Overview

The Advanced Standing International Student Program (ISP) offers dentists who earned a bachelor's degree in dentistry outside of the United States the opportunity to earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree. Graduates of this two-year, accelerated DDS program may take any state or regional board, and thus are eligible for licensure to practice in the US.

The Advanced Standing International Student Program (ISP) accepts 40 internationally-trained dentists each year. CU Dental is committed to attracting highly qualified students from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences and has accepted students from over 50 different countries. We use a holistic review process when considering applicants by reviewing a number of factors including academic credentials, TOEFL score, community engagement, letters of recommendation. Interview and Hand skills test (Bench exam) are invitation-only.

Admission Requirements

• ​Dental degree from an international dental program accredited by the respective country (Provisional degrees are not accepted)
• Pass Parts I and 2 of the National Dental Board Exam OR the ​Integrated National Board Dental Exam (INBDE)
• TOEFL Score of 94 or better (No exceptions are made regardless of native language or courses taken) 
• CASPER IS NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR THE 2024-2025 APPLICATION CYCLE.

We do not grant exceptions to any of the above items under any circumstances.

Curriculum

The Advanced Standing International Student Program​ ​(ISP) consists of didactic courses supported by on-line resources, preclinical simulated courses and clinical courses involving direct patient care in the school's clinics.

First Year

The ISP program is a hybrid program where ISP students take some of their courses with just their ISP cohort and other courses with the traditional dental students. This has been designed specifically to fast-track courses that incoming advanced standing students will already have taken. In particular, the first semester and part of the second semester are spent in fast-paced and intensive pre-clinical courses, both didactic and simulated labs. ISP students begin their first patient experience during the 5th month of school.

Among the courses specifically designed and compressed for ISPs are restorative dentistry, occlusion, complete and removable prosthodontics, fixed prosthodontics, endodontic laboratory, esthetic dentistry, oral radiology. Additionally, students take multiple lecture courses alongside second and third year dental students including clinical dental pharmacology, implant dentistry, orofacial pain, oral surgery, infection control, diagnostic radiology, pediatric dentistry, pain control and medical emergencies

After completing transition clinic in spring, beginning in summer, the students are assigned patients for comprehensive care typically starting with oral diagnosis and treatment planning. Rotations are held for oral surgery and emergency dental care. The time spent in the clinic is integrated with the traditional students. Students also participate in a case presentation seminar where ISP 2 students present treatment plans and patient cases to their faculty and peers..

Advanced standing international dentist students take a course in communication and behavior change in order to enhance their understanding and practice of patient interactions and expectations in North American dental settings.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Spring		Hours
DISP 7100	Principles of Direct and Indirect Restorations Didactic	0.1-5
DISP 7101	Principles of Direct and Indirect Restorations Lab	0.1-5
DISP 7102	Occlusion	0.1-5
DISP 7103	Occlusion Laboratory	0.1-5
DISP 7107	Clinical Dental Materials	0.1-5
DISP 7111	Complete and Removable Prosthodontics 1	0.1-5
DISP 7112	Cariology	0.1-5
DISP 7114	Complete and Removable Prosthodontics Lab 1	0.1-5
DISP 7121	Endodontics 1	0.1-5
DISP 7122	Periodontology 3	0.1-5
DISP 7123	Periodontology 3 Laboratory - Section 1	0.1-5
DISP 7124	Clinical Dental Pharmacology	0.1-5
DISP 7125	Pain Control 1 (Local Anesthesia)	0.1-5
DISP 7126	Prevention and Management of Medical Emergencies	0.1-5
DISP 7129	Introduction to Clinical Dentistry	0.1-5
DISP 7130	Oral Radiology	0.1-5
DISP 7131	Oral Radiology Lab	0.1-5
DISP 7160	Managing Your ISP Student Practice	0.1-5
DISP 7163	Transition Clinic for ISP Students	0.1-5
	Hours	1.9000000000000006-95
	Total Hours	1.9000000000000006-95

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Summer		Hours
DISP 7113	Complete and Removable Prosthodontics 2	0.1-5
DISP 7114	Complete and Removable Prosthodontics Lab 1	0.1-5
DISP 7132	Diagnostic Radiology	0.1-5
DISP 7134	Endodontics 2	0.1-5
DISP 7140	Pediatric Dentistry 1	0.1-5
DISP 7202	Case Presentation 1	0.1-5
DISP 7203	Fixed Prosthodontics	0.1-5
DISP 7204	Fixed Prosthodontics Laboratory	0.1-5
DISP 7205	Comprehensive Patient Care Clinic A	0.1-5
DISP 7216	Seminars in Restorative Dentistry	0.1-5
DISP 7220	Pain Control 2 (Nitrous Oxide Analgesia)	0.1-5
DISP 7231	Assessment of the Dental Patient	0.1-5
DISP 7232	Clinical Oral Diagnosis	0.1-5
DISP 7309	Communication & Person-Centered Care	0.1-5
DISP 7320	Oral and Maxillfacial Surgery 2	0.1-5
DISP 7321	Periodontology 4	0.1-5
DISP 7712	Dental Ethics and Professionalism	0.1-5
	Hours	1.7000000000000004-85
	Total Hours	1.7000000000000004-85

