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Montana

Foreign-trained dentist license in Montana

In short, Montana requires a CODA-accredited advanced-standing degree (no residency-only route found).

Pathway

Advanced-standing CODA DDS/DMD only. MCA 37-4-301 requires 'a certificate of graduation from a board-approved dental school,' and MCA 37-4-302 provides that in determining recognized dental colleges the board is guided by the standards of the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). A foreign/non-accredited graduate must therefore obtain a CODA-recognized DDS/DMD (advanced standing). No statute or rule found allowing full licensure via a CODA residency (GPR/AEGD) alone.

Required exams

National board exam (iNBDE) plus a board-accepted regional clinical/practical examination per MCA 37-4-301 (WREB retired Dec 31 2022; ADEX/CDCA-type regional exams now used). Also a Montana jurisprudence component.

Notes

Statute uses 'board-approved dental school'; approval is CODA-guided per 37-4-302, so effectively CODA is required. Confirm the specific accepted clinical exam(s) and any jurisprudence exam with the board's current application checklist.

Residency pathway

No residency-only route found: the sourced state record generally points foreign-trained dentists toward a CODA-accredited DDS/DMD or advanced-standing pathway, not a residency-only route.

View residency pathwayCompare advanced-standingCompare no-repeat pathsView licensure exams

Official source

Montana Board of Dentistry (Dept. of Labor & Industry, Business Standards Division)

Visit the Montana board →

References

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 Montana board before you act. Try the eligibility matcher.