American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC): How to Become Board-Certified
A veterinary dental specialist is a veterinarian the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) has certified as a Board Certified Veterinary Dentist — with a separate title for the equine track, Board Certified Equine Veterinary Dentist.
The path runs through an AVDC-registered residency of three to five years, then a credentials review and a two-phase examination.
AVMA counts 309 active AVDC diplomates as of December 31, 2025, listing 27 of them under Equine dental, the one specialty AVMA files under the college.
Active diplomates (AVMA)
309
AVMA-recognized specialties
1
Recognition
Recognized
Diplomate count: AVMA, “Veterinary specialists in the U.S.,” active board-certified diplomates as of December 31, 2025.
Some veterinarians belong to more than one specialty.
Confirm every requirement with the college
AVDC at a glance
American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) is on AVMA’s list of AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty organizations.
Technicians in the field hold a separate credential: VTS (Dentistry).
Diplomate title: Board Certified Veterinary Dentist (or Board Certified Equine Veterinary Dentist)
Specialties AVMA lists under AVDC
- Equine dental
Active diplomates by specialty (AVMA, as of December 31, 2025)
- Equine dental27
The AVDC credentialing path, from the college’s own documents
Before training
To register a residency, the applicant must submit their veterinary school diploma, current veterinary license, an AVDC-format CV, and rotating internship completion certificate (if applicable), along with the Residency Training program application.
The college’s wording
“Work with your proposed supervisor to submit the Residency Training program application , along with the applicant’s veterinary school diploma, current veterinary license, curriculum vitae in AVDC format, and rotating internship completion certificate if applicable .”
Resident Services – AVDC.orgBefore training
A Small Animal AVDC resident applicant must have a Residency Supervisor who is a Small Animal or NSS Diplomate of AVDC and is the Residency Program Director (or on staff) at an AVDC-approved site.
The college’s wording
“All applicants for registration as a Small Animal AVDC Resident must have a Residency Supervisor who is a Small Animal OR NSS Diplomate of AVDC.
The Residency Supervisor must be the Residency Program Director at or on staff at an AVDC-approved Residency Site or Shared Residency Program site.”
Training program
To become a Board Certified Veterinary Dentist or Board Certified Equine Veterinary Dentist, a veterinarian must complete a residency program of three to five years.
The college’s wording
“Veterinarians that desire to complete a residency program in veterinary dentistry to become a Board Certified Veterinary Dentist™ or Board Certified Equine Veterinary Dentist™ must complete a three to five year program.”
Resident Services – AVDC.orgTraining program
Total program time from the residency start date is a minimum of 30 months under the Legacy Pathway, or 36 months under the New Residency Training Pathway, with a 6-year maximum under either pathway.
The college’s wording
“Total Program Time from Start Date 30 months minimum 6 year maximum 36 months minimum 6 year maximum”
Resident Services – AVDC.orgCredentials and publications
An Active Diplomate is a veterinarian who has successfully completed the required AVDC training, credentials review, and examination processes and is in good standing.
The college’s wording
“Veterinarians who devote a significant part of their professional activities to research, teaching or the practice of veterinary dentistry and who have successfully completed the required AVDC® training, credentials and examination processes to be recognized as a Diplomate and are in good standing”
Diplomate Services – AVDC.orgCertifying exam
A veterinarian becomes eligible for the AVDC certification examination after completing an AVDC-approved training program and having a credentials application approved; the examination has two phases, administered separately.
The college’s wording
“Veterinarians become eligible to take the AVDC® certification examination upon successful completion of an AVDC®-approved training program and approval of a credentials application.
The examination consists of two Phases administered separately.”
Certifying exam
For small animal candidates, Phase I is taken remotely on the Examsoft computer-based platform, set for January 7 and 8, 2027.
The college’s wording
“The Phase I will be administered remotely using a computer based testing platform called Examsoft on Thursday, January 7th and Friday, January 8th, 2027, for all candidates.”
AVDC — Phase I & II Examination Information for Small Animal Candidates (reviewed 06/23/2026), linked from Exam RequirementsCertifying exam
Phase II is a practical examination in which candidates perform procedures on cadavers, scheduled for the week of June 7-11, 2027 in Las Vegas.
