CAAPID Program Finder: Compare Advanced Standing Programs

Compare every CAAPID advanced standing program in one place: seats, program length, TOEFL minimums, bench test, visa policy and cost. Free, no login.

The definitive comparison of every CAAPID advanced standing program — program length, seats, TOEFL minimums, bench test, visa policy, interview format, and cost. return ( Comparing All CAAPID Advanced Standing Dental Programs The resource that should have existed years ago — every major CAAPID advanced standing program compared across the dimensions that actually matter for your decision: program length, class size, TOEFL minimums, bench test requirement, visa policy, interview format, credential evaluator, and estimated cost. Choosing which CAAPID programs to apply to is not a ranking exercise. There is no best program in the abstract — there is the best program for your specific profile, visa status, geographic preferences, financial situation, and professional goals. The problem is that the information needed to make that decision is scattered across 30+ individual university websites, each formatted differently, each updated on its

own schedule, and none of them designed to help you compare across programs. The ADEA CAAPID Program Finder shows you requirements but doesn't let you sort by what matters most to you. This guide consolidates the key decision variables for every major CAAPID program into a single reference. It is organized so you can scan for the dimensions most important to your situation — whether that's visa eligibility, bench test preparation, program length, or application deadline — and then use DentPrep's school-specific guides for the programs that make your short list. All 47 CAAPID Programs at a Glance Every program on ADEA's CAAPID Program Finder for the 2026–27 cycle, with the numbers people actually filter on. Seats marked with an asterisk are ADEA's own estimates rather than fixed figures. Confirm dates before you rely on them. Deadlines and seat counts below are as published on the ADEA CAAPID Program Finder in August 2026 and apply to

the 2026–27 cycle. Programs change both, sometimes mid-cycle. Check the program's own page before building your list around any single date. Program. State. Degree. Seats. Length. 2026-27 deadline. A.T. Still Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health. MO. DMD. 10*. 28.5 mo. June 1, 2026. Boston University Henry M. Goldman. MA. DMD. 100. 24 mo. October 15, 2026. Columbia University. NY. DDS. 25*. 30 mo. August 1, 2026. Harvard School of Dental Medicine. MA. DMD. 8*. 29 mo. May 5, 2026. Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC. CA. DDS. 34. 24 mo. July 31, 2026. Howard University. DC. DDS. up to 10*. 24 mo. July 31, 2026. Indiana University. IN. DDS. 16*. 30 mo. May 15, 2026. Loma Linda University. CA. DDS. 32. 27 mo. June 1, 2026. Louisiana State University. LA. DDS. 5*. 36 mo. August 15, 2026. Marquette University. WI. DDS. up to 5*. 36 mo. January 1, 2027. Meharry Medical College. TN. DDS. 10. 24 mo. November 1, 2026. New York

University. NY. DDS. 30\u201340*. 28 mo. June 1, 2026. Nova Southeastern University. FL. DMD. 35. 39 mo. June 5, 2026. Ponce Health Sciences University. PR. DMD. 30. 26 mo. August 31, 2026. Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. NJ. DMD. 40. 27 mo. September 16, 2026. Southern Illinois University. IL. DMD. 6\u201310*. 27 mo. June 5, 2026. Temple University Kornberg. PA. DMD. 30. 24\u201336 mo. July 15, 2026. The Ohio State University. OH. DDS. 4. 28 mo. July 31, 2026. The University of Iowa. IA. DDS. up to 4*. 30 mo. July 31, 2026. The University of Texas at San Antonio. TX. DDS. 20. 29 mo. June 9, 2026. Touro College of Dental Medicine. NY. DDS. 5*. 24 mo. August 1, 2026. Tufts University. MA. DMD. 30\u201335*. 29 mo. May 29, 2026. University at Buffalo. NY. DDS. 20*. 24 mo. June 1, 2026. University of Alabama at Birmingham. AL. DMD. 24. 30 mo. April 30, 2026. University of California, Los Angeles. CA. DDS. 30. 25 mo. June 30, 2026.

