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CAAPID Guide

The Complete CAAPID Deadline Guide 2027: All 45 Programs, Every Date, No Guessing

Every CAAPID program runs on a completely different deadline calendar, and missing one by a single day can cost you an entire year of your life and thousands of dollars in application fees. This guide covers all 45 accredited Advanced Standing DDS and DMD programs in the United States, including exact application open dates, deadlines, program lengths, and start dates for the 2026 to 2027 cycle. Some programs like University of Minnesota close as early as March, while others like Boston University stay open until October. If you are an internationally trained dentist applying through CAAPID for the 2027 cycle, this is the only deadline tracker you need. Built by Dr. Netra Shah, NYU D3 Advanced Standing student and founder of Dental Sprint, the platform helping internationally trained dentists get into US dental school.

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by Dr. Netra Shah** | Founder, Dental Sprint | NYU College of Dentistry, D3 Advanced Standing

June 27, 2026

The DM I Will Never Forget šŸ’”

A girl messaged me in July, completely devastated.

Eight months of work. INBDE done. CE hours done. SOP polished. She had done everything right. And then she found out the program she had been dreaming about for two years had closed its application in April.

April. She found out in July.

She did not lose because she was not good enough. She lost because nobody told her that every single CAAPID program runs on a completely different calendar. She assumed all schools followed a similar timeline to the one or two she had researched first.

That assumption cost her an entire cycle.

I think about her constantly. And I built this guide so it never happens to you.

Why This Matters More Than People Realize āš ļø

Most applicants track one or two schools. They check the deadline for their dream program and assume the rest are similar. They are not.

What People AssumeWhat Is Actually True
šŸ“… All deadlines fall in summerāŒ Some close in March, some in January
šŸ« All programs are similar lengthāŒ Programs range from 24 to 45 months
šŸ—“ļø You start soon after applyingāŒ Some programs start 18 months later
šŸ“‹ All programs accept many studentsāŒ Some programs accept only 1 to 4 students

If you are tracking even one of these wrong, you could lose your entire cycle to a date you simply did not know was coming.

The Full CAAPID Deadline Breakdown šŸ“‹

All 45 programs. Every open date. Every deadline. Every program length. Every start date. Straight from the official ADEA CAAPID Program Finder as per 2025-2026 update.

šŸ›ļø Private Universities

SchoolStateProgram LengthApplication OpensDeadlineProgram Starts
Columbia UniversityNY30 monthsMar 15, 2026Aug 1, 2026Jan 4, 2027
Harvard School of Dental MedicineMA29 monthsMar 5, 2026May 5, 2026Jan 4, 2027
Tufts UniversityMA29 monthsMar 6, 2026May 29, 2026Jan 4, 2027
Boston University GoldmanMA24 monthsMar 5, 2026Oct 15, 2026Jul 26, 2027
University of PennsylvaniaPA29 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 1, 2026Jan 4, 2027
Temple University KornbergPA24-36 monthsMar 6, 2026Jul 15, 2026Apr 1, 2027
New York University NYUNY28 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 1, 2026Jan 4, 2027
Touro College of Dental MedicineNY24 monthsMar 5, 2026Aug 1, 2026May 3, 2027
Herman Ostrow USCCA24 monthsMar 5, 2026Jul 31, 2026May 3, 2027
University of the Pacific DugoniCA24 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 12, 2026Jul 5, 2027
Loma Linda UniversityCA27 monthsMar 6, 2026Jun 1, 2026Mar 29, 2027
Western University Health SciencesCA26 monthsMar 5, 2026Jul 20, 2026Feb 1, 2027
Nova Southeastern UniversityFL39 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 5, 2026Apr 19, 2027
Meharry Medical CollegeTN24 monthsMay 12, 2026Nov 1, 2026Jun 1, 2027
Howard UniversityDC24 monthsMar 5, 2026Jul 31, 2026May 1, 2027
Marquette UniversityWI36 monthsMar 5, 2026Jan 1, 2027Aug 1, 2027
A.T. Still MissouriMO28.5 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 1, 2026Jan 4, 2027
University of New EnglandME29 monthsMar 15, 2027Jun 1, 2027Jan 3, 2028

šŸ›ļø Public Universities (International / Out-of-State Track)

