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.

Applicants must have one of the immigration statuses listed here to be eligible for the program:

  • U.S. or Canadian citizen
  • Permanent resident
  • Holder of a valid visa (visitor's visa is not accepted)
    If you have further questions regarding your visa status contact oiagrad@iupui.edu

Contact us

Office of Admissions and Student Affairs
1121 W. Michigan Street, Room 105 
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 16, 2022 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 5, 2022. IUSD will begin accepting applications at that time. The application deadline is May 16, 2022; 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.

You are required to present a record of continuing education and shadowing, in the U.S./Canada to be eligible for the IU-IDP.

When you complete the CAAPID application, you will receive instructions for documenting these requirements.

CASPer is an online, open-response situational judgment test (SJT). This helps determine behavioral tendencies of applicants pursuing people-centered professions.

To learn more about CASPer go to www.takealtus.com/CASper/.

  • All applicants to the Doctor of Dental Surgery Program are required to complete the CASPer online assessment. Your application will not be considered complete until your CASPer scores are received at IUSD.
  • Register for the CASPer assessment at www.takealtus.com. Specific instructions will be provided to you upon successful submission of your AADSAS application.
  • CASPer scores must be received by the May 16, 2022 application deadline.
  • Note: Make sure that you send your CASPer scores to the IU School of Dentistry, not IU School of Medicine. It will take approximately 2 weeks to receive your scores
  • CASPer test results are valid for one admission cycle only.

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 completed and verified by 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 16, 2022 deadline will receive the link.
  • Only applicants who have successfully completed and paid for both the CAAPID and IU Grad CAS supplemental application will move forward for further review.
  • We recommend submitting the CAAPID application as early as possible.
  • Do not upload any additional documents with your IU Grad CAS 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 pass the National Board Dental Examinations 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: Take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (if applicable)

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. You must have taken the test no more than two years prior to the date you submit your application.

  • A score of 100 or higher is required.
  • Submit your Actual test date scores. (MyBest scores - sum of highest score are not accepted.)
  • 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.
  • 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 materials, qualified applicants may be offered an interview. If you are selected for a virtual interview, you will be notified approximately one week prior to the interview date with the information necessary to join the interview. Interviews are conducted in late May through June of the application year.

The interview day will be virtual an include:

  • Orientation
  • Virtual tour of the school
  • Presentation of Admissions
  • Presentation of Financial Aid
  • Virtual Personal interviews with faculty members
**Please note: IUSD reserves the right to conduct in-person interviews when the health situation improves. When this occurs information will be published.

Acceptance notification process

You will be notified by email no later than September 1, 2022, if you are offered a provisional acceptance into the International Dentist Program. An official provisional acceptance letter will follow in the mail. You are required to respond to the email by the deadline given in it.

For information on D.D.S. Cost and Financial aid

Find out more