Michigan ITDP Dental Interview: MMI Format & Questions
Michigan's Internationally Trained Dentist Program interviews by MMI, not a panel — around 70 candidates for 20 seats. Format, deadlines and requirements.
Michigan runs its advanced standing interview as an MMI rather than a faculty conversation — around 70 candidates interview for 20 seats each cycle. return ( <> The Michigan ITDP Interview Is an MMI — Which Changes Everything Most CAAPID interviews are a conversation: two faculty, your file open in front of them, thirty minutes. Michigan does not do that. The School of Dentistry runs its Internationally Trained Dentist Program interviews as a Multiple Mini Interview . If you have prepared for CAAPID interviews generally, you have almost certainly prepared for the wrong format here. What the MMI actually means for you. You rotate through a series of timed stations, having a one-on-one discussion at each. Michigan states that the interviewers include current students, staff, faculty and Admissions Committee members — so you are not being assessed by one panel forming one impression. You get several independent readings, and a bad station
does not sink you. Michigan does not publish how many stations there are, how long each runs, or what they cover. Anyone telling you otherwise is guessing. But the format itself is confirmed, and the difference from a traditional CAAPID interview is the single most important thing to know before you walk in. Our dental school MMI prep guide covers station types and timing strategy in depth. It was written for domestic applicants, but the format mechanics are identical. The Bench Test You Might Also Sit Alongside the MMI, Michigan says ITDP candidates may be required to complete a practical examination on manikins in a preclinical laboratory, with details "made available at a later date." That hedged wording is Michigan's, not ours, and it is worth reading carefully. It means you should arrive prepared to work on a manikin without assuming you definitely will — and that your invitation email, not a forum thread, is what tells you.
Practice MMI stations before Michigan's. Timed stations, one answer at a time, with instant feedback on reasoning and delivery — the things MMI interviewers score.. Try it free →. Roughly 70 Interviews for 20 Seats Michigan states that approximately 70 candidates attend ITDP interviews each cycle, and ADEA lists the cohort at 20 students . Reaching the interview means you are in the last seventy or so. It also means the interview genuinely decides the outcome — at that ratio, the MMI is not a formality confirming a decision already made on paper. Interviews run July through September , by personal invitation only, notified by email. Michigan is explicit that candidates are required to interview for further consideration, so there is no admission route that bypasses it. The May 30 Deadline Is Earlier Than Most CAAPID opens on March 5, 2026 . Michigan's deadline is May 30, 2026 , and all application materials must be received by then —
not merely submitted by you. That is early in the CAAPID calendar. Several programs run into August, September, even the following January. If Michigan is on your list, it sets your real deadline for credential evaluation and test scores, because those take weeks to arrive and are outside your control. ECE only — WES is not accepted. Michigan states plainly that it does not accept World Education Services evaluations. You need an official ECE course-by-course evaluation of all dental coursework completed outside the US and Canada, sent directly to CAAPID. If you have already paid for WES, see our ECE vs WES guide for which programs accept what. What Michigan Requires National boards and the ADAT Michigan accepts either NBDE Part I or the INBDE . If you submit Part I, Part II is encouraged but not required. Part I scores from the last five years are preferred, though all passing scores are accepted. The ADAT is recommended but not
required — with a concrete incentive attached. Michigan states that applicants who take it and submit scores through CAAPID receive priority review . Everyone meeting the minimums is still reviewed, but in a cycle where roughly seventy people reach interview, priority review is not nothing. TOEFL, on two different scales This is where applicants this cycle are most likely to get it wrong, because the scale changed partway through. Taken before 21 January 2026 — minimum overall 94 . Above 100 is competitive, and Michigan recommends sub-scores of 25 and above. Taken on or after 21 January 2026 — minimum overall 5 on the new scale, with 5 or above in every section considered competitive. Scores are valid for two years. The Home Edition is accepted. MyBest scores are not considered. Scores must travel from ETS to CAAPID — anything sent directly to the School of Dentistry is not accepted. Our TOEFL requirements guide has every CAAPID
