SIU Dental School for International Dentists: The IAPP (2026 Guide)

  • Dr. T
  • October 16, 2026
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School guide · SIU School of Dental Medicine · Updated October 2026

SIU Dental School for International Dentists: The IAPP (2026 Guide)

Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine runs the International Advanced Placement Program (IAPP), a full-time program of at least 27 months that ends with a US DMD degree. You apply only through ADEA CAAPID; the last cycle opened on March 5, 2026 and closed on June 5, 2026, for a February 8, 2027 start in Alton, Illinois.

27months minimum, DMD degree
6-10places a year
94TOEFL iBT floor; 100 preferred
$450bench examination, blind-graded

Who this guide is for: Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Nepali dentists (BDS), and other internationally trained dentists aiming for a US DDS or DMD, who are considering SIU’s small program.

At a glanceWhat SIU looks forRequirementsSelection and timelineAm I ready?Cost and loansHow to prepareOther routesFAQ

How The Study Boards helps you get into SIU

  • INBDE first: our INBDE Premium Boards course gives you faculty-written Modules, Master Files, 35,000+ questions, subject and full-syllabus test series and nightly live tests at 9 PM New York time. Students who complete the course have a 99% first-attempt pass rate.
  • Personalised to you: the course is extremely personalised. It learns from the way you are studying, red lines and assignments are given to you on the go, and faculty are there to assist you.
  • TOEFL: SIU wants high speaking and listening scores. Our TOEFL course for dentists is built on the 2026 format.
  • Your CAAPID file: the Master the CAAPID Application program builds your personal statement, letters and CV, and plans your school list with Dr. T.
  • Bench test and interview: bench test preparation with Dr. Kaur for SIU’s wide bench examination, and interview preparation with Dr. T.
The facts in one place

SIU IAPP at a glance

From SIU’s own pages and the ADEA CAAPID listing, checked in October 2026.

International Advanced Placement Program (IAPP), Alton, Illinois
DegreeDMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine)2
Length27 months minimum, full time, Monday to Friday2
Start dateFebruary 8, 2027 (projected) for the current class2
Class size6 to 10 students; the IAPP Class of 2028 has six215
How to applyADEA CAAPID only (program ID 10250), then a $60 SIU fee23
Last deadlineJune 5, 2026; rolling review29
INBDEPass required; NBDE Parts I and II also accepted3
English testTOEFL iBT 94+, required of every applicant, no exceptions39
Credential evaluationECE course-by-course only39
Bench testYes, $450, on dentoforms with SIU’s own instruments45
InterviewOn campus, with the committee, on the bench test day4
Who can applyInternational applicants can apply; F-1 students show one year of funds for the I-20711
Tuition$22,329 + $87,998 + $87,998 = $198,3256
Total projected costAbout $308,849, including living costs in Alton6

What the 27 months look like

You start with the three-month Clinical Certification Course: a didactic review and intensive skills course that checks your hand skills, knowledge and treatment philosophy match your future classmates’. Pass it, and you join the junior class for the last two years of the DMD.28

Months 1 to 3Clinical Certification Course
Year 3Join the junior DMD class
Year 4Final year, then the DMD and US licensing exams

If a candidate cannot pass the Clinical Certification Course, SIU may replace them or ask for extra coursework before clinic.8 Graduates can sit state and regional licensing exams.2

Read this before you write a word

What SIU focuses on

SIU’s mission is to educate dentists and improve the oral health of the region through patient care, research and service. Its goals stress evidence-based education, critical thinking, ethics and better access to care in the region.10 On CAAPID it sums itself up as “small class size and extensive clinical experience.”11 Here is what it selects for, and our advice.

