Dugoni School of Dentistry IDS Program for International Dentists (2026)

  • Dr. T
  • October 14, 2026
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Pacific Dugoni IDS · Updated October 2026

Dugoni School of Dentistry: The IDS Program for International Dentists

The University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry runs the International Dental Studies (IDS) program, a two-year, full-time program that awards a US DDS degree. You apply through ADEA CAAPID, pay a $100 Dugoni School fee, complete the Casper test, and, if invited, interview in person on the San Francisco campus. This guide covers every requirement, the selection steps, the 2026-27 cost of attendance and how to get ready for each stage.

24 monthseight quarters, DDS awarded
57 seats27 San Francisco, 30 Sacramento
$135,700tuition per year, 2026-27
No bench testfor the 2026-27 cycle

At a glanceRequirementsAm I ready?SelectionTwo campusesTimelineCostHow to prepareOther routesFAQ
How The Study Boards helps you get into Pacific

An INBDE pass first, then a file Pacific wants to interview

Pacific will not open your file without an INBDE pass, so that is where The Study Boards starts. Our INBDE course gives you faculty-created Modules for every subject, 35,000+ focused questions, daily tasks, the Master and Grand Test Series and a live test every night at 9 PM New York time. It is extremely personalised: red lines and assignments are given to you on the go, the course learns from the way you are studying, and faculty are there to assist you.

After the INBDE, our TOEFL course, Master the CAAPID Application program and interview prep cover every other stage below.

See the INBDE Blueprint

The facts in one place

Dugoni IDS program at a glance

Every line below comes from Pacific’s own pages or the school’s ADEA CAAPID listing, checked in October 2026.

ProgramInternational Dental Studies (IDS)University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco and Sacramento, California1
Degree and lengthDDS in 24 monthsFull-time, five days a week, eight quarters. Graduates can sit for any state or regional dental board16
Start dateEarly July 2027IDS Class of 2029; ADEA lists July 5, 2027. Graduation June 20293511
Class size57 students a year27 in San Francisco, 30 at the Pacific Health Care Collaborative in Sacramento1
How to applyADEA CAAPID, plus a $100 Dugoni feeOpen to dentists from any country; US citizenship or a green card is not required25
DeadlineJune 12, 11:59 pm Eastern2026 cycle: opened March 5, closed June 12, 2026. Everything must arrive by then3
National BoardsINBDE passed by the deadlineOr NBDE Parts 1 and 2. A fail result is not considered24
EnglishTOEFL 4.5 minimumNew scoring format only; tests before January 21, 2026 not accepted. Class of 2026 average: 103 on the old scale13
Credential evaluationECE only, GPA 2.0 or higherWES not accepted. Class of 2026 average ECE GPA: 3.5215
Bench testNot required in 2026-27Pacific states this for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle3
InterviewIn person, San FranciscoBy invitation only, and required for admission3
Extra stepsCasper test and a CV formBoth are sent to you after you pay the $100 fee2
Tuition, 2026-27$135,700 per yearTotal cost of attendance about $206,312 (Year 1) and $192,446 (Year 2)7
LoansNo federal aid on a student visaPacific says some private loans are open to visa students with a US citizen or green-card co-signer8

What Pacific asks for

Requirements in detail

Pacific’s rules are strict and specific. Most rejected files fail on a detail, not on the dentist.

Degree

A conferred dental degree

BDS, DDS, DMD, Odontology or Stomatology. Upload a full-colour copy of the diploma or certificate itself. Provisional degrees are not accepted, and transcripts, mark sheets or licence certificates do not count as proof of the degree.24

INBDE

Passed before the deadline

You must take and pass the INBDE (or NBDE Parts 1 and 2) by the June deadline. You cannot apply now and test later. The committee reviews files holistically, so more than one attempt does not disqualify you.4 Our INBDE Premium Boards course is built for this timeline.

TOEFL

4.5 on the new format, most recent score

Everyone takes the TOEFL, US citizens included, with no exemptions. Only scores from January 21, 2026 onwards count, and Pacific uses your most recent score: a lower retake replaces a higher one. MyBest scores are not accepted. Send scores to ADEA with code B451.24 Retake only when you are ready. See our TOEFL course for dentists.

ECE

ECE course-by-course, GPA 2.0+

Pacific accepts only ECE, not WES. If ECE gives two averages, Pacific uses the comprehensive one, never the best-result one. A GPA of 1.99 or lower makes you ineligible.45 Read WES or ECE: which one you need.

Letters

Three letters, hand signed

At least two from dental professionals you worked with or learned from. No dean’s letter is needed. Each letter must be on letterhead, include the writer’s contact details, and carry a hand signature: digital signatures are rejected. You may add one optional fourth letter from a dental professional.2 For the 2026-27 cycle, letters dated before January 2025 were not considered.3 Our letters of recommendation guide covers who to ask.

CV

A dental CV through an online form

After you pay the $100 fee, Pacific emails you a form for your dental CV. Only experience gained after your dental degree is scored. Pacific calls the CV the primary tool its committee uses for review, and you cannot update it after you submit.410 Start with our CAAPID CV guide.

Casper is required tooCasper is an online, scenario-based test of communication, ethics, empathy and decision-making. The registration link arrives by email after you pay the $100 fee, and test dates run during the application window, March to June. Your file is not complete until Casper is done.2

Check yourself

Am I ready to apply to the Dugoni School?

Tick each item you already have. The counter shows how close you are.

Your readiness

Missing the INBDE? Start there, because Pacific will not review your file without a pass. Missing letters, CV or statement? Our Master the CAAPID Application program builds them with you.

From application to offer

How the Dugoni School selects IDS students

Five steps, in the order Pacific lists them.23

Submit ADEA CAAPID earlyPacific only accepts applications through CAAPID, including from returning applicants. ADEA can take more than two weeks to release your file to Pacific, so do not wait for deadline week.4 Our CAAPID login and application walkthrough covers every screen.
Pay the $100 Dugoni fee, then finish the CV form and CasperPay only after your CAAPID application is submitted, because the fee is non-refundable and ADEA fee waivers do not cover it. The payment triggers the CV form and the Casper link.
Wait for the completeness emailProcessing takes 2 to 3 weeks. An application status email marked COMPLETE means your file is with the committee. Pacific accepts no extra documents or updates after that.
Interview in person in San FranciscoPacific emails every applicant about interview status. Invited candidates come to the San Francisco campus in mid-to-late October. The interview is required for admission.
Offer, then the conditionsFinal decisions go out in late November. Offers are conditional on the enrollment deposit, a background check, a medical examination and any other conditions in your offer letter.2
No bench test this cycle, but keep your hands readyPacific will not require a technical exam for the 2026-2027 cycle, and it confirms this for this cycle only.3 Check again before you apply next year. Most applicants also apply to schools that do test hand skills, so see the bench test exercises by school and what the dental bench test is.

What the two years look like

The 24 months run as eight ten-week quarters. Preclinical work in the simulation lab fills the first two quarters, and you start seeing patients in the second quarter. You start at about 8 clinic hours a week in October, rising to 15 in January and 18 in April. In the second year you spend about 33 hours a week in clinic and rotate through extramural sites. IDS students are held to the same competency standards as the school’s 36-month DDS students.6

San Francisco or Sacramento

Two campuses, one application

Pacific now runs two IDS cohorts each July. Tap a campus to compare.

The Dugoni School’s home at 155 Fifth Street in downtown San Francisco, with simulation labs and research facilities. Second-year students treat patients at extramural sites around the Bay Area.16

The newer IDS cohort at the Pacific Health Care Collaborative in Sacramento. The curriculum mirrors San Francisco, tuition is the same, and extramural rotations are local to the Sacramento area.46

You apply once and state your preferred campus in CAAPID. You cannot change that answer after you submit, but invited candidates are asked again before final decisions, and Pacific does not guarantee your first choice.4

Plan your year

The Dugoni IDS application timeline

The 2026 cycle has closed. Use it as the pattern, then plan the next one.

March 5, 2026CAAPID opens for PacificApplications for the IDS Class of 2029.3
June 12, 2026Hard deadline, 11:59 pm EasternScores, letters, fees, CV form and Casper must all be in. No exceptions.34
June to SeptemberCommittee reviewComplete files are reviewed through August or September.3
Late August to early SeptemberInterview status by emailEvery applicant hears on a set date.3
Mid-to-late October 2026Interview week in San FranciscoIn person, by invitation only.3
Late November 2026Final decisionsSent to all interviewed candidates.3
Early July 2027Program startsGraduation follows in June 2029.311

FirstPass the INBDEPacific will not review your file without a pass. Our INBDE course is built to get you there in 3 to 4 months of steady work.
AlongsideTake the TOEFL and order ECEAim for 4.5 or higher on your first sitting, because your latest score is the one Pacific uses.
NextRequest your lettersAsk for recent, hand-signed letters on letterhead. Give each writer plenty of notice.
Before CAAPID opensWrite your statement and list your CV detailsThe CV form cannot be updated later, so gather every course, job and certificate first.
When the cycle opensSubmit CAAPID, pay $100, book CasperPacific has not yet posted next-cycle dates. In 2026 the window ran March 5 to June 12.
Before invitations arrivePractise for the interviewInvitations went out in late summer in 2026, with interviews in October.

For the full year-by-year picture across schools, read our INBDE and CAAPID timeline for international dentists.

UOP dentistry tuition

What the Dugoni IDS program costs, and how people pay for it

Pacific’s official 2026-2027 estimated cost of attendance for the IDS program.7

Year 1$206,312
Tuition $135,700
Fees
Living
Year 2$192,446
Tuition $135,700
Fees
Living
TuitionKit, instruments, insurance and feesLiving allowance

Year 1 line by line

Tuition$135,700
Dental kit$14,736
Health insurance$5,048
Instrument management fee$3,840
Optical loupes$1,300
Student health center fee$1,200
Smaller fees (technology, rental kit, lab, associations and others)$1,924
Direct costs$163,748
Living allowance ($3,547 a month)$42,564
Pacific estimate, Year 1$206,312

The full picture

Year 1 cost of attendance$206,312
Year 2 cost of attendance$192,446
Two years at 2026-27 rates$398,758

The living allowance assumes shared housing and covers only you, not a spouse or children.7 Getting to the offer costs extra: the ADEA CAAPID fee is $264 for your first program and $115 for each additional one, Pacific adds $100, and the INBDE costs $1,325 for international candidates.12213 Pacific says tuition rises have averaged about 2 percent a year, so check the current figures before you budget.7

How international dentists pay for itOnly US citizens and permanent residents qualify for federal aid. Pacific says some private loans are available to visa students who have a creditworthy co-signer who is a US citizen or permanent resident. It also offers limited scholarships, and every admitted IDS student gets a financial aid consultation before starting.48 That is normal, and about 90% of Pacific students take out some type of loan.8 The usual routes are private education loans, a co-signer who is a US citizen or green-card holder, and a few international lenders that need no co-signer, often with family funds. Across US programs, the all-in cost of becoming a US dentist usually lands between about $250,000 and $450,000, and Pacific sits in that range. For the I-20, you show funds for your full first year, through a bank letter dated within six months or a loan approval letter from a non-government lender.9 Our breakdown of whether becoming a US dentist is worth it walks through the numbers.

How to prepare: our full plan

How to prepare for every Dugoni stage

Each stage of the Pacific process has its own plan. US-licensed dentists answer your questions, not AI.

INBDE

Pass the INBDE first

INBDE Premium Boards: 12 sequenced course sections, 35,000+ focused questions, 8-hour Grand Tests and a nightly live test at 9 PM New York time. 99% of students who complete the course pass on their first attempt, and the Pass Guarantee refunds your course fee and INBDE registration fee if you finish on time, score 60%+ on every TSB test and still do not pass.14

See the INBDE Blueprint

CAAPID

Build the CV Pacific scores

Master the CAAPID Application: your personal statement, a review of all three letters, your CV with Dr. Kaur, a profile and school strategy session with Dr. T, and three mock interviews. $1,800 for one application cycle, limited to 40 students. Because Pacific scores the CV form so heavily, this is where the work pays most.

See the CAAPID Program

Interview

Get ready for San Francisco

Three live online sessions with Dr. Slesnick and Dr. T: two before your invitations, one after your first real interview, covering behavioral and MMI-style questions and school-specific preparation. $1,100. Warm up with the five toughest dental school interview questions.

See Interview Prep

TOEFL

Clear 4.5 in one sitting

A 45-day, mentor-reviewed TOEFL iBT course built on the January 2026 format, with 80+ reading tests, 40+ listening sets, 50+ writing drills and 80+ speaking recordings. $499. It matters more at Pacific, where a weaker retake replaces a stronger score.

See the TOEFL Course

Bench

Train for the schools that test hands

Pacific skips the bench test this cycle, but most of your other schools will not. The Bench Test Course with Dr. Kaur ($1,100) covers the preparations schools set most, with your work marked against school criteria.

See Bench Test Prep

Shortlist

Apply to more than one school

With 57 seats, Pacific should be one school on your list, not the only one. Compare programs in our US dental schools guide and the Advanced Standing hub.

Shortlist Your Programs

Keep your options open

Other routes if Pacific is not the right fit

Passing the INBDE opens more than one door. These are the four main routes for international dentists in the US.

