Withdraw From the Match

Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program for Positions Beginning in 2025


Withdraw From the Match

Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program for Positions Beginning in 2025


Things to Know

If you accept a position at a program that is not participating in the Match, or if you decide not to submit a Rank Order List for the Match for any other reason, then you must withdraw from the Match.

Applicants who withdraw from the Match will not be matched to a position, but they are still bound by the terms of the Applicant Agreement and Dental Match Rules. Withdrawn applicants are permitted to seek positions after the Match. They will be able to access information on positions that remain available after the Match.

If you withdraw before the Rank Order List deadline for Phase I of the Match (November 15, 2024), you will be withdrawn from both Phases of the Match. If you withdraw after the Phase I Rank Order List deadline, you will be withdrawn from Phase II of the Match.

What if you only want to participate in one Phase of the Match?

Phase I Only: If you submit rankings for Phase I of the Match but are not matched to a position, you will continue to have a status of Active for Phase II of the Match. If you do not want to participate in Phase II, you should withdraw from Phase II when the NMS Match System opens for Phase II during the week of December 9, 2024. If you match in Phase I, you will automatically be made ineligible for Phase II.

Phase II Only: If you plan to participate only in Phase II of the Match, you should not withdraw from Phase I of the Match. Your status shown in the NMS Match System should remain Active, and you will be able to submit rankings for Phase II of the Match beginning on December 9, 2024.

Implications of Withdrawing

If you withdraw, you will not be matched to a position. Any rankings of programs you may have submitted will not be used in the Match. You will also not receive further communication about participating in the Match from NMS.

Applicants who withdraw from the Match will be displayed to residencies within the NMS Match System as withdrawn.

Withdrawing from the Match does not affect your eligibility to seek positions that remain available after the Match, or to participate in the Match in future years.

When you withdraw, you will be required to select a reason for the withdrawal. One of the options will enable you to indicate that you are withdrawing because you have no programs to rank (for example, because you received no interviews), but you are still interested in seeking a residency position in the Post-Match. If you select this option, you will be included in the list of unmatched applicants provided to programs with positions available after the Match. If you select any other reason for the withdrawal, you will be excluded from the list of unmatched applicants who may be seeking a position.

If you submit and certify a Rank Order List and do not withdraw by the Rank Order List deadline, your rankings will be included in the Match. If you are matched with a program, you must accept the position with which you are matched as described in the Applicant Agreement. If you do not accept your Match result, the sponsoring organizations of the Match will review your situation and may impose penalties on you, which may include sanctions, letters of admonishment, reporting your actions to your dental school, and/or other penalties as appropriate.

How to Withdraw

You withdraw yourself from the Match online using the NMS Match System prior to the Rank Order List deadline:

  • Log in to the NMS Match System
  • Select Edit from the Status section of the Dashboard
  • Select a reason for your withdrawal and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the process.

Reinstating Yourself to Participate in the Match

If you withdraw but subsequently decide to submit rankings of programs for the Match, you can reinstate yourself through the NMS Match System before the Rank Order List deadline. For example, if you withdraw before the Rank Order List deadline for Phase I of the Match, but subsequently decide to participate in Phase II, you will be able to reinstate yourself and submit rankings for Phase II before the deadline for Phase II of the Match.

To reinstate yourself in the Match:

  • Log in to the NMS Match System
  • Select Edit from the Status section of the Dashboard
  • Follow the instructions provided on the screen to complete the reinstatement process.
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