Hands, tested widely and blindThe bench examination can include operative and fixed prosthodontic preparations and restorations, an anterior endodontic access, a removable partial denture design and a bridge provisional. Several faculty grade it without knowing whose work it is.45Our advice: prepare every item on the list, not just crowns.
Spoken English94 is the floor, with recommended section scores of 22 reading, 22 listening, 26 speaking and 24 writing. SIU prefers 100+, with listening above 25 and speaking above 28.3Our advice: put extra weeks into speaking; that is the section SIU names.
Recent clinical workAt least one letter must come from a dental professional who worked with you in the 12 months before you apply, and all letters must be written in that window.3Our advice: keep working or observing in a clinic during your application year.
Grades, weighed with everything elseNo minimum GPA, but SIU says a higher GPA is looked on favourably and all factors are considered.9Our advice: if your GPA is modest, let the INBDE, TOEFL and bench work carry your file.
Early, complete filesReview is rolling, and SIU may invite extremely well-qualified applicants to interview early, as early as June.29Our advice: submit in March, not on June 5.
Evidence-based, ethical practiceSIU’s goals call for practitioners who think critically, value lifelong learning and show ethical decision-making and professionalism.10Our advice: in the interview, explain why you chose a treatment, citing evidence, not habit.

So, in your CAAPID file and interview, show thisClean, US-standard hand skills across operative, fixed, removable and endodontic work; current clinical activity; and confident spoken English. This is our advice, built from SIU’s stated criteria.

What SIU asks for

Requirements in detail

Only applications complete with every SIU requirement by June 5 are considered.3

A final dental degree, before you applyYou must have earned the degree and hold the final diploma when you apply. Provisional certificates are not accepted at acceptance.27

A passing INBDE resultOr NBDE Parts I and II. Only invited applicants send official scores, straight to SIU.3 The INBDE costs $1,325 for internationally trained dentists as of October 2026.14 Plan it with our INBDE and CAAPID timeline.

TOEFL iBT within two years, total 94 or moreEveryone takes it, including US citizens and people raised in English-speaking countries. Home Edition is accepted and MyBest scores are considered. SIU’s TOEFL code is B094.3 Below the recommended section scores you can still apply, but you are at a disadvantage.9

ECE course-by-course evaluationOf your dental school and any other colleges outside the US, submitted to CAAPID. No other evaluator is accepted.39 ECE charges $199.13

Three or four letters of evaluation, written within 12 monthsFrom people who can judge your dental knowledge, skill, character and potential; at least one from a dental professional who worked with you in the past 12 months. In English or certified translation, uploaded to CAAPID only.3 An observership can give you that recent letter.

Technical Standards form and $60 feeSIU emails instructions after it processes your CAAPID file. It does not accept extra material beyond what it asks for.39

From CAAPID to your first day

Selection steps and the application timeline

This is how the 2026 cycle ran. It is closed, and SIU has not posted the next cycle’s dates.

Before MarchGet the hard parts doneINBDE passed, TOEFL 94+, ECE ordered, a recent clinical letter lined up. Follow our CAAPID walkthrough.
March 5, 2026CAAPID opensReview is rolling, so earlier is better.2
After you submitTechnical Standards form and $60 fee3
From JuneInterview invitationsOnly the most highly qualified are invited. You then pay the $450 bench fee and send official TOEFL and board scores.23
June 5, 2026Deadline2
Interview dayInterview, campus tour and bench examinationSet-up at 1:00 pm, bench work from 1:30 to 4:30 pm. SIU supplies dentoforms, electric handpieces, instruments and new burs; personal instruments are not allowed. Bring your own eyewear or loupes.45
After all interviewsAcceptance or regret letterReply by the date given. Admission comes only from those who attended the bench examination.47
3 to 4 months before start$11,000 non-refundable depositApplied to the Clinical Certification Course fee. International students also submit a notarised bank letter for the I-20.7
February 8, 2027Clinical Certification Course begins2

Study the books SIU namesSIU’s protocol tells you to use Sturdevant’s operative text, Rosenstiel’s fixed prosthodontics text and Stewart’s removable partial prosthodontics text for acceptable preparation and design parameters.5 Read how schools evaluate your bench test too.

Self-check

Am I ready to apply to SIU?

Tick what is already done. Anything left unticked is your to-do list before next March.

SIU’s own figures

Cost and financing

SIU publishes projected costs for each stage, including living costs in the Alton area. The figures can change without notice. Tap a stage to see the numbers.6

Course fee$22,329
Instrument purchase kit$14,263
Total tuition and fees$36,592
Living costs, insurance, immunisations, other$7,425
Total projected cost$44,017

Tuition$87,998
Student, equipment, technology, insurance and kit fees$17,330
Total tuition and fees$105,328
Living costs ($19,517), transport, rotations, other$30,278
Total projected cost$135,606

Tuition$87,998
Student, equipment, technology, insurance and kit fees$13,029
Total tuition and fees$101,027
Living costs, licensing exams, boards, other$28,199
Total projected cost$129,226

Tuition, all stages$198,325
Tuition and fees, all stages$242,947
Total projected cost$308,849

Our sum of SIU’s projected figures, which already include living costs and a clinical licensing exam allowance.

Before you are accepted, budget for the INBDE ($1,325), the CAAPID fee ($264 for the first program, $115 for each extra one), the ECE report ($199), SIU’s $60 fee and the $450 bench fee, plus your TOEFL.3121314 See what it costs to apply to US dental schools.

How international dentists pay for it

Advanced Standing usually costs roughly $250,000 to $450,000 all-in, and SIU’s projected total of about $309,000 sits in the middle of that range. Almost everyone finances it with loans, so do not let the number stop you.

SIU notes that federal financial aid is only for US citizens and eligible non-citizens.6 Across the US, the common routes for everyone else are private loans, co-signer loans with a US citizen or green-card holder, and a few international lenders that need no co-signer. Plan the $11,000 deposit and the one-year proof of funds early.7

Read is becoming a US dentist worth it for the full picture.

We prepare you for each step

How to prepare: our full plan

SIU judges your INBDE, TOEFL, letters, hands and interview. Here is how The Study Boards prepares you for each.

INBDE

INBDE Premium BoardsPassed before SIU’s March window opens:

  • Faculty-written Modules, Master Files and 35,000+ questions, answered by US-licensed dentists, not AI
  • Subject, cumulative and full-syllabus test series, plus nightly live tests at 9 PM New York time
  • 99% first-attempt pass rate for students who complete the course, and a Pass Guarantee
  • $299 for 3 months, $499 for 6 months, $899 for 12 months, or $39 a month

See the INBDE Course Blueprint

Hands

Bench test preparation with Dr. KaurFor SIU’s preparations:

  • Seven live video sessions: Class II amalgams, three crown types, a bridge, and Class II and III composites
  • Your own preparations critiqued by US-licensed faculty, then a competency exam
  • The course covers preparations only; practise SIU’s provisional, RPD design and access cases alongside it

See Bench Test Preparation

TOEFL

TOEFL iBT course for dentistsFor SIU’s speaking and listening targets:

  • 45 days, mentor-reviewed, built on the 2026 TOEFL format
  • Practice for every new speaking and listening task

See the TOEFL Course

CAAPID

Master the CAAPID ApplicationYour written file, built with our faculty:

  • Personal statement, letter review and CV, reviewed by a 5-faculty bench
  • Profile and school-list strategy with Dr. T
  • 3 mock interview sessions included

See the CAAPID Program

Interview

Interview preparation with Dr. TFor an on-campus committee interview:

  • The 3-session program with Dr. Slesnick and Dr. T: two before your invites, one after your first real interview
  • Or a one-on-one session with Dr. T

See Interview Preparation

Call

Not sure where you stand?Share your INBDE status, TOEFL section scores and recent clinical work, and we will tell you honestly whether to aim for SIU’s next cycle.

Book a 10-minute call with Dr. T

Keep your options open

Other routes if SIU is not the right fit

Six to ten places a year is small, so most dentists apply to several programs.

DDS/DMD

Advanced Standing elsewhereOther US schools run 2 to 3 year programs to a DDS or DMD, mostly through ADEA CAAPID. Compare them in our full list of US dental schools and the Advanced Standing programs guide.

AEGD

AEGD programsSome states give a limited licence after an AEGD; the rules vary by state. You apply through ADEA PASS. See AEGD programs for international dentists.

PASS

Residency directlySpecialty residencies through ADEA PASS. This is more competitive for internationally trained dentists. Read CAAPID or PASS to choose.

