University of Puerto Rico Advanced Placement Program for Internationally Trained Dentists: Requirements, Spanish Rule and Cost

  • Dr. T
  • October 16, 2026
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University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine · Program guide · Updated October 2026

University of Puerto Rico Advanced Placement Program for Internationally Trained Dentists: Requirements, Spanish Rule and Cost

The University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine (UPR SDM) runs an Advanced Placement Program for internationally trained dentists: a five-week summer course followed by the third and fourth years of dental school, 25 months in all, ending with a DMD degree. You apply through ADEA CAAPID plus a UPR supplemental application, with a pass on the INBDE or NBDE Part I.12

Before anything else, note the language rule: UPR requires Spanish proficiency, conducts the interview in Spanish, and says the program primarily targets dentists from Spanish-speaking dental schools.1

20places a year
25 monthssummer course, then D3 and D4
Spanishrequired; interview in Spanish
$200,095UPR’s two-year estimate incl. living

At a glanceWhat UPR looks forRequirementsAm I ready?Selection stepsCostHow to prepareOther routesFAQ
The 2026 window closes in October 2026The current cycle, for the class starting 1 June 2027, opened on 1 August 2026. ADEA CAAPID lists the deadline as 1 October 2026, while UPR’s own page gives 15 October.12 If you have not applied, email the program today ([email protected]) to ask whether your file can still be accepted. Otherwise plan for the next window, which UPR opens each year on 1 August.

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 want to know whether UPR fits them, and Spanish-speaking dentists for whom it may fit best.

The Study Boards

How The Study Boards helps you get into UPR’s Advanced Placement Program

  • INBDE first: UPR needs a pass on the INBDE or NBDE Part I. Our INBDE course gives you 35,000+ questions, faculty-made Modules and Master Files, the test series and nightly live tests at 9 PM New York time. 99% of students who complete the course pass on their first attempt.
  • Built around you: the courses are extremely personalised. Red lines and assignments are given on the go, the course learns from the way you study, and faculty assist you.
  • TOEFL: UPR requires the TOEFL iBT and “ample knowledge of English”. Our TOEFL course for dentists gets you a strong score.
  • Application, hands and interview: the CAAPID application program builds your essay and school list, bench test prep with Dr. Kaur covers the operative and crown work UPR tests, and interview prep with Dr. T helps you structure clinical answers (UPR’s interview itself is in Spanish).

Questions are answered by US-licensed dentists, not AI.

The facts in one place

UPR Advanced Placement Program at a glance

From UPR SDM’s program page, its 2026-27 cost estimate and its ADEA CAAPID listing, checked 15 October 2026.

ProgramAdvanced Placement Program for Internationally Trained DentistsMedical Sciences Campus, San Juan
Degree and lengthDMD, 25 months5-week summer course, then D3 and D4
Places20ADEA CAAPID listing
Next class starts1 June 2027Summer calibration course
How to applyCAAPID + UPR supplemental$50 supplemental fee
2026 cycle1 August to October 2026CAAPID: 1 Oct; UPR page: 15 Oct
Board examINBDE or NBDE Part IPass required
EnglishTOEFL iBT requiredNo minimum score published
SpanishRequiredAssessed at the interview
Credential reportECECAAPID listing also accepts WES
Minimum GPA2.00 on a 4.00 scale“Mandatory”
Interview and bench testBoth required$175 fee; by invitation only
Green card needed?NoOpen to international students
Tuition$60,000 a year2026-27 estimate
Two-year estimate$200,095Tuition, fees, instruments, living, insurance

Sources: UPR SDM program page, UPR cost estimate and ADEA CAAPID listing.123

Read this before you apply

What UPR focuses on

UPR SDM’s mission is to train dentists who serve “the people of Puerto Rico and the global community”. Its program page makes clear who it is built for.14

1

Spanish-speaking dentists firstThe program is open to US citizens, permanent residents and international students, but it “primarily targets” graduates of Spanish-speaking dental schools. You must be proficient in Spanish, and the interview is in Spanish.1

2

Patients in Puerto RicoYour D3 and D4 clinics serve a Spanish-speaking population. To practise in Puerto Rico after graduation, you must also meet the Puerto Rico Dental Board’s licensure rules.1

3

Grades and a broad educationA 2.00 GPA minimum is mandatory. UPR also lists 90 semester hours of pre-dental study, including Spanish and English, though candidates without them “will also be considered”.1

4

Hands-on skill“No candidate will be accepted without an interview and bench test.” UPR’s own preparatory course covers crown preparations, fixed prosthodontic restorations and operative restorations, which shows where the test’s focus lies.15

