US Residencies · The Study Boards
Orofacial Pain, Including TMJ Disorders 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 Orofacial Pain (TMJ) program in the ADEA PASS directory that says it will consider you.
0
Programs in PASS
0
Positions Listed
2 yrs
Program Length
0
Consider Non-CODA Grads
The Program
What Orofacial Pain (TMJ) Training Involves
Orofacial pain covers the diagnosis and management of pain disorders of the jaw, mouth, face, head and neck. That includes temporomandibular disorders, the problems most patients call “TMJ”, as well as nerve-related facial pain and headache. It became an ADA-recognised specialty in 2020.
Most programs run about two years. It is one of the most open fields for internationally trained dentists: nearly every program in PASS considers graduates of non-CODA dental schools.
Typical Length
24 months
Award
Certificate, 7 of 13 offer a master’s
In the Match?
No — apply directly
Specialty Organization
American Academy of Orofacial Pain
What you train in
- Diagnosis and management of temporomandibular disorders
- Neuropathic and other chronic facial pain
- Headache and sleep-related disorders as they affect the jaw and face
- Working with physicians, physiotherapists and psychologists
The Honest Answer
Can an International Dentist Apply?
What the PASS directory says
11 of the 13 Orofacial Pain (TMJ) programs listed in ADEA PASS say they will consider graduates of non-CODA dental schools. Of those, 7 sponsor a visa, 4 accept you if you arrange your own visa, and 0 only enrol US or Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The other 2 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.
What about the TMJ program in Florida?
The University of Florida’s Parker E. Mahan Facial Pain Center is well known for training many of today’s orofacial pain leaders, but it is not among the 13 orofacial pain programs currently listed in ADEA PASS. If you see short TMJ “mini-residency” courses advertised, those are continuing education, not accredited specialty training.
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. 6 of the 13 programs list the INBDE or the older NBDE among their required tests.
- Prove your English. 9 of the 13 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.
- Watch each program’s own timeline. Orofacial Pain (TMJ) programs are not part of the Postdoctoral Dental Match, so offers come directly from each program.
- 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 13 Orofacial Pain (TMJ) 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 6 of 13 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
Program Supplemental Fees
Varies
Varies
5 of the 13 programs charge their own fee on top of PASS. Check each listing.
Tuition or Stipend
3 of 13 pay a stipend
Info
The other 10 programs charge tuition, set by each program. Confirm the figure with the program before you apply.
Where You Can Apply
Orofacial Pain (TMJ) 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
Massachusetts
12 mo
Sponsors visa
Tuition
Louisiana State University Health New Orleans School of DentistryCertificate, Masters
Louisiana
24- mo
Sponsors visa
Tuition
University of Rochester Eastman Institute for Oral HealthCertificate, Masters
New York
24 mo
Sponsors visa
Tuition
North Carolina
24 mo
Own visa needed
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
Not among the 13 orofacial pain programs currently listed in PASS. The University of Florida’s Parker E. Mahan Facial Pain Center trained many of today’s leaders in the field, but it does not appear in the current PASS listings. Short TMJ “mini-residency” courses are continuing education, not accredited specialty training.
For 11 of the 13 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). 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.