program's minimum on both scales. Three letters, and not a fourth Michigan requires exactly three, uploaded directly to CAAPID by the evaluators: One dean's letter — from your dental school's current dean or another administrator who can confirm you were in good academic standing, and confirm your enrolment and graduation. Two letters of choice — from instructors or others who can judge your knowledge, skill, character and potential. All must be on letterhead, signed, and confidential, with your right of access waived. Letters under two years old are more competitive. And Michigan is unusually direct about the ceiling: additional letters beyond the three are not accepted . Sending a fourth does not help and cannot be considered. The separate $75 fee Michigan charges a $75 non-refundable supplemental application fee paid directly to the university, separate from anything you pay CAAPID. It must be paid online by credit or debit card at
the time you submit your CAAPID application — no cheques, money orders or phone payments. It is a small amount and an easy thing to overlook, and an application without it is not complete. The Licensure Detail Almost Nobody Mentions Michigan publishes a licensure disclosure that deserves more attention than it gets. In the school's own words, the ITDP "was designed to satisfy educational prerequisites to licensure for dentistry only in the state of Michigan" , and it "has not been determined whether educational prerequisites to licensure would be satisfied in other states." The program is CODA accredited, which is what most state boards primarily care about. But if you already know you intend to practise in a specific state, that sentence is a reason to check that state's board requirements before you accept a seat — not after. Our international dentist licensure roadmap walks through how state boards fit into the wider pathway. How to
Prepare for Michigan Specifically Two things make Michigan different from the rest of your CAAPID list, and both change how you prepare. Prepare for stations, not a conversation. An MMI rewards structured thinking out loud under a clock. Practise answering one focused prompt in a few minutes, then resetting completely for the next one — the reset is the skill most people lack. Expect students and staff, not only faculty. Michigan names current students and staff among the interviewers. The register that works with a professor is not the register that works with a student who will be your classmate. Have your hands ready anyway. The bench test is "may be required". Prepare as though it is, and be pleasantly surprised if it is not. Work backwards from May 30. ECE evaluations and ETS score reports take weeks. The deadline that matters is the one for starting those, not the one for clicking submit. ); }; export default
MichiganDentalAdvancedStanding; michigan-dental-advanced-standing-interview University of Michigan School of Dentistry University of Michigan ITDP The MMI Format Explained Michigan ITDP Dental MMI Format & Questions Michigan s Internationally Trained Dentist Program interviews by MMI not a panel — around 70 candidates for 20 seats. Format deadlines and requirements. Michigan ITDP interview University of Michigan advanced standing dental Michigan internationally trained dentist program Michigan CAAPID interview Michigan dental MMI international 2026-08-02 2026-08-02 International Program Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) possible bench test Michigan runs its advanced standing interview as an MMI rather than a faculty conversation — around 70 candidates interview for 20 seats each cycle. The interview is an MMI not a panel conversation. Degree DDS Location Ann Arbor MI Program Internationally Trained Dentist Program (ITDP) Interview Format
Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) Interviews ~70 candidates per cycle Seats 20 Interview Window July–September Bench Test May be required (manikin) Length 28 months full time Deadline May 30 2026 Evaluator ECE only — WES not accepted TOEFL 94 old scale / 5 new scale interview-format The Interview Is an MMI 2 bench-test The Bench Test You Might Sit 3 odds 70 Interviews for 20 Seats 2 deadline The May 30 Deadline 2 requirements What Michigan Requires 2 boards Boards and the ADAT 3 toefl TOEFL on Two Scales 3 letters Three Letters Not a Fourth 3 fee The Separate $75 Fee 3 licensure The Licensure Detail 2 how-to-prepare How to Prepare 2 MMI-style stations A patient refuses a treatment you believe they need. Talk me through your approach. Name the principle in conflict (autonomy vs beneficence) in your first sentence → confirm they are informed → explore the reason behind the refusal → state what you would do and document it. You notice a
classmate copying during an assessment. What do you do? Acknowledge the difficulty → address it directly with the person first → escalate through the proper channel → explain why integrity matters clinically not just academically. Describe a time you had to explain something complex to someone without a clinical background. One specific person and moment → the barrier → what you changed in your explanation → how you checked they understood. Background and motivation Why are you seeking to practise dentistry in the United States? Ground it in your own clinical history rather than generalities about opportunity → name what US practice offers your specific goals → avoid anything that reads as purely economic. What was the hardest case you managed independently? Set the clinical scene briefly → your decision-making → what you would do differently now. Shows judgement and self-awareness together. How will you adapt to being a student again