The college’s wording
“Phase II is the Practical examination, requiring candidates to perform procedures on cadavers, which is scheduled to be given at the Viticus Center, Las Vegas, NV over the course of the week of June 7-11, 2027.”
AVDC — Phase I & II Examination Information for Small Animal Candidates (reviewed 06/23/2026), linked from Exam RequirementsKeeping the credential
Certification as an AVDC Diplomate is time-limited: initial certification following successful completion of training, credentials review, and the AVDC examination processes is for ten years.
The college’s wording
“Initial certification following successful completion of the training, credentials review, and AVDC® examination processes is for ten years.”
Diplomate Services – AVDC.orgKeeping the credential
One route to maintain certification is passing the then-current AVDC written (Phase 1) examination within five years prior to the end of the current certification period.
The college’s wording
“Passing the then-current AVDC® written (Phase 1) examination within five years prior to the end date of current certification.”
Diplomate Services – AVDC.orgKeeping the credential
Initial AVDC certification follows successful completion of the training, a credentials review and the AVDC examination processes, and lasts ten years.
The college’s wording
“Initial certification following successful completion of the training, credentials review, and AVDC® examination processes is for ten years.”
Diplomate Services – AVDC.orgAlso required
AVDC has historically offered residents a Review and Assessment practice exam of about 100 multiple-choice questions, created by AVDC Diplomate volunteers, to help residents prepare for the Phase 1 Small Animal Examination.
The college’s wording
“Historically, a Review and Assessment examination was offered to residents in training annually, in conjunction with the Veterinary Dental Forum.
These examinations, consisting of approximately 100 multiple-choice questions, were created by AVDC® Diplomate volunteers to help residents prepare for the Phase 1 Small Animal Examination.”
Each point is summarised from AVDC’s own published pages and candidate documents, as retrieved on the dates listed under Sources.
Open “the college’s wording” for the exact text and its source.
The general path to board certification, across colleges, is explained in how veterinary specialization works.
What is a board certified veterinary dentist?
A Board Certified Veterinary Dentist is a veterinarian who has completed the AVDC training, credentials review and examination processes required to be recognized as a Diplomate; the training is a residency program the college states as three to five years.
AVDC defines its Active Diplomates, one of its membership categories, as veterinarians who devote a significant part of their professional activities to research, teaching or the practice of veterinary dentistry, have completed those processes, and are in good standing.
The college separately titles equine practitioners Board Certified Equine Veterinary Dentists.
AVMA's specialty list carries a single entry under the college, Equine dental, and AVMA counts 309 active AVDC diplomates as of December 31, 2025, listing 27 of them there.
Read the 27 as AVMA's equine-dental line item, not a full breakdown: the table does not distribute the rest of the college's diplomates.
The college itself registers residencies on Small Animal, Equine, and Dual Track lines, a wider set than AVMA's single listed specialty.
How do you get a veterinary dental residency?
AVDC states the training as a residency program of three to five years for future Board Certified Veterinary Dentists and Board Certified Equine Veterinary Dentists.
Registering the residency comes first: the applicant works with the proposed supervisor to submit the Residency Training program application, the veterinary school diploma, a current veterinary license, a curriculum vitae in AVDC format, and a rotating internship completion certificate if applicable.
The internship sits on that list as an if-applicable document rather than a blanket prerequisite.
Small Animal applicants also need a Residency Supervisor who is a Small Animal or NSS Diplomate of AVDC, serving as the Residency Program Director at, or on staff at, an AVDC-approved residency site or shared residency program site.
A credentials review, then a two-phase examination
Eligibility for the certifying examination comes from two things: completing an AVDC-approved training program and approval of a credentials application.
The examination consists of two Phases administered separately.
For small animal candidates, Phase I is administered remotely on the Examsoft computer-based platform, set for January 7 and 8, 2027; Phase II is the practical examination, requiring candidates to perform procedures on cadavers over the week of June 7 to 11, 2027, in Las Vegas.
A candidate who completes it all is recognized as a Diplomate.
