University of Michigan School of Dentistry

Description of Program

The Internationally Trained Dentist Program (ITDP) at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry (U-M SOD) offers a course of study that includes didactic, laboratory and comprehensive patient care experiences. Graduates will acquire the requisite knowledge and skills to engage in contemporary dental practice in the United States and will be eligible to take most state and regional dental licensing examinations offered in the United States.

The ITDP is an accelerated course of study that begins in January each year as 10 ITDP students engage in a hybrid semester with second-year students before fully joining the third-year class for spring/summer, fall and winter terms. The second year of the program includes didactic and clinical courses as well as required clinical rotations. Achieving passing evaluations in all coursework will result in the granting of a D.D.S. degree.

Requirements to Apply to Program

English Language Proficiency

• Must be proficient in the English language.
• All applicants must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to be considered for admission.
• Accept internet-based TOEFL (iBT) scores only.
• Official TOEFL scores must be submitted electronically from Educational Testing Service (ETS) to ADEA CAAPID^®. Do not submit score reports to the program.  
• TOEFL total score above 100 is considered competitive. A total score below 94 is not accepted. We recommend the applicant have these minimum scores to be competitive:
• Reading – minimum score of 25,
• Listening – minimum score of 25,
• Speaking – minimum score of 26 and
• Writing – minimum score of 25.

National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Requirements

• Must pass NBDE Part I to be considered for admission.
• Part II is not required but is highly recommended.
• Official NBDE scores will be requested by the program when offer of admission is made. At that time, please submit official NBDE Part I scores to the school, not to ADEA CAAPID.

Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT)

• The ADAT is recommended but not required. Applicants who complete the ADAT and submit scores will receive priority review. However, all applicants who meet our general program minimum requirements will be reviewed.
• Applicants should follow instructions on the U-M SOD website and on the ADEA CAAPID application for submitting ADAT results.

Three Letters of Evaluation

• Three Letters of Evaluation are required and must be delivered directly to ADEA CAAPID.
• All letters must be confidential and not shared with the applicant.
• All letters must be on official letterhead and signed.
• Program requires one Letter of Evaluation to come from dean of the dental school from which the applicant graduated (on letterhead and with signature.)
• The remaining letters should be from an instructor or similar individual who is able to evaluate the applicant’s dental knowledge, skill, character and potential for success in the ITDP (on letterhead and with signature).

Transcripts and Evaluations

• Applicant must electronically submit an Educational Credential Evaluators Inc. (ECE) “course-by-course” evaluation to ADEA CAAPID.
• If admitted, program will require official transcripts from original dental school to be sent directly to program.

Application Fees

An application fee of $75 must be paid online. Do not send a check or money order to the school.

Additional Requirements/Information

• The admissions committee will review applications and select candidates for an interview, which includes a bench examination and requires a nonrefundable interview fee. Candidates selected for interview will be notified by June 30 and provided with further details in their interview invitation.
• Notification of acceptance will be sent in early August, after which candidates have 30 days to pay a nonrefundable enrollment deposit of $1,500.
• At the time of acceptance, applicants will receive instructions about submitting a notarized copy of the dental degree or diploma. If the diploma is not in English, a translation must be submitted as well. Provisional certificates are not accepted.