Dental school applications require a lot of time and effort, and this is even more true for students who are not from the United States. That is why we created this article – to show international students the various options they have when it comes to choosing a dental school, and also provide you with some insider tips on how to make your application as good as possible.

The article below sheds more light on Dental Schools In Florida For International Students and more. Read on to get the best & latest information on the list of dental schools that accept international students, aegd programs for international dentists in Florida, University of Florida dental school requirements, dental residency programs in USA for international students, foreign-trained dentists in the USA, university of south Florida dental school & overseas dental schools. You will also see related posts on pediatric dentistry residency for international students on collegelearners.

Florida is home to some of the best schools in this country. Its law schools and medical schools have world-class faculty, and graduates have excellent career prospects. The same is true of Florida’s dental schools.

Anyone wanting to become a dental practitioner should seriously consider the excellent colleges available in Florida. These schools have a high-quality, effective curriculum, which includes traditional classroom learning and experiential education. All of the schools place a premium on quality patient care and community service. Today, we are ranking the three dental schools in Florida by acceptance rate. Data for the acceptance rates are available here.

Admission into any of these dental schools is unusually competitive, with the highest acceptance being a mere 5.8%. With that said, prospective students should thoroughly research these programs to ensure that they will be a good fit and possess the qualities that the admissions committees of these schools are seeking in an exceptional candidate.

Without further ado, here are the three best dental schools in Florida.

3. University of Florida College of Dentistry (Gainesville, FL)

With an acceptance rate of 5.8%, the University of Florida College of Dentistry is a competitive and high-quality institution for those looking to get into dentistry. Its excellence and competitiveness are evidenced by the credentials and achievements of its graduates.

Over the past few years, 97% of graduates pass the National Board Dental Examination (the NBDE) on the first try alone, which is an outstanding record. Some continue advanced training in dentistry, becoming practitioners in general dentistry. Others even become top clinicians in the country. Overall, anyone with a dental degree from UFCD has a promising career in dentistry ahead of them.Besides accomplished graduates and alumni, UFCD has a stellar curriculum that affords students many opportunities for gaining experience. Through external clinical rotations, students provide care at university-affiliated dental centers in Gainesville, Hialeah, St. Petersburg, and Naples. Most of the patients at these centers individuals or families living below the poverty line. Students provide an invaluable service to vulnerable communities while honing their dentistry skills.

Students also have service opportunities abroad through established partnerships with Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) in Quito, Ecuador, Universidad Catolica Nordestana (UCNE) in San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic, and Swami Vivekananda University Subharti Dental College in Meerut, India.

With access to a state-wide network of centers and dentistry opportunities abroad, dental students make an impact well before they get their diplomas, nationally and internationally.

In addition to unique opportunities for experience, UFCD offers a specialization in oral biology. In collaboration with the College of Medicine, the Department of Oral Biology provides a Ph.D. in medical sciences with a specialization in oral biology. In 2018, the Comprehensive Training in Oral Biology program received a William J. Gies Award for Vision, Innovation, and Achievement. Additionally, it has been a recipient of the highly coveted NIH grant, being among the top 5 programs for NIH funding. The College of Dentistry also offers an M.D. degree and a certificate of completion in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, along with more traditional offerings, such as a doctorate in general dentistry.

What is notable about the UFCD curriculum and program is that it is one of three dental schools in the US that offers all specialties recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA). This gives students a rare opportunity to explore and choose from different areas of dentistry before committing to a specific professional path. Furthermore, the curriculum focuses on patient care, public health, and human biology.

Students are taught and supervised by professionals at every level and have access to state-of-the-art technology in the field. A notable example of this training is the high-tech simulation laboratory, preparing students to work with live patients.

Its reputable curriculum and offerings are accented by its drive to integrate the most advanced and state-of-the-art research and technology. UFCD has been partaking in AI research initiatives, including an interdisciplinary program with the colleges of engineering, nursing, and various public health and health professions using virtual patient simulation.

With these credentials, UFCD is an excellent choice for someone looking to study and practice dentistry.

2. Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

The Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine is the first private dental college established in Florida. It is also the first dental college in the US to be established in partnership with a College of Osteopathic Medicine.

NSU is a top-rated university, giving students outstanding value in education and leaving a sizable economic impact on Florida. NSU ranks first in awarding doctoral degrees to minorities and is a top performer in social mobility rankings.

Like the best dental schools, NSU Dental combines rigorous and comprehensive coursework with intensive field experience. In the first two years, students gain knowledge in anatomy, public health, oral histology, dental biomaterials, comprehensive treatment planning, and electronic health record training, among other things. In the third and fourth years, coursework is interspersed with extramural clinical rotations.With patient care at the heart of training, NSU’s dental clinics are among the best in teaching and patient service. Students work alongside experienced dentists to ensure excellent patient care and student training. Not only do students develop the clinical skills needed for a successful dental practice, they also provide much-needed dental services to underserved communities through these rotations.

NSU dental students most commonly attend rotations at HIV Clinics, community health centers, special needs clinics, and pediatric centers. Students will get a broader understanding of various factors that affect patient dental health and care, including socio-economic and cultural factors.

The Dental College’s humanitarian streak reaches beyond the clinic. Community outreach efforts have been wide-ranging: Give Kids A Smile Day, oral health education, Florida Mission of Mercy, and international missions.

What about the quality of the programs? A prospective student will be glad to learn that some of NSU’s dental programs have garnered an excellent reputation. The Department of Endodontics, for example, received research and diplomate awards at the 2019 American Association of Endodontics annual meeting.

An acceptance rate of a mere 3.7% suggests that many aspiring dentists are clamoring to get into this high-quality school.

1. LECOM School of Dental Medicine (Bradenton, FL)

What is it about Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) School of Dental Medicine that draws so many applicants, of which only 3% get in every year?

First, the School of Dental Medicine is housed by an institution that already has a great reputation for its innovative, student-centered approach to education. LECOM is home to one of the top-ranking medical schools nationwide, with campuses in Florida and Pennsylvania. It is also the largest medical school in the country.

Finally, LECOM boasts faculty members who are exceptional practitioners and prolific researchers, publishing in the top medical journals in their respective specializations.

LECOM dental students work under the supervision of some of the best licensed practitioners in the field. They gain real-world clinical experience working at LECOM dental offices, using the most up-to-date and state-of-the-art equipment and diagnostic tools. Some of these diagnostic tools include full mouth and individual tooth digital x-rays. While training for at least one year in these offices, students also engage in community service work by providing affordable and quality, comprehensive care to dental patients.

The LECOM dental school also offers a unique curriculum that includes early exposure to dental practice and a rigorous science education delivered through a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach. In these PBL sessions, students learn in small, collaborative groups using case-based studies.

Student learning is enhanced by the use of the patient-simulation clinic and a fourth-year program centered on providing community care at full-service clinics in Florida. Students receive practical and rigorous training in and outside the classroom, within a multicultural, interdisciplinary, and interprofessional framework. With its emphasis on student learning and experiential education, this curriculum prepares its students to become some of the most competent and compassionate dental care providers in the state.

The LECOM School of Dental Medicine is an excellent choice for aspiring dental practitioners; the education and training are top-notch while operating within a framework of culturally sensitive patient care. LECOM delivers on its mission to servings its students, scholars, and patients with the utmost excellence and dramatically contributes to the quality of life of Floridians.

list of dental schools that accept international students

Best Dental Schools for International Students

Harvard University, United Kingdom.
Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
King’s College London, United Kingdom.
University of Michigan, United States.
University College London (UCL), United Kingdom.
The University of Hong Kong, China.
University of Washington, United States.

dental residency programs in usa for international students

Dental Residency Programs for Foreign-Trained Dentists

Ever wondered if there are available dental residency programs for foreign-trained dentists in the US? Are you curious as to how dental schools accept international students?

International dentists who plan to move to the US are curious to know different pathways for foreign-trained dentists to pursue their dental education or practice dentistry in the USA. We aim to bring clarity to the roadmap to US dental school for foreign trained dentists by providing a list of the different D.D.S. and residency programs available for international dentists. In this article, we will also share some information regarding the visa status required to pursue dental residency programs for foreign trained dentists which usually varies according to the program and the state.

The need for dentists in the USA is increasing. According to an article from the Journal of Dental Education, five thousand areas have been designated Oral Health Professionals Shortage Areas by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The aging U.S. population will increase the need for dentists in two ways: many older dentists will retire, and the larger cohort of older patients will need oral health care services. In addition, the U.S. population is becoming increasingly diverse, and individuals with limited English proficiency often have poorer health, creating the need for health care practitioners with multilingual skills. Hence, the future need for dentists in the United States creates opportunities for international dentists to pursue dental careers in this country. That is why there is a variety of the dental residency programs for foreign trained dentists.

To meet the need for more dentists, several dental schools have opened in the last five years, and existing schools are expanding their class sizes. US dental schools have become more welcoming towards international dentists as more schools are creating avenues for incorporating them through programs like D.D.S., residency, masters and fellowships. All these thing make pathways for foreign-trained dentists more diverse and easier to reach. What you need now is to get information about the roadmap to US dental school.

Different Pathways for Foreign-Trained Dentists

Dental schools accepting international students in two main types of program. The programs which an international dentist can take are the DDS program and residency program.

To earn a DDS/DMD degree in the US, international dentists must join an advanced standing program or join a traditional DDS program (the latter means they will have to start at year 1 with the rest of incoming dental students and complete the entire program (usually 4 years).

The advanced standing program for foreign trained dentists does not focus on a specialization but rather all subjects taught in a dental school. It is basically a bridge course making an international dentist equivalent to any US-trained dentist in. With this program, you will repeat two years of dental training to be eligible for dental licensure in the US.

A dental residency programs for foreign trained dentists on the other hand, provides education and training in a specific subject. This is similar to how a post-graduation program would be in your home country. Admissions to a residency program are facilitated via the National Matching Service which makes it more competitive.

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Advanced standing program for international dentists/ D.D.S/ D.M.D.

Thirty-six dental schools out of sixty-six dental schools accepting international students, These dental schools in the US offer opportunities to foreign-trained dentists to participate in a usually 24-month long D.D.S program (advanced standing program). There are different pathways for foreign-trained dentists but students usually join the second-year class by participating in all ongoing preclinical and laboratory courses and participate in an additional, specially-designed preclinical laboratory/seminar program.

Following the successful completion of the second year, students are fully integrated into the class where they take part in all academic and clinical experiences in the third and fourth years of dental school. In the advanced standing program for foreign trained dentists, the class size varies for each university with the highest as Boston University which admits 85 international dentists each year. Annually, there are about 500- 600 seats for 3000 applicants. Entry requirements include passing scores on the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part I and/or Part II and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), graduation from a foreign dental school, and prior transcripts. Several advanced standing programs also require that applicants undergo a psychomotor bench test, case presentations, and a formal interview as part of the application process.

The acceptance into a dental school varies upon the citizenship/visa requirement.

Schools that accept candidates on B1/B2 visa and offer student visa F1 to study in the university are:

University of Michigan
Boston University
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Southern California
University of Pennsylvania
Indiana University
Howard University
University of Colorado
University of Pacific
Virginia Commonwealth University
Rutgers University
University of Washington
University of Pittsburgh
University of San Antonio
University of Southern Illinois
University of Buffalo
Loma Linda University
Temple University

Related Article: University of Buffalo IDP Interview Preparation

Schools that only accept candidates with Green card and Permanent resident status are:

University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Alabama
New York University
University of Oklahoma
University of Florida
Tufts University

Minnesota is the only state which currently accepts licensure applications from international students without additional training. They will evaluate each application and make the decision as to who qualifies.

Dental residency programs for international students in USA

An international dentist could join an accredited post-graduate program and apply a license thereafter instead of going back to school. This is not an option for most states however, as most of the states require international dentists to graduate from an accredited US dental school.

Pathways for foreign-trained dentists: Listed below are the states to which an internationally-trained dentist may apply for licensure after completion of an ADA accredited residency program, as per specific requirements of each state:

Connecticut
Illinois
Michigan
Mississippi
Oregon
Texas
Wisconsin
Massachusetts

Program types for Dental Specialities and General Dentistry

Dental Public Health
Endodontics
Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Oral Medicine
Orthodontics
Pediatric Dentistry
Periodontics
Prosthodontics
Maxillofacial Prosthetics
Advanced Education in General Dentistry
General Practice Residency

Disadvantages of dental residency programs for foreign trained dentists

License to practice dentistry is limited to only a few states
It is difficult to get accustomed to the US ways of practicing dentistry since you weren’t educated here
There is no salary for internationally-trained residents in most universities.

