Admissions and Applying

All PPID applicants are required to have their transcripts translated and evaluated by the Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) Course by Course report. The applicant should specify on the ECE application that they would like the evaluation to be sent directly to CAAPID. The following materials must be submitted directly to ECE for evaluation: 

• Original certified college (post-secondary) transcripts
• Original certified professional education transcripts
• Official copy of the diploma and/or degree from the applicant's dental school program

If accepted into the program, we will also require an official ECE report to be sent directly to the Office of Student Services. For more information please visit Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (We do not accept WES reports.)

(All letters of recommendation need to be originals on letterhead, in English or English translation) 

The applicant must submit one letter of recommendation from each of the following individuals:

• Dean or head of the applicant's dental school (If the Dean during your time of study is not available to write a letter on your behalf, please refer to our FAQs for instructions.)
• Dental school clinical instructor who is able to evaluate the applicant's potential
• A person of the applicant's choosing, preferably someone with whom the applicant has worked with

We recommend that letters of recommendation be written within the last two years.

The UCLA PPID Supplemental Application will be emailed to you within two weeks following the completion of your ADEA CAAPID application. Please submit your completed UCLA PPID Supplemental Application with your curriculum vitae/professional resume as a combined pdf, no larger than 5 MB, to ppid_admissions@dentistry.ucla.edu by the deadline, June 30, 2026, 4PM-PST.   

IMPORTANT - The UCLA Supplemental Application/CV combined pdf must be labeled as follows: LAST NAME, FIRST NAME. If the label does not include the applicant's name, the supplemental application will not be processed.  

Please include education, professional employment/organizations, research/publications, honors/awards, and community service.

A non-refundable application fee of $250 U.S. dollars must be submitted online. 

If you are invited for an interview, a non-refundable Interview/Testing Fee of $300 U.S. dollars must be submitted on-line.

Applicants must pass both NBDE Part I and Part II OR pass the INBDE. Official NBDE or INBDE score reports must be requested by the applicant online and submitted to the UCLA School of Dentistry, PPID Coordinator at ppid_admissions@dentistry.ucla.edu.

Questions: Visit the ADA

An official, sealed (unopened), physical TOEFL score report is required. Please request an official hard copy from ETS using the University Code of 8354.  ETS will mail the physical report directly to UCLA School of Dentistry.   Do not request the report be emailed as electronic TOEFL reports will not be accepted.
 

UCLA School of Dentistry/ Office of Student Services
Professional Program for International Dentists
10833 Le Conte Ave, Rm A0-111CHS
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1762. 

Scores are valid for 2 years from the exam date, therefore score reports from exams taken in March 2024 to present will be accepted. For more information please visit the Educational Testing Service website.

The TOEFL exam is required of all applicants who did not complete their High School education in the United States. Permanent residents, US citizens, students who hold degrees from the United States are all required to submit a TOEFL score report. For the internet-based TOEFL (iBT), you must meet the minimum score requirement as follows:

• For exams taken before January 21, 2026:
  Minimum section score: Reading 21, Listening 17, Writing 24, Speaking 25
  OR a minimum combined (BT) total score of 95
• For Exams taken on or after January 21, 2026:
  Minimum section scores: Reading 4.5, Listening 4.5, Writing 5.0, Speaking 5.0
  OR minimum combined total score of 5.0
• TOEFL Home edition taken before January 21, 2026, will be accepted. TOEFL
  Home edition taken on or after January 21, 2026, will not be accepted.
• TOEFL Best Scores are accepted.

PPID supplemental documents that do not meet the requirements or are missing or are received after the June 30, 2026 deadline, will be regarded as incomplete. Incomplete applications will not be considered for review.

All applicants are required to complete the "Casper Assessment" through Acuity Insights.  Visit the Acuity Insights website to create an account and complete the following assessment: 

Casper: 60-85 minute online,open-response situational judgement test (SJT)

If you have any questions, please contact Acuity Insights directly.   

NOTE: Applicants are encouraged to submit all the required documents as early as possible and may do so before their CASPER testing date. Acuity Insights will be administering the CASPER Assessment. Please check their website for available testing dates and times. The exam must be taken prior to the deadline. Exams taken after the deadline will not be accepted.