# Foreign-trained dentist license in Alaska

> Alaska pathway signal for internationally trained dentists: Residency pathway found.

URL: https://dentovio.com/foreign-trained-dentist-license/alaska

Last verified: 2026-07-08

Research confidence: medium

Educational summary only, not legal or immigration advice. Dental licensure rules change and the details vary; confirm current requirements directly with the Alaska board before acting.

## Pathway

CODA residency (GPR/AEGD) pathway accepted in lieu of a regional clinical exam. Under 12 AAC 28.940(a)(8)(D), an applicant may qualify by showing satisfactory completion of a clinically-based postdoctoral GPR or AEGD program of at least one year's duration in a CODA-accredited hospital/dental facility, with a formal evaluation of competence — as an alternative to a regional clinical examination or a 2-year CODA specialty program. However, the applicant must still hold a dental degree from a school meeting 12 AAC 28.938 and pass NBDE I & II or the iNBDE; whether a non-CODA foreign degree independently satisfies 12 AAC 28.938 should be verified with the board.

## Required exams

Written: NBDE Part I & Part II, or the iNBDE (JCNDE). Clinical requirement satisfiable by (a) a regional clinical exam — ADEX, CDCA-WREB-CITA, or CRDTS+SRTA — passed within 5 years; OR (b) completion of a CODA-accredited PGY-1 GPR/AEGD (≥1 yr) [12 AAC 28.940(a)(8)(D)]; OR (c) a 2-year+ CODA postgraduate specialty program. Plus Alaska jurisprudence exam (min. 70%) and 2 hrs pain-management/opioid education.

## Notes

Alaska is the standout among these five: 12 AAC 28.940 explicitly names a CODA GPR/AEGD residency as an accepted route to satisfy the clinical-competence requirement. The open question is the underlying degree — 12 AAC 28.938 defines the acceptable dental school; confirm directly whether a foreign non-CODA degree + CODA residency is accepted, or whether the residency route presumes an approved (CODA) degree. WREB was retired Dec 31, 2022. Confidence set to medium pending that degree-eligibility confirmation.

## Official board source

- Alaska Board of Dental Examiners (Dept. of Commerce, Community & Economic Development): <https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardofDentalExaminers.aspx>

## References

- Source 1: <https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/portals/5/pub/dentalstatutes.pdf>
- Source 2: <https://www.ada.org/~/media/Project/ADA%20Organization/ADA/ADA-org/Files/Education/Licensure%20by%20State/Alaska_Licensure>

## Related

- [Foreign-trained dentist licensure by state](https://dentovio.com/foreign-trained-dentist-licensure/index.html.md)
- [Alaska dental license requirements](https://dentovio.com/dental-license-requirements/alaska/index.html.md)
- [Alaska dental license reciprocity](https://dentovio.com/dental-license-reciprocity/alaska/index.html.md)
- [Alaska dental licensure exams](https://dentovio.com/dental-licensure-exams/alaska/index.html.md)
- [Alaska foreign-trained dentist residency pathway](https://dentovio.com/foreign-trained-dentist-license/alaska/residency-pathway/index.html.md)
- [Foreign-trained dentist licensure matcher](https://dentovio.com/tools/foreign-dentist-license-eligibility)