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Application to the graduate program is accepted through the American Dental Education Association Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS) program. This is required for all candidates applying in 2025 to be accepted for admission in 2026.  The application deadline is September 1, 2025.

Your PASS application should include the following items:

1. Online application form (filled out in full).
2. Essay/Personal statement. Please tell us about your personal history that led you to apply for an educational program in orthodontics. Include your plans for the future and any factors you believe are important for us to know in reviewing your application. Please limit your comments to one page.
3. CV/Résumé. Include a curriculum vitae to give us more information about yourself. Your CV should include your education and work experiences, awards, honors, research experiences and personal interests.
4. Undergraduate Transcripts (and Graduate, if any): Include unofficial transcripts from all colleges or universities you have attended before and after dental school (if any).  If you attended a program without a transcript, such as a residency, we will need a letter from your program director documenting the experience.
5. Official dental school transcripts.
6. Institution Evaluation Form (completed by the dean of your dental school).
7. Professional Evaluation Forms (PEFs). Applicants must submit 3 PEFs per program. A letter from the chairperson in orthodontics is not required, but may be included if they have personal knowledge of your skills.
8. National Board Scores: Have an official score report sent directly to ADEA Pass and attach/upload a photocopy/screenprint of your score report to ADEA PASS.  If you have not taken the INBDE in time to receive the score report prior to our deadline, please indicate such and note that if you are accepted into our program, you will be required to take and pass the INBDE prior to the start of the program.
9. GRE Scores:  Attach/Upload a photocopy/screenprint of your GRE score report to ADEA PASS.  The GRE scores are required (even if the applicant is a graduate of a foreign school), no exceptions!
10. TOEFL (minimum score of 550-paper, 213-computer, or 80-internet) or IELTS (minimum score of 6.5) scores are required for students whose native language is not English. These scores are not required if you went to dental school or graduate school in an English-speaking environment (USA, Canada, Australia, or Great Britain, etc.).
11. Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT) Scores. We will consider the ADAT scores submitted with the ADEA PASS application; however, it is not a requirement for our program.

Please see the following Supplementary Items that must be submitted directly to the VCU Department of Orthodontics and other important information:

1. Application cover page (please fully complete and submit this form.) 
2. Supplementary Application Fee of $100 (application fee is non-refundable): Pay online here
3. Additional letters of recommendation may be submitted to ddjohnso@vcu.edu if you feel they would be beneficial to your application. This is optional.
4. Foreign Dental School Graduates: Graduation from our orthodontic program qualifies you to apply for a dental license in the Commonwealth of Virginia; however, other regulations apply. For example, after graduating from our program, you will be required to take and pass a Regional Testing Agency dental examination.

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Reapplying

To reactivate a previously submitted application, please submit a letter requesting reactivation of last year's file to ddjohnso@vcu.edu, submit the Application Cover Page, and pay the $100 fee online (non-refundable), along with completing a new PASS application with all other required documents and any information that may have changed (such as taking Part II Boards, official final dental school transcript, etc.). Note: Only one year's applications are kept on file, therefore, if your initial application was before last year, submit as if a completely new application package.

Important information

• Although three letters of recommendation (PEFs) are required to be submitted through PASS, you may include up to 5 in PASS. A chairman's letter is not required, although if they know you personally, you may wish to include one.
• Foreign dental school graduates, please do not apply unless you have TOEFL or IELTS scores (exception only if you went to dental school or graduate school in an English-speaking environment), GRE Scores and completion/anticipated completion of INBDE or previous completion of NBDE Parts I and II. PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU ARE ACCEPTED INTO OUR PROGRAM WITHOUT NATIONAL BOARD SCORES, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO TAKE AND PASS THE INBDE PRIOR TO THE START OF THE PROGRAM.
• We do not require nor wish to receive photographs.

Professional liability

The Commonwealth of Virginia Self insurance program provides professional liability (malpractice) coverage, subject to policy limits, for advanced dental education students. Coverage includes professional service on duty within the institution and professional service on assigned duties in one of the VCU Medical Center-affiliated hospitals or programs. It does not cover any other professional service, e.g., moonlighting activities at other facilities or institutions.

Application information

Further inquiries may be directed to: