General dentistry. In the United States, individuals can enter practice in dentistry with a first professional D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree. In addition to providing preventive care, dentists may restore damaged or missing teeth and treat diseases of the mouth. Advanced postdoctoral residency programs in general dentistry lasting twelve or twenty-four months are also available, providing exposure to a variety of practice areas. These programs are very competitive and difficult for internationally educated dentists to enter.

Endodontics. Endodontists diagnose and treat diseases and injuries of the inner tooth structure. Residency programs in this specialty typically last between twenty-four and thirty-six months.

Public health. Public health dentists promote dental health through organized efforts to educate and inform the public. Residency programs typically last twelve to twenty-four months.

Oral and maxillofacial pathology. Oral pathologists diagnose diseases of the mouth through laboratory procedures including clinical, microscopic, radiographic, and biochemical examinations. Residency programs typically last thirty-six months.

Oral and maxillofacial radiology. Oral and maxillofacial radiologists use imaging and associated technologies in the diagnosis and management of diseases affecting the mouth, jaws, and related areas.   Programs last twenty-four to thirty-six months.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons extract teeth and repair defects of the mouth through surgery.  Programs vary in length from four to six years and are all residency programs; some award the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree.

General dentistry. In the United States, individuals can enter practice in dentistry with a first professional D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree. In addition to providing preventive care, dentists may restore damaged or missing teeth and treat diseases of the mouth. Advanced postdoctoral residency programs in general dentistry lasting twelve or twenty-four months are also available, providing exposure to a variety of practice areas. These programs are very competitive and difficult for internationally educated dentists to enter.

Endodontics. Endodontists diagnose and treat diseases and injuries of the inner tooth structure. Residency programs in this specialty typically last between twenty-four and thirty-six months.

Public health. Public health dentists promote dental health through organized efforts to educate and inform the public. Residency programs typically last twelve to twenty-four months.

Oral and maxillofacial pathology. Oral pathologists diagnose diseases of the mouth through laboratory procedures including clinical, microscopic, radiographic, and biochemical examinations. Residency programs typically last thirty-six months.

Oral and maxillofacial radiology. Oral and maxillofacial radiologists use imaging and associated technologies in the diagnosis and management of diseases affecting the mouth, jaws, and related areas.   Programs last twenty-four to thirty-six months.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons extract teeth and repair defects of the mouth through surgery.  Programs vary in length from four to six years and are all residency programs; some award the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree.

Internationally educated dentists graduates who want to practice dentistry in the United States or qualify for an advanced education program that requires such licensure will need to apply for admission with advanced standing to a U.S. basic dentistry program.  Dentists are required to complete a D.D.S./D.M.D. or equivalent certificate at a dental school accredited by the American Dental Association (ADA) before they are eligible to apply for some graduate/postgraduate programs, or for licensure in any U.S. jurisdiction. The ADA currently only accredits programs in the United States and Canada; programs completed elsewhere will not be accepted as equivalent.

In the United States, students typically enter dental school for their first professional degree after at least two years of undergraduate study. Many complete a full four-year bachelor’s degree. They can major in any field but need to complete course work in English, biology, organic and inorganic chemistry, and physics. A limited number of universities offer combined degree programs where both a bachelor’s degree and an  initial degree in dentistry can be earned through a total of seven years of study.  

Basic dental education programs include at least four academic years of instruction and lead to one of two equivalent degrees, the Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) or the Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.).  Curriculum varies among schools.  Generally the first and second year focus on courses in the biomedical sciences.  Instruction in dental sciences, supplemented by work with patients under faculty supervision, begins in the second year and is the primary focus of the third and fourth years.

Admission to first professional degree programs is very competitive with about two times as many individuals applying as existing programs can accept.  It is uncommon for international students to be admitted without having completed at least two years of undergraduate study in the United States. Private dental schools generally admit more international students than do public ones, which may give preference to residents of the state where they are located.

Each U.S. state has its own licensure process. Dentists generally must complete a D.D.S./D.M.D. or equivalent certificate at a dental school accredited by the American Dental Association (ADA) before they are eligible to apply for licensure in any U.S. jurisdiction (see “Advanced D.M.D./D.D.S. Admission for Internationally Educated Dentists” on this Web site).

In addition to educational requirements, all states require licensure candidates to pass both parts of the National Board Dental Examinations.  The tests in Part I, commonly required for advanced dental education, cover the basic biomedical sciences and dental anatomy.  Part II covers clinical dental subjects, pharmacology, behavioral science, dental public health, and occupational safety.  Some states may require completion of additional written tests. 