University of California, San Francisco. CA. DDS. 20. 36 mo. June 15, 2026. University of Colorado. CO. DDS. 40. 24 mo. January 29, 2027. University of Florida (4-year DMD). FL. DMD. up to 2*. 45 mo. October 1, 2026. University of Illinois Chicago. IL. DMD. up to 52*. 28 mo. June 15, 2026. University of Louisville. KY. DMD. 1*. 28 mo. May 15, 2026. University of Michigan. MI. DDS. 20. 28 mo. May 30, 2026. University of Minnesota. MN. DDS. 18. 29 mo. March 26, 2026. University of Missouri\u2013Kansas City. MO. DDS. 9. 29 mo. June 1, 2026. University of Nebraska Medical Center. NE. DDS. 4\u20136*. 29 mo. June 1, 2026. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. NV. DDS. up to 12*. 24 mo. June 1, 2026. University of New England. ME. DMD. 2*. 29 mo. Not running in 2026–27. University of North Carolina, Adams. NC. DDS. 8. 29 mo. May 23, 2026. University of Oklahoma. OK. DDS. 18. 29 mo. June 5, 2026. University of Pennsylvania. PA. DMD. 20*. 29 mo. June

1, 2026. University of Pikeville \u2013 Tanner. KY. DMD. 10. 25.5 mo. October 1, 2026. University of Pittsburgh. PA. DMD. 5\u201310*. 24 mo. June 19, 2026. University of Puerto Rico. PR. DMD. 20. 25 mo. October 1, 2026. University of the Pacific, Dugoni. CA. DDS. 57. 24 mo. June 12, 2026. University of Washington. WA. DDS. 20*. 30 mo. June 1, 2026. UTHealth Houston. TX. DDS. 5. 27 mo. October 30, 2026. Virginia Commonwealth University. VA. DDS. 10. 33 mo. January 29, 2027. WesternU College of Dental Medicine. CA. DMD. 20. 26 mo. July 20, 2026. Twenty-two of these have a full DentPrep interview guide behind the program name — format, sample questions and, where we found them, applicant reports. The rest we are working through. The Critical Context Before You Compare Program Cost: $152,120 by One Estimate, Higher at Two Public Programs Student Loan Planner (updated May 28, 2026) puts the average international dentist program at $152,120

in tuition and fees , twice the ADA's 2024–25 average for a first-year non-resident student at a public dental school ($76,060), since “international students won’t qualify for resident rates.” It is an estimate, not an average of the advanced standing programs' own prices, and the two public programs whose costs we quote come in higher: CU Anschutz's ISP tuition and fees total $195,701 over two years (Class of 2028), and Buffalo's 2026–2027 estimate is a $95,000 summer program fee, then $72,420 a year in non-resident tuition. This figure does not include living expenses, which programs estimate separately: CU Anschutz's own estimate of ISP living expenses in Aurora, CO is $35,376 a year (Class of 2028), and Buffalo's 2026–2027 estimate includes $25,902 a year for housing, board, transportation and personal costs in each DDS year. Check each program's cost of attendance for its city. Non-US citizens are generally ineligible for federal

student aid. Private loans, institutional scholarships, and home-country financing are the primary funding sources. A few programs have institutional scholarships for international students — confirm availability directly. Visa Status: The Most Important Filter The single most important dimension for F-1 visa applicants is whether a program accepts international students at all. Several CAAPID programs restrict enrollment to US citizens and permanent residents. Applying to these programs on an F-1 visa is a disqualifying error that wastes application fees and time. Visa-Restricted Programs. Restricted to US citizens and permanent residents: Penn Dental Medicine PASS — explicit: "Only U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents are eligible to submit an application." UMKC — “Individuals residing in the United States on a visa are not eligible.” University of Florida (4-year DMD) — “you must be a U.S. citizen or have a permanent resident

