Greetings!

Welcome to the UCLA School of Dentistry’s Professional Program for International Dentists (PPID) website. We encourage you to become acquainted with us, and hope that we may eventually become acquainted with you.

Our program for foreign-trained dentists is specifically designed for those who wish to further their training and become eligible for licensure through the State Board examination process. The philosophy at UCLA differs from that of many schools in that we do not believe in having two separate degree tracks, one for foreign-trained dentists and one for our traditional students. On the contrary, a D.D.S. degree earned through our PPID will be exactly the same, and carry the same prestige, as our traditional D.D.S. degree. To accomplish this goal, we provide a rather rigorous summer curriculum for our PPID students so that by the Fall Quarter they are ready to be fully integrated into the 3rd year class. From this point forward the PPID student will be viewed as a traditional UCLA student, and will progress through the 3rd and 4th years as part of the traditional student body.

While we respect the fact that each candidate has or will have achieved a dental degree in another country, we believe that UCLA has much to offer, further, in the clinical arts and sciences. We take pride in our reputation for academic excellence, and the fact that well over half of our graduates are accepted into post-doctoral programs each year.

We welcome your application to join the Professional Program for International Dentists, and become part of the UCLA community. I personally look forward to meeting you in the near future.


Dr. Lawrence Wolinsky
Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Personnel

PROGRAM INFORMATION

• Program Facts
• Requirements/Pre-requisites
• Application Process
• Timeline
• Selection Factors
• Fees and Expenses
• Financial Aid
• Contact Information
  

Program Facts

The Professional Program for International Dentists (PPID) offers qualified foreign dental graduates an opportunity to obtain a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)  from the UCLA School of Dentistry. The goal of this program is to graduate dentists who possess the necessary scientific knowledge and clinical skills to provide competent comprehensive dental care as practice within the United States. The graduates of the PPID are eligible to take the dental licensing examinations throughout most of the United States.  

The PPID is an intensive two-year program that begins in Late May each year and continues for a minimum of 25 consecutive months. The program commences with a pre-clinical review course that includes didactic and clinical preparatory instruction. After the students successfully complete these courses, they will be rapidly integrated as 3rd year students in the UCLA School of Dentistry's traditional four-year program. Students who then fulfill all the requirements of the traditional, competency based third and fourth year curriculum will be awarded a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS ) degree. As with our traditional students, those who do not pass basic competencies will be required to spend extra time to remediate their deficiencies, while those who demonstrate advanced proficiency will have the opportunity for additional training within the normal curriculum. 

After completion of the summer didactic program, PPID students will be granted the same opportunities in research and clinical experiences as are available to the traditional students.

The UCLA School of Dentistry - Professional Program for International Dentists will admit up to twelve qualified foreign dental graduates each year.     

Requirements/Pre-requisites

To be considered for admission the applicant must fulfill the following requirements:

Application Fee

A non-refundable application fee of US $150 (money order or cashiers check only) made payable to UC Regents, must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs.

National Board Dental Examination

Part I test results of the National Board Dental Examination must be submitted by the administrators of that examination directly to the Office of Student Affairs (school code 05).
 
English Language Proficiency (TOEFL)

The TOEFL exam is required of applicants whose native language is not English. Upon acceptance to the program applicants will be required to submit official TOEFL score reports directly to the Office of Student Affairs.

The TOEFL scores must meet the following requirements: a minimum score of 560 (paper format) or a total minimum passing score of 87 (internet-based). For the internet-based TOEFL (iBT), applicants must also meet the following minimum section scores:

• Writing:  25
• Speaking:  24
• Reading:  21
• Listening:  17
• Total minimum passing score:  87

             Waivers will not be granted for scores below the stated minimums.

Translated/Evaluated Official Transcripts

All of the following documents must be submitted directly to the Educational Credential Evaluators Inc. (ECE), for a “Detail Report” / “Course by Course” in English translation.

