Harvard School of Dental Medicine
- Massachusetts
- Oral Medicine
- hsdm.harvard.edu
Program Contact
The Oral Medicine Residency sponsored by Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) is an intensive training program for dentists committed to pursuing a full-time academic and/or institutional career. Clinical training is based at Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals including Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and Boston Children's Hospital (BCH). Trainees are co-appointed as Residents at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard School of Dental Medicine. BWH and MGH are founding members of the Mass General Brigham (MGB) System, formerly known as Partners HealthCare. The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
The program tracks: Certificate Only, Master of Medical Sciences (MMSc)/Combined Certificate, and Doctor of Medical Sciences (DMSc)/Combined Certificate. NOTE: The Oral Medicine program will accept certificate-only candidates for the 2025–2026 admissions cycle. MMSc and DMSc applications will not be considered. Interviews are scheduled for December 3, 2025, from 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (EST).
Program Information
| Accreditation | This program is accredited by CODA |
|---|---|
| Program Type | Oral Medicine |
| Program Code | OM84 |
| Degrees Offered | Certificate, Masters, Other |
| Program Size | 2 (estimate) |
| Program Length | 36-60 months |
| Application Deadline | November 1 |
| Program Start Date | June 16 |
| Supplemental Application | Yes, Link, Supplemental applications must be emailed directly to age_admissions@hsdm.harvard.edu. |
| Supplemental Fee | Yes, $95 |
| Stipend Offered | No |
| 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
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 for MMSc and DMSc candidates. Brigham and Women’s Hospital offers visa sponsorship for Certificate Only residents.
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.
Accepting applications until October 30, 2026, 5:00 PM (EST).
Interviews are scheduled for December 2, 2026, from 8:00 AM-5:00PM (EST).
Additional Information
It is 36 months for the certificate-only program and 48-60 months for the combined degree and certificate track(s).
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.