University of Pennsylvania

Program Director: Dr. Nipul Tanna, contact

Program Overview

Applicants to this joint program must be accepted by both the Periodontic and Orthodontic admissions committees. It features two tracks:

The Clinical Track (Duration of program: 4 years)

In this track, the first year provides a comprehensive background in periodontics through extensive literature reviews, seminars, and clinical practice. Selected periodontal case are continued into the second year, which focuses on formal training in orthodontics, orthodontic preclinical laboratories, and the beginning of clinical training in several multi-band techniques. The third and fourth years consists primarily of orthodontic seminars, clinical practice of periodontics and orthodontics, and evaluation of post-treatment periodontal cases. Third- and fourth-year students also do limited teaching.

Graduates in this program are fully certified and board eligible in both periodontics and orthodontics. The four-year track will develop skilled clinicians who will be able to practice and teach in a clinical setting.

The Academic Track (Duration of program: 5 years)

The academic track is designed to prepare students for full-time academia as highly-trained clinicians in periodontics, orthodontics, and dental educators. This program is planned in cooperation with a research preceptor and leads to a Master of Science in Oral Biology. The program is planned and balanced by the Departments of Periodontics and Orthodontics and the research preceptor, so students can undertake clinical research while also being competently trained as a clinician.

Students will also have courses in the School of Education and have teaching responsibilities.

Clinical Education

The clinical portion of the program is the same for both tracks. The first year focuses on periodontics with selected periodontal cases continuing into the second year, which includes the beginning of clinical training in several multi-band orthodontic techniques. Students continue to build their clinical skills the third and fourth years, practicing in both periodontics and orthodontics.

All clinical practice takes place in Penn Dental Medicine’s Brainerd F. Swain Orthodontic Clinic and its D. Walter Cohen and Morton Amsterdam Periodontal Clinic.

Additional Information for International Applicants:

Official TOEFL Scores

Evaluation of non-U.S. dental degree by approved credentialing service.  See

http://www.dental.upenn.edu/academic_programs_admissions/graduate_dental_education_programs/admission

Applicants to this program are eligible to apply concurrently to the foloowing degree programs which extend the lenght of the curriculum.

Master of Science in Oral Biology (MSOB) - Master of Science in Oral Biology - Penn Dental Medicine (upenn.edu)

Doctor of Science in Dentistry (DScD) - Admissions DScD with Certificate - Penn Dental Medicine (upenn.edu)

Only upon request, accepted applicants will be required to complete the following:

• Successfully pass several Criminal Background Checks.
• Meet University and School of Dental Medicine vaccination and health screening requirements.
•  Provide official INBDE scores if not provided to ADEA PASS at the time of application.
• Complete all required knowledge based compliance courses
• Submit a final set of official transcripts from all postsecondary schools attended.  For international dental school graduates we require official transcripts in the original language and an original certified English translation, a notarized copy of your dental diploma and original certified English translation, and an official ECE course-by-course evaluation.