Harvard School of Dental Medicine
- Massachusetts
- Dental Public Health
- hsdm.harvard.edu
Program Contact
The goal of the Advanced Graduate Education Program in Dental Public Health is to improve the oral health of populations by educating dental public health specialists. Graduates of the program will develop competencies to:
- Conduct research in dental public health with emphasis on disease surveillance, health services research, program evaluation, causes of oral diseases, and systemic/oral health interactions.
- Improve access to dental care for underserved populations and the quality of care for all populations.
- Plan, implement, and evaluate community oral health programs.
- Increase the use of preventive dentistry and interdisciplinary models in dental care delivery systems.
- Excel in research, academic, and administrative careers in Dental Public Health.
- Inform other dental providers and students about the practice of delivering and planning for oral health care for communities.
- Perform advanced data analytics including using machine learning and an AI-related approach.
Candidates for the Dental Public Health DMSc, MMSc degrees, or Certificate Only must hold a DDS, DMD, or the equivalent, such as a BDS degree. The Certificate Only has part-time and full-time options.
U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents may apply for the DPH-Rural Track, which has full tuition coverage and a small living stipend. This track would just be an option for Certificate Only candidates.
Program Information
| Accreditation | This program is accredited by CODA |
|---|---|
| Program Type | Dental Public Health |
| Program Code | DPH1002 |
| Degrees Offered | Certificate, Masters, Other |
| Program Size | 6 (estimate) |
| Program Length | 23-47 months |
| Application Deadline | January 15 |
| Program Start Date | July 1 |
| Supplemental Application | Yes, Link, Supplemental applications must be emailed directly to age_admissions@hsdm.harvard.edu. |
| Supplemental Fee | Yes, $95 |
| Stipend Offered | Yes, Dependent on eligibility |
| Match Participating | No |
| Program Website | hsdm.harvard.edu |
Application Requirements
Required Standardized Tests
- INBDE
- NBDE1
- NBDE2
- TOEFL
- Passing the INBDE before matriculation into the advanced dental education program
Supplemental Requirements
- Requires supplemental application
- Requires supplemental fee
Transcript Evaluation and Instructions
In addition to submitting official dental school transcripts, applicants must upload unofficial transcripts of any degree obtained to the ADEA PASS application. This includes ECE/WES transcript evaluations (including original international transcripts), undergraduate, and graduate degrees. Do not email or mail institution transcripts directly to Admissions.
Letters of Evaluation Instructions
If you do not have an Institution Evaluation Form (IEF) from your Dean's office, we will accept an IEF from a program you did after dental school; such as a specialty program. The evaluation can also be from a Principal Investigator. If you do not have either of these, please contact Admissions.
One of the Professional Evaluation Forms (PEF) must be from your most recent academic director and/or employer (if applicable).
TOEFL Requirement Instructions
Applicants who only have international academic degrees must demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores.
HSDM TOEFL minimum test scores
| Category | Tests taken before January 21, 2026* | Tests taken after January 21, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
|
Overall score
|
90
|
4.5
|
|
Speaking
|
23
|
4.5
|
|
Writing
|
21
|
4.5
|
|
Reading
|
21
|
4.5
|
|
Listening
|
17
|
4.5
|
*Acceptable scores have been slightly adjusted from the official TOEFL score conversion ranges to ensure compliance with Massachusetts dental licensure regulations while maintaining HSDM’s previous minimum score standards.
TOEFL waiver criteria
HSDM will waive the TOEFL requirement for applicants who have earned a qualifying degree from an accredited institution in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, or New Zealand, where English was the primary language of instruction.
Eligible degrees include:
- Bachelor’s degree (e.g., BA, BS)
- Master’s degree (minimum two-year program; e.g., MS, MA, MPH)
- Doctoral degree (e.g., PhD, EdD)
- Dental degree (DDS or DMD)
For the full TOEFL Requirement Instructions, please visit our website here.
Other Requirement Instructions
A U.S. Masters of Public Health (MPH) degree is required to apply to the Certificate Only in Dental Public Health but is not required for the MMSc or DMSc degrees.
Official NBDE/INBDE scores are not required at the point of application, but must be submitted prior to matriculation for domestic applicants. Scores are recommended but not required for international candidates.
Supplemental applications must be emailed directly to AGE Admissions.
The non-refundable HSDM Application Fee of $95 can be paid here. You may qualify for a fee waiver if you are a member or veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. To apply for a fee waiver, please email AGE Admissions with proof of military service.
International Student Eligibility
This program will consider applicants who graduated, or plan to graduate, from a non-CODA accredited dental school: Yes
Applicants are eligible to enroll if they are:
- US Citizen
- US Permanent Resident
- Canadian Citizen
- Canadian Permanent Resident
- Non-US Citizen/Resident (program offers sponsorship)
- Harvard School of Dental Medicine offers visa sponsorship, excluding the DPH part-time track. Due to F-1 visa restriction, HSDM visa processing is not available for part-time programs.
Interview Schedule
Each individual academic department oversees the interview process for their program and will directly contact candidates selected for interview. Please note that Admissions does not coordinate interviews.
Additional Information
Only U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents can apply for the DPH-Rural Track. This track would just be an option for Certificate Only candidates.
Applicants may apply to one program per academic year. HSDM will not consider applicants for multiple programs.
NOTE: Please do not submit any of the following to HSDM: transcripts, resumes/CVs, letter of recommendation, portfolios, research papers, etc. All materials submitted to PASS will suffice for the application process.