5

ResearchUPR presents itself as a leader in research on oral and systemic health and on the determinants of oral health.4

6

Faculty referencesUPR wants three letters, preferably from dental school faculty, and the CAAPID listing prefers one from your dean.12

Our advice: how to use this in your essays and interviewIf you speak Spanish, make it visible: say where you learned it, show any work with Spanish-speaking patients, and practise clinical answers in Spanish, since that is how you will be interviewed. Explain why Puerto Rico and its patients matter to you. If you do not speak Spanish, be realistic: UPR’s rules make this a poor fit, and your time is better spent on schools that interview in English. UPR does not publish a profile of past admits, so this is our advice from its stated rules.

What UPR asks for

Requirements in detail

Two parts: the ADEA CAAPID application and UPR’s own supplemental application.1

INBDE

INBDE or NBDE Part IA pass, with official results sent to CAAPID. For international candidates the INBDE costs $890 plus a $435 processing fee, $1,325 in total.128

TOEFL

TOEFL iBT, official reportRequired of all applicants. UPR publishes no minimum score, and student copies of score reports are not accepted.12

ECE

Credential evaluation and GPA 2.00UPR’s page points to ECE; the CAAPID listing accepts ECE or WES. ECE’s course-by-course report costs $199. You also send attested copies of your diploma and transcripts with English translation.127

3 LORs

Three letters of referencePreferably from dental school faculty, with one from your dean preferred.12

Docs

CV, essay and immigration statusA curriculum vitae, a personal statement and a copy of your visa or immigration status.1

$50

Supplemental applicationA non-refundable $50 UPR fee, on top of CAAPID’s $264 for the first program and $115 for each extra one. Invited candidates later pay $175 for the interview and bench test.16

Tick as you go

Am I ready to apply to UPR?

Tick each item. The first one decides whether UPR belongs on your list at all.

Help with the CAAPID screens: our CAAPID application walkthrough.

From application to first day

How UPR selects Advanced Placement students

Interviews are by invitation only; you cannot request one.1

CAAPID and supplemental applicationSubmit both, with the $50 fee, between 1 August and the October deadline.
Committee reviewThe Admissions Committee decides whom to invite. UPR calls admission “highly competitive”.
Interview in Spanish and bench testBoth on site, with a $175 administrative and clinical use fee. The bench test covers “a set of standard dental procedures”.
Summer calibration course from 1 June 2027Five weeks, then the D3 and D4 years.

The application cycle on a timeline

1 August 2026Window opensCAAPID and the UPR supplemental application.
1 to 15 October 2026DeadlineCAAPID lists 1 October; UPR’s page says 15 October.
Now: October 2026Window closingContact the program at once if you still hope to apply this cycle.
After the deadlineInvitationsInterview and bench test for selected candidates.
1 June 2027Program startsFive-week summer course, then D3.

For the next cycle, start now. Our INBDE and CAAPID timeline shows how to fit the INBDE and TOEFL in before August 2027.

UPR’s 2026-27 estimate

What UPR’s Advanced Placement Program costs

UPR publishes an estimate for the two years of study, including living costs for a student living in the San Juan metro area.3

2026-27 estimate Third year (11 months) Fourth year (10 months)
Tuition $60,000 $60,000
Tuition total with school fees $63,700 $63,600
Virtual library $2,059 $1,582
Instruments and supplies $7,000 $7,000
Student kit, loupes and laptop $12,306 –
Housing, transport and miscellaneous $18,602 $17,184
Interviews – $1,500
Health insurance (optional with proof of cover) $2,781 $2,781
Total $106,448 $93,647

That is $200,095 for the two years, living costs included. UPR notes the final amount is set with its Financial Aid Office at the interview.3

How people actually pay: loansBecoming a US dentist through Advanced Standing usually costs somewhere between $250,000 and $450,000 all-in, and UPR sits below that range. Even so, most students finance it with loans and repay them from a dentist’s income: private loans, co-signer loans with a US citizen or green-card holder, and a few international lenders that need no co-signer. UPR’s program page does not describe loans for international students, so ask the program which loans it accepts.

Weigh cost against income: is becoming a US dentist worth it?

We help with every stage

How to prepare: our full plan for UPR

Here is how The Study Boards prepares you for each part UPR judges.

INBDE

Pass the INBDE first timeOur INBDE Premium Boards course: 35,000+ questions, Modules and Master Files, test series and nightly live tests at 9 PM New York time. Plans are $299 for 3 months, $499 for 6 months, $899 for 12 months, or $39 a month.