(green card holder) with proof of status” (its ADEA entry). Columbia University CDM — states preference for US citizens/permanent residents. Confirm current policy directly. ADEA's finder (read October 7, 2026) also marks eight more programs as open only to US citizens and permanent residents: A.T. Still Missouri, Ohio State, UAB, Nebraska, New England, Oklahoma, Pikeville and UTHealth Houston. Pikeville's entry also admits applicants “otherwise legally authorized to study in the United States without requiring the F1 visa sponsorship from the university.” Open to F-1 visa holders (none of these is limited to citizens and permanent residents on ADEA's finder; confirm visa sponsorship with each program): NYU, BU, Harvard ASID, Tufts, Rutgers, Temple, UMN, UCSF, UCLA IDP, USC, CU Anschutz, UNC, Loma Linda, Nova SE, UNLV, Indiana, Pitt, Buffalo, Howard, UIC (applicants already living in the US on a visa status that allows study; not

tourist visas), and most Tier 3 programs. Important state licensure note: UNLV explicitly states: “A majority of states still require citizenship or permanent residency in order to apply for a dental license.” Completing a program on an F-1 visa does not guarantee you can practice in your state of choice after graduation. Research your target state's licensure requirements before committing to a program location. The January vs. Summer vs. August Start Divide Program start dates affect your relocation timeline, loan disbursement timing, and when you'll be licensed. The dates below are each program's “Program Start” on ADEA's CAAPID Program Finder, read on October 7, 2026, for the 2026 CAAPID cycle (opened March 5, 2026; closes January 29, 2027). January 2027 is the most common start, with 20 of ADEA's 47 programs; only two start in August. January 2027 (20 programs): UIC (January 1); UNC (January 2); Columbia, NYU, Penn PASS, Tufts DIS,

UMN PASS, Indiana, Harvard ASID, Ohio State, Iowa, UT San Antonio, UAB, Louisville, Nebraska, Washington and A.T. Still Missouri (January 4; Columbia's own page says “January 2”); Michigan (January 8); Oklahoma (January 11); UMKC (January 18: orientation and review courses, then the third-year class in the summer term) February 2027: Rutgers IED and WesternU (February 1; WesternU's own requirements page says the program “begins in January” and gives no year), Southern Illinois (February 8) March–April 2027: Loma Linda (March 29; LLU's own page says IDP sessions begin in “Spring Quarter (March-June)”, its 2026–2027 catalog “the summer term”); Temple (April 1; Temple's 2026–2027 calendar says April 19); UTHealth Houston (April 1; its ADEA text says the program will “begin remotely in mid-April,” with in-person instruction from mid-May); Pikeville (April 12); Nova Southeastern (April 19) May 2027: Howard and Buffalo (May 1; Howard says

classes start the “Monday after Orientation Week in May”); USC, UNLV and Pitt (May 3); UCLA (May 5; UCLA says “late May”); Touro (May 3, though ADEA's Touro entry now pairs that start with 2027-cycle application dates) June 2027: Meharry and UPR (June 1), Ponce (June 4), UCSF (June 14) July 2027: LSU and VCU (July 1), Pacific Dugoni (July 5), BU Goldman (July 26; BU says “late July 2027”) August 2027: Marquette (August 1) and Florida's four-year program (August 24) January 2028: CU Anschutz (January 3, 2028, for the ISP Class of 2029, whose applications close January 29, 2027) and New England (January 3, 2028, in ADEA's fields, but its entry says the pathway “will not be running for the 2026-2027 cycle” and that information for future cycles will be published in spring 2027) Tier 1: UCSF, Penn and Columbia These three admit 20 to 25 students a year (ADEA: UCSF 20, Penn 20 and Columbia 25, the last two ADEA's estimates). UCSF publishes

its numbers: 857 applicants, 84 interviewed and 20 accepted (year not stated). Penn reports over 1,790 applications for the 2025–2026 cycle and invites about 100 to interview. UCSF International Dentist Pathway (IDP) Full guide: UCSF IDP Interview Prep Guide → Penn Dental Medicine PASS Full guide: Penn PASS CAAPID School Guide → Columbia University CDM Full guide: Columbia CDM School Guide → Preparing for CAAPID Interviews?. Practice with AI-powered mock interviews tailored to each school's format — Kira, MMI, traditional, or bench test day.. Start Practicing Free →. Tier 2: Large Competitive Programs NYU College of Dentistry Full guide: NYU Advanced Standing Interview Prep Guide → BU Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (DMD Advanced Standing) Full guide: BU Goldman DMD Advanced Standing Interview Prep Guide → Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (DIS) Full guide: Tufts DIS Interview Prep Guide → USC Herman Ostrow School of

