University of California, Los Angeles

The Orthodontics Postgraduate Training Program is designed to train clinical specialists at the postgraduate level and includes extensive didactic, clinical, and research experience. Although the major study concentration is in orthodontics, research in any of the allied medical or dental sciences is acceptable. Successful trainees must complete the requirements for both the Master's degree in Oral Biology and the advanced education in orthodontics program in order to be awarded a certificate of completion for the orthodontic program.

The curriculum consists of subject matter that has direct application to clinical orthodontics and includes didactic instruction and seminars in: etiology, diagnosis, and treatment planning; applied clinical orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics; cephalometrics, 3D and CBCT imaging; biomechanics of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics; orthodontic materials; anatomy; growth and development; orthodontic literature review; interceptive orthodontics; interdisciplinary treatments including periodontics and prosthodontics; TMJ function and dysfunction; surgical orthodontics; craniofacial anomalies; principles of clear aligner therapy; embryology; practice management biostatistics; research design; and supervised research and manuscript preparation.

Concomitant with their formal education, postgraduates treat a range of simple to complex cases with various appliances including clear aligners, fixed appliances, growth modifiying appliances, temporary anchorage devices (TADs) and mini-screw skeletal expanders (MSE), amongst others. Postgraduates also attend regularly scheduled seminars of the UCLA Health System Craniofacial Team and participate in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with various developmental anomalies in the UCLA Craniofacial Clinic and the orthodontics clinic. Postgraduates also participate in a interdisciplinary approach in the treatment and diagnosis of complex adult orofacial problems. Our postgraduates also have the opportunity to treat skeletal and dental problems in deciduous and mixed dentition. These course requirements and clinical experiences are consistent with the recommendations of the Council on Orthodontic Education of the American Dental Association of Orthodontics.