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College of Dental Medicine

The Department of Orthodontics offers a 36-month, combined certificate-master's degree program. The postdoctoral training is designed to fulfill the specialty certification requirements of the American Board of Orthodontics, with an emphasis on clinical training.

Comprehensive lectures in the relevant basic sciences, as well as seminars and case conferences in the clinical art and science of orthodontics, comprise one component of the program. The program's other component includes clinical treatment of adults, adolescents, and children to enable the student to gain knowledge and develop proficiency in the use of basic edgewise and other appliances. Interdisciplinary conferences and coordinated treatment procedures of complex cases with postdoctoral endodontic, periodontic and prosthodontic students are part of the educational experience. Analysis and treatment in orthognathic surgery and craniofacial anomaly cases are part of the program.

Orthodontic residents will be required to complete their master's degree in order to receive their certificate. Orthodontic residents will be responsible for all additional fees associated with attaining their master's degrees.

 Gainful Employment Disclosure

Admissions Requirements

Applicants to our program are required to have completed their dental degrees prior to matriculation into our program; the degree must be conferred prior to our program start date, July 1st of the year of admission.  All applicants are required to submit official Graduate Record Examination  (GRE) scores. The NSU code for the GRE is 5522 and the GRE must be completed no more than 3 years prior to matriculation. 

National Dental Board Exam (NDBE) scores are required of graduates of a CODA institution..

Submission of National Dental Board Exam (NDBE) scores is recommended, but not required, for graduates of non-CODA accredited institutions.

Additionally, graduates of a non-CODA accredited institution require an English proficiency (TOEFL), a score of 550 or higher on the paper-based (PBT) version of the Test of English Language as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), a score of 213 or higher on the computer-based test (CBT), or a score of 81 on the Internet-based test (IBT). Automatic waivers of the TOEFL requirement are granted for persons who have completed a bachelor's degree (or higher) at an accredited university in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada (excluding French Quebec), Australia, or New Zealand.

Coursework taken at foreign institutions must be evaluated for U.S. institution equivalence. This coursework must be evaluated by one of the following services.

World Education Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 745
Old Chelsea Station
New York, NY 10113-0745
(212) 966-6311
www.wes.org

Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
International Education Consultants
7101 SW 102nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33173
Phone: (305) 273-1616
Fax: (305) 273-1338
www.jsilny.com

Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
P.O. Box 415070
Milwaukee, WI 53203
(414) 289-3400
www.ece.org

Foundation for International Services, Inc.
14926 35th Avenue West, Suite 210
Lynwood, Washington 98087
(425) 248-2255
(425) 248-2262 fax
www.fis-web.com

GRE and TOEFL Information

Corporate Headquarters, Educational Testing Service
Rosedale Road
Princeton, New Jersey 08541
Phone: (609) 921-9000
Fax: (609) 734-5410
E-mail: etsinfo@ets.org
www.ets.org

Application Procedures

Applicants must complete all three steps of the application process: Pass application, NSU supplemental application, and National Matching Service participation.  

Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine uses the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS) administered by the American Dental Education Association. PASS applications must be completed and submitted to the Postdoctoral Application Support Service so that they are available for review by the Admissions Committee on September 1st of the application year.

PASS application materials and instructions may be obtained by visiting the PASS Web site or by contacting:

Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS)
1625 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Suite 101
Washington, DC 20036
Email: csrpass@adea.org
Phone: (202) 332-8790

The Orthodontics program at NSU College of Dental Medicine participates in the National Matching Service (MATCH).

National Matching Services, Inc.
20 Holly Street, Suite 301
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4S 3B1
Phone: (416) 977-3431 Fax (416) 977-5020
www.natmatch.com

Nova Southeastern University requires certain additional materials, including the College of Dental Medicine Application for Postdoctoral Students.

An application to NSU's postgraduate programs must be completed and the nonrefundable fee paid.

Program Curriculum

The Department of Orthodontics offers a full-time 36-month, combined certificate-master's degree program. The postdoctoral program is designed to fulfill the specialty accreditation standards established by the Commission on Dental Accreditation for Programs in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics.

Orthodontic residents are educationally qualified for and required to sit for the American Board of Orthodontics written examination and complete their master's degree program in order to receive their certificate in orthodontics.

Course Name

Description

Advanced Dental Radiology (CDM 5000)

Consideration of hard and soft tissue craniofacial imaging modalities, including MRI, tomography, and digital imaging.

Advanced Dental Materials (CDM 5001)

Properties and clinical considerations in the use of today's restorative materials.

Research Design (CDM 5002)

Learn how to plan research projects, initiate the projects and effectively present the findings. Critical evaluation of the literature about the field of interest is going to be emphasized.

Adv. Microbiology & Cell Biology (CDM 5003)

Graduate training in microbiology, including virology, bacteriology, microbial genetics, and microbial pathogenesis.

Advanced Oral Histology & Embryology (CDM 5004)

Cytological and developmental considerations in embryological, fetal and neonatal human craniofacial growth and development.

Fundamentals of Biostatistics (CDM 5006)

Analysis of descriptive and inferential statistics as used in contemporary biomedical research, including electronic-based statistical programs.

Advanced Medical Physiology (CDM 5008)

Detailed examination of cells and their transport, cardiac, pulmonary, acid base balance and fluids. Renal physiology, blood coagulation as well as blood factors will be addressed. Medical applications will be part of this course. Other topics will be integrated into the above.

Ethics and Jurisprudence (CDM 5109)

Reviews hallmarks of dental professional ethics, and aspects of the law that commonly impact on the daily practice of dentistry.

Advanced Oral & Maxillofacial

Pathology (CDM 5102)

Gross and histological specimen consideration in hard and soft tissue diseases of the oral and maxillofacial structures.

Adv. Head & Neck Anatomy Lecture Series (CDM 5103)

Didactic and dissection based consideration of head and neck structure and function essential to advanced dental practice.

Adv. Head & Neck Anatomy Lab Series (CDM 5104)

Laboratory based consideration of head and neck structure and function essential to advanced dental practice.

Adv. Systemic Oral Medicine & Pharmacology (CDM 5106)

Expands on the predoctoral education regarding the topic of oral medicine. The seminars will discuss current and classic literature to help refine the skills of students in interpreting a medical history and dental management of medically complex patients.