The professional Certificate in Endodontics requires a minimum of 24 months of full-time formal training. Students must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00 to earn the certificate.

The certificate is a clinical specialty program designed to provide qualified dentists with the scientific knowledge and clinical skills needed to practice endodontics and/or pursue a dental education and research career. The curriculum includes clinical and didactic courses. Students complete an original research project in endodontics and write a scientific paper on their research for submission to a refereed journal.

The program's goal is to develop competent diagnosticians and clinicians. Students learn the scientific and clinical basis of endodontics; develop clinical skills; gain knowledge of and experience in the educational process to function confidently as dental educators; and develop skills in designing, conducting, reporting, and publishing the results of original research.

The certificate program satisfies training requirements for eligibility for certification by the American Board of Endodontics. Students who complete the program are encouraged to seek board certification. Various activities throughout the course of study prepare students for the board examination process. Once students enroll in the certificate program, they cannot involve themselves in private dental practice enterprises outside the college. Please adhere to this policy to avoid dismissal from the program.

Students should complete the certificate program without interruption. Students who demonstrate a need to discontinue the program temporarily should limit their time away to a maximum of one calendar year. Students must have permission from the endodontics graduate program director to interrupt their study.

Graduate Study

Certificate students may work toward a Master of Science or a Doctor of Philosophy in oral science while earning the certificate. Both graduate degree programs provide students with in-depth knowledge in a scientific training discipline as preparation for careers in academia and research.

Students typically require three years of full-time study to complete the Certificate in Endodontics and the MS, or at least four years to complete the certificate and the PhD. Both graduate degree programs require more didactic coursework than the certificate program. The MS requires a thesis; the PhD requires a dissertation. See Oral Science in the catalog.

Other graduate programs are available to endodontics certificate students, such as master's degrees in other disciplines or a certificate in combination with a PhD in a basic science area. Such programs are available by special arrangement, depending on a candidate's experience and goals. Consult the Department of Endodontics for more information.

Applicants to the endodontics certificate program must apply through the American Dental Education Association's Postdoctoral Application Support Services (ADEA PASS). Applicants must hold a DDS or DMD degree or an international equivalent and meet the application requirements of the Graduate College. When available, they should take the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part 1 and Part 2.

Applications should include official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions, an updated curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and a photograph (two-inch head-and-shoulders view).

The certificate program begins July 1; ADEA PASS applications should be submitted by July 1 for admission the following summer. Finalists for admission are asked for a personal interview in July; admission decisions are made following interviews.

Applicants to the certificate program must be able to support themselves financially until they complete the program.

Prospective students should plan to pay for living expenses, tuition, books, specialized equipment (e.g., surgical operating microscope, notebook computer, and ultrasonic system), instrument usage, and other costs.