Dental International Student (DIS) Program Application Requirements

Candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted via email beginning in early June, with interviews continuing a rolling basis through July. Interviews are conducted virtually through Kira Talent. Once the class is filled, additional qualified applicants may be placed on a waitlist.

Accepted applicants to the Dental International Student program who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must provide proof of financial readiness totaling $220,000 USD. Pre-approved education loans comprise no more than half of the required financial information. The other half will need to be on the basis of individual savings or checking account balances. Accepted applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents will need to pre-pay their first year tuition in the early fall by the date specified by the Admissions Office. 

Admitted applicants will be required to submit a non-refundable $10,000 deposit to secure their seat.

Admitted applicants who are not US citizens, or permanent residents will be required to complete all the requirements for international citizens including the initial deposit before an I-20 can be issued.

A minimum of three letters of recommendation are required and must be submitted directly through CAAPID typed on official letterhead, in English, and signed by the evaluator. Each letter must be at least two paragraphs in length.

Required letters:

1. From your dental school — a faculty member or dean where you earned your dental degree.
2. From an employer — ideally in the dental field, with at least one year of experience under your supervision.
3. From a volunteer organization.

You may upload one additional letter in the Program Materials section of CAAPID.
Any further letters (maximum two additional) must be emailed directly from the evaluator’s official institutional email address to denadmissionsdis@tufts.edu as PDFs.

• Official dental school transcript and diploma
• All additional transcripts from any other university or college attended
• Official ECE evaluation report
• Official TOEFL iBT score
• Official INBDE or NBDE report
• Criminal background check through CERTIPHI
• Dean's certification of disciplinary history form
• Completed immunization requirements documentation

Please note application materials will not be returned to applicants.

Applicants must submit an official course-by-course evaluation of all foreign coursework completed through Educational Credential Evaluators, either electronically or by mail, to the Tufts Office of Admissions.

All applicants, regardless of native language or country of citizenship, must submit an official TOEFL iBT score through CAAPID. The minimum score for consideration is 90.

• MyBest Scores are not accepted
• TOEFL Home Edition is accepted
• Scores older than two years (before June 1, 2024) will not be considered

Use the following codes when submitting scores:

• Institution code: 3902
• Department code: 38

For more information, contact:
TOEFL Educational Testing Service
Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151
Tel: 609-771-7100
www.ets.org/toefl

Tufts accepts the INBDE in place of NBDE Part I and Part II. The INBDE will be required beginning with the March 2025 application cycle.

International applicants without U.S. dental experience are strongly encouraged to demonstrate continued engagement in clinical and technical skill development. This can include:

• Volunteering in clinical settings locally or abroad
• Working as dental assistants
• Participating in continuing education or bench preparation courses<

These experiences highlight an applicant’s commitment to patient care, professional growth, and readiness to contribute to Tufts’ dynamic clinical learning environment.

All matriculated students must complete required immunizations and maintain health insurance coverage prior to enrollment.
For detailed information, please find more information about Immunizations and Health Insurance Requirements from the Student Advisory and Health Administration Office.