ENDODONTICS

Program Overview
Curriculum
Admissions Requirements
Application Procedure
Selection Process
Research Opportunities
Faculty
Tuition and Fees
Useful Websites

PLEASE NOTE: The 2010 Admission Cycle has come to a close. The 2011 Admission Cycle will open June 2010. The information on this page is for information only and subject to change. Prospective applicants for 2011 admission should return to this page in June to learn of any changes that may be made to the application process.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Endodontics program is a full-time program, requiring 36 months in active residence beginning in July 1st of each year.

The program is fully accredited and meets the educational requirements of the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Board of Endodontics (ABE). It is designed to prepare future leaders in the specialty of endodontics, who are qualified for academic careers and for clinical practice.

The program integrates new knowledge in the basic and applied biological sciences with modern approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of pulpal and periradicular diseases. Instruction is presented through lectures, seminars, demonstrations and conferences and is supplemented and emphasized by clinical treatment of patients.

Two to three candidates are accepted annually into the program. A certificate in Endodontics and an MS degree in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences are awarded upon satisfactory completion of the postgraduate program. All graduates are educationally eligible for examination by the American Board of Endodontics and are required to take the written examination at the end of the programs.

The Division of Endodontics is in the Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences in the School of Dentistry. The department is responsible for teaching the disciplines of Dental Biomaterials, Dental Public Health, General Restorative Dentistry, Prosthodontics and Endodontics. This relationship facilitates the integration of relevant components of these disciplines into an exceptionally diverse postgraduate program in endodontics.

University of California, San Francisco is one of the ten campuses of the University of California and the only one devoted solely to the health sciences. It consists of a Graduate Division that administers a diverse group of superb graduate academic programs in basic and behavioral sciences and four top-ranked professional schools: Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. UCSF has a worldwide reputation for excellence in teaching, patient care and biomedical research.

PROGRAM CONTACT:
Daliah Williams
Admissions Coordinator
Office of Admissions
513 Parnassus Avenue, S-630
San Francisco, CA. 94143-0430
(415) 476-2737, Ext#3 (voice)
(415) 476-4226 (fax)
E-mail: daliah.williams@ucsf.edu

CURRICULUM

The didactic portion of the curriculum places heavy emphasis on the biological aspects of the pathogenesis and treatment of oral diseases. Advanced courses in oral microbiology and immunology, virology, oral pathology, oral medicine, cell and molecular biology, connective tissue biochemistry, and biostatistics are integral parts of the curriculum. The program of study is designed to train endodontists who are capable of changing their therapeutic approaches based on new data from well-controlled scientific studies.

Approximately 50% of the overall curriculum is devoted to clinical training. Experience is provided in all acceptable modalities of endodontic treatment, including conventional and surgical endodontic treatment modalities, use of enhanced microscopy techniques and digital radiography.

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

• DDS or DMD degree
  
  
• National Board Examination scores, Part I
  
  
• GRE (Graduate Record Examination) scores. PLEASE NOTE: If accepted into the program, you are required to apply to the MS in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences program. In order to be accepted into the MS program you will need to submit the GRE score report no later than May 1st prior to the start of the program. The minimum requirement to be accepted into the MS program is to obtain 30% in each category (Verbal, Quantitative, Writing) of the general test. Institutional Code: 4840; Departmental Code: 0604.
  
  
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required for applicants whose native language is not English. The institution code is 4840; the department code is 38.
  

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants with clinical experience beyond dental school (minimum of two years) and/or research experience are given preference.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Application Deadline: Completed applications must be received by the Dental Admission Office on or before August 15th of the year preceding entry.

Candidates must submit the following:

• UCSF Application with supporting documentation to:
  
  

University of California, San Francisco
Dental Admissions Office
513 Parnassus Avenue, S-630
San Francisco, CA 94143-0430

• Postgraduate Application Fee Form with non-refundable $60 fee ($80 for international students, including Canadian citizens) to:
  
  

UCSF Office of Admissions and Registrar
File #307902
P.O. Box 60000
San Francisco, CA 94160

Do not send any transcripts, letters of recommendation, other documents or correspondence to this address.

• Applicant Questionnaire: Please click here to download the form as an Adobe Acrobat PDF
  
  
• Curriculum Vitae
  
  
• Official transcript(s) sent directly from the issuing institution from all colleges and universities attended (including transcripts from foreign universities and Canadian institutions where English was not the official language of instruction) Please note: Xerox or notarized copies are not acceptable.
  
  
• Course-by-course evaluation from Educational Credentials Evaluators (ECE) or World Education Services (WES) link to: www.wes.org for ALL foreign transcripts received outside of the US including Canadian schools where English was not the official language of instruction.
  
  
• Three letters of recommendation including a Dean's letter
  
  
• Official National Board scores from the National Board of Dental Examiners
  
  
• Official GRE scores (Graduate Record Examination)
  
  
• Official TOEFL Scores: For those applicants whose native language is not English
  
  
• If you are a licensed dentist, you must also provide verification of your license, and verification that no actions have been taken against you. You must request that the dental board of the state(s) you are licensed to practice in send this verification directly to UCSF at the Dental Admissions Office. We will not accept verifications submitted by applicants. Licensed applicants who fail to submit verifications for any licenses held will not be considered for admission
  

PLEASE NOTE: Only those applicants who meet all admissions qualifications and submit all required documentation within the deadline, including the UCSF application with fee, will be considered for a position.

SELECTION PROCESS

Admission is based on the applicant’s pre-dental and dental school grade point averages, GRE scores, National Dental Board scores, TOEFL scores (if applicable), research, clinical experience, letters of recommendation and interview.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

All students in the program are required to complete a research project and write a thesis for both the certificate in the specialty and their graduate degree (MS) as well as prepare a manuscript suitable for publication in the appropriate scientific literature. Research projects are carried out under the supervision of a self-selected research mentor on the UCSF faculty. Extensive opportunities are available in clinical and basic science research across all departments and schools.

FACULTY

One of the program's major assets is the breadth of its faculty. Our faculty, who received their advanced training from many different institutions, participate in the instructional activities of the program. In addition to this talented group of endodontists, a large number of other clinicians and scientists participate in our training program including biochemists, microbiologists, cell biologists and individuals from virtually all dental specialties.

TUITION AND FEES

Yearly stipends are available, depending on eligibility and funding availability. A facility and kit fee is due each year and fees are subject to change without notice. Postgraduate students are expected to devote 100% of their professional activities to the program. Permission to carry out practice or other professional activities outside of the program can only be granted in exceptional circumstances by the Program Director.

USEFUL WEBSITES

American Association of Endodontists
Please click here to see additional useful websites.