International Applicants

We do accept international students into our DDS program. However, we do not have an advanced-standing program for international dentists. If you are an international dentist looking for advanced standing, please visit the ADEA Centralized Application for Advanced Placement for International Dentists (CAAPID).

Graduates of foreign dental schools and prospective students with international residency must fulfill all general admission requirements, as outlined below:

1. Complete the Pre-Requisite Courses

To be eligible to apply to Ohio State’s DDS program, you must complete 9 of the 13 prerequisite courses prior to submitting your application. If you are accepted, all prerequisite courses must be complete before the start of classes. You must receive a grade of a C or better in all prerequisite courses for the course to be counted as complete.

Note: These prerequisites must be completed at an accredited, educational, English-speaking institution within the United States or Canada.

If you are unsure whether a course at a specific school is equivalent to the course offered by Ohio State, you can utilize the following tools: 

• First, check the Course Evaluation Website: This website contains equivalencies for numerous Ohio schools.
• If you cannot find the course on the Course Evaluation Website, then you will want to visit Transferology.
• If you cannot find the course on either the CE website or Transferology, you will need to request an evaluation of your course. The Program Prerequisite Evaluation Form. Each prospective applicant may request one evaluation for one professional program. Please allow one month for processing. If you have already applied, please don’t use this form. Instead, contact the Graduate and Professional Admissions Office to find out the result of our evaluation of your course work.

If you are taking an Anatomy and Physiology “combo” course, you must complete both sections/semesters of the course to satisfy both the Anatomy and Physiology requirements.

Pre-Requisite Courses:

• Anatomy (Basic Human Anatomy) –Dissection is important
• Physiology
• Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Biology I
• Biology II
• General Chemistry I
• General Chemistry II
• Organic Chemistry I
• Organic Chemistry II
• Physics I
• English I
• English II

*Labs: If a lab is required as part of the specific course number, then the lab IS required. If the lab is listed as a separate course number, it is NOT required.

2. Set High Academic Standards for Yourself

As you take courses and prepare for the Dental Admissions Test, you should set competitive goals:

• Total GPA: 3.6
• ​Science GPA: 3.5
• DAT AA: 20
• DAT PAT: 20

3. Meet the Minimum GPA & DAT Requirements

In order to be considered for an interview, a candidate must meet certain minimum criteria. A student’s application will not be reviewed unless it meets the minimum standards.

• Total GPA Minimum: 3.0
• Science GPA Minimum: 3.0
• DAT AA Minimum: 17
• DAT PAT Minimum: 17
• DAT TS Minimum: 17
• Minimum of 60 semester (90 quarter) hours completed at an accredited institution

Minimum GPA Exceptions: Candidates that do not meet the minimum GPA requirements but have a completed an advanced degree with a minimum of a 3.5 GPA or have a minimum GPA of a 3.5 in their last 45 hours of coursework may be considered for an interview.

Class of 2020 Average Statistics

• Total GPA: 3.6
• Science GPA: 3.49
• DAT AA: 20.3
• DAT PAT: 21.2
• DAT TS: 19.9

4. Take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT)

You must take the American Dental Admissions Test (DAT) before your application can be considered complete. Registration and preparation can be found on the ADA’s DAT website.

Note: We do not accept the Canadian DAT.

5. Complete a Minimum of 40 Observation Hours

Prior to applying, every candidate must complete a minimum of 40 hours of observation. However, the average number of hours for students that are admitted is about 120. It is important to diversify your experiences (typically 120 hours is completed with 5 or 6 practitioners). Observation hours cannot be with a family member and cannot be compensated in any way (this includes for money, academic credit, community service hours, etc.) Paid hours (working in a dental practice) will not count towards your 40 hours of observation and should be listed under employment.

In addition, international applicants must:

1. Provide Proof of English Proficiency

• Success at Ohio State depends upon your ability to converse in, write and understand English. To assure such competence, the university requires any applicant whose native language is not English, and who has been educated primarily outside of the U.S., to submit official TOEFL, MELAB or IELTS scores. To be considered “official,” scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to Ohio State. 
  
  Minimum English proficiency requirements are as follows:
  • TOEFL: 
    At least 550 on the paper-based TOEFL
    At least 79 on the Internet-based TOEFL (iBT)
    Official score results must be sent directly from ETS. Ohio State’s institutional code is 1592.
  • MELAB: 
    At least 82 on the MELAB 
    Official score results must be sent directly from Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments.
  • IELTS: 
    At least a 7.0 on the IELTS exam
• Official score results must be sent directly from IELTS. Designate The Ohio State University as a Test Report Form recipient
  ​
  • Exemptions: Applicants who are citizens of or who have received a bachelor’s degree or higher from one of the following countries are exempt from the English proficiency requirement: Australia, Belize, the British Caribbean and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Scotland, the United States and Wales.

2. To show evidence of your ability to pursue a graduate program in your chosen area, you must upload a scanned copy of all official academic records and transcripts of all previous academic course work when applying for admission.

• Official transcripts (sent directly from the institution) are only required if you are selected for admission.
• If the language of instruction at your institution was not English, then all documents submitted must be in the original language and must include a word-for-word English translation certified by the issuing institution or a professional certified translator.
• Thetypes of recordsthat must be submitted vary depending upon your country’s educational system and may include transcripts, diplomas, academic certificates, mark sheets, student books and exam results.
• Looked at all together, the records submitted should a) give a complete list of all courses taken,including the number of weeks per term, the number of hours per week for each course, the mark received in each course, and a clear key to the grading system used, and b)indicate all degrees earned, with the title and date conferred 

3. Send an original copy of all foreign transcripts to ADEA as part of the AADSAS application.

In addition, all foreign transcripts must be evaluated by one of the following services:

• For additional information on applying as an international students visit the Ohio State Graduate and Professional Admissions Application Requirements webpage.
• For additional information about the Ohio State Office of International Affairs,