Program for Advanced Standing Students (PASS)

The Program for Advanced Standing Students (PASS) is designed for graduates of foreign dental schools who want to practice dentistry in the United States. Most states require a degree from a dental school accredited by the American Dental Association before granting licensure. To prepare non-U.S. trained dentists, the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine offers a two-year program that leads to a DMD degree. Successful completion of this program allows foreign-trained dentists to take licensing exams in any state.

Special Features of PASS
PASS Application Requirements
Selection Factors
Application Process
Reapplicants
Financial Obligations
Program Calendar
Contact

Special Features of PASS

The program starts with an 11-week pre-enrollment course from late March through June in which students review the skills and knowledge taught in the first two years of the dental curriculum, along with the School of Dental Medicine's "principles of treatment." The pre-enrollment program also includes sessions in the School's Virtual Reality Laboratory, which simulates a clinical setting through high-tech virtual reality units that feature a stylized patient mannequin and create a realistic learning context for practicing and perfecting dental procedures.

This pre-enrollment program enables PASS students to make a smooth transition into the clinics in the summer. Students are fully integrated into the class where they take part in all academic and clinical experiences in the third and fourth years of dental school. Please refer to the DMD course of study for a complete description of the third- and fourth-year curriculum. Students participate in a modern health care delivery system which simulates general practice. In addition, they rotate through the specialty departments and work under the preceptorship of master clinicians.

The PASS pre-enrollment program also provides several lectures that will allow foreign dentists to enhance and strengthen their communication skills in the English language. Support and advisory services are provided through the Office of Student Affairs.


PASS Application Requirements

Application Deadline: All application documents, including examination results, must reach the Penn Dental Medicine Office of Admissions by September 15, 2008 to receive consideration for the class entering late March 2009. Due to the high volume of applications, it is recommended that complete applications be submitted a month in advance of the deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. All application materials and documents should be sent to: Office of Admissions, Program for Advanced Standing Students, Robert Schattner Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 240 South 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6030. All application materials and documents become the property of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and will not be returned to the applicant.

• University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine PASS Application – Click here for the 2008-2009 PASS application.
• Application fee – A non-refundable $75 application fee must be submitted with the application. Checks or money orders in U.S. dollars should be made payable to Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania.
• National Dental Board Examination (NDBE) Part I scores – Applicants must submit official scores. National Board Scores Part I must be current within five years of application. Part I can only be taken in the United States; the exam is offered in computerized format at any time of the year. For information and registration materials, visit the ADA website at www.ada.org and select the National Board Exams link or contact: The Joint Commission on Dental Examinations, 211 East Chicago Avenue Suite 600, Chicago, IL, 60611, 800-232-1694.
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score – An official TOEFL score is required for all applicants. The TOEFL score must be current within two years of application. For information and registration materials, visit the Educational Testing Service website at www.ets.org and select the TOEFL link. The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine's TOEFL Institution Code is 2944 and the Department Code is 00.
• Three letters of recommendation – One letter must come from the dean or the director of the applicant's dental school. The other two letters can come from academic faculty, dental professionals, or work supervisors. All letters submitted by the applicant should be on official stationery in sealed envelopes with the recommender's signature across the seal. Letters can be sent directly to the Penn Dental Medicine Office of Admissions from recommenders as well.
• Dental school transcripts – Notarized copies of official transcripts must include courses taken and the grade received for each course and/or the results of the annual qualifying exams. Non-English transcripts must be translated and notarized. Translations must be done by a certified translator.
• Educational Credential Creditors (ECE) course-by-course evaluation – In addition to the notarized official transcripts, all applicants must submit an official copy of a course-by-course evaluation conducted by ECE. The course-by-course evaluation report provides the U.S. equivalent of each educational credential, plus a list of courses taken and their U.S. and grade equivalents. It also identifies upper-level courses and grade point averages. For more information, visit the ECE website at www.ece.org.
• Dental school diploma or graduation certificate – Applicants must submit a notarized copy of their official dental school diploma or graduation certificate. Non-English diplomas must be translated by a certified translator and notarized.