Teach

TeachingSome dentists start in teaching and research roles at dental schools while they plan their next step.

If you are also weighing Canada, the AFK route through the NDEB is the first step there. Our NDEB AFK exam guide explains it.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

Can an Indian BDS graduate apply to SIU’s International Advanced Placement Program?
Yes. The IAPP is for graduates of international dental schools who hold their final diploma. You need the INBDE, a TOEFL iBT of 94 or more, an ECE report and three recent letters. If you need an F-1 visa, you show one year of funds for the I-20 after acceptance.
Do Pakistani dentists need the INBDE for SIU?
Yes. SIU requires a pass on the INBDE, or on NBDE Parts I and II, from every applicant.
Does SIU waive the TOEFL?
No. SIU says every applicant must take it, even US citizens and people raised in English-speaking countries. There are no exceptions.
What is on the SIU bench test?
Procedures are chosen from a list: posterior amalgam and full cast crown preparations, a removable partial denture design, an anterior endodontic access, a Class III preparation, Class II amalgam and Class III or IV composite restorations, and a bridge preparation with its provisional. It runs from 1:30 to 4:30 pm with SIU’s own instruments and is graded blind.
How much does the SIU IAPP cost?
SIU projects about $308,849 in total, including tuition of $198,325 and living costs in the Alton area. There is also an $11,000 deposit, applied to the first course fee.
When is the next SIU IAPP deadline?
The 2026 cycle opened on March 5 and closed on June 5, 2026, for a February 8, 2027 start. SIU has not posted the next dates; apply early in the cycle because review is rolling.
Your SIU application starts with the INBDE

INBDE Premium Boards by The Study Boards

Modules, Master Files, test series and nightly live tests at 9 PM New York time, with US-licensed dentists answering your questions. Finish on time, score 60% or more on every course test and still do not pass? The Pass Guarantee refunds the course and your exam registration fee.

35,000+ questions99% first-attempt pass rateNightly live testsPass Guarantee

See the Blueprint

Bench Test Exercises by SchoolWhat other schools on your list ask you to prepare.What Is the Dental Bench Test?The basics, before you start practising.

Planning to apply to SIU?

Message The Study Boards on WhatsApp. Our Admin Team with Dr. T and Dr. Kaur will contact you over WhatsApp and help you plan your INBDE, TOEFL, bench test and CAAPID around SIU’s next cycle.

Message the Admin Team on WhatsApp

References

  1. SIU School of Dental Medicine. International Advanced Placement Program: overview. siue.edu
  2. SIU School of Dental Medicine. IAPP Program Information: length, dates, class size, application process. siue.edu
  3. SIU School of Dental Medicine. Requirements to Apply: TOEFL, boards, letters, ECE, fees. siue.edu
  4. SIU School of Dental Medicine. Interviews and Bench Examination. siue.edu
  5. SIU School of Dental Medicine. IAPP Bench Test Format and Protocol (PDF). siue.edu
  6. SIU School of Dental Medicine. Projected Costs of the IAPP. siue.edu
  7. SIU School of Dental Medicine. Acceptance and Matriculation Requirements: deposit, financial verification. siue.edu
  8. SIU School of Dental Medicine. Clinical Certification Course. siue.edu
  9. SIU School of Dental Medicine. IAPP FAQ. siue.edu
  10. SIU School of Dental Medicine. Mission, Vision and Goals. siue.edu
  11. ADEA CAAPID. Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine program listing (updated July 28, 2026). programs.adea.org
  12. ADEA. ADEA CAAPID: Prepare to Apply, 2026-27 application fees. adea.org
  13. Educational Credential Evaluators. ADEA CAAPID Application Instructions. ece.org
  14. Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide: fees. jcnde.ada.org
  15. SIU School of Dental Medicine. About the School: news, White Coat Ceremony for IAPP Class of 2028. siue.edu

Current as of October 2026. Program details, dates and costs are from Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine and ADEA CAAPID; projected costs can change without notice. Confirm everything with the IAPP Admissions Team ([email protected]) before you apply. The Study Boards is not affiliated with Southern Illinois University.

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