after practising as a dentist? Acknowledge the genuine difficulty → evidence of coachability → what you bring to a D3 cohort that they do not have. Prepare for the reset not just the answer An MMI s hardest skill is finishing one station badly and starting the next one clean. Practise back-to-back prompts with no gap between them. Your interviewers include students Michigan names current students and staff among the interviewers alongside faculty. Speak as a future colleague not only as a candidate addressing a professor. Take the ADAT if you can It is not required but Michigan states that applicants who submit ADAT scores through CAAPID receive priority review. In a cycle with ~70 interviews that is worth the sitting. Work backwards from May 30 ECE evaluations and ETS score reports take weeks and are outside your control. The deadline that governs you is the one for starting them. Send exactly three letters Michigan does not accept a
fourth. Choose the dean s letter and two evaluators who can speak to clinical skill and make sure all three are recent. Requirement Michigan ITDP Application service ADEA CAAPID — opens March 5 2026 Deadline May 30 2026 (all materials received) Credential evaluation ECE course-by-course. WES not accepted National boards NBDE Part I or INBDE. Part II encouraged if Part I ADAT Recommended not required. Priority review if submitted TOEFL (before 21 Jan 2026) Minimum 94 overall; 100+ competitive; sub-scores 25+ TOEFL (from 21 Jan 2026) Minimum 5 overall; 5+ in all sections competitive TOEFL notes Valid 2 years. Home Edition accepted. MyBest not considered Letters Exactly one dean s letter two of choice. No extras Supplemental fee $75 to Michigan online card only at CAAPID submission Interview Required. MMI format July–September by invitation Bench test May be required — manikin preclinical lab Before you apply (by March) Order your ECE
course-by-course evaluation — not WES Book TOEFL early enough for scores to reach CAAPID before May 30 Confirm whether your NBDE Part I is within five years Decide on the ADAT — it buys priority review Ask your dean and two evaluators and confirm they will write confidentially At submission (by May 30) Submit the CAAPID application Pay the $75 supplemental fee directly to Michigan the same day Verify ETS sent TOEFL to CAAPID not to the school Confirm all three letters are uploaded — a fourth will not be accepted If invited (July–September) Practise MMI stations under a timer back to back Prepare for a manikin bench test in case it is required Re-read your own application — open-file questions draw on it Prepare questions for current students who are among the interviewers Does the University of Michigan ITDP interview use the MMI format? Yes. Michigan states that the School of Dentistry conducts ITDP interviews using the Multiple Mini
Interview format with candidates rotating through timed stations for one-on-one discussions. Interviewers include current students staff faculty and Admissions Committee members. This is unusual among CAAPID programs where a traditional panel interview is more common. How many people interview for the Michigan ITDP? Michigan states that approximately 70 candidates attend ITDP interviews each cycle. ADEA lists the cohort at 20 students so the interview stage is genuinely decisive rather than a formality. When are Michigan ITDP interviews held? July through September. Invitations are issued by personal invitation only and communicated by email and candidates are required to interview for further admission consideration. Is there a bench test for the Michigan ITDP? Possibly. Michigan states that candidates may be required to complete a practical examination on manikins in a preclinical laboratory with details made available at a later
date. It is not confirmed as a fixed part of every cycle so prepare for it without assuming it. Does Michigan accept WES evaluations? No. Michigan requires an official ECE course-by-course evaluation of all dental coursework completed outside the US and Canada and states that it does not accept World Education Services evaluations. What TOEFL score does Michigan require? It depends when you tested. For tests taken before 21 January 2026 the minimum overall score is 94 with above 100 competitive and sub-scores of 25 or higher recommended. For tests taken on or after 21 January 2026 the minimum is 5 on the new scale with 5 or above in all sections competitive. Scores are valid two years the Home Edition is accepted and MyBest scores are not considered. Is the ADAT required for the Michigan ITDP? No but it is recommended. Michigan states that applicants who take the ADAT and submit scores through ADEA CAAPID receive priority review while
all applicants meeting the minimum requirements are still reviewed. NYU Advanced Standing Interview Guide Kira video interview then an in-person Candidate Day for every applicant. International Program /schools/nyu-dental-advanced-standing-interview Indiana University IDP Interview Guide Kira interview and bench test in sequence with the earliest deadline in CAAPID. International Program /schools/indiana-university-dental-advanced-standing-interview Which Dental Schools Use the MMI? The verified list of US programs running a genuine MMI circuit. Interview Formats /blog/dental-schools-that-use-mmi