Dental License in Illinois for Foreign Trained Dentists

To apply for an Illinois dental license as a foreign trained dentist you need to satisfy the following requirements set forth by the state:

1. Certification of graduation from your dental college or school in your home country.

2. Additional clinical training in one of the following alternatives:

(a) Certification from an approved dental college or school in the US or Canada that the applicant has completed a minimum of 2 years of clinical training at the school in which the applicant met the same level of scientific knowledge and clinical competence as all graduates from that school or college. Those two years of clinical training shall consist of 2850 clock hours completed in 2 academic years for full-time applicants or 4 years for part-time applicants.

(b) Certification, from the program director of an accredited advanced dental education program approved by the state, of completion of no less than 2 academic years may be substituted for the 2 academic years of general dental clinical training.

3. Application fee of $250

4.Proof of successful completion of the NBDE with a minimum grade of 75.

5.Proof of successful completion of a clinical examination.


Clinical Dental Examinations accepted by Illinois

The main clinical examination that is accepted in Illinois is the American Dental Licensing Examination (ADLEX) developed by the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX). Illinois also accepts the following examinations for licensure if administered and passed in their entirety prior to October 1, 2006: CRDTS & NERB Combined Regional Examination (CORE), NERB, CRDTS, SRTA, WREB.