# Foreign-trained dentist license in Louisiana

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

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

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 Louisiana board before acting.

## Pathway

CODA postgraduate program (residency) pathway ACCEPTED — no repeat DDS/DMD required. An applicant who did NOT attend an accredited (CODA) dental school/college must successfully complete a post-graduate CODA-approved program in either general dentistry OR one of the board-approved specialties, consisting of at least two consecutive years at the same institution (the Board does not accept an accumulation of shorter programs to meet this). This is a residency/postgraduate pathway, not an advanced-standing undergraduate DDS/DMD.

## Required exams

National board exam (NBDE / iNBDE) + the ADEX clinical examination (must be completed within 5 years of applying for licensure by examination) + the Louisiana jurisprudence exam. (WREB retired 12/31/2022; ADEX is administered via CDCA/CITA.)

## Notes

The '2 consecutive years, same institution, general dentistry or board-approved specialty' postgraduate CODA program requirement for non-accredited-school graduates is well-supported by the ADA Louisiana Laws & Rules compilation and the LA Administrative Code (Title 46, Part XXXIII). Confidence held at medium because the exact controlling section number could not be quoted from a clean official source in this pass (the LSBD site and LII pages were partly non-parseable / directory-only). Verify the specific LAC 46:XXXIII citation and current wording with the Board (iris@lsbd.org / alexx@lsbd.org, 504-568-8574).

## Official board source

- Louisiana State Board of Dentistry: <https://www.lsbd.org/>

## References

- Source 1: <https://www.lsbd.org/>
- Source 2: <https://www.lsbd.org/licenseinfo.htm>
- Source 3: <https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/louisiana/La-Admin-Code-tit-46-SS-XXXIII-306>
- Source 4: <https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/louisiana/La-Admin-Code-tit-46-SS-XXXIII-1709>
- Source 5: <https://www.ada.org/~/media/Project/ADA%20Organization/ADA/ADA-org/Files/Education/Licensure%20by%20State/Louisiana_Licensure>

## Related

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