A newbie to the DDS pond
A starting point for foreign-trained dentists considering a US DDS. What the degrees and programs are called, and the six things to think through before you apply.
For foreign‑trained dentists
Your pathway from foreign‑trained dentist to US DDS.
I’m Dr. Apurva Dabak. I trained in Mumbai, earned my DDS at UCSF through an Advanced Standing program, and now mentor dentists through every stage: profile, CAAPID, interviews and that first busy year.
The pathway
Five stages, one at a time.
The road to a US dental license is long. Each stage below has its own guide with a checklist and the posts that go deeper. Start wherever you are.
See the full pathwayStage 1
Explore the DDS pathway
Understand DDS, DMD and Advanced Standing programs, and whether the US route fits you.
Stage 2
Build a competitive profile
Experience, research, networking and the “X factor” that make an application stand out.
Stage 4
Prepare for interviews and bench tests
Use the waiting period to prepare for interviews, MMIs and practical exams.
Stage 5
Start your DDS program
Orientation, instruments, scrubs, software and surviving the first busy months.
Latest from the blog
All postsReady, set, go! What to expect in the first week of the DDS program
The general events most schools arrange for incoming DDS students, and what I learned from my own first weeks at UCSF.
Practicing or pausing?
For applicants who have submitted and are waiting for interview invites. How to use that time to prepare for interviews and bench tests.
Why listen to me
I’ve walked this exact path.
From a small village, Titwala, to dental school in Mumbai, public health at Berkeley and a DDS at UCSF. I went through CAAPID, interviews and bench tests myself, and everything here comes from that experience. Outside dentistry, I co‑founded Meira, a fragrance self‑care company.
More about me- 2015BDS, MumbaiGold Medal in Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry
- 2020MPH, UC BerkeleySchool of Public Health
- 2020COVID‑19 responseLed a contact‑tracing team for Santa Clara County
- 2023DDS, UCSFAdvanced Standing program, School of Dentistry
- TodayGeneral dentistSan Francisco Bay Area
Free 30‑minute call
Want a second pair of eyes on your application?
Book a one-on-one with Dr. Dabak to talk through your profile, school list, CAAPID application or interview prep.