  • Pass Guarantee: finish on time with no overdue days, score 60%+ on every test, and if you still do not pass, we refund the course fee and the exam registration fee.

See the INBDE Blueprint

Bench

Bench test prep with Dr. KaurCrown preparations and operative restorations are the core. Read what the bench test is, crown preparation for the bench test and how it is evaluated.

See Bench Test Prep

CAAPID

Essay, letters and school listMaster the CAAPID Application builds your personal statement, checks your three letters and plans a school list that fits your languages.

See the CAAPID Program

Interview

Interview prep with Dr. TThe 3-session program with Dr. Slesnick and Dr. T trains answer structure for clinical and ethical questions, useful in any language.

See Interview Prep

TOEFL

A strong TOEFL iBTOur TOEFL iBT course for dentists is a 45-day, mentor-reviewed program for the January 2026 format.

See the TOEFL Course

Keep your options open

Other routes if UPR is not the right fit

If Spanish rules UPR out, passing the INBDE still opens four routes.

1

Advanced Standing at another schoolTwo to three years to a DDS or DMD through ADEA CAAPID. Compare programs in our Advanced Standing programs guide and full list of US dental schools, and shortlist with the CAAPID directory method.

2

AEGD through ADEA PASSSome states give a limited licence after an AEGD; rules vary by state. See AEGD programs for international dentists.

3

A residency through PASSMore competitive for international applicants. Read CAAPID or PASS: how to pick.

4

TeachingSome international dentists join a US dental school in a faculty or academic role. Rules vary by school and state.

If you are also weighing Canada, the AFK route through the NDEB is the first step there.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

Can an Indian BDS graduate apply to the University of Puerto Rico’s Advanced Placement Program?
Yes, the program is open to international students and does not require a green card. But you must be proficient in Spanish, the interview is in Spanish, and UPR says the program primarily targets graduates of Spanish-speaking dental schools. Without Spanish, UPR is not a realistic choice.1
Do Pakistani dentists need the INBDE for UPR?
You need a pass on the INBDE, or on Part I of the old NBDE, reported to ADEA CAAPID. Since the NBDE has been retired, new applicants take the INBDE.12
Does UPR have a bench test?
Yes. No candidate is accepted without an interview and bench test. Invited candidates pay $175, and the test covers a set of standard dental procedures.1
What TOEFL score does UPR need?
UPR requires the TOEFL iBT for every applicant but does not publish a minimum score.1
How much does the UPR program cost?
UPR’s 2026-27 estimate is $106,448 for the third year and $93,647 for the fourth, $200,095 in total including living costs. Tuition is $60,000 a year.3
How does The Study Boards help with a UPR application?
The Study Boards prepares you for the INBDE, TOEFL, the CAAPID essay and school list, the bench test with Dr. Kaur and interview structure with Dr. T.
Advanced Standing Programs for International DentistsEvery US program compared in one place.Bench Test Exercises by SchoolWhat each CAAPID school asks you to prepare.

Not sure UPR fits you?

Our Admin Team with Dr. T and Dr. Kaur will contact you over WhatsApp. We will help you build a school list that matches your languages, scores and budget.

Message the Admin Team on WhatsApp

References

  1. University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine. Advanced Placement Program: requirements, dates, fees, interview and bench test. dental.rcm.upr.edu (checked 15 October 2026)
  2. ADEA CAAPID. University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine program listing (updated 18 June 2026). programs.adea.org (checked 15 October 2026)
  3. UPR Medical Sciences Campus. Advanced Placement Program: Estimated Fees and Expenses, Academic Year 2026-2027 (12 June 2026). dental.rcm.upr.edu (PDF) (checked 15 October 2026)
  4. UPR School of Dental Medicine. Mission and Vision. dental.rcm.upr.edu (checked 15 October 2026)
  5. UPR School of Dental Medicine. Preparatory Course for the Dental Clinical Simulation Bench Test. dental.rcm.upr.edu (checked 15 October 2026)
  6. ADEA. ADEA CAAPID applicants: 2026-27 fees. adea.org (checked 15 October 2026)
  7. Educational Credential Evaluators. Services and Fees. ece.org (checked 15 October 2026)
  8. JCNDE. INBDE Candidate Guide: $890 fee plus $435 non-CODA processing fee. jcnde.ada.org

Current as of 15 October 2026. Program details and costs come from the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine and ADEA CAAPID. Where the two differ (the deadline, the evaluator), we show both; confirm with UPR before you apply. This guide is independent and is not endorsed by the University of Puerto Rico.

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