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International Dentist Program (IDP)

The Advanced Standing International Dentist Program (IDP) at the Touro College of Dental Medicine (TCDM) is designed to provide qualified dentists educated outside the United States with the education and experience required to practice dentistry in the U.S. Participants will earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree following an intensive, two-year didactic and clinical program.

As a student in this program, you’ll begin coursework with advanced standing, starting at the 3rd year of the standard curriculum for domestic students. After earning this degree in just two years, you’ll be able to apply to take your dental licensure exams. 

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Application deadline is August 1
You can begin your application March 9th, and must submit your application by August 1st

How to Apply

You can apply through the ADEA CAAPID Portal and must have all the requirements stated below for your application to be reviewed by the admissions committee.

A $100 USD application/processing fee is due by our August 1st deadline and must be submitted directly to the program (not to ADEA CAAPID). An email from TCDM will be sent with instructions on how to submit the application/processing fee.

Completion of the ADAT will not be considered during application review for admission to the program.

Admission Requirements for the International Dentist Program

National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Requirements

  • The IDP Program requires passage of NBDE Part I and II if not more than three years old or the Integrated NBDE (INBDE) to be considered for admission.
  • You must make arrangements to submit official NBDE or INBDE scores to ADEA CAAPID.
  • You must self-report NBDE or INBDE scores in the ADEA CAAPID portal.
  • The Admissions Committee will not know if you passed NBDE Part I and Part II or the INBDE in your online ADEA CAAPID application if you don’t self-report and submit official NBDE or INBDE scores.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

  • Applicants must be proficient in the English language.
  • Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 79 (internet-based).
  • TOEFL scores must be obtained within two years of the start of the program.
  • TOEFL scores of 90 or better are considered competitive by the Admissions Committee.
  • You must make arrangements to submit official TOEFL scores to ADEA CAAPID. TOEFL submission instructions are located online.
  • Note: IDP interview dates have no bearing on TOEFL score timeframes. We adhere to program start date to determine TOEFL score timeframes.
  • Note: Other dental schools may have a different TOEFL policy. Please be sure to consult with each specific school you apply to for their individual TOEFL policy.
  • Note: Our program does not accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam to meet our English Language Proficiency requirement.

Letter of Evaluation

Applicants must submit three Letters of Evaluation through the ADEA CAAPID portal. (Do not send directly to the school.)

Letters should come from academic faulty or dental professionals who can best attest to your skills, abilities and personal attributes.

Additional Requirements

Bench test and interviewing are part of the TCDM IDP application process. Selected candidates will receive additional interview and bench test information. Interviews and Bench test are conducted in the Fall/Winter of the application year. 

Curriculum

As a student in the DDS program, you’ll take the same coursework as 3rd and 4th year domestic dental students. Classes begin in May for international dentists joining the 3rd year curriculum.

You’ll be expected to have a strong foundation in the basic and preclinical sciences, and understand essential areas like dental physiology, anatomy, oral radiology, periodontics, and more. While the first two years of study are mainly lecture-based and preclinical coursework, you’ll enter the program ready to engage with hands-on training in the lab and clinical settings.

Third Year

In your first semester, you’ll take courses that review the preclinical material that domestic students learned in years one and two, and that you’ll be familiar with from your international study. This is in preparation to transition to clinically-focused training over the rest of your study. You’ll gain dynamic experience in treatment planning, orofacial pain management, and treat patients in all areas of general dentistry at our on-site dental health clinic. During this year, you’ll have a chance to take multiple rotations in different areas of dentistry, including pediatric, oral surgery, and a hospital rotation.

Fourth Year

As a fourth-year student, you will take courses that involve prosthodontic, endodontic, and advanced implant case review, and use your knowledge in treatment planning for specific cases. The final year in the program will also have a heavy emphasis on clinical work at our on-site clinic. You will also gain further experience with patient intake, procedures, and pain management at off-site rotations. 

For more detailed information on what you’ll learn during your time in the DDS program, see the Third Year and Fourth Year tabs on our DDS Curriculum page.

Contact

Reach out to us if you have any questions about our admissions requirements. Contact ADEA for specific questions about the CAAPID application process.

Admissions Office
Touro College of Dental Medicine
19 Skyline Drive
Hawthorne, NY 10532
(914) 594-2638
admissions.dds@touro.edu