About the Program
The Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry offers an advanced education program leading to a Certificate in Endodontics. The philosophy of this program is to educate dentists to become competent endodontists who will serve the public and the profession at a high level of excellence. It stresses the importance of knowledge and skills in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases associated with the dental pulp and related periapical tissues. The correlation of basic sciences and clinical sciences is an integral part of the program. Individuals who successfully complete this advanced education program will be awarded a Certificate in Endodontics.
Successful completion of the postdoctoral curriculum fulfills all the educational requirements for eligibility for examination by the American Board of Endodontics. Candidates with clinical experience are preferred.
Admission Requirements
Dentists graduated from accredited United States and Canadian or other international dental schools that possess equivalent educational background and standing are eligible for admission to the Advanced Education Program in Endodontics.
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 predoctoral education, evidence of scholarly activity, and letters of recommendation. Applicants born outside the United States and whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the Test of Spoken English/Professional version (TSE). Required score of the TOEFL is 550 (written test) or 250 (computer test). Required score on the TSE is 55. No candidates are admitted to the program without a personal interview. Non-discriminatory policies are followed in selecting the applicants.
Program Fee, Stipends, Equipment, and Benefits
Program Fee: There is no program fee associated with the certificate program in endodontics for dentists who have graduated from accredited United States or Canadian dental schools. The annual program fee for international candidates with degrees from other dental schools is $18,500. If the resident wishes to enroll in the Master of Science in Oral Biology degree program, he must pay tuition for courses taken through the School of Graduate Studies.
Stipends: No stipend funds are available for the certificate program in endodontics. Augusta, Georgia is a beautiful city with a low cost of living. This makes it ideal for residency training from a financial standpoint.
Equipment: All expendable supplies associated with the clinical program are provided by the institution. A dental operatory microscope is provided for each resident.
Benefits: The School of Dentistry provides malpractice insurance coverage for residents while providing patient care at the Medical College of Georgia. This insurance does not cover any outside dental practice. Endodontic residents are entitled to MCG employee holidays and 10 days of vacation/personal leave per year. Endodontic residents are eligible to participate in the Student Health Care Program at MCG.
The Facilities
The Endodontic Program is located in the Medical College of Georgia’s School of Dentistry, in a separate clinic devoted exclusively to endodontic patient care. Each resident has his own fully-equipped operatory and shares a private office with a classmate. Two full-time dental assistants are assigned to assist the residents in the clinic on a rotating basis.
The Curriculum
The curriculum leading to a certificate in endodontics consists of the following courses from the Department of Endodontics, oral biology and clinical core curriculum.
Endodontic Courses
Introductory Postgraduate Endodontics (5 hours per week, summer session) This course is an introduction to advanced endodontics with the emphasis on clinical techniques and principles. The objective is to provide the first year residents with the basic knowledge and skills necessary to diagnose and treat patients with endodontic problems.
Endodontology Lecture (2 hours per week, 4 semesters) Lectures are presented to residents on topics of critical interest to endodontics. Lectures are presented by endodontic faculty and guest lecturers from other clinical and basic science disciplines.
Literature Review (4 hours per week, 4 semesters) The basis of endodontic concepts are found in the literature. Selected articles in a particular topic are carefully reviewed and analyzed. The residents learn to critically read and evaluate the scientific evidence that supports endodontic principles and practice.
Endodontic Case Presentation (2 hour per month, 4 semesters) Interesting and/or difficult diagnostic and treatment cases are presented by residents and faculty. All cases are critiqued by the group. All potential surgery cases are previewed in these sessions.
Clinical Patient Care (5 half days per week, 4 semesters) The treatment of patients with endodontic problems is performed during these clinic periods. A variety of procedures must be completed by the resident during the two year period.
Endodontic Research (One half day per week, 4 semesters) A clinical research project of publishable quality is completed and written during the program. The research is usually directed by a faculty member in the department.
Undergraduate Clinical Teaching (3 semesters) Residents have undergraduate teaching responsibilities, pre-clinical technique laboratories (1 semester) and undergraduate clinic coverage (2 semesters). This experience exposes the resident to a variety of clinical problems, and it develops his ability to communicate his/her knowledge.
