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Advanced Education Programs

A range of advanced education programs are available at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry to prepare graduates to pursue professional careers in clinical practice or in research and academia.

The Ohio State University College of Dentistry offers a graduate educational program leading to the M.S. degree. A Ph.D. degree is offered through the Oral Biology Ph.D. Program. Either program can be integrated with advanced clinical training in one of the recognized dental specialty certificate programs.

Beginning in summer 2012 the university will be moving from a quarter to semester calendar and the College of Dentistry and its Advanced Education Programs will be affected by this change.  Students who enroll under the quarter model and are still enrolled during the semester conversion will be transitioned in order to continue to make timely progress toward graduation.  The University and the College are committed to working with students to make the transition as efficient as possible and students who are in good academic standing should be able to timely progress toward completion of their program as expected.

Dental Specialty Programs

Training in advanced clinical dentistry is offered in the following areas: Anesthesiology, Endodontics, General Practice Residency, Oral Pathology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry , Periodontics, and Prosthodontics. These programs range from 12 to 48 months duration. They combine clinical experience with didactic courses in both the basic and clinical sciences. Upon satisfactory completion of the specialty program, the student will receive a certificate of specialty training and will be eligible to take specialty board examinations.

Master’s of Science Program

Students enrolled in advanced education specialty programs may also have the opportunity to earn a Master’s of Science degree in dentistry. Graduate education and research is an important foundation for understanding the scientific basis of the dental specialties. As such, specialty programs may optionally require that students successfully complete the requirements for the Master of Science degree. This degree is earned simultaneously with the clinical certificate. In addition to the Graduate School requirements, College requirements for the M.S. degree include successful completion of a master’s thesis and core research curriculum courses. (See MS Program Requirements)

The College also offers a General Practice Residency program. 

The Master’s of Science Program in Dentistry and Dental Specialty Advanced Education certificate can be obtained concurrently.

The program for the Master’s of Science in dentistry degree (thesis) is offered under the auspices of the Graduate School of The Ohio State University and the Dean of the Graduate School. It results in the awarding of the M.S. degree in Dentistry. It is administered by the Graduate Studies Committee M of the College of Dentistry. The program operates according to policies and rules of the Council on Research and Graduate Studies of the Ohio State University. University policies and requirements can be found in the Graduate School Handbook. The handbook provides extensive and detailed information on many topics relevant to graduate education. In addition there are requirements and policies specific to the master’s program in the College of Dentistry.

The Dental Specialty Advanced Education Programs are offered under the auspices of the College of Dentistry and its Dean. They result in the awarding of a certificate in a clinical specialty in dentistry. The clinical component of each program is administered by the respective Program Director. Individual programs set the standards for the content and quality of their program and the performance criteria in accordance with the American Dental Association Accreditation Standards or other applicable educational guidelines.

Ph.D. Program

The Graduate School also offers a Ph.D. Program in Oral Biology. This advanced graduate educational experience is specifically oriented to a career in academic dentistry and research. Students can either pursue the Ph.D. degree by itself or in combination with one of the Specialty Programs.

Graduate Teaching Associateships (GTA)

Some graduate students may be eligible for Graduate Teaching Associate (GTA) status.  These are awarded for one year (12 months) at a time and are renewable on the basis of satisfactory progress in the graduate curriculum.  Students are notified of their initial appointment as a GTA at the time of their acceptance into one of the Advanced Education Programs.  Generally, this occurs well in advance of their matriculation.

Students will automatically be reappointed for subsequent years as a GTA contingent on the availability of funds and satisfactory performance within the program.  GTAs can be terminated for low academic performance, or neglect of either teaching or clinical responsibilities.  GTA performance will be reviewed annually by both the GSC and the Program Director of the clinical specialty in which they are enrolled.  Termination of a GTA appointment is by the GSC in consultation with the Program Director.

Graduate students in the College of Dentistry are provided access to available workspace.  However, it may be necessary that students share file cabinets and desk space.  They also have access to the libraries on Campus and word processing and duplicating equipment.  Telephone, E-mail, fax and mail services are adequately provided within the College.