ADA seeks STEM visa designation for dentistry
The American Dental Association recently signed onto a letter urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to add dentistry to its list of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, designated degrees, a change that would give eligible international dental graduates additional time to work in the U.S. after graduation.
The Nov. 9 letter, addressed to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, requests that dentistry be added to the STEM-designated degree list. Led by the California Dental Association, the letter also includes sign-ons from the American Dental Education Association and American Student Dental Association.
Under current federal immigration rules, most international dental graduates on F-1 student visas are eligible for up to 12 months of optional practical training after completing their degrees. STEM designation would make eligible graduates able to apply for a 24-month optional practical training extension, providing up to three years of post-graduation work authorization before requiring H-1B visa sponsorship.
According to the letter, the current 12-month period can create challenges for graduates and employers navigating employment requirements, credentialing and visa sponsorship.
“Dental students, recent graduates and employers find 12 months to be insufficient for navigating filing requirements and administrative needs for both employment and visa sponsorship,” the letter reads.
The letter said dentistry meets the criteria for STEM designation because of its scientific and technical foundations, including the biological and physical sciences, advanced imaging, computer-aided design and manufacturing, materials science and biomechanics.
“Dentistry is by any measure a STEM discipline,” the letter reads, noting that 13 health-related degree codes in the 51 series are already eligible for STEM visa benefits, including medical scientists and pharmaceutical sciences.
The letter identifies workforce needs in rural and underserved communities as another reason to expand eligibility. It specifically cites federally qualified health centers, which often serve as primary sources of dental care in rural and remote areas, as employers that may face challenges completing sponsorship requirements within the current optional practical training period.
“The current 12-month time constraintpushes graduates away from the community with the greatest need toward the employer who completes the paperwork under the deadline,” the letter reads.
The letter urged the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to update the STEM-designated degree list to include dentistry, citing the potential to give employers more time to evaluate candidates, complete onboarding and navigate sponsorship requirements.
While the ADA does not have specific policy supporting STEM designation for dentistry or an extension of optional practical training eligibility, it does have broader policy related to the dental workforce and internationally trained and U.S.-trained dental professionals.
"International dental graduates need additional time to complete the extensive employment onboarding common for licensed healthcare providers. However, these dentists are trained in technical scientific skills and can provide care to the nation’s most remote and underserved communities," the letter concluded.
