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West Virginia

Foreign-trained dentist license in West Virginia

In short, West Virginia accepts a residency (GPR/AEGD) pathway.

Pathway

Advanced-standing-style CODA program required (2+ years), which functions as a residency route only if it is a 2-year advanced program: W.Va. CSR 5-1-3.5 lets the Board license a foreign-dental-school graduate who holds certification of a TWO-YEAR (or more) advanced general dentistry training program from a US/Canadian CODA-accredited school; 5-1-3.6 similarly allows a 2-year (or more) CODA-accredited dental specialty advanced education program. A one-year GPR/AEGD alone does NOT confer full licensure. Without such 2-year CODA training, foreign-trained dentists are limited to intern/resident/teaching permits (5-1-3.3/3.4).

Required exams

National board exam by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE) — iNBDE/NBDE; plus a clinical exam administered by CDCA, CRDTS, CITA, SRTA, or WREB (or successor); plus the West Virginia Dental Law exam.

Notes

Board policy explicitly declined to grant full licensure to foreign-trained, US-board-certified specialists without a clinical board exam (WV biennium report). So the accepted route is a 2+ year CODA advanced general dentistry OR specialty program PLUS the required national + clinical exams. This is more restrictive than a 1-year GPR/AEGD pathway. Board contact toll-free (877) 914-8266.

Residency pathway

Residency pathway found: the sourced state record indicates a CODA residency, GPR, AEGD, or advanced-education pathway may satisfy part of the licensure path under specific conditions.

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

Official source

West Virginia Board of Dentistry

Visit the West Virginia board →

INBDE · written national board

Preparing for the INBDE?

The written national board is its own project alongside the state pathway. Dentovio builds INBDE prep specifically for internationally trained dentists — start with the international hub, the pass guide, or the free practice test.

References