Selection Factors

Penn Dental Medicine seeks applicants with exceptional educational and clinical backgrounds who have completed their dental degree in a non-U.S. dental school. Penn Dental Medicine looks for dental professionals who will advance oral health care and gives preference to those who also demonstrate a commitment to excellence and leadership through extracurricular activities, community service, research, academic preparation, clinical experience, and/or work experience in their home country and/or in the United States.

Careful consideration will be given to those with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and a minimum National Dental Boards Examination (NDBE) Part I score of 85. The average GPA for the PASS class that entered in 2008 was 3.23 and the average NDBE Part I was 89. Applicants with exceptional academic credentials and a demonstrated commitment to the profession will be considered for a personal interview.

An important factor in the selection process for participants in the Program for Advanced Standing Students is the applicant's demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with patients in the clinical setting and to learn successfully within the academic environment. Successful candidates will demonstrate both strong written and verbal communication skills. Although there is no minimum TOEFL score, serious consideration will be given to applicants with scores of 83 and above (Internet-based test).

Application Process

Applicants will be notified via U.S. mail once his/her application is complete. Highly competitive candidates will be notified by U.S. mail starting in late summer 2008 to interview at Penn Dental Medicine. Interviews will begin in September 2008. While an interview does not guarantee acceptance, applicants with strong credentials are required to appear for a personal interview. Personal interviews will be conducted at Penn Dental Medicine from September to November. The interview day consists of personal interviews, overview of the PASS program and financial aid, and lunch discussion and tour of the dental school with current students.

Final decisions for acceptance based upon a review of the application and the results from the personal interview will be determined by the members of the Admissions Committee. Admissions decisions will begin on a rolling basis starting late October until the class is full. A class size of approximately 26 is anticipated for the class entering in 2009. Upon acceptance notification, applicants must submit a $1,500 non-refundable deposit that will be applied toward Fall 2009 tuition within 2 weeks of the date of acceptance.

Reapplicants

In addition to completing all application procedures, reapplicants must also submit a reapplication statement describing any changes from previous applications relating to National Board Scores, TOEFL scores, educational experience, and/or work experience. Serious consideration will be given to those with exceptional academic records and credentials. Failure to submit a reapplication statement will reduce interview consideration. Please note that TOEFL scores must be current within two years of application. National Board Scores Part 1 must be current within five years of application.

Financial Obligations

Acceptance deposit - $1,500 non-refundable deposit to be applied to Fall 2008 tuition.

Pre-enrollment program fee - $18,400 (estimate) payable in three installments.

Tuition and expense budget for third- and fourth-year DMD students – Please refer to the DMD tuition and fees web page for further information.

Permanent residents and U.S. citizens are eligible for financial assistance in the form of government-sponsored loans. The School of Dental Medicine is unable to offer financial assistance, including loans, scholarships, and/or assistantship, to those who have residency outside of the United States. Foreign applicants who are accepted into the Program for Advanced Standing Students must demonstrate proof of adequate personal financial resources for the full two years of study before an I-20 Student Visa application is issued.

Program Calendar

September 15, 2008 – Application deadline

September 2008–November 2008 – Interviews

Late October 2008 – Admissions decisions begin on a rolling basis. Non-refundable acceptance deposit due within 2 weeks of notification.

December 15, 2008 – First payment due for the PASS pre-enrollment program

January 15, 2009 – Non-U.S. citizens begin the I-20 Student Visa application process

January 15, 2009 – Second payment due for the PASS pre-enrollment program

February 15, 2009 – Third and final payment due for the PASS pre-enrollment program

March 30, 2009 – PASS pre-enrollment program begins (approximate date)

June 12, 2009 – PASS pre-enrollment program ends (approximate date)

Upon successful completion of the PASS pre-enrollment program, all PASS students will be fully integrated into the third-year class and curriculum. All third-year students will be eligible for a four-week summer break in either July or August depending upon their clinical assignments.

For more information on PASS admissions, contact:

Office of Admissions – Program for Advanced Standing Students
Robert Schattner Center
University of Pennsylvania
School of Dental Medicine
240 South 40th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6030
Telephone: 215-898-0558
Fax: 215-573-9648
Email: sdm-pass@pobox.upenn.edu