All states also require a clinical examination in which the candidate performs dental procedures on patients.  Some states have a preclinical requirement for internationally educated dentists, in which candidates demonstrate procedures on mannequins before they can qualify for the clinical examination.  To locate licensing boards for individual states and learn more about their requirements, visit the ADA site’s section on licensure.

See also our page of Top U.S. Study Web Sites for some more general sites that allow you to search for undergraduate or graduate programs in fields including medicine and related sciences.

• American Medical Association, International Medical Graduates Section. While the AMA site as a whole is rich in educational information, this section represents the particular interests of physicians who graduated from schools outside the United States. Their Web site provides details and advice regarding the certification process, immigration, applying for a residency, position vacancies, and state licensure requirements for international medical graduates.

Sports medicine is not a single profession but rather an "umbrella" grouping careers related to treatment of athletic injury and the effects of exercise on health. Practitioners of sports medicine include physicians, athletic trainers, nutritionists, physical therapists, psychologists, and many others.

Medicine

A physician wishing to specialize in sports medicine could do a residency in any discipline. The most traditional choice is orthopedics, treating bone, joint, and ligament injuries to which athletes are often prone. Another appropriate specialty is physical medicine and rehabilitation—the physiatrist works to restore damaged physical function, generally without surgery but using such methods as orthopedics, prescription drugs, massage, biofeedback, and therapeutic exercise. Whatever specialty is chosen, the physician will probably want to choose a residency site with a sports medicine center. Training should include study of the stresses of exercise, related injuries, alternative forms of exercise during treatment of injury, means of treating injuries with minimal effect on athletic performance, and ways healthy athletes can maximize performance. See EducationUSAIran’s articles on medicine for more details on applying to U.S. residencies.

In the United States, the residency is the essential final step in preparing physicians to practice medicine independently. It can also be the perfect opportunity for international physicians to gain experience in the United States.

Before undertaking a residency, U.S. students complete undergraduate study, then spend four more years in medical school, earning the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. Unfortunately, because of relatively small enrollments and high competition for admission, international students have little chance of being admitted to M.D. programs in the United States. Such programs often only enroll residents of particular U.S. states or regions, and even those that are open to international application typically only admit a handful of international students, generally with U.S. bachelor’s degrees. However, many international medical graduates (IMGs) do complete residency programs in the United States.

Residency programs are designed to allow participants to gain expertise in a medical specialty and to gradually take on increasing responsibility for patient care within a supervised clinical environment. Programs typically last three to seven years, depending on the medical specialty chosen. Advanced medical technology and facilities, expert faculty, and the wide variety of programs available (approximately 8,300 educational programs in 126 specialty and subspecialty areas are currently accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education), can make U.S. residency an exciting opportunity.

In the United States, the residency is the essential final step in preparing physicians to practice medicine independently. It can also be the perfect opportunity for international physicians to gain experience in the United States.

Before undertaking a residency, U.S. students complete undergraduate study, then spend four more years in medical school, earning the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. Unfortunately, because of relatively small enrollments and high competition for admission, international students have little chance of being admitted to M.D. programs in the United States. Such programs often only enroll residents of particular U.S. states or regions, and even those that are open to international application typically only admit a handful of international students, generally with U.S. bachelor’s degrees. However, many international medical graduates (IMGs) do complete residency programs in the United States.

Residency programs are designed to allow participants to gain expertise in a medical specialty and to gradually take on increasing responsibility for patient care within a supervised clinical environment. Programs typically last three to seven years, depending on the medical specialty chosen. Advanced medical technology and facilities, expert faculty, and the wide variety of programs available (approximately 8,300 educational programs in 126 specialty and subspecialty areas are currently accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education), can make U.S. residency an exciting opportunity.

• American Psychological Association, Education. Professional accreditor for doctoral degree programs, postdoctoral residencies, and pre-doctoral internships in clinical, counseling, and school psychology as well as some related programs. , and internship programs in

• Art Therapy (American Art Therapy Association)
• Dance therapy Home Page (American Dance Therapy Association)
• Music Therapy (American Music Therapy Association)

• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACRAP). Listings of professionally accredited graduate programs related to mental health, school and university, gerontological, marital, and mental health counseling as well as counselor supervision and education programs.
• Council on Rehabilitation Education. Information on master’s programs in disability counseling as well as undergraduate programs in rehabilitation and disability studies