University of Pittsburgh
- Pennsylvania
- Orthodontics
- dental.pitt.edu
Program Contact
The Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, requires a three-year course of study. The goals of the program are to provide excellent education in the specialty of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, to provide high quality clinical care, and to conduct research designed to advance the knowledge of the specialty. The curriculum reflects this mission and provides residents with the necessary knowledge and experience to enter the specialty well prepared for practice. The curriculum is based upon a solid foundation of scientific principles and methods that residents may use as a rational framework for understanding treatment and evaluating future changes. The application of basic and clinical scientific knowledge to the practice of orthodontics is the fundamental tenet of the curriculum.
Successful completion of the program leads to a certificate in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, and enables graduates to participate in the American Board of Orthodontics certifying examination. Students may also pursue a course of study leading to a Master of Dental Science degree in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics.
The program is made up of complementary components designed to produce well-rounded orthodontists. The components are as follows:
- Clinical training, which prepares the resident for specialty board certification;
- Education from a broad curriculum, which provides residents with greater insight on the nature of orthodontics; and,
- Research, which enriches the profession and develops critical thinking.
The curriculum for the Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedic Program is designed to be taught at the postdoctoral level. The path of study followed by the residents comprises a core curriculum of graduate level basic sciences followed by a broad course of study in craniofacial biology, clinical sciences, and orthodontic techniques. A significant portion of the curriculum is devoted to clinical orthodontics allowing the resident to attain proficiency developed through a broad and diverse experience in patient care.
Conferences involving growth and development, statistics, occlusion and malocclusion, development of the dentition, dentofacial abnormalities, biomechanical orthodontics, genetics, bone biology, cephalometrics, diagnosis and treatment planning, evidence-based care, oral physiology, surgical orthodontics, practice management, and orthodontic technique provide an excellent foundation in the basic and clinical sciences. Orthodontic conferences and literature review sessions provide opportunities for critical analysis of historical and current literature, with application to contemporary orthodontic principles in case diagnosis and treatment planning.
Scholarly activity in the form of basic or clinical research is a fundamental component of the curriculum. The Orthodontic and Dentofacial Orthopedics Residency Program requires a research project to be completed prior to graduation.
Applicants must apply through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS), and the Program specifically requests that no additional or supplemental materials be submitted in the application process. Four residents are accepted each year, and all positions are awarded through the Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program in the Phase I (Fall) match. The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
Program Information
| Program Type | Orthodontics |
|---|---|
| Program Code | ORTHO907 |
| Degrees Offered | Certificate, Masters |
| Program Size | 4 |
| Program Length | 36 months |
| Application Deadline | September 1 |
| Program Start Date | July 1 |
| Supplemental Application | No |
| Supplemental Fee | Yes |
| Stipend Offered | Yes |
| Match Participating | Yes |
| Program Website | dental.pitt.edu |
Application Requirements
Required Standardized Tests
- GRE
- INBDE
- NBDE1
- NBDE2
- TOEFL
- Passing the INBDE before matriculation into the advanced dental education program
- Passing the INBDE before the Match deadline
Supplemental Requirements
- Requires supplemental fee
Other Requirement Instructions
Supplemental Application Fee
A non-refundable $75 supplemental application fee is required at time of application.
International Student Eligibility
This program will consider applicants who graduated, or plan to graduate, from a non-CODA accredited dental school: No
Applicants are eligible to enroll if they are:
- US Citizen
- US Permanent Resident
- Canadian Citizen
- Canadian Permanent Resident
- Non-US Citizen/Resident (applicant must obtain their own sponsorship)
Interview Schedule
Interviews are by invitation only, typically the end of October.
Additional Information
Under Program Materials of the application you will find a field, "Please enter your current/final dental school GPA." If your dental school does not provide a GPA, you should enter zero, "0" in the numerical value field. This will indicate that the information is not available.
Dentists must be graduates of schools accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) within the United States, Canada or abroad.
By reciprocal agreement, programs that are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada are recognized by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
For a list of CODA-accredited international programs, go to the American Dental Association website www.ada.org/coda. Note that candidates who attended dental school outside of the US and Canada are required to achieve TOEFL scores of at least 90. The exam score must be current (less than two years old).
The program currently does NOT accept applicants who graduated from a non-CODA accredited dental school.