Dentistry (ASPID) Full guide: USC ASPID Interview Prep Guide → UCLA School of Dentistry (IDP) Full guide: UCLA IDP Interview Prep Guide → University of Minnesota PASS Full guide: UMN PASS Interview Prep Guide → Temple Kornberg School of Dentistry Full guide: Temple Kornberg Interview Prep Guide → Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (IED) Full guide: Rutgers IED Interview Prep Guide → University of Colorado Anschutz (ISP) Full guide: CU Anschutz ISP Interview Prep Guide → Know Your Interview Format. Each program uses a different interview format. Practice Kira, MMI, traditional, and bench test day conversations with AI feedback.. Try a Mock Interview →. Tier 3: Regional and Specialized Programs These programs have significant competitive value for applicants building comprehensive school lists. Several offer meaningful advantages: specific geographic access or distinctive curriculum features. Quick Reference Comparison Table — All Major

Programs Program. Length. Seats. Start. TOEFL Min. Bench. Kira. Visa. ECE/WES. UCSF IDP. 3 yr. 20. Jun 14, 2027. 95. No. No. F-1. Both. Penn PASS. 29 mo. ~20. Jan 4, 2027. 95 rec. No. No. US/PR only. ECE only. Columbia. 2.5 yr. ~25. Jan 4, 2027. 100 min. No. Yes. Prefer US/PR. ECE only. NYU. 28 mo. 30–40*. Jan 4, 2027. 100/5.0. No. Yes. F-1. ECE only. BU Goldman. 24 mo. 100. Jul 26, 2027. 90/4.5. No. No. F-1. ECE only. Tufts DIS. 29 mo. 30. Jan 4, 2027. 90/4.5–5. No. Yes. F-1. ECE only. USC ASPID. 24 mo. 34. May 3, 2027. 5 pref. Yes. No. F-1. Both (ADEA). UCLA IDP. 25 mo. 30. May 5, 2027. 95/5.0. Yes. No. F-1. ECE only. UMN PASS. 29 mo. 18. Jan 4, 2027. 94/5.0. Yes. Yes (2025). F-1. WES (UMN); ECE (ADEA). Temple. 24/36 mo. 30. Apr 1, 2027. 100/5. Yes. No. F-1. ECE only. Rutgers IED. 27 mo. 40. Feb 1, 2027. None pub. No. No. F-1. Both. CU Anschutz. 2 yr. 40. Jan 3, 2028. 94/5.0. Yes. No. F-1. ECE only. UNC ASPID. 29 mo. 8. Jan 2, 2027.

100 min. Yes. No. F-1. ECE only. Loma Linda. 27 mo. 32. Mar 29, 2027. 20/section; 100 rec. Yes. No. F-1. Both. UMKC. 29 mo. 9. Jan 18, 2027. 90/4.5. Yes. No. US/PR only. ECE/WES. Howard. 2 yr. Up to 10. May 1, 2027. 100. Yes (ADEA). No. F-1. Both. Nova SE. 39 mo. 35. Apr 19, 2027. 80. Yes. No. F-1. Both. Indiana IU. 30 mo. 16*. Jan 4, 2027. 100. Yes. Yes. F-1. ECE only. UF. 45 mo. Up to 2*. Aug 24, 2027. 80/4.0. No. —. US/PR only. Both. UNLV. 24 mo. Up to 8 (ADEA: 12*). May 3, 2027. 98. Yes. No. F-1. ECE only. Pitt. 2 yr. 5-10. May 3, 2027. 100. Yes. No. F-1. Both. Buffalo. 24 mo. 20*. May 1, 2027. 86/4.5. Yes. No. F-1. ECE only. Start is each program's “Program Start” on ADEA's CAAPID Program Finder, read October 7, 2026 (2026 cycle; CU Anschutz's is its ISP Class of 2029). * ADEA's estimate. Always verify current requirements directly with each program. Requirements change between cycles. UNC Adams School of Dentistry (ASPID) 29-month