Advanced Standing at other schoolsTwo to three years to a DDS or DMD, through ADEA CAAPID. See all programs in our Advanced Standing hub.
AEGD residencyThrough ADEA PASS. Some states give a limited licence after an AEGD; the rules vary by state. Read the AEGD guide.
Specialty residencyApply directly through ADEA PASS. More competitive. See CAAPID or PASS.
TeachingFaculty and teaching roles at US dental schools, where your clinical experience counts.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Dugoni IDS program?
24 months, full time, five days a week, in eight quarters. It starts in early July, and graduates receive a DDS degree. The class entering in July 2027 graduates in June 2029.
What does the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry IDS program cost?
For 2026-27, IDS tuition is $135,700 a year. Pacific’s full estimated cost of attendance, including the dental kit, insurance, fees and a living allowance, is $206,312 for Year 1 and $192,446 for Year 2, about $398,758 in total.
Does the Dugoni School of Dentistry have a bench test?
Not for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle. Pacific states that it will not require a technical exam this cycle, so check its How and When to Apply page before you apply next year. The in-person interview in San Francisco is still required.
What TOEFL score does UOP dentistry need for IDS?
A minimum of 4.5 overall on the new TOEFL format. Scores from before January 21, 2026 are not accepted, MyBest scores are not accepted, and Pacific uses only your most recent score. No applicant is exempt.
Can I apply before I pass the INBDE?
No. You must pass the INBDE (or NBDE Parts 1 and 2) by the June deadline. Pacific reviews files holistically, so needing more than one attempt does not disqualify you.
Can international students get loans for the Dugoni IDS program?
Not federal loans, unless you are a US citizen or permanent resident. Pacific says some private loans are open to visa students with a US citizen or permanent-resident co-signer, and it offers limited scholarships. Many dentists combine private loans, co-signed loans, lenders that need no co-signer, and family funds.
Step one for Pacific

Pass the INBDE on your first attempt

Pacific will not review your file without an INBDE pass. 99% of our students who complete INBDE Premium Boards pass on their first attempt, with US-licensed dentists answering their questions.

35,000+ questions12 course sectionsNightly 9 PM NY live testsPass Guarantee

See the Blueprint

Planning to apply to the Dugoni School? Let us map your year.

Tell us where you are: INBDE, TOEFL, ECE, letters or your CV. Our Admin Team with Dr. T and Dr. Kaur will contact you over WhatsApp.

Message the Admin Team on WhatsApp

References

  1. University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. International Dental Studies: program overview, seats, Class of 2026 TOEFL and ECE averages (checked 14 October 2026). pacific.edu
  2. Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. IDS Admissions Requirements (checked 14 October 2026). pacific.edu
  3. Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. IDS Program: How and When to Apply, 2026-2027 cycle (checked 14 October 2026). pacific.edu
  4. Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. IDS Frequently Asked Questions (checked 14 October 2026). pacific.edu
  5. ADEA CAAPID Program Finder. University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry (last updated 20 February 2026; checked 14 October 2026). programs.adea.org
  6. University of the Pacific. Academic Catalog 2026-27: International Dental Studies (checked 14 October 2026). catalog.pacific.edu
  7. Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. Dental Programs Cost of Attendance: 2026-2027 Estimated Cost of Attendance, IDS Program (checked 14 October 2026). pacific.edu
  8. Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. Financial Aid and Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements (checked 14 October 2026). pacific.edu; pacific.edu
  9. Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. International Students and Scholars: I-20 and Certification of Finances (checked 14 October 2026). dental.pacific.edu
  10. Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. IDS Dental Curriculum Vitae Submission Instructions (PDF, checked 14 October 2026). pacific.edu
  11. Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. IDS 2026-27 Cycle Application Guide (PDF, checked 14 October 2026). pacific.edu
  12. American Dental Education Association. ADEA CAAPID: Prepare to Apply, 2026-27 application fees (checked 14 October 2026). adea.org
  13. Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE). INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide: examination fee and non-CODA processing fee. jcnde.ada.org
  14. The Study Boards. INBDE Premium Boards Course Blueprint: course structure, first-attempt results of students who complete the course, Pass Guarantee. parmjitllc.com

Current as of October 2026. The Dugoni School sets its own requirements, fees and dates each cycle and may change them without notice; confirm them with the school and on ADEA CAAPID before you apply. The Study Boards is not affiliated with the University of the Pacific, ADEA or the JCNDE.

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