SchoolStateProgram LengthApplication OpensDeadlineProgram Starts
Rutgers School of Dental MedicineNJ27 monthsMar 16, 2026Sep 16, 2026Feb 1, 2027
University at Buffalo SUNYNY24 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 1, 2026May 1, 2027
UCLACA25 monthsMar 6, 2026Jun 30, 2026May 5, 2027
UCSFCA36 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 15, 2026Jun 14, 2027
University of ColoradoCO24 monthsSep 18, 2026Feb 12, 2027Jan 3, 2028
University of MichiganMI28 monthsMar 5, 2026May 30, 2026Jan 8, 2027
University of MinnesotaMN29 monthsMar 5, 2026Mar 26, 2026Jan 4, 2027
University of Illinois Chicago UICIL28 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 15, 2026Jan 1, 2027
Southern Illinois UniversityIL27 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 5, 2026Feb 8, 2027
Indiana UniversityIN30 monthsMar 5, 2026May 15, 2026Jan 4, 2027
University of IowaIA30 monthsMar 5, 2026Jul 31, 2026Jan 4, 2027
University of Missouri Kansas City UMKCMO29 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 1, 2026Jan 18, 2027
University of LouisvilleKY28 monthsMar 5, 2026May 15, 2026Jan 4, 2027
University of Nebraska Medical CenterNE29 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 1, 2026Jan 4, 2027
University of OklahomaOK29 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 5, 2026Jan 11, 2027
Virginia Commonwealth University VCUVA33 monthsMar 5, 2026Jan 29, 2027Jul 1, 2027
UNC Chapel Hill AdamsNC29 monthsMar 6, 2026May 23, 2026Jan 2, 2027
The Ohio State UniversityOH28 monthsMay 1, 2026Jul 31, 2026Jan 4, 2027
University of PittsburghPA24 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 19, 2026May 3, 2027
University of Alabama BirminghamAL30 monthsMar 5, 2026Apr 30, 2026Jan 4, 2027
University of WashingtonWA30 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 1, 2026Jan 4, 2027
University of FloridaFL45 monthsJun 1, 2026Oct 1, 2026Aug 24, 2027
UT Health San AntonioTX29 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 9, 2026Jan 4, 2027
UTHealth HoustonTX27 monthsJul 1, 2026Oct 30, 2026Apr 1, 2027
UNLVNV24 monthsMar 5, 2026Jun 1, 2026May 3, 2027
Louisiana State UniversityLA36 monthsJun 1, 2026Aug 15, 2026Jul 1, 2027
University of Puerto RicoPR25 monthsAug 1, 2026Oct 1, 2026Jun 1, 2027

The Deadlines That Catch People Off Guard Every Single Cycle šŸ˜Ø

These are the ones I see people miss most often:

šŸšØ SchoolDeadlineWhy People Miss It
University of MinnesotaMarch 26, 2026Closes before most programs even open
HarvardMay 5, 2026People assume prestige schools have later deadlines
Indiana UniversityMay 15, 2026Early closure, small class size
TuftsMay 29, 2026Often missed because people focus on BU instead
University of Alabama UABApril 30, 2026One of the earliest closures in the cycle
UNC Chapel HillMay 23, 2026Rarely discussed, easy to miss

What This Table Actually Tells You šŸ”

A few things jump out the moment you see all 45 programs side by side.

Deadlines are not clustered the way people assume. Minnesota closes in March. UAB closes in April. Harvard closes in May. If you are only tracking your top two or three schools you will miss something important.

Program length varies from 24 to 45 months. This is a massive difference in both time and total cost. Two programs with the same outcome, a DDS or DMD, can differ by over a year in length.

Some programs barely exist. University of Louisville accepts approximately 1 student per cycle. University of Florida accepts up to 2. University of Iowa accepts up to 4. These are not programs where volume compensates for a weak profile.

Start dates can be 18 months away. If a program does not start until well into 2027 or 2028, that affects your financial planning, your visa timeline, and your life significantly.

How to Use This Information Strategically šŸŽÆ

Do not just look at this list and pick schools based on name recognition. Build your school list around three things:

Your actual profile strength. A program with 4 seats requires a near-perfect application. A program with 100 seats gives you more room. Match your list to where you are genuinely competitive.

Your timeline. If your profile will not be ready until July, do not make Harvard or Tufts your primary targets. They will be closed before you are ready.

Your financial reality. Two programs with similar names can differ by $150,000 in total cost depending on location. This matters.

šŸšØ One More Thing Before You Go

Reading this guide is step one. But knowing the deadlines is only useful if your profile is actually ready when those deadlines arrive.

This is exactly where most people get stuck. They know the dates. They just have not built the profile that makes those dates worth targeting.

If you are applying in the 2027 cycle, June and July are your window to start building seriously. Not September. Not January. Now.

The Profile Building Plan šŸ’œ

For a limited time until July 15th, the Dental Sprint Profile Building Plan is available for $1,400 (reduced from $1,800).

Here is everything included:

What You GetWhat It Means
šŸ¤ 10+ structured US dental volunteering opportunitiesReal, curated, healthcare-facing experiences that build a verifiable track record
šŸ”¬ 3+ US poster presentation opportunitiesFree, vetted academic conferences to build US affiliations and interview stories
šŸ“š 500+ hours of curated CE guidanceStrategic CE spread over time showing sustained growth not last-minute panic
āœļø SOP built from scratchYour personal narrative, your story, your voice, not a template
šŸ“„ CV for US admissions standardsFormatted and tailored so every line works for you
šŸ’Œ Strategic LOR guidanceWho to ask, when to ask, how to brief them
šŸ” Full CAAPID application reviewExpert eyes on everything before you submit
šŸŽÆ Strategic school list buildingYour profile matched against the right schools and deadlines
šŸŽ¤ KIRA and CASPer preparationReal timed practice with reviewed feedback
šŸ¦· Bench exam evaluationTargeted feedback before your actual exam
šŸŽ™ļø Mock interview prep with feedbackSchool-specific questions and one-on-one reviewed sessions

This offer ends July 15th. After that, the price goes back to $1,800.

If you want help thinking through your school list, your timeline, and your profile, this is exactly the conversation I have with every single student before we start. Reach out directly or comment on my reel and I will send you everything.

You worked too hard to lose your dream school to a deadline you did not know existed. And you worked too hard to submit an application that was not ready when the right deadline finally came. šŸ¤

šŸ¦· Dr. Netra Shah Dental Sprint | dentalsprint.com | @dentistrywithnetra

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