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall		Hours
DISP 7164	MEDICALLY COMPLEX DENTAL CARE	.1-10
DISP 7211	Endodontics 1 Laboratory	0.1-5
DISP 7240	Pediatric Dentistry 2	0.1-5
DISP 7300	Case Presentation 2,Case Presentation	0.1-5,1.8
DISP 7301	Comprehensive Care Clinic B	0.1-5
DISP 7310	Implant Dentistry	0.1-5
DISP 7314	Esthetic Dentistry	0.1-5
DISP 7318	Critical Thinking and Patient Care Seminar	0.1-5
DISP 7320	Oral and Maxillfacial Surgery 2	0.1-5
DISP 7323	Dental Pain and Emergencies	0.1-5
DISP 7328	Clinical Periodontics	0.1-5
DISP 7330	Oral Pathology I	0.1-5
DISP 7331	Clinical Oral Diagnosis	0.1-5
DISP 7335	Clinical Fixed Prosthodontics	0.1-5
DISP 7336	Clinical Operative Dentistry	0.1-5
DISP 7337	Clinical Removable Prosthodontics	0.1-5
DISP 7340	Pediatric Dentistry 3	0.1-5
DISP 7380	Adult Special Health Care Need Dentistry	0.1-5
DISP 7708	Dental Materials Seminar	0.1-10
DISP 7710	Behavioral Health Sciences	0.1-5
DISP 7711	Gerontology & Geriatric Health Care	0.1-5
	Hours	2.1000000000000005-111.8
	Total Hours	2.1000000000000005-111.8

Second Year

During the second year, students continue to practice comprehensive patient care. Additionally, students take multiple courses in hospital dentistry, oral pathology, clinical oncology, public health and orthodontics some alongside second and third year dental students.

In the second year, students begin preparing for state or regional board examinations in order to become licensed dentists in the United States. Depending on where the student will practice after graduation will dictate when and where the tests take place. Special activities are held for preparation for state licensure. The ADEX board examination is offered at our school, in spring and fall. Please note, board exams are subject to change.

Optional Curriculum

ISP students also have some additional elective credits and research projects that they can opt to pursue. Students participate in these based upon their interests, as well as the amount of time they can dedicate above the required curriculum. They are not a part of the standard curriculum and can occur throughout their time of study, however, it is highly recommended that they not begin until after the first semester. These include a global health dentistry course, our Advanced Clinical Training Service Program (ACTS), and research.

Plan of Study Grid

Second Year
Spring		Hours
DISP 8100	Case Presentation 3	0.1-5
DISP 8101	Comprehensive Patient Care Clinic C	0.1-5
DISP 8116	Critical Appraisal of Translational Literature	0.1-5
DISP 8120	Endodontics 3	0.1-5
DISP 8123	Clinical Endodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8124	Clinical Periodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8125	Clinical Oral Maxillofacial Surgery	0.1-5
DISP 8130	Clinical Oncology	0.1-5
DISP 8131	Oral Pathology 2	0.1-5
DISP 8133	Clinical Oral Diagnosis	0.1-5
DISP 8135	Clinical Operative Dentistry	0.1-5
DISP 8136	Clinical Fixed Prosthodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8137	Clinical Removable Prosthodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8140	Clinical Pediatric Dents	1.5
DISP 8160	Dental Ethics and Jurisprudence	0.1-5
DISP 8161	Dental Practice Management & Leadership	0.1-5
DISP 8162	Dental Practice Planning	0.1-5
DISP 8176	Community Public Health 3	0.1-5
DISP 8203	Special Care Clinic A	0.1-5
DISP 8209	Advanced and Digital Prosthodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8612	Orofacial Pain	0.1-5
	Hours	3.5000000000000004-101.5
	Total Hours	3.5000000000000004-101.5

