# Virginia dental license requirements

> Source-backed dentist licensure pathway, exam, residency, endorsement, reciprocity, and official-board signals for Virginia.

URL: https://dentovio.com/dental-license-requirements/virginia

Last verified: 2026-07-08

Dentovio is not a dental board. Confirm current application forms, education rules, exam acceptance, score windows, jurisprudence requirements, endorsement eligibility, reciprocity, credentialing, fees, and foreign-trained exceptions directly with Virginia Board of Dentistry (Dept. of Health Professions).

## Direct answer

For dentist license requirements in Virginia, Dentovio's sourced licensure record highlights education/pathway language, exam signals, and any residency, endorsement, reciprocity, or credentialing notes it could isolate. Education/pathway signal: CODA residency pathway accepted: a foreign-trained dentist qualifies by holding a diploma/certificate from a CODA- or CDAC-accredited program that is EITHER a pre-doctoral (DDS/DMD) Exam signal: National board (iNBDE / NBDE) plus a clinical competency examination per Board guidance document 60-25; ADEX-based clinical exams (CDCA/CITA) and other Board-accepted regional exams. Confirm current requirements, application forms, score windows, endorsement eligibility, and foreign-trained exceptions with Virginia Board of Dentistry (Dept. of Health Professions).

## Education and pathway signal

CODA residency pathway accepted: a foreign-trained dentist qualifies by holding a diploma/certificate from a CODA- or CDAC-accredited program that is EITHER a pre-doctoral (DDS/DMD) program, OR at least a 12-month post-doctoral advanced general dentistry program (GPR/AEGD), OR a post-doctoral program of at least 24 months in another specialty that includes a clinical component. A non-CODA graduate may also enter a Virginia advanced-standing program under a temporary/restricted license (18VAC60-21-230).

## Exam signal

National board (iNBDE / NBDE) plus a clinical competency examination per Board guidance document 60-25; ADEX-based clinical exams (CDCA/CITA) and other Board-accepted regional exams. Verify exact accepted clinical exams in guidance doc 60-25.

## Endorsement, reciprocity, or credentials signal

Dentovio did not isolate a licensure-by-endorsement, reciprocity, credentialing, or portability signal in this sourced state record. Verify current out-of-state license options directly with the dental board.

## Residency signal

Residency or advanced education is flagged as a possible pathway signal in the sourced state record; verify degree, program, exam, and applicant-status conditions with the board.

## Notes

Confirmed on the official Virginia Board of Dentistry FAQ: the 12-month post-doctoral AGD or 24-month specialty CODA/CDAC program is an accepted route to full licensure (no need to repeat predoctoral dental school). Temporary resident/restricted license (18VAC60-21-230) covers those still in training. Contact board denbd@dhp.virginia.gov for guidance doc 60-25 exam specifics.

## Official sources

- <https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Dentistry/>
- <https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Dentistry/AbouttheBoard/FAQ/>
- <https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency60/chapter21/section230/>
- <https://www.ada.org/resources/careers/licensure/licensure-for-the-international-dentists>

## Related

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- [Virginia dental license reciprocity](https://dentovio.com/dental-license-reciprocity/virginia/index.html.md)
- [Virginia dental licensure exams](https://dentovio.com/dental-licensure-exams/virginia/index.html.md)
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