program starting in January 2027 (ADEA: January 2, 2027; UNC's 2026–2027 catalog: “Each cohort of ASPID students begins in January”), with a six-month intensive track before students join the third-year class in the fall semester. TOEFL minimum 100 (applications not reviewed below 90). Bench test on interview day — $300 bench test fee. ECE only. F-1 accepted. Proof of funding required for F-1 applicants (COF form for first-year costs). Application deadline May 23, 2026. Loma Linda University School of Dentistry Faith-based institution. Starts March 29, 2027, per ADEA; LLU's own page says IDP sessions “begin in Spring Quarter (March-June),” while its 2026–2027 catalog says the program “begins in the summer term.” Admissions testing before interview: “Interviews are by invitation only and are determined by the results of the admissions test,” and testing is held on “one or more Sundays in the fall.” TOEFL: a minimum of 20 in each section,

with 100 or higher recommended. F-1 accepted. ECE or WES evaluations (LLU's catalog also names AACRAO, which LLU's transcripts page does not list; ADEA lists ECE and WES). Eligibility to test is decided first-come, first-served by the date a file is complete. LLU's catalog wants the applications and all required documents by June 1, while its IDP page asks for all materials by July 1 “for testing consideration” (for the class starting March 29, 2027: June 1 and July 1, 2026, with testing in fall 2026); plan on June 1. University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine (IASP) 5-10 seats, individualized for each admitted student , may extend beyond two years. Starts in May 2027 (Pitt: “Start Date: May 2027”; ADEA: May 3, 2027) with an intensive provisional term, then joins the predoctoral program. TOEFL 100 minimum. ECE or WES. Virtual interview; bench test (in-person required). F-1 accepted; all visa statuses welcome to apply. University

application fee $75, on top of CAAPID's. Pitt calls the program competitive but publishes no applicant, interview or offer counts. UMKC School of Dentistry Open only to US citizens and permanent residents: “Individuals residing in the United States on a visa are not eligible.” Starts January 18, 2027 (ADEA) with orientation and review courses “beginning in January (spring semester),” then joins the third-year cohort “during the summer term.” Per UMKC's undated page, invitations go out in late June for a multi-day visit at the end of July (for the class starting in January 2027, June and July 2026) with instrument check-out, procedural lectures, practice time, interview, and bench exam. $2,500 non-refundable skills assessment fee (UMKC's program page). Offers from August 1, then on a rolling basis until the class is filled. Tuition is “a flat rate that is not based on residency.” Howard University College of Dentistry HBCU program in

Washington, DC. Up to 10 seats. Classes start the “Monday after Orientation Week in May” (Howard; ADEA: May 1, 2027). ADEA's entry describes a summer session after selection, May through July, in which each candidate is “evaluated and calibrated in various clinical procedures”; “If unsuccessful, the acceptance will be rescinded”. TOEFL 100 minimum, NBDE within last 5 years. F-1 accepted. Both ECE and WES accepted. UNLV School of Dental Medicine Starts in May 2027 (UNLV: “for the DDS Class of 2029 beginning in May 2027”; ADEA: May 3, 2027). TOEFL 98 minimum. NBDE Parts I and II or the INBDE within the past five years; no UNLV page mentions the ADAT. ECE only. Applicants “eligible for a U.S. student (F1) visa” may apply, but UNLV notes that students who are not citizens or permanent residents “are not guaranteed licensure upon completion of the accredited DDS program” and that “A majority of states still require citizenship or permanent

residency in order to apply for a dental license.” Applicants on F-1 visas should research their target state's licensure requirements before applying to UNLV. Indiana University School of Dentistry (IU-IDP) Kira assessment after supplemental review; bench test invitation for final candidates after all interviews complete; $400 bench test fee. INBDE required (not NBDE). ECE only: “Only ECE evaluations are accepted” (IU). F-1 accepted. Applicants notified by phone no later than September. One of the Midwest programs with a sequential evaluation process (Kira → interview → bench test as separate stages). University of Florida College of Dentistry Gainesville campus. A four-year program (ADEA: 45 months): participants “join the first-year predoctoral (DMD) class,” starting August 24, 2027 (ADEA). ADEA lists a June 1 – October 1, 2026 application window and up to two seats. Open only to US citizens and permanent residents: “To be eligible

for admission, you must be a U.S. citizen or have a permanent resident (green card holder) with proof of status” (UF's ADEA entry). Florida residents have priority. UF also requires the DAT and “does not waive the DAT for applicants with NBDE or INBDE score reports”: for the 2026–2027 cycle (scores due October 1, 2026), its ADEA entry asks for at least 15 in every section for tests taken before March 1, 2025 (the old scale) or, for later tests on the new 200–600 scale, section minimums from 300 (Reading Comprehension) to 350 (General and Organic Chemistry), with an Academic Average of 330. University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine Starts in May 2027 (ADEA: May 1, 2027): the program is “two years in duration, beginning in May,” with an 11-week summer program before the third and fourth years of the DDS. The bench test comes first: “Those candidates who successfully pass the bench test will be invited to interview in person,” on a

Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning. Buffalo does not accept WES evaluations (ADEA lists ECE). F-1 accepted. Cost, per UB's 2026–2027 estimate: a $95,000 summer program fee, then $72,420 a year in non-resident tuition, and “Non-U.S. citizens are unable to qualify for New York State tuition.” Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine On NSU's Tampa Bay Regional Campus: “The international graduate program is located on NSU's Tampa Bay Regional Campus.” Starts April 19, 2027 (ADEA; NSU's own pages give no start date). 35 seats (ADEA). Not limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (ADEA); NSU's own pages say nothing about student visas. Private institution. A “Psychomotor Bench Test & Interview,” with a $3,000 bench test fee (NSU). Florida location makes it accessible for applicants already in the Southeast US. Western University of Health Sciences Pomona, California. Starts February 1, 2027, per ADEA, with a 10-week

intensive course; WesternU's own requirements page says “The program begins in January and finishes in May 2 years later” and gives no year. TOEFL: at least 88 (older scale) or 4.5 (new scale), per WesternU's current requirements page (for applications due July 20, 2027); ADEA's 2026-cycle entry gives no figure. NBDE Parts I and II or the INBDE. ECE or WES. F-1 accepted: “Both U.S. citizens and international students requiring an F-1 student visa may apply for admission” (its ADEA entry). WesternU's requirements page also says “All applicants are required to complete Casper as part of the application process”; ADEA's 2026-cycle entry does not mention Casper. Five Ways to Strategically Filter Your School List With 47 programs on ADEA's CAAPID Program Finder, these five filters help you build a balanced, strategic list. Filter 1: Visa Status First If you're on an F-1 visa, eliminate Penn PASS, UMKC, Florida and the other programs ADEA

marks as open only to US citizens and permanent residents, and verify Columbia's current eligibility before spending application fees. This is not a suggestion — it's an administrative requirement. Applying to visa-restricted programs wastes $75–$250 per application and delays your cycle. Filter 2: Timeline by Program Start If you're targeting a January start, ADEA lists 20 programs starting in January 2027, among them NYU, Columbia, UNC, UIC, Tufts DIS, Penn PASS (for US citizens/PR), UMN PASS, Indiana and Harvard; Rutgers IED and WesternU start February 1, 2027, per ADEA (WesternU's own requirements page says its program “begins in January”). Check the year as well as the month: the 2026-cycle deadlines for all of those January and February 2027 starts have passed (the latest, Rutgers', was September 16, 2026), while CU Anschutz's current cycle, the ISP Class of 2029 (open to January 29, 2027), starts January 3, 2028, per ADEA. Filter

3: Bench Test Readiness If your bench test skills are a genuine concern — extended period out of clinical practice, limited restorative/prosthodontic experience — build your list with more programs that don't require bench tests. ADEA's CAAPID Program Finder lists “Bench Test No” for 11 of its 47 programs: BU, Rutgers, Tufts, Columbia, NYU, Penn PASS, UIC, UCSF, Pacific Dugoni, Meharry and Florida's four-year DMD (open only to US citizens and permanent residents). Penn (“There is no bench exam.”), Rutgers and UIC also say so on their own pages. Even so, Rutgers suggests “a Bench Preparatory Course,” and Tufts strongly encourages applicants without U.S. dental experience to show “continued engagement in clinical and technical skill development.” ADEA lists a bench test for 36 of its 47 programs, among them UMN, Temple, USC, CU Anschutz, UMKC, UCLA, UNC, Pitt, Howard, UNLV, Buffalo, Indiana, Loma Linda, Nova Southeastern and Harvard ASID.

