From India to Canada: the NDEB route for dentists
NDEB has its own document rules for Indian dental graduates, and India sent more applications than any other country in its latest annual report. This page covers what NDEB asks for, what one pass costs in rupees and where to ask for help.
Quick answer
- One pass of every step costs $11,500 CAD (about ₹7.8 lakh), at the rate dated on this page.
- NDEB counted 840 applications from candidates who studied dentistry in India in 2024-25, the most of any country on its map.
- Indian graduates send a notarized internship completion certificate, unless they graduated before 1989.
- World Document Services can send the Confirmation of Degree Form, the academic record and the statements of good standing to NDEB for you.
Who this page is for
This page is for dentists with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery from an Indian university that the government authorizes to award dental degrees, when the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) does not recognize the program. NDEB's page for India names the BDS as the final degree and asks for an internship completion certificate as well. Your route is the NDEB Equivalency Process.
NDEB's 2024-25 annual report shows 840 applications from candidates who studied in India, ahead of Canada's 592 and Pakistan's 146. The map counts applications and says nothing about exam takers, and it lists the United States and Canada too, so it does not show how many entered the Equivalency Process.
NDEB publishes no pass rate for any country of training. The AFK pass rate page shows what it does publish.
Last checked 23 October 2026. Source: NDEB annual report 2024-25, NDEB how to apply.
The route in brief
The order is fixed: application, AFK, ACJ, NDECC, then the Virtual OSCE of the Certification Process, which leads to NDEB certification. For India the page to read is NDEB's list of documents, which includes an internship completion certificate and an electronic route through World Document Services. Credential verification takes about 10 weeks when the documents are right. Read each step with its fee, how long the route takes, what can differ from training at home, the language rules and how to prepare.
Last checked 23 October 2026. Source: NDEB Equivalency Process, NDEB Equivalency Process dates and locations.
Documents NDEB lists for India
NDEB's page for India lists five items. Three of them (the table shows which) can travel two ways, direct from the university or licensing body by mail or courier, or through World Document Services, the one electronic route NDEB lists for any of these four countries. The degree and the internship certificate always come from you.
| Document | NDEB's rule |
|---|---|
| Degree | A notarized color photocopy of the front and back of the final degree (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) in English. Provisional certificates are not accepted. |
| Internship | A notarized photocopy of the internship completion certificate, issued in English, with the start and end dates of the internship. If the internship was at a different college from the one attended, a notarized photocopy of the No Objection Certificate is also needed. Not required for graduates before 1989. |
| Confirmation of Degree Form | Sent to NDEB by mail or courier directly from the issuing university, or sent electronically by World Document Services. It confirms the program length and the date the degree was issued. A form completed by an official of an affiliated college is not accepted. |
| Academic record | Official transcripts, or a photocopy of all mark sheets stamped and signed by the Registrar or Controller of Examinations, listing all courses and individual grades. They come directly from the university by mail or courier, or through World Document Services. Transcripts from an affiliated college are not accepted. |
| Statements of good standing | A letter or certificate from every licensing body where the dentist was licensed, sent directly by the licensing body or through World Document Services. The applicant gives World Document Services the six-digit NDEB identification number. |
A working order for India. NDEB sets no order. This list is ours, built from NDEB's page for India and its Application Guide, with the steps that depend on other people first.
- Choose the route for each of the three institutional documents before you contact anyone, so no body sends the same paper twice. World Document Services needs your NDEB identification number.
- If you attended more than one university, each one sends its own academic record.
- Ask each licensing body where you held a license for a statement of good standing, or give World Document Services your number so it can send them.
- Have a notary photocopy your degree on both sides in color, your internship certificate, the No Objection Certificate if you interned at another college, and your photo ID. Mail them to NDEB at 340 Albert Street, 12th Floor, Ottawa.
The notary, translation, affidavit and name rules that apply to every country are in the documents section of the AFK pathway.
Last checked 23 October 2026. Source: NDEB required documents, India, NDEB required documents, NDEB Equivalency Process application guide.
Costs in CAD and INR
NDEB charges in Canadian dollars. The INR column uses 1 CAD = 67.61 INR, read on 23 October 2026. Your bank will use another rate.
| Step | CAD | About INR |
|---|---|---|
| Application | $900 | ₹60,900 |
| AFK | $1,000 | ₹67,600 |
| ACJ | $1,350 | ₹91,300 |
| NDECC | $6,500 | ₹4.4 lakh |
| Virtual OSCE | $1,750 | ₹1.2 lakh |
| Total, passed first time | $11,500 | ₹7.8 lakh |
Retakes and local costs come on top. The AFK fees page, the pathway cost calculator and the study planner price and plan them.
Last checked 23 October 2026. Source: NDEB fees, ExchangeRate-API open rates.
Where to get official help
For documents from India, the 15-minute appointment with a credential verification specialist is worth booking before you pay anyone. Bring the documents table above and ask about any row your university cannot meet.
Contact NDEB at info@ndeb-bned.ca or 613-236-5912, IRCC for immigration and a provincial regulator for a license.
Last checked 23 October 2026. Source: NDEB contacts and organizations, NDEB how to apply.
Questions from India
Which Indian documents can go through World Document Services?
Three: the Confirmation of Degree Form, the academic record and the statements of good standing. You give World Document Services your six-digit NDEB identification number, and it sends the papers to NDEB electronically. The degree, the internship certificate, your photo ID and the Required Documents Form still go from you.
Do I need an internship certificate from India?
Yes, for graduates from 1989 on. NDEB's page for India asks for a notarized photocopy, in English, with the start and end dates of the internship. If you interned at a college other than your own, add a notarized copy of the No Objection Certificate. NDEB's Application Guide adds that a certificate is only needed when the program requires an internship for the degree.
My university gave me a provisional degree certificate. Will NDEB take it?
No. NDEB's page for India says provisional certificates are not accepted, and the Application Guide says the same about a letter of completion or a graduation statement. Send the final degree.
What if my name is spelled differently on two documents?
Send proof with the application. A notarized marriage certificate or name change document covers those changes. For a spelling error by the university or an honorific or shortened name, an original sworn affidavit is enough.
Last checked 23 October 2026. Source: NDEB FAQ, NDEB how to apply, NDEB Equivalency Process application guide.
MolarPath is an independent study app. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the NDEB. The figures here come from NDEB pages, linked at the end of each section, and NDEB can change them.