Universities that accept non-US residents international dentists

AEGD programs for international dentists

University of Connecticut
Nova Southeastern University
University of Maryland
Boston University
Temple University, Kornberg School of Dentistry

Dental Public Health

A.T. Still Univ.- Arizona School of Dentistry
Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Boston University

Endodontics

USC Ostrow School of Dentistry
Loma Linda University
Georgia Health Sciences University
University of Illinois at Chicago
Indiana University
University of Louisville
Louisiana State University School of Dentistry
University of Maryland
Boston University
Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Tufts University
New York University College of Dentistry
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Temple University, Kornberg School of Dentistry
University of Pennsylvania
University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston
Baylor College of Dentistry/Texas A&M Health Science Center
West Virginia University

Related Article: Loma Linda University Bench Test Course

GPR

Howard University
Tufts University
MetroHealth Medical Center
Abington Memorial Hospital

Geriatric Dentistry

USC Ostrow School of Dentistry
Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Implantology

Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Operative Dentistry

USC Ostrow School of Dentistry
Boston University
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

Oral Medicine

Harvard School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania

Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology

University of Florida
Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology

University of Connecticut
University of Iowa
University of Northern Carolina
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
University of Washington
Graduate from accredited dental school preferred

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

University of Florida, Jacksonville
University of Maryland, Baltimore
University of Maryland, MD – Integrated OMS Residency
Tufts University
Boston University
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
University of Puerto Rico

Orthodontics

University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of California, San Francisco
University of the Pacific, San Francisco
University of Connecticut
Washington Hospital Center
Nova Southeastern University
Indiana University
University of Louisville
University of Kentucky
Louisiana State University School of Dentistry
University of Maryland
Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Tufts University
Boston University
University of Detroit Mercy Dental School
University of Michigan
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
New York University College of Dentistry
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
The Ohio State University
Temple University, Kornberg School of Dentistry
University of Pennsylvania
University of Puerto Rico
Medical University of South Carolina
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Baylor College of Dentistry/Texas A&M Health Science Center
University of Washington
West Virginia University

Pediatric Dentistry

University of Alabama at Birmingham
USC Ostrow School of Dentistry
University of California, San Francisco
Loma Linda University
University of Connecitcut
Nova Southeastern University
Louisiana State University School of Dentistry
University of Maryland
Boston University
Children’s Hospital, Boston
Tufts University
Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
University of Puerto Rico
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
University of Washington

Periodontics

University of Alabama at Birmingham
Loma Linda University
USC Ostrow School of Dentistry
University of California, San Francisco
Nova Southeastern University
University of Louisville
Louisiana State University School of Dentistry
Tufts University
Boston University
Stony Brook University – School of Dental Medicine
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Temple University, Kornberg School of Dentistry
University of Pennsylvania

Periodontics Prosthesis

University of Pennsylvania

Prosthodontics

University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of California, San Francisco
University of Connecticut
Nova Southeastern University
University of Illinois at Chicago
Indiana University
University of Louisville
Louisiana State University School of Dentistry
University of Maryland
Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Tufts University
Boston University
University of Rochester Eastman Dental Center
New York University College of Dentistry
Ohio State University
University of Pittsburgh
University of Tennessee Health Science Center, College of Dentistry, Memphis
Baylor College of Dentistry/Texas A&M Health Science Center
Marquette University

The upside of residency programs is that they are usually a cheaper option than going to school, and depending on the program, you might actually get paid a stipend. Also if you go for a specialty, you’ll be a specialist when you complete the program and more likely to start at higher pay when you begin to work.

All information on pathways for foreign-trained dentists is subject to change, so please verify all information before putting it to use. Make sure you look into any specific requirements of the particular school of interest before applying. Have a question about dental schools accepting international students or the roadmap to US dental school? Do let us know in the comments section and we will be happy to help you! Good luck!

College Learners

Dental Schools In Florida For International Students