DentalMatch
Log InGet Started
CODA Degree Required (Closed)VERIFIED · May 2026

Massachusetts Dental Licensure
for International Dentists

How an international dentist (IDG) gets licensed to practice in Massachusetts without a US DDS or DMD — sourced from a direct reply from the Massachusetts dental board.

Pathway
CODA Degree Required (Closed)
Scope of practice
Not available to IDGs via residency
Exams required
Not available to IDGs without a CODA pre-doctoral degree
What qualifies you

CODA-accredited DDS/DMD (or Canadian-accredited equivalent) is the statutory educational requirement. Residency does NOT substitute.

What the Massachusetts board actually said

MA Board of Registration in Dentistry (May 2026): "To be eligible for 'full' dental licensure you must provide proof you have graduated from a CODA-accredited dental school in the US or from an equivalent Canadian-accredited dental school. Completion of a post-graduate residency program, even if completed at a CODA-accredited dental school in the US, cannot be used as a substitute for this statutory educational requirement."

Source: MA Board of Registration in Dentistry (Dentistry.Admin@massmail.state.ma.us), 2026-05-13

What does NOT qualify in Massachusetts
  • AEGD 1 — MA requires a CODA pre-doctoral DDS/DMD. Residency does not substitute.
  • AEGD 2 — MA requires a CODA pre-doctoral DDS/DMD. Residency does not substitute.
  • GPR 1 — MA requires a CODA pre-doctoral DDS/DMD. Residency does not substitute.
  • GPR 2 — MA requires a CODA pre-doctoral DDS/DMD. Residency does not substitute.
  • ORTHO — MA requires a CODA pre-doctoral DDS/DMD. Residency does not substitute.
  • PERIO — MA requires a CODA pre-doctoral DDS/DMD. Residency does not substitute.
This page was compiled from a direct email exchange with the Massachusetts dental board between May 2026. The board's exact reply is quoted above. Rules change — always reconfirm with the board before applying. See all 50 states →

Find Massachusetts-eligible residency programs that match your profile

Run your INBDE score, visa status, and clinical experience through our matcher — see only the Massachusetts-route programs you actually qualify for.

Find my programs →Ask Dr. Dev
Other states with this pathway
Missouri →New Jersey →Nevada →South Carolina →Montana →Hawaii →

Compiled from direct email correspondence with the Massachusetts dental board (May 2026 cycle). Always confirm current requirements with the board before submitting an application.