Foreign-trained dentist license in South Dakota
In short, South Dakota has an unclear residency pathway — verify with the board.
Pathway
Statutorily open but discretionary/board-reviewed — verify with the Board. SDCL §36-6A-44 states: 'Any foreign-trained or any other graduate from a dental program not accredited by [CODA] may apply for a license to practice as a dentist,' and directs the Board to 'establish requirements to reasonably ensure that an applicant's training and education are sufficient for licensure.' Unlike TX/TN/SC/UT, SD does NOT categorically limit licensure to a CODA DDS/DMD or ADA specialty program; a non-CODA graduate may apply, with the Board determining sufficiency of training/education case-by-case. The published admin rule (ARSD 20:43:03:01) primarily details the CODA-accredited US dental school route, so the exact non-CODA requirements are not clearly codified — confirm directly with the Board.
Required exams
National Board (JCNDE) — NBDE Parts I & II or the iNBDE; plus a board-approved clinical competency exam (patient-, simulation-, or manikin-based) — SD accepts ADEX (CDCA-WREB-CITA) and CRDTS+SRTA. (WREB retired Dec 31, 2022.) SD statutes/rules jurisprudence exam (min. 70%) required.
Notes
Distinctive: SD statute expressly permits non-CODA/foreign-trained applicants to apply, with Board discretion over sufficiency of training. Whether a CODA GPR/AEGD residency (vs. a bridging DDS/DMD) satisfies this is not codified — the SD Legislature rules site is a JS app that could not be scraped; verify current 20:43:03 requirements and any bridging/residency expectations directly with the Board.
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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