This graduate program is a thirty-six month, continuous course of study leading to both a certificate in Periodontics and a Master of Science in Dentistry degree. It is fully-accredited by the American Dental Association and meets all the clinical and didactic requirements of the American Board of Periodontology.
The general goals of the program are to train expert clinicians in this specialty, and/or to prepare individuals for an academic (research-teaching) career in Periodontics.
This postdoctoral program offers broad clinical experience and research training.
Completion and defense of a research thesis is one of the requirements of this program. Limited teaching experience is offered to the graduate student so that his/her exposure to clinical, research, and teaching facets of periodontics is complete.
All of the faculty of the Department of Periodontics involved in teaching graduate students in this program are educationally or board certified periodontists. Additional instruction within this program is by faculty members of the School of Dental Medicine and the School of Medicine. Because of the multiplicity of training programs our professors have completed, the student is exposed to diverse views of diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of periodontal diseases. A brief initial review of basic aspects of periodontology introduces the new graduate student to the specialty training during the summer session. Extensive contact with practicing periodontists, sufficient exposure to hospital periodontal practice, and clinical training in dental implants are additional features of this program.
Learn how to apply for the periodontics program.
Peruse the program's curriculum.
Admission Requirements
The number of positions available in the graduate-training program is limited. Therefore, selection of trainees is highly competitive and the decision on an application is final. An application that is not approved may, at the desire of the applicant and the discretion of the selection committee, be held or amended for consideration in a subsequent class. New classes of three graduate students begin in July each year.
Applications will be evaluated from qualified individuals holding the DMD or equivalent degree from fully accredited universities. Applicants should possess a good record of scholastic achievement that would give promise of successfully completing the course of study (e.g., a "B" average or ranking in the upper third of his/her class).
Applicants may be asked to appear for a personal interview, when time and/or distance do not exceed practical limits. This decision will be made after the completed application is reviewed by the program director.
It is recommended that applicants for this program have completed at least one year of postdoctoral experience, (e.g., hospital internship, research training, private practice, military practice, advance dentistry program) but applicants may also be admitted to the program upon completion of an undergraduate dental program.
Criteria for Selection of Postdoctoral Residents
Since the intensity of the program requires a considerable expenditure of time and effort by the resident, extra-curricular employment is discouraged. Consequently, the ability of the applicant to meet the financial obligations of the University is an important consideration for acceptance. All applicants are evaluated equally on the basis of their application. No discrimination is made regarding sex or racial background.
- Class standing and grade point average.
Only applicants in the upper one-third of their dental school class will be considered. Also, applicants should have at least a 3.0 overall grade point average based on a 4-point grading system. - Letters of recommendation.
Not less than 3 letters, one of them from a teacher of periodontics, should be submitted. These should be from the dean and/or other faculty members of the dental school from which the applicant graduated, who are personally acquainted with the applicant and have had contact with him/her as a student, so that they may evaluate his/her overall potential for graduate training. - Personal interview.
At the interview, the applicant will be evaluated as to interest in the specialty, maturity, and overall motivation for pursuing graduate training. The applicant will be interviewed by all full-time faculty of the department, plus the postdoctoral students already enrolled in the program. - Postgraduate dental training and/or experience will be considered.
In addition to the preceding criteria, international students will be required to demonstrate proficiency in English communication based on performance on the TOEFL test.