Students can earn the professional Certificate in Operative Dentistry in conjunction with an MS or PhD in oral science. Completion of the certificate and the MS requires 36 months of full-time study. Students must maintain a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.00 to earn the certificate.

The MS requires additional coursework as well as a thesis and oral and written comprehensive exams. Students have some flexibility in their curriculum to take courses that particularly interest them; see Oral Science in the catalog.

The Certificate in Operative Dentistry is a professional clinical advanced educational program that provides dentists with training for teaching, research, and the clinical practice of operative dentistry. The Operative Dentistry Advanced Education Program meets the educational requirements for application to take the board certification examinations of the American Board of Operative Dentistry. Operative dentistry is recognized by the American Dental Association as an interest area in general dentistry.

Applicants to the certificate program must be graduates of an accredited United States or recognized international dental school and must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College. The department may request an interview with an applicant.

Students must provide their own financial support for the certificate and degree programs, including research and thesis expenses.

For more information, visit the Department of Operative Dentistry website.