Journal Club (2 hour per month, 4 semesters) Current articles related to the science and practice of Endodontics are searched out in selected journals, abstracted, and reviewed weekly.
Endodontic/Pedodontic Seminars (1 hour per week, 6 weeks) Pedodontic and Endodontic residents participate in a seminar series on the diagnosis and treatment of pulpal and periapical pathology in children and adolescents.
Clinical Topics in Endodontics (20 hours per year)
This course is designed to place special emphasis on correlating fundamental principles of endodontics with current concepts and variations as they relate to clinical situations.
Endodontic/Periodontic Seminars (20 hours)
Endodontic and Periodontic residents participate in this series of lectures, literature reviews, and case presentation seminars. The biologic and clinical aspects of selected topics and treatment cases are discussed.
Oral Biology Core Courses
This is a series of courses in the basic sciences designed to be universally applicable to postdoctoral students of different specialties.
Topics in Oral Biology I (2 hours per week, 1 semester)
This course is composed of three blocks. The first block is Hard Tissue Biology: Anatomy, physiology and biochemistry of bone and teeth. The second block is TMJ Disorders: Anatomy, inflammatory disorders and physiology of the TMJ and masticatory muscles. The third block is Regeneration and Repair of Orofacial Tissues: Growth and differentiation, biochemistry of wound healing, management of lacerations and fractures, and periodontal tissue regeneration.
Topics in Oral Biology II (2 hours per week, 1 semester)
This course is composed of two blocks. The first block focuses on Orofacial Infections: causative agents, lymphatics, anatomy, host defense mechanisms, and therapy. The second block involves the biochemistry, physiology, and anatomy of Bleeding Disorders.
Topics in Oral Biology III (2 hours per week, 1 semester)
This course involves three blocks. The first block covers Pain and Anxiety Management in Dentistry. The second block is Dental Management of the Medically Compromised Patient. Physiology, microbiology, and pharmacotherapy is included. The third block covers the anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and pharmacology of Salivary Gland Function in Health and Disease.
Topics in Oral Biology IV (2 hours per week, 1 semester)
This course is composed of two blocks. The first block is a series of lectures focused on Molecular Pathology. The second block is focused on Orofacial Anomolies and Defects.
Oral Pathology I (1 hour per week, 1 semester)
This is an advanced lecture-seminar course in oral pathology. It is designed to enhance the advanced students’ in-depth knowledge of diseases of the oral and paraoral regions including recent concepts of etiology and pathogenesis of such disturbances. Clinico-pathologic characteristics of oral-paraoral pathosis are presented to demonstrate the role of such information in determining the diagnosis and prognosis of oral disease.
Graduate Oral Biology Seminars (1 hour per week, 4 semesters) These seminars include advanced topics of interest to Dentistry and are presented by both graduate students and faculty.
Clinical Core Courses
This is a series of courses in the clinical sciences designed to be applicable to postgraduate students of different specialties. Elective and required courses are designated by the program director.
Physical Diagnosis (10 hours)
This course is designed to bridge the gap between classic basic sciences of human anatomy and physiology and their application to physical examination. Within each region or system of the body, three essential topics are dealt with: (1) the anatomy and physiology basic to understanding patient examination, (2) the techniques of examination and (3) examples of selected abnormalities.
Research Design and Statistics (12 hours)
The purpose of this course is to aid the student in reading, interpreting, and evaluating dental literature. The course will focus on those statistical and design considerations commonly found in the dental literature.
Dental Radiology (12 hours)
This course presents radiology related to clinical dentistry. Topics include radiation physics, biology, hygiene, and concepts of advanced imaging systems and their applications in dentistry.
Practice Management (8 hours)
Discussions will introduce the basic concepts of practice and personal financial management.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (8 hours)
This course involves the study and practice of the skills used in artificial respiration and artificial circulation when cardiac arrest occurs. Upon completion of the course the student must be able to pass the written and practical examination on the principles and techniques of CPR as recommended by the American Heart Association.
Behavior Therapy: Its Dental Applications (10 hours)
This course will consider various aspects of behavior therapy in relation to clinical dentistry.
Implant Dentistry (32 hours) This course will introduce the student to the diagnosis and treatment planning, imaging techniques, classification, placement, and restoration of the commonly used implant systems
