US Residencies · The Study Boards
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) for International Dentists
What the program is, whether you can apply with a dental degree from outside the US, what it costs to apply, and every Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery program in the ADEA PASS directory that says it will consider you.
0
Programs in PASS
0+
Positions Listed
4 or 6 yrs
Program Length
0
Consider Non-CODA Grads
The Program
What Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Training Involves
Oral and maxillofacial surgery covers surgery of the mouth, jaws, face and neck: dentoalveolar and implant surgery, trauma, corrective jaw surgery, pathology and reconstruction. Programs are hospital-based and run either four years for a certificate, or six years when they include a medical degree (MD).
OMFS is one of the most competitive dental specialties, and it has its own entry exam, the NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE), which dental applicants take through AAOMS.
Typical Length
48 or 72 months
Award
Certificate, 6 of 115 offer a master’s, 36 include an MD
In the Match?
Yes — Phase II
Specialty Organization
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
What you train in
- Dentoalveolar, implant and bone graft surgery
- Facial trauma and corrective jaw surgery
- Anaesthesia and management of hospitalised patients
- On the six-year track, a full medical degree and general surgery training
The Honest Answer
Can an International Dentist Apply?
What the PASS directory says
11 of the 115 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery programs listed in ADEA PASS say they will consider graduates of non-CODA dental schools. Of those, 1 sponsor a visa, 3 accept you if you arrange your own visa, and 7 only enrol US or Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The other 104 programs expect a DDS or DMD from a CODA-accredited school, which for most internationally trained dentists means finishing a US advanced standing program first.
Do you need USMLE Step 1 before applying? No.
The exam OMFS programs ask for is the NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE). Its content is Step 1-level basic science, and AAOMS itself points candidates to Step 1 review books, which is where the confusion comes from. USMLE Step 1 is only open to medical students and graduates, so a dentist cannot sit it before applying. Residents on the six-year MD tracks take Step 1 and Step 2 during the program, once they are enrolled in medical school; UCSF schedules them in year four. Of the 115 OMFS listings in PASS, 36 include an MD.
Step by Step
How to Get In
- Get your DENTPIN, then your ECE evaluation. Most programs want a course-by-course evaluation of your dental degree from international applicants, and the name on it must match your DENTPIN.
- Pass the INBDE. 79 of the 115 programs list the INBDE or the older NBDE among their required tests.
- Take the NBME CBSE. 111 of the 115 programs list it. Dental applicants book it through AAOMS for $400. It covers Step 1-level basic science, but it is not the USMLE.
- Prove your English. 5 of the 115 programs list the TOEFL, and it is usually required for applicants whose first language is not English.
- Apply through ADEA PASS with your personal statement, CV and letters of evaluation, and pay any program supplemental fee.
- Register for the Postdoctoral Dental Match. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is part of Phase II; 114 of the 115 programs participate.
- Interview, then sort out your visa if you are not a US citizen or permanent resident.
Real Numbers
What It Costs to Apply
Fees checked in September 2026. Counts come from the 115 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery listings in ADEA PASS.
Cost ItemAmountTypeWhat It Covers
DENTPIN
$0
Verified
Free to register with the ADA. Get it before anything else.
ECE Course-by-Course Evaluation
$199
Verified
Plus $45 for the first extra copy and $30 for each further copy ordered together.ECE fees
INBDE
$890 + $435
Verified
Exam fee plus the processing fee for graduates of non-CODA schools. Listed by 79 of 115 programs.JCNDE
ADEA PASS Application
$199 + $92 each
Verified
For the 2026–27 cycle: $199 for the first program, $92 for each additional one.ADEA PASS
Postdoctoral Dental Match
$100
Verified
One registration fee covering Phase I and Phase II.National Matching Services
Program Supplemental Fees
Varies
Varies
17 of the 115 programs charge their own fee on top of PASS. Check each listing.
Tuition or Stipend
75 of 115 pay a stipend
Info
The other 40 programs charge tuition, set by each program. Confirm the figure with the program before you apply.
Where You Can Apply
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Programs That Consider Non-CODA Graduates
Every program below says in its ADEA PASS listing that it will consider graduates of dental schools outside CODA accreditation. Programs that sponsor a visa are listed first. Click any row to open its official PASS page.
ProgramStateLengthVisaFunding
Pennsylvania
1-2 years mo
US / Canadian status only
Tuition
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterCertificate, MD
Tennessee
72 mo
US / Canadian status only
Stipend
Taken from the ADEA PASS program directory in September 2026. Programs update their listings every cycle, so confirm eligibility, visa sponsorship and fees on the program’s own page before you apply. “Own visa needed” means the program accepts non-US applicants but will not sponsor the visa itself.
How We Help
Study Boards Programs for This Application
ProgramPriceForWhat You Get
INBDE Premium Boards
$499 / 6 months
Exam
Master Files, the Champion RQ Series, the Master Test Series and two full 2-Day Simulation Exams. Enroll
TOEFL iBT 2.0 Course
$499
English
45 days, mentor-reviewed, built for the January 2026 ETS format. Weekly option $39. Enroll
Master the CAAPID/PASS Application
$1,800
Application
Personal statement, letters of recommendation, CV, a profile call with Dr. T and three mock interviews, for one cycle. See the program
Research Gate
Free to apply
Profile
Guided research toward a peer-reviewed publication, which residency programs value. $499 in total if selected, in payments of $250. Learn more
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions
No. OMFS programs look for the NBME CBSE, which covers Step 1-level basic science and costs $400 through AAOMS. USMLE Step 1 itself is only open to medical students and graduates, so residents on the six-year MD tracks take Step 1 and Step 2 during the program. UCSF, for example, schedules them in year four.
Only after a US degree. Its PASS listing says it does not consider graduates of non-CODA dental schools directly, but it will consider international applicants who have completed an accredited advanced standing (IDP) program.
For 11 of the 115 programs, yes, if your visa situation matches what the program accepts. Everywhere else you will need a US DDS or DMD first. The full route is on our US guide.
At minimum the INBDE ($890 plus $435 for non-CODA graduates), an ECE evaluation ($199), the TOEFL, and PASS ($199 for the first program plus $92 for each additional one), plus $100 for the Match and $400 for the CBSE. Program fees and tuition come on top. Our full cost breakdown has every figure with its source.
Yes. Message us on WhatsApp, and our Admin Team with Dr. T and Dr. Kaur will contact you over WhatsApp to look at your profile and your target programs.
Check Everything Yourself
Sources
- ADEA PASS program directory — program counts, positions, lengths, degrees, required tests, stipends, supplemental fees and international eligibility, checked September 2026.
- National Matching Services — which specialties are in the Match and the $100 registration fee.
- ADEA PASS fees, JCNDE, ECE and ETS — application and exam fees.
- National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards — the twelve recognised specialties and their organizations.
For planning only. Program details change every cycle; always confirm eligibility, deadlines, fees and visa sponsorship with the program before applying. This page is not legal or immigration advice.