The programs that say when the test comes, or how it counts, differ: Before the interview: Buffalo: “Those candidates who successfully pass the bench test will be invited to interview in person.” Loma Linda: “Interviews are by invitation only and are determined by the results of the admissions test”; its 2026–2027 catalog adds that the “admissions testing results, interview and application file are presented to the School of Dentistry Admissions Committee for final selection.” After an interview: at CU Anschutz, “Performance in the interview will determine progression to the bench test”; Indiana invites “a select group of applicants” to the bench test “After all interviews have been completed”; Harvard's “Bench skills assessment” comes in its final, on-campus round, after its virtual interview rounds. Weighed with the interview or the rest of the application: Pitt's committee “evaluates all the aspects of the application one more time

along with the bench testing scores” (its FAQ); UNLV selects “those individuals who earn the highest marks for the interview, written and dental dexterity tests”; UCLA lists “Results of the knowledge and skills assessment” among seven criteria; Temple bases admission to its 24-month program “on an assessment of preclinical skills, communication skills and an oral examination” (its admissions page; ADEA's 2026 entry says the same, and calls the bench test preferred but not required for the three-year program); USC's 2026–2027 Catalogue: “Candidates chosen will be those who demonstrate the best qualifications in all academic and practical skills.” After selection: Howard's own page mentions only a “calibration and competency assessment”; ADEA's Howard entry describes a May–July calibration in the simulation laboratory after selection, and “If unsuccessful, the acceptance will be rescinded.” Filter 4: Cost vs. Location Public universities

run many CAAPID programs, among them UMKC, Rutgers, UNC, UF, UNLV, UCSF and UCLA, but public does not always mean cheap: CU Anschutz estimates first-year ISP tuition and fees of $98,957 (Class of 2028), and Buffalo's 2026–2027 estimate is a $95,000 summer program fee, then $72,420 a year in non-resident tuition. Compare each program's own cost estimate rather than its public or private status. NYU, Columbia, Tufts, USC, BU and Penn are private, and many programs sit in high cost-of-living cities such as New York, Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Factor living costs into each total, using the program's own cost-of-attendance estimate where it publishes one. Filter 5: Interview Format Alignment If English communication confidence is a concern, check which programs ask for recorded video answers. NYU requires “an asynchronous video interview via Kira Talent” of every applicant (its ADEA entry); Columbia: “Designated applicants will

be invited to complete an online asynchronous Kira Talent Assessment”; UMN's 2025-cycle FAQ says invited applicants record their answers through Kira Talent. Indiana calls its Kira step “a video and written assessment,” and Tufts says its interviews “are conducted virtually through Kira Talent” without saying whether they are recorded or live. BU interviews “remotely via Zoom” and does not publish who interviews or how; Rutgers publishes no interview format at all. A live conversation may suit applicants who are strong in dialogue but less comfortable recording answers to a blank screen. Read more about Kira preparation in our Kira Talent CAAPID Prep Guide . The Rolling Admissions Warning Where Review Is Rolling, Earlier Is Better. ADEA defines rolling review: such programs “consider new applications throughout the cycle as they are completed, instead of waiting to review all applications after the deadline.” Tufts, BU, Penn and Buffalo

say they review or decide this way, and Rutgers' FAQ, in its 2025-cycle section, answers “Yes” to “Does RSDM practice rolling admissions?” Others do not: Pitt and UNC each say “we do not have rolling enrollment.” CU Anschutz is in between: it extends interview invitations “on a rolling basis” but says admission “is not on a rolling basis.” At a rolling program, the published deadline is not the only date that matters. None of the 21 programs DentPrep checked in October 2026 publishes how full its class is at the deadline, or a month by which it fills. Tufts reviews “on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis,” interviews from early June through July, and may waitlist qualified applicants “Once the class is filled.” UMN's 2026-cycle deadline was March 26, 2026, the earliest on ADEA's finder. BU Goldman takes applications until October 15, 2026, interviews generally from May to November, and decides on a rolling basis before its class

starts in late July 2027. Apply early, and complete. That is the programs' own advice. BU recommends “submitting completed applications early in the cycle”; Penn: “Applicants are encouraged to apply early as admissions decision occur on a rolling basis”; Tufts asks that every document, “including supporting documents,” arrive by its deadline. An incomplete file waits: BU says an application “will not be considered until the file is complete.” Where review is not rolling, timing works differently. Pitt and UNC each send interview invitations “2-3 weeks after the closure of application deadline” and say “We will fill all of our positions after the interview and bench testing,” so a complete file by the deadline is what counts. Check each program's own words before you decide how early is early enough. Build Your Complete Application Strategy. This comparison guide works best alongside our other CAAPID resources: the 50+ CAAPID Interview

