Advanced Education

Prosthodontics

Advanced Specialty Education Program in Prosthodontics

Program Length and Duration

36-month program begins July 1 each year leading to Certificate and a Masters of Dental Science degree.

• 33 months certificate program begins July 1. (Applicants seeking a concurrent Master of Dental Science degree are preferred).
  
• An interdepartmental program leading to a Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Science is also available. The length of this program varies.

Objective

Our objective is to create an environment for learning that will enable each resident to face the challenges of the future and emerge as a leader in the field of prosthodontics. We seek to provide a learning experience that includes state of the art skills and knowledge with the analytical ability to secure success in the future.

Graduates of the Prosthodontic Residency are expected to be adept at managing sophisticated esthetic and functional dental rehabilitations that utilize in-depth knowledge of classic prosthodontics and dental implants. They should be knowledgeable of dental materials and advances in new technologies as they occur.

The program is flexible. If the student desires a career in academic dentistry, research and teaching aspects of the program are emphasized. For the student intent upon a career in private practice, increased emphasis is placed on patient care and practice management.

Description

This is a combined program of fixed, removable, and implant prosthodontics that is designed to provide the student with clinical skills and proficiency necessary for the specialized practice of prosthodontics and/or for a career in teaching and research. Use of dental implants is emphasized. Residents have the opportunity to treat a variety of intraoral maxillofacial patient need. All residents are qualified and expected to obtain certification by the American Board of Prosthodontics. Participation in mock written and oral examinations is required twice each year.

Residents must perform a publishable research project, accomplish laboratory procedures and give formal presentations on various topics. Treatment planning is emphasized and residents are required to present their patients' treatment plans and progress during seminars. Residents are strongly encouraged to discuss each patient's treatment plan with various members of the faculty and consultants to obtain a variety of ideas and opinions.

The clinical portion of the residency comprises about 60 percent of the scheduled curriculum. A desirable pool of patients ensures residents the opportunity for a wide range of clinical experiences. Most patient treatments include use of dental implants.

The didactic portion of the program includes interdepartmental courses in anatomy, histology, pathology, applied pharmacology, epidemiology, statistics and dental materials. The interdepartmental clinical program includes clinical faculty seminars, treatment planning seminars and implant conferences.

During intra-department didactic sessions a variety of opinions by faculty and consultants are encouraged to expose students to controversy and encourage critical thinking. Our aim is to provide a positive learning environment, camaraderie, and mutual respect between students and faculty.

Stipend and Tuition

Stipend

• Stipends are available.

Tuition

• Certificate - No fee.
• Masters of Dental Science and Ph.D. are charged per credit hour.
• The total tuition and fees for the Masters of Dental Science cost is approximately $6,500 for U.S. citizens and $16,000 for international students (total for all three years).
• Students are required to provide their own laptop computer.

Faculty

Admission Requirements

Dentists graduated from accredited United States and Canada or other international dental schools who possess equivalent educational background and standing are eligible for admission to the Advanced Education Program in Prosthodontics. Application forms may be requested by telephone, mail, or email. Application materials are reviewed and candidates with the highest qualifications are selected for an interview based on the following criteria: dental and pre-professional education transcripts, class standing, National Dental Board Examination results, personal and career goals, experiences beyond pre-doctoral education, evidence of scholarly activity, and letters of recommendation. TOEFL exam scores in excess of 215 for the computer-based and 550 on the paper exam are required for applicants whose first language is not English. No candidates are admitted to the program without a personal interview. Non-discriminatory policies are followed in selecting the applicants.

Application

Applicants are encouraged to apply before September 1st of the year preceding July 1st matriculation for most favorable consideration. Application deadline is undetermined and early application is encouraged.

Applicants should use the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS) and are encouraged to send duplicate information to the program.

Applicant interviews are by invitation.

Application requirements include the following:

• Completed application form (PDF).
• $75 applications fee payable to the University of Connecticut Health Center.
• Transcripts from all undergraduate and dental schools attended with class standing in dental school.
• Results of the National Dental Board examination for Part I and Part II (when available.
• Three letters of recommendation; at least one from a prosthodontist.
• A personal interview (by invitation).
• A minimal score of 550 on the paper-based or 215 on the computer-based TOEFL exam by applicants of non-English speaking countries.