Plan of Study Grid

Second Year
Summer		Hours
DISP 8125	Clinical Oral Maxillofacial Surgery	0.1-5
DISP 8200	Case Presentation 4	0.1-5
DISP 8201	Comprehensive Patient Care Clinic D	0.1-5
DISP 8206	Special Care Clinic B	0.1-5
DISP 8220	Clinical Endodontics,Clinuical Endodontics	0.1-5,0.3
DISP 8222	Clinical Periodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8225	Clinical Fixed Prosthodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8226	Clinical Operative Dentistry	0.1-5
DISP 8227	Clinical Removable Prosthodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8231	Clinical Oral Diagnosis	0.1-5
DISP 8240	Clinical Pediatric Dentistry	0.1-5
DISP 8251	Clinical Orthodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8258	Diagnosis of Orofacial Lesions	0.5-10
DISP 8350	Orthodontics	0.1-10
	Hours	1.8-75.3
	Total Hours	1.8-75.3

Plan of Study Grid

Second Year
Fall		Hours
DISP 8117	Critical Appraisal of Translational Literature II	0.1-5
DISP 8207	Special Care Clinic C	0.1-5
DISP 8300	Case Presentation 5	0.1-5
DISP 8301	Comprehensive Patient Care Clinic E	0.1-5
DISP 8310	Advanced Implant Prosthodontics Seminar	0.1-5
DISP 8321	Clinical Endodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8323	Clinical Periodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8325	Clinical Fixed Prosthodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8326	Clinical Operative Dentistry	0.1-5
DISP 8327	Clinical Removable Prosthodontics	0.1-5
DISP 8328	Clinical Oral Radiology	0.1-5
DISP 8330	Clinical Oral Diagnosis	0.1-5
DISP 8355	Clinical Emergencies	0.1-5
	Hours	1.3-65
	Total Hours	1.3-65

Graduation from the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine is contingent upon:

• Completion of all required courses with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.30
• Fulfillment of all legal and financial obligations to the University
• Removal of probationary status if on academic probation. In the situation where a student is placed on academic probation at the end of his/her last semester of their program, the student is given the opportunity to rectify academic deficiency/deficiencies needed to remove the probationary status. This may be accomplished by performing additional coursework as dictated by course director(s) and as approved by the SPC to allow the granting of a higher grade in select courses as needed to remove the student from academic probation. This may result in a lengthening of their academic program and a delay in their graduation from the SDM
• Recommendation for the degree by vote of the Faculty (Competency Review Board) of the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine

Student Learning Outcomes

• Evaluate and integrate emerging trends in health care
• Utilize critical thinking to evaluate and integrate best research outcomes with clinical expertise and patient values for evidence-based practice.

• Make professional decisions that satisfy legal, societal and ethical principles.
• Use self-evaluative skills to assess individual knowledge and abilities, to practice within the scope of one’s competence and make appropriate professional referrals, and to identify areas of deficiency to correct through lifelong learning.
• Collaborate effectively with other health professionals to facilitate the provision of overall health care.

• Apply appropriate interpersonal and communication skills to create a humanistic environment.
• Communicate effectively with diverse patients and other health care providers to ensure appropriate, patient-centered patient treatment.

• Provide prevention, intervention and educational strategies.
• Participate with dental team members and other health care professionals in the management and health promotion for all patients.
• Recognize and appreciate the need to contribute to the improvement of oral health beyond those served in traditional practice settings.

• Evaluate and apply regulatory agency requirements for dental practices such as infection control, HIPAA and environmental and office safety programs
• Apply principles of risk management including informed consent
• Demonstrate effective business practices, financial management and human resource skills

• Perform an examination that collects biological, psychological, clinical, radiographic and other diagnostic/consultative information required to evaluate the health, oral conditions, needs, and expectations of patients of all ages.
• Recognize, diagnose and interpret normal and abnormal conditions of the orofacial complex (to include oral cancer), occlusal and temporomandibular disease, craniofacial growth and development that require monitoring, treatment or management.
• Develop, present and discuss individual sequenced treatment plans for patients of all ages consistent with patient’s condition, interest, goals and capabilities.

• Anticipate, diagnose, and provide initial treatment and follow-up management for medical emergencies that may occur during dental treatment
• Recognize and manage dental emergencies to include acute pain, hemorrhage, trauma, and infection of the orofacial complex

Control of Pain and Anxiety

• Employ pharmacological agents and techniques to manage orofacial discomfort and psychological distress

• Diagnose, treatment plan, comprehensively treat, and maintain patients with periodontal disease in the primary, mixed, and permanent dentitions

Endodontic Therapy

• Diagnose and treat diseases of pulpal and periradicular origin in the primary, mixed, and permanent dentitions 

• Diagnose and treat conditions requiring reparative surgical procedures and non-surgical therapies on the hard and oral soft tissues

Restorative/Prosthodontic Therapy

• Provide single or multiple tooth restorations, with appropriate fixed or removable techniques, to restore anatomic form, function, and esthetics to patients of all ages.
• Continually analyze the outcomes of patient treatment to improve patient care.