On January 16, the UMKC School of Dentistry proudly welcomed a new cohort of eight students to the Advanced Standing Dental Program during a dedicated orientation session.

This program is designed for dentists who earned their dental degrees from foreign institutions and are now U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Many of these students bring valuable experience from working in the United States as dental assistants, dental hygienists, researchers, and educators. Their goal is to earn a U.S. dental degree from a CODA-accredited program, enabling them to pursue licensure and practice dentistry in the United States.

The Advanced Standing Dental Program begins with a semester-long orientation that includes didactic coursework, laboratory training, and patient care experiences aligned with the school’s dental curriculum. Following this initial term, students will transition into the third-year dental class—the DDS Class of 2028—during the summer term, where they will complete the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) curriculum.

We are excited to welcome these accomplished professionals to our academic community and look forward to their contributions to the UMKC School of Dentistry.

Learn more about UMKC’s Advanced Standing  Dental Program.

View photos from the day.