Certification is time-limited: initial certification is for ten years, and one route the college names for maintaining certification is passing the then-current AVDC written (Phase 1) examination within five years prior to the end date of the current certification period.
Diplomas dated before January 1, 2014 are not time-limited.
Two pathways, split by residency start date
The pathway minimums are the college's full-time figures.
The Legacy Pathway covers full-time programs that started before July 1, 2026: total program time of at least 30 months, with 65 weeks of direct supervision.
The New Residency Training Pathway covers full-time starts on July 1, 2026 or later: a minimum of 36 months, with 100 weeks of direct supervision.
Both pathways cap total program time at a 6-year maximum.
Equine part-time residencies remain available; the minimums above are the full-time figures, so part-time applicants should confirm their requirements with the college directly.
Pay for AVDC diplomates
What Veterinarian Job Listings Show Right Now
From the 4,896 active veterinarian listings on VeterinaryHires as of November 9, 2026.
Employers with the most openings
Where the openings are
- California654
- Texas467
- Florida347
- North Carolina227
- New York196
Pay employers post
- Median $135,000 a year; the middle half of posted pay runs $125,000–$147,500 (732 listings that state a salary)
- 15% of veterinarian listings state any pay at all.
Benefits listings name
- Dental & Visionnamed in 83%
- Health Insurancenamed in 77%
- 401k Matchnamed in 72%
- PTO / Paid Time Offnamed in 69%
- CE Allowancenamed in 62%
Source: active veterinarian listings on VeterinaryHires, updated daily. Pay figures use only listings that state pay (midpoint of each posted range). Benefits count listings that name the benefit; a listing that doesn’t mention one may still offer it.
Browse 4,896 jobs →Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a veterinary dental residency?
AVDC states the program as three to five years.
The clocks the college enforces run from the residency start date: total program time of at least 30 months under the Legacy Pathway (starts before July 1, 2026) or 36 months under the New Residency Training Pathway (July 1, 2026 or later), with a 6-year maximum under either.
Those are the full-time pathway minimums; Equine part-time residencies remain available under terms this page does not cover.
Is a rotating internship required to register an AVDC residency?
Not as a blanket rule.
The registration materials list a rotating internship completion certificate only if applicable, alongside the veterinary school diploma, a current veterinary license and a curriculum vitae in AVDC format.
The requirements do not stop at those documents: a Small Animal applicant's Residency Supervisor must be a Small Animal or NSS Diplomate of AVDC, serving as the Residency Program Director at, or on staff at, an approved residency site or shared residency program site.
What is the AVDC certifying examination like?
Eligibility requires completing an AVDC-approved training program and approval of a credentials application.
The examination consists of two Phases administered separately: Phase I, administered remotely for small animal candidates on the Examsoft computer-based platform, set for January 7 and 8, 2027, and Phase II, the practical examination, where candidates perform procedures on cadavers over the week of June 7 to 11, 2027, in Las Vegas.
Does AVDC board certification expire?
For diplomas issued from January 1, 2014 onward, yes.
Initial certification following the training, credentials review and examination processes is for ten years.
One route the college names for maintaining certification is passing the then-current AVDC written (Phase 1) examination within five years prior to the end date of the current certification period.
Diplomates whose diploma predates January 1, 2014 are not required to complete maintenance of certification, because pre-2014 diplomas are not time-limited.
What is the AVDC Review and Assessment examination?
A practice examination AVDC has historically offered to residents in training, annually in conjunction with the Veterinary Dental Forum.
The exams consist of approximately 100 multiple-choice questions, created by AVDC Diplomate volunteers to help residents prepare for the Phase 1 Small Animal Examination.
Questions and answers from past Review and Assessment examinations sit in the college's Online Resource Library, giving residents practice material while they train.
More Specialty Resources
Sources
- AVMA — Veterinary specialties (AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty organizations) (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- AVMA — Veterinary specialists in the U.S. (diplomates as of December 31, 2025) (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- AVDC — Resident Services (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- AVDC — Diplomate Services (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- AVDC — Phase I & II Examination Information for Small Animal Candidates (linked from Exam Requirements) (retrieved 2026-09-23)