Foreign-trained dentist license in Indiana
In short, Indiana has an unclear residency pathway — verify with the board.
Pathway
Advanced-standing CODA DDS/DMD (per rule text). 828 IAC 1-1-1 Sec. 1 requires ALL applicants for licensure to have 'graduated from a dental school accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Dental Association,' and IC 25-14-1-3 requires proof of graduation from a board-recognized (CODA) dental college. On the face of the rule, a foreign (non-CODA) graduate must complete a CODA-accredited DDS/DMD advanced-standing program; the rule does not on its face provide a GPR/AEGD-in-lieu-of-degree pathway. Applicant should confirm directly with the board, as Indiana is often listed by third parties as accepting a 2-year residency.
Required exams
Written: national board dental examination (iNBDE / formerly NBDE), all sections. Clinical: one board-approved regional exam per 828 IAC 1-1-7 — CRDTS, NERB, SRTA, or WREB (WREB retired Dec 31 2022). Plus the Indiana dental law (jurisprudence) exam, score 75+. Exams must be passed within the 5 years before application.
Notes
DISCREPANCY FLAG: Numerous third-party guides list Indiana among states allowing foreign-trained dentists to license after a 2-year GPR/AEGD, but the authoritative rule (828 IAC 1-1-1) plainly requires graduation from a CODA-accredited dental school with no stated residency substitute. Indiana grants licenses case-by-case; verify the current interpretation in writing with the Indiana State Board of Dentistry before relying on a residency-only route. Endorsement (IC 25-14-1-16) also presumes a substantially-equivalent (CODA) education.
Residency pathway
Pathway unclear: the sourced state record is unclear or source-conflicted, so the applicant should verify the residency question directly with the dental board.
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