Questions bank, the ECE vs WES guide , and the Reapplicant Strategy Guide if you're applying for a second cycle. Ready to Start Preparing?. DentPrep helps you practice for every CAAPID interview format — Kira Talent, traditional faculty interviews, MMI stations, and bench test day conversations.. Start Practicing Free →. ); }; export default CaapidProgramsComparison; How many advanced standing programs does CAAPID currently include? ADEA's CAAPID Program Finder lists 47 programs (read October 7, 2026): 46 advanced standing programs and Florida's four-year DMD for internationally educated dentists. New England's entry says its pathway will not run in the 2026–2027 cycle. They range from research institutions like UCSF and Penn to regional programs at public universities. The full, current list is maintained in the ADEA CAAPID Program Finder. Which CAAPID programs are best for F-1 visa holders? The majority of CAAPID programs accept F-1

visa students, including NYU, BU, Tufts, Rutgers, Temple, UMN, UCSF IDP, USC, CU Anschutz, UNC, Loma Linda, UNLV, Indiana, Pitt, Buffalo, Howard, and UCLA IDP. Programs restricted to US citizens/permanent residents include Penn PASS, UMKC and Florida's four-year program; ADEA's CAAPID Program Finder marks 11 programs that way (read October 7, 2026). Harvard ASID offers visa sponsorship. Confirm Columbia's current policy each cycle. Do all CAAPID programs require a bench test? No. ADEA's CAAPID Program Finder lists “Bench Test No” for 11 of its 47 programs (read October 7, 2026), among them BU Goldman, Tufts DIS, Rutgers IED, NYU, Columbia, Penn PASS, UIC and UCSF IDP. It lists a bench test for the other 36, among them UMN PASS, Temple Kornberg, USC ASPID, CU Anschutz, UCLA, UMKC, UNLV, Pitt, Buffalo, Indiana, Loma Linda, UNC, Nova Southeastern and Harvard ASID. Howard's own page mentions only a “calibration and competency assessment”;

ADEA's Howard entry describes a May–July calibration after selection that can rescind an acceptance. The test also counts differently: Buffalo interviews those who pass it, while Pitt's committee weighs the scores “along with” the rest of the application. What is the average cost of a CAAPID advanced standing program? Student Loan Planner (updated May 28, 2026) estimates $152,120 in tuition and fees: twice the ADA's 2024–25 average for a first-year non-resident student at a public dental school, not an average of the programs' own prices. Programs that publish their costs can run higher: CU Anschutz's ISP tuition and fees total $195,701 over two years (Class of 2028), and Buffalo's 2026–2027 estimate is a $95,000 summer program fee, then $72,420 a year in non-resident tuition. Living costs come on top: CU Anschutz estimates $35,376 a year (Class of 2028). Which CAAPID program has the most seats? BU Goldman's DMD Advanced Standing

program has the largest class on ADEA's CAAPID Program Finder: BU enrolls 100 internationally trained dentists a year. Next on ADEA's finder are Pacific Dugoni (57) and UIC (up to 52, ADEA's estimate), then CU Anschutz and Rutgers (40 each), NYU (30–40, ADEA's estimate) and Nova Southeastern (35). USC ASPID has 34, Tufts DIS 30–35 (ADEA's estimate) and Loma Linda 32; Ponce, Temple and UCLA have 30 each. Among smaller classes, Columbia has 25 (ADEA's estimate), UCSF IDP 20 and UMN PASS 18. How many CAAPID programs should I apply to? ADEA's CAAPID pages give no typical number. Use the five strategic filters — visa status, timeline, bench test readiness, cost vs. location, and interview format alignment — to build a balanced list rather than applying broadly without strategy.