Advanced Prosthodontics

“We are excited to announce that this program will be the Advanced Prosthodontics and Implant Dentistry Preceptorship effective Jan 2025.”

Length of Program: 1-3 quarters

Number of Positions: 5

Program Director: Dr. Kumar Shah

This program offers 4 options to suit each enrollee’s academic interests and needs. Applicants must specify the quarter they would like to begin and the length of the program they desire.  

The Advanced Prosthodontics and Implant Dentistry Preceptorship program is designed to provide broad exposure to a variety of topics in implant dentistry with a focus on Prosthodontics and Implant Treatment Planning. The required materials are presented in a way that allows time for each trainee to view actual laboratory and clinical cases as he/she chooses.

Curriculum

The basic curriculum is augmented by the availability of graduate and predoctoral dental courses, which may be audited by the qualified preceptor, allowing each participant to customize his/her experience. Preceptors will find a very dynamic form of education that does not focus on the dogmatic lecture hall presentation, but instead follows a more intimate seminar-type atmosphere that encourages a cutting-edge exchange of ideas. The education attained is limited only by the participant’s willingness to seek out the experiences he/she desires.

A seasonal breakdown of the focus areas of the curriculum has been established. However, as implant prosthodontics is an extremely dynamic and rapidly changing field, literally each week and even every day will bring new material to the participants.

This precludes the course administrator’s ability to provide exact expectations of what and when specific topics will be covered. It is felt that a real-time, patient-based treatment experience should drive the education, as is found with the prosthodontic and interdisciplinary treatment planning conferences. These conferences provide an exciting opportunity to discuss the formulation of patient treatment plans with world-renowned authorities and allow a real-time evaluation and debate over the merits of the treatment modalities employed. Preceptors will also have the opportunity to photograph selected cases in progress to provide a personal record of the current treatment techniques utilized.

An additional feature of this program is the unique opportunity it provides its participants to interact with a broad spectrum of researchers in the Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology. Innovative research on biology, gene therapy, cellular response to biomaterials, and evaluation of outcomes of prosthodontic research is ongoing in the center. The research enterprise at the UCLA School of Dentistry provides an innovative, collaborative environment where our preceptors can conduct research under the mentorship from leaders in the field. All preceptors are required to be involved in a research project during their training on impactful topics, including CAD/CAM, dental materials, bioengineering, bone biology, and prosthodontics.

A certificate of attendance is awarded upon successful completion of the program. This certificate is not the same as the postgraduate program certificate awarded to full-time international postgraduates in specialty training as a qualification for recognition by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.

The admissions committee considers the following criteria in its decisions:

• Academic achievement (GPA and class rank if available)

• Research interests

• Content of personal statement, including the applicant's interest in prosthodontics, reason for applying to the program, and goals for the program if he/she is accepted

• Content of confidential reports

The decision on acceptance will be made on a rolling basis. A letter of acceptance signed by the Program Director and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will be issued upon acceptance.

Fees: $4,700 per quarter (subject to change)

Certificate Fee: one-time payment of $200

Refund Policy:

Postgraduate Programs Officer
Phone: (310) 825-7478 
postdds@dentistry.ucla.edu