My daughter is doing BDS(Bachelor of Dental Surgery) in India, what are the opportunities BDS graduates from India in USA for Postgraduate studies and what are prerequisites for it?

Ans: Hello Venkata,

First and foremost, thank you for getting in touch with us. I am happy to hear that your daughter is pursuing her Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) in India and is keen on pursuing her postgraduate studies in the USA. To answer your question first, I would like to tell you that although postgraduate studies in Dentistry can be pursued by BDS graduates in the USA, they will need to take into consideration certain requirements and things. The academic prerequisites put in place by the American Dental Association (ADA) as well as the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) will need to be first fulfilled by them. This generally entails finishing a doctoral program in dentistry that is for a duration of 4 years, one that compares to a D.D.S. i.e. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or D.M.D. i.e. (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry or Doctor of Dental Medicine) degree in the USA.

Graduates of Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) may be required to complete an Advanced Standing Program in a dental school in the USA which is for a duration of 2 years, in order to pursue postgraduate studies. I would like to tell you that these programs are intended to fill in the gap between dentistry education provided in other countries and one that if offered in the USA. Also remember that you daughter will be required to pass the IELTS or TOEFL English proficiency tests to demonstrate her English language competency, as well as the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE). In addition, she will also need to obtain robust endorsement letters from professors or employers and showcase pertinent work experience. As the entrance prerequisites for dental schools in the USA might differ, and as there may be fierce competition for these programs, I would recommend that your daughter conducts an extensive study on certain dental schools. Lastly, I would like to say that with commitment and through satisfying the mandatory prerequisites, securing admission to a postgraduate dental program in the USA is definitely attainable.

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