The professional Certificate in Periodontics requires 36 months of full-time study, including satisfactory completion of required didactic and clinical courses, satisfactory completion of comprehensive written and oral examinations, and an acceptable literature review or research paper. Opportunities are provided for experience in clinical and basic research.
Students working toward the Certificate in Periodontics must pursue the Master of Science in oral science in conjunction with the certificate; see "Graduate Study."
The certificate program provides a sound foundation for the clinical practice of periodontics. It meets all requirements of the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation for advanced dental education programs in periodontics. It also meets the educational requirements for application to take board certification examinations of the American Board of Periodontology.
Certificate students must be financially prepared for the uninterrupted pursuit of their program of study.
Graduate Study
Students earning the Certificate in Periodontics must pursue a Master of Science in oral science concurrently while working toward certificate completion. The MS program requires 36 months of full-time study, including satisfactory completion of required and elective courses, preparation and defense of an acceptable thesis based on original research, and satisfactory completion of comprehensive written and oral examinations. See Oral Science in the catalog.
Applicants to the periodontics certificate program must have a DDS degree or the equivalent and meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College. Visit the College of Dentistry page on the Graduate Office of Admissions website to learn more about applying to the certificate program.