The professional Certificate in Endodontics requires a minimum of 24 months of full-time formal training. Students must maintain a cumulative g.p.a. 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 they need to practice endodontics and/or pursue a career in dental education and research. 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 in order 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 are not permitted to involve themselves in private dental practice enterprises outside the college. Failure to adhere to this policy may result in dismissal from the program.
Whenever possible, 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 in order 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 normally require three years of full-time study to complete the Certificate in Endodontics and the M.S. degree, or at least four years to complete the certificate and the Ph.D. degree. Both graduate degree programs require more didactic coursework than the certificate program. The M.S. requires a thesis; the Ph.D. 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 Ph.D. 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 D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree or an international equivalent and must meet the application requirements of the Graduate College. They should take the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part 1 and Part 2, when available.
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 no later than 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 expenses.