University of Kentucky
- Kentucky
- Orthodontics
- dentistry.uky.edu
Program Contact
770 Rose Street, Dental Science Bldg D406, Lexington, Kentucky, 40536
The UK Orthodontic Graduate Program is a thirty-four month, graduate level curriculum. Upon the successful completion of which, the student receives a Master of Science degree and a Certificate to practice orthodontics. Three applicants are accepted into the program annually. The program begins in early August.
https://dentistry.uky.edu/orthodontics
Please note: The Orthodontic Graduate Program at the University of Kentucky participates in the Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program. Our faculty believes the MATCH to be fair and beneficial to applicants. Consequently, we will only consider applicants who are applying exclusively to graduate programs participating in the MATCH.
Program Information
| Accreditation | This program is accredited by CODA |
|---|---|
| Program Type | Orthodontics |
| Program Code | ORTHO927 |
| Degrees Offered | Certificate, Masters |
| Program Size | 3 |
| Program Length | 34 months |
| Application Deadline | August 15 |
| Program Start Date | August 3 |
| Supplemental Application | No |
| Supplemental Fee | No |
| Stipend Offered | No |
| Match Participating | Yes |
| Program Website | dentistry.uky.edu |
Application Requirements
Required Standardized Tests
- GRE
- INBDE
- NBDE1
- NBDE2
- TOEFL
- Passing the INBDE before the advanced dental education program deadline
Transcript Evaluation and Instructions
Official Dental Transcript
Letters of Evaluation Instructions
Three letters including an institutional evaluation are required.
No supplemental materials are requested or should be sent directly to the Graduate Program, including transcripts, scores, letters, etc. Everything required for application to the program should be entered directly into PASS.
TOEFL Requirement Instructions
All applicants must show proof of English language proficiency for admission. This can be accomplished in one of the following ways:
-
- Awarded bachelors, master's or doctoral degree from a fully accredited U.S. higher education institution.
- Official, valid English Language Proficiency Test Score* TOEFL (79 or 4.0 if taken after Jan. 21, 2026), IELTS (6.5), or Duolingo (115)
- Statement on the official transcript or an attestation letter sent directly from the registrar of the degree-granting institution confirming that English was the language of instruction. This option can only be used when English was the sole language of instruction.
Other Requirement Instructions
UK Graduate School Application
Applicants will only need to apply to the UK Graduate School if accepted into the program.
- Admission: gradschool.uky.edu/admissions
- Application: gradschool.uky.edu/application-process
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)
- Non-US Citizen/Resident (applicant must obtain their own sponsorship)
Interview Schedule
Interviews will be held in early October, 2026. Candidates invited for an interview will be contacted in late September.
Additional Information
PLEASE review requirements for Domestic versus International Students:
- DOMESTIC STUDENTS: GRE and NBDE or INBDE REQUIRED; ADAT optional, but encouraged.
- INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: GRE and Proof of English language proficiency REQUIRED; NBDE or INBDE optional.
Official test scores and results can be sent to ADEA PASS. Applicants can request the NBDE or INBDE results and ADAT from the American Dental Association as well as the TOEFL from Educational Testing Services. Applicants can check the receipt of official test results and scores, as well as their dental school transcripts, within the application.