer a set of probing questions under a time contract. The test typically takes between 75-90 minutes to complete. Each response is graded by a different rater, giving a very robust and reliable view of personal and professional characteristics important to our program. No studying is required for CASPer, although you may want to familiarize yourself with the test structure at takeCASPer.com, and ensure you have a quiet environment to take the test.
CASPer test results are valid for one admissions cycle.
CASPer is an online test allowing assessment of non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. CASPer will complement the other tools that we use for applicant screening. The CASPer implementation will allow us to enhance fairness and objectivity in our holistic review selection process.
To register for the CASPer assessment on April 2 or May 4, go to www.takeCASPer.com. You will need your CAAPID ID number and a form of government-issued photo ID (passport, state driver’s license). Specific instructions will be provided to you upon successful submission of your CAAPID application. If you choose to register for the CASPer test prior to submission of your CAAPID application, please select the 2019-2020 test cycle to register for the April 2 and May 4 test dates. The CASPer test must be taken on these dates to maintain admissions eligibility.
Note: Make sure that you send your CASPer scores to the IU School of Dentistry, not IU School of Medicine.
In order to take CASPer, you will be responsible for securing access to a computer with audio capabilities, a webcam, and a reliable internet connection on your selected test date. CASPer can be taken practically anywhere that you can satisfy the aforementioned requirements. No exceptions will be provided for applicants unable to take CASPer online due to being located at sites where internet is not dependable due to technical or political factors.
The CASPer test is comprised of 12 sections of video and written scenarios. Following each scenario, you will be required to answer a set of probing questions under a time contract. The test typically takes between 75-90 minutes to complete. Each response is graded by a different rater, giving a very robust and reliable view of personal and professional characteristics important to our program. No studying is required for CASPer, although you may want to familiarize yourself with the test structure at takeCASPer.com, and ensure you have a quiet environment to take the test.
CASPer test results are valid for one admissions cycle.
Step 2: Apply to IUPUI
To apply for admission to IUPUI, you must complete the IU Graduate CAS (IU Grad CAS) and pay a $80 application fee.
Do not upload any additional documents with your IUPUI application. If you have technical questions about the IU Grad CAS, please contact the IUPUI Graduate Office.
The link to the IUPUI application will be sent to applicants who successfully submit the ADEA CAAPID application. Only completed ADEA CAAPID applications submitted before the deadline will receive the IUPUI secondary application. Only applicants who have completed the IUPUI secondary application can move forward for further review. We recommend submitting the ADEA CAAPID application as early as possible.
Step 3: Take the National Board Dental Examination, parts I and II
You must complete parts I and II of the National Board Dental Examinations to be considered for admission to the IU-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: Take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (if applicable)
All IU-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. You must have taken the test no more than two years prior to the date you submit your application.
A score of 90 or higher is required; a score of 100 or higher is preferred. We do not grant TOEFL waivers for personal circumstances or for scores lower than the minimum requirement.
Your score report must be sent directly from Educational Testing Service (ETS) to CAAPID. When you fill out the CAAPID application, you will receive instructions on how to have ETS send your score report.
Step 5: Visit the School of Dentistry for a personal interview
If you are selected for a personal interview, you will be notified approximately two to three weeks prior the interview date. All application materials must be submitted before an interview can be scheduled. Interviews typically take place in late May and early June.
The interview day will include:
- Bench test (approximately four hours)
- Orientation
- Tour of the school
- Presentations on admission and financial aid
- Personal interviews with faculty members
The School of Dentistry will provide all materials for the bench test. You are not permitted to bring your own instruments, but you may bring your own loupes. You will receive the bench test preparation manual in advance.
Acceptance notification process
You will be notified by email if you’re accepted into the program. An official acceptance letter will follow in the mail. You are required to respond to the letter by the deadline given in it.