From Iran to Canada: the NDEB route for dentists
Iranian graduates take the same exams as everyone else in the Equivalency Process. The paperwork is different: a translation done in Iran needs two validations before NDEB accepts it. This page covers that chain, the costs in toman and where to ask NDEB.
Quick answer
- One pass of every step costs $11,500 CAD (about 1,500 million toman), at the rate dated on this page.
- NDEB counted 116 applications from candidates who studied dentistry in Iran in 2024-25, just under Australia's 123.
- The degree and the academic record each need a word-for-word translation by a certified translator, validated by the Iranian Judiciary and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- No internship certificate is required.
Who this page is for
This page is for dentists with the Doctor of Dentistry degree from an Iranian university that the government of Iran authorizes to award it, when the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) does not recognize the program. NDEB lists the country as "Iran, Islamic Republic of" on its document page, and you apply to the Equivalency Process.
NDEB's 2024-25 annual report shows 116 applications from candidates who studied in Iran. This page covers NDEB's exams and document rules. NDEB cannot help with visas or other travel documents, and we give no immigration, banking or legal advice.
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 Iran the page to read is NDEB's list of documents, where translations done in Iran pass through two validations. 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 Iran
Two of Iran's five rows involve a translation, the degree and the academic record. Order those translations first. Each goes to a certified translator, and each then goes through the validation chain in Iran, so the order of work matters more here than for any other country.
| Document | NDEB's rule |
|---|---|
| Degree | A notarized color photocopy of the front and back of the final degree (Doctor of Dentistry) in the original language, plus a word-for-word translation by a certified translator. Official translations done in Iran must be validated by the Iranian Judiciary and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. |
| Internship | Not required. |
| Confirmation of Degree Form | Received directly from the university, confirming the program length as shown on the academic record and the date the degree was issued. |
| Academic record | The official academic record (the transcript of records), sent directly by the university and listing all courses through each year of the program with results. If no other original will be issued, the applicant should ask for a copy attested by the appropriate university official. The NDEB identification number or the name in English or French must come with it. A word-for-word translation by a certified translator is also needed, validated in Iran in the same way as the degree translation. |
| Statements of good standing | A letter or certificate from every licensing body where the dentist was licensed, sent directly by that body. |
A working order for Iran. NDEB sets no order. This list is ours, built from NDEB's page for Iran and its Application Guide, with the steps that depend on other people first.
- Give the certified translator the original degree and academic record. The translator seals every page, initials or signs it, and secures the translation to a photocopy of the original. Pages held with a paper clip are refused.
- Take each translation through validation by the Iranian Judiciary and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A translation attested by a school official is refused, and so is a notarized photocopy of a translation.
- Ask the university to send the Confirmation of Degree Form and the official record. The record must carry your NDEB identification number, or your name in English or French, unless it travels with the form. If the university will issue no second original, ask for a copy attested by the appropriate university official.
- Have a notary copy the degree on both sides in color, in the original language, and your photo ID. Seals must show the notary's credentials in English or French. Mail the notarized copies and the validated translations to NDEB together.
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, Iran, NDEB required documents, NDEB Equivalency Process application guide.
Costs in CAD and toman
NDEB charges in Canadian dollars. The toman column uses 1 CAD = 130,387 toman, read on 23 October 2026. Your bank will use another rate. One toman is ten rials, so the same rate is 1 CAD = 1,303,873 IRR. Sources differ widely on the rial, so read the toman figures as a rough size.
| Step | CAD | About toman |
|---|---|---|
| Application | $900 | 117 million toman |
| AFK | $1,000 | 130 million toman |
| ACJ | $1,350 | 176 million toman |
| NDECC | $6,500 | 848 million toman |
| Virtual OSCE | $1,750 | 228 million toman |
| Total, passed first time | $11,500 | 1,500 million toman |
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
NDEB credential verification specialists take 15-minute appointments. Use one to ask which stamps NDEB expects on which pages of a validated translation, and how long validation takes in practice, before you pay a translator.
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 Iran
Do translations done in Iran need extra validation?
Yes. NDEB's page for Iran says official translations done in Iran must be validated by the Iranian Judiciary and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That covers the translation of the degree and the translation of the academic record.
What if my university will not issue a second original academic record?
Ask for a copy attested by the appropriate university official. NDEB keeps every document it receives from a university, and returns none of them to you or to the university.
Who can notarize my documents in Iran?
A notary whose seal shows credentials in English or French. If none is available to you, an officer of a Canadian or New Zealand consulate or embassy can make the notarized copy. A translated seal is refused.
Can I pay NDEB from Iran?
NDEB's pages say fees are in Canadian dollars and that an applicant needs a valid credit card for the online profile. They describe no payment rules for particular countries. Ask NDEB at info@ndeb-bned.ca before you plan around a payment method.
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.