• Original certified college (post-secondary) transcripts.
• Original certified professional education transcripts.
• Official copy of the diploma and/or degree from the applicant's dental school program.
• Official copy of the applicant's dental license or its equivalent.

We require the Detail Report / Course by Course. The applicant should specify on the ECE application that he/she would like the evaluation to be sent directly to ADEA CAAPID. Please allow fifteen business days for standard processing. To obtain further information & fees regarding ECE, please visit their website at www.ece.org. 

Three Letters of Recommendation (in English or with certified English translation)

Letters of recommendation must be submitted to ADEA CAAPID, one letter of recommendation from each of the following individuals.

• Dean or head of the applicant's dental school.
• Dental school clinical instructor able to evaluate the applicant's potential.
• A person of the applicant's choosing, preferably someone with whom the applicant has worked.

Curriculum Vitae/Professional Resume

A current copy of the applicant’s curriculum vitae/professional resume must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs. Please include: education, professional employment/organizations, research/ publications, honors/awards, and community service.

Certification of Finances

Qualified applicants who require a F-1 or J-1 visa must complete a Confidential Financial Statement before final admission. The certification is necessary for UCLA to provide a Certificate of Eligibility, which allows the applicant to apply for a student visa. (Only those accepted to the program will need to complete the form)

Application Process

Applicants must submit a Centralized Application for Advanced Placement for International Dentists (CAAPID)  to the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) which has its own application fees (depending on the number of schools to which an applicant is applying):

If you are mailing documents using the United States Postal Service (USPS), use the address below: 

CAAPID Processing Department
PO Box 9116
Watertown, MA  02471 USA
https://portal.caapid.org/

If you are shipping documents using UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc., use the address below:    

CAAPID Processing Department
c/o Liaison International 
311 Arsenal St, Suite 15
Watertown, MA  02472 USA 
https://portal.caapid.org/

Information to be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs after completing the ADEA CAAPID application:  

1. US $150  application fee payable to UC Regents (money order or cashier's check)
2. Official National Dental Board Scores
3. 2" X 2" Photograph
4. Curriculum Vitae/ Professional Resume 
5. Photocopy of TOEFL scores

All of the above listed items (1-5) must be received by our office no later than 4:00pm on September 1, 2009 at the address listed below.

Professional Program for International Dentists
Office of Student Affairs
UCLA School of Dentistry
10833 Le Conte Avenue, Box 951762
Los Angeles, CA   90095-1762

Timeline

The earliest date students may submit an application to ADEA CAAPID is June 8, 2009 . Applications submitted after September 1, 2009 will not be accepted.Only completed applications will be eligible for review by the Admissions Committee. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all materials are received by both the Office of Student Affairs and ADEA CAAPID by the September 1st deadline date.

Selection Factors

The admissions process has two phases. In phase one, all application files are reviewed and finalists selected for a personal interview and the bench exam. Factors influencing the selection of final candidates include National Board Part 1 scores, TOEFL scores, personal statement, and letters of recommendation. We anticipate that selections for phase one will be completed no later than mid-October. Applicants selected for phase two will be assessed a US $300 (non-refundable) testing fee. The testing fee must be payable to the UC Regents in the form of a money order or cashiers check. In phase two, weight is given to performance on the bench and interpersonal skills demonstrated in the interview. Testing for phase two should be completed by late-October. Notification of acceptance will be in mid-November, specific date to be determined; those candidates offered admissions to the program will be expected to submit a US $5000 (non-refundable) deposit within 30 days of acceptance.  

Fees and Expenses

* There are fewer supplies required in the 2nd year of the program.

The above-listed represent an estimate of expenses. Living expenses include room/board, transportation and personal expenses. These estimates do not include costs for dental/medical care, car payments, debts, charge accounts, spouses and childcare. It is essential to note that budgets are subject to modification.

PLEASE NOTE: ALL FEES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid information will be available upon receipt of the $5000 deposit.

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding the application form or procedures, please contact:
ppid_admissions@dentistry.ucla.edu