# Foreign-trained dentist license in Indiana

> Indiana pathway signal for internationally trained dentists: Pathway unclear; verify with the board.

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

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 Indiana board before acting.

## 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.

## Official board source

- Indiana State Board of Dentistry (Indiana PLA): <https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/dentistry-home/>

## References

- Source 1: <https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/dentistry-home/dentistry-licensing-information/>
- Source 2: <https://www.ada.org/~/media/Project/ADA%20Organization/ADA/ADA-org/Files/Education/Licensure%20by%20State/Indiana_Licensure>
- Source 3: <https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/indiana/828-IAC-1-3-1.1>

## Related

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- [Indiana dental license requirements](https://dentovio.com/dental-license-requirements/indiana/index.html.md)
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