Orthodontics

Length of Program: 3 years

Number of Positions: 4 for graduates of CODA accredited dental schools

Financial Arrangement: UC Salary Breakdown

*** Postgraduates are required to pay tuition for the Oral Biology Master's Program. For more information about these fees, please refer to the UCLA Graduate Division fees page.***

Program Director: Dr. Sunil Kapila

The Orthodontics Postgraduate Training Program is designed to train clinical specialists at the postgraduate level and includes extensive didactic, clinical, and research experience. Although the major study concentration is in orthodontics, research in any of the allied medical or dental sciences is acceptable. Successful postgraduates must complete the requirements for both the Master's degree in Oral Biology and the Orthodontics Postgraduate Training Program in order to be awarded a certificate of completion for the orthodontic program.

The curriculum consists of subject matter that has direct application in orthodontic practice. Examples of such subjects are orthodontic seminars covering etiology, diagnosis, and treatment planning; applied clinical orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics; cephalometrics, and other auxiliary imaging methods; biomechanical principles; anatomy; growth and development; review of orthodontic literature; gnathology and TMJ function and dysfunction; surgical orthodontics; craniofacial anomalies; embryology; biostatistics; metallurgy of orthodontic materials; research design; and research and manuscript preparation.

Concomitant with their formal education, postgraduates attend the regularly scheduled seminars of the UCLA Health System Craniofacial Team and take part in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with various developmental abnormalities in the UCLA Craniofacial Clinic. Postgraduates also participate in a multidisciplinary approach in the treatment and diagnosis of complex adult orofacial problems. In the orthodontic clinic, our postgraduates have the opportunity to treat skeletal and dental problems in deciduous and mixed dentition. These course requirements are consistent with the recommendations of the Council on Orthodontic Education of the American Dental Association of Orthodontics.

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Selection Process & Factors

Selected candidates will be invited to interview. If you have been selected, you will be notified by telephone and/or email.

Timing of Interviews: Late September to early October 

The admissions committee considers the following criteria in its decisions:

  • Academic achievement

  • Quality of research, publications, and teaching experience

  • Leadership and community service experiences

  • Other relevant experiences

  • Demonstrated interest in orthodontics

Applicants will be notified of acceptance through the Match service. To find out when results will be available, please consult the Match service. A letter of acceptance signed by the Program Director and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will be issued upon acceptance. After being accepted, candidates must also apply to the Oral Biology Master's Program.

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Accreditation Statement

The program in Orthodontics is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association and has been granted the accreditation status of "Approval without Reporting Requirements”. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653, by visiting www.ada.org/coda, or by mail at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-2678.