# Foreign-trained dentist license in California

> California pathway signal for internationally trained dentists: Advanced-standing route required.

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

Last verified: 2026-07-08

Research confidence: high

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

## Pathway

Advanced-standing (international) CODA/Board-approved DDS/DMD required; residency does NOT bypass it. A graduate of a foreign dental school that is neither CODA-accredited nor Board-approved must complete a two-academic-year international/advanced-standing program at a Board-approved dental college and earn a DDS/DMD (or equivalent). Only after holding a Board- or CODA-approved degree can the applicant pursue Licensure by ADEX Examination or Licensure by Residency. Because Licensure by Residency itself requires graduation from a Board- or CODA-approved dental school, a raw non-CODA foreign grad cannot use a GPR/AEGD residency to skip the 2-year program.

## Required exams

Written: iNBDE (replaced NBDE Parts I & II). Pathways after obtaining a qualifying degree: (1) Licensure by ADEX — pass the ADEX dental examination (clinical + written components); or (2) Licensure by Residency — complete ≥12 months of a CODA-accredited GPR or AEGD (a clinical-exam alternative, but still requires an approved degree). Plus the California Law and Ethics requirement.

## Notes

Key nuance: California HAS a Licensure-by-Residency route, but it is not a foreign-degree shortcut — the applicant must first hold a CODA- or Board-approved DDS/DMD, which a non-CODA foreign grad obtains only via the 2-year international program. Effective Jan 1, 2024, any school seeking foreign-dental-school approval must be CODA-accredited (and since Jan 1, 2020 no new non-CODA foreign-school approvals). A few legacy Board-approved foreign schools have sunset dates (e.g., De La Salle University, Mexico — graduates through May 16, 2026). WREB retired Dec 31, 2022; California uses ADEX, not WREB.

## Official board source

- Dental Board of California: <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/>

## References

- Source 1: <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/applicants/become_licensed_dds.shtml>
- Source 2: <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/applicants/licensure_by_residency.shtml>
- Source 3: <https://www.dbc.ca.gov/licensees/important_changes.shtml>
- Source 4: <https://www.ada.org/resources/careers/licensure/licensure-for-the-international-dentists>

## Related

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