Orthodontics, M.S.
About the Program
The Graduate Orthodontic Program is a thirty-month, graduate level curriculum, upon the successful completion of which, the student receives a Master of Science degree in Orthodontics and a certificate to practice orthodontics. The program was established in 1981 to meet the needs of education, patient care, and research in the field of orthodontics, and today, prepares qualified dentists to manage the full range of dentofacial discrepancies that fall within the responsibility of the orthodontist. Students will learn a variety of treatment methods under the supervision of experienced and outstanding faculty and will complete a master's thesis. The program starts July 1st and finishes December 31st.
The program is housed on the fourth floor of the college and in clinic and each graduate student is assigned an exclusive clinic chair that he or she works at. Adjacent to the clinic is the graduate student offices, each shared by two students.
Career Opportunities
Most orthodontists have full-time private practices of the specialty. However, there are other career opportunities, one of which is academics. There are opportunities also with the military and the public health services. Part-time opportunities in academics may also be available.
Cost
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are enrolled in the prescribed courses and to pay tuition and fees at the time designated by the Bursar's Office. Details regarding tuition/fee charges and collection are available from the Bursar's Office.
Prerequisites
- D.D.S./D.M.D. Graduates from US-CODA approved institutions
- Three letters of recommendation
- Official National Board score
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Personal Statement.
Master of Science Degree Requirements
Patients assigned for treatment under faculty supervision will present a spectrum of orthodontic problems. Before graduating, the student must be deemed proficient in both didactic course work and the clinical discipline of orthodontics by department faculty. The core curriculum consists of 36 credit hours including sciences that are basic to orthodontics. In addition, the student will be registered for a minimum of eight credit hours in Research for Master's Thesis and eight credit hours in Clinical Practice of the specialty. The student also may be required to register for courses with variable credit hours. The program involves 70 credit hours.
The master's thesis, based on original research, may focus on a number of topics in growth and development, as well as function of the stomatognathic system. Other areas for study include craniofacial 2D and 3D imaging, 3D printing, temporary anchorage devices, factors related to balance or imbalance of dental occlusion, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, effects of various types of orthodontic mechanotherapy, testing of biomaterials relevant to orthodontic practice, biologic tissue response including white spot lesions, and psychosocial impact of malocclusion and its treatment on patients. Facilities exist at the Health Sciences Center to conduct research related to these topics. Students will be assigned limited clinical, didactic and laboratory teaching responsibilities in the predoctoral orthodontic program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Summer - Year 1 | ||
| ORTH 5531 | Orthodontic Techniques | 1 |
| ORTH 5581 | Roentgenographic Cephalometry | 1 |
| ORTH 5940 | Clinical Practice | 1 |
| ORTH 5960 | Directed Readings In Dentistry | 1 |
| Fall - Year 1 | ||
| ORTH 5541 | Materials Science For The Dental Specialties | 1 |
| ORTH 5551 | Advanced Orthdodontic Techniques | 1 |
| ORTH 5711 | Community Research Methods | 1 |
| ORTH 5732 | Biomechanics & The Biology of Tooth Movement | 2 |
| ORTH 5940 | Clinical Practice | 2 |
| ORTH 5950 | Research Methods In Dentistry | 2 |
| ORTH 5970 | Research Methods in Dentistry | 2 |
| ORTH 5522 | Developmental And Educational Psychology In Orthodontics | 2 |
| ORTH 5761 | Etiology, Genetics And Care Of The Exceptional Patient | 1 |
| Spring - Year 1 | ||
| BSE 5163 | Biostatistical Methods I | 3 |
| ORTH 5502 | Principles And Practice Of Orthodontics | 2 |
| ORTH 5532 | Orthodontic Mgt Of Patients W/Cleft Lip/Palate/Other Anomalies | 2 |
| ORTH 5561 | Articulation And Occlusion | 1 |
| ORTH 5701 | Craniofacial Growth | 1 |
| ORTH 5801 | Advanced Oral Histology And Pathology | 1 |
| ORTH 5940 | Clinical Practice | 2 |
| ORTH 5970 | Research Methods in Dentistry | 2 |
| ORTH 5990 | Special Studies In Dentistry | 2 |
| ORTH 5731 | Preventive Periodontics | 1 |
| ORTH 5741 | Advanced Studies In Oral Diagnosis/Oral Medicine | 1 |
| Summer - Year 2 | ||
| ORTH 5940 | Clinical Practice | 1 |
| ORTH 5960 | Directed Readings In Dentistry | 2 |
| ORTH 5980 | Research For Master's Thesis | 2 |
| Fall - Year 2 | ||
| ORTH 5771 | Graduate Practice Administration | 1 |
| ORTH 5940 | Clinical Practice | 1 |
| ORTH 5970 | Research Methods in Dentistry | 1 |
| ORTH 5980 | Research For Master's Thesis | 2 |
| ORTH 5990 | Special Studies In Dentistry | 2 |
| ORTH 5761 | Etiology, Genetics And Care Of The Exceptional Patient | 1 |
| Spring - Year 2 | ||
| ORTH 5940 | Clinical Practice | 1 |
| ORTH 5970 | Research Methods in Dentistry | 1 |
| ORTH 5980 | Research For Master's Thesis | 2 |
| ORTH 5990 | Special Studies In Dentistry | 2 |
| CELL 6313 | Advanced Gross Anatomy | 3 |
| Summer - Year 3 | ||
| ORTH 5940 | Clinical Practice | 1 |
| ORTH 5960 | Directed Readings In Dentistry | 1 |
| ORTH 5980 | Research For Master's Thesis | 2 |
| Fall - Year 3 | ||
| ORTH 5940 | Clinical Practice | 5 |
| ORTH 5970 | Research Methods in Dentistry | 2 |
| ORTH 5980 | Research For Master's Thesis | 2 |
Program Structure
The entire program is a minimum of 70 credit hours of clinical and didactic courses. Each week of the curriculum includes approximately three and a half days of patient treatment in the clinic. Each resident will start approximately 50 new cases from patients who are carefully selected from a large pool of patients seeking orthodontic treatment in the department. This way, each resident has the opportunity to treat a variety of orthodontic problems and cover a wide range of treatment methods.
In addition to the program curriculum, residents are encouraged to attend continuing education courses. Prominent researchers and lecturers from the U.S., and other countries are periodically invited to Oklahoma City to give lectures or courses covering pertinent orthodontic and other related topics. Residents are also allowed to attend a variety of off-site courses that offer valuable instruction.
The residents attend the annual Graduate Orthodontic Residents Program (GORP), The Damon Forum, an Invisalign certification course, Wired for Success, The Bottom Line, 3M Summit, Alexander Discipline Course, American Association of Orthodontics AAO, and Southwestern Society of Orthodontists meetings. During their second year, residents also attend the Charles Tweed Foundation's wire-bending course in Tucson, AZ.
Admission Requirements
The OU Graduate Orthodontics program participates in the National Matching Service. Interested applicants must register with the Match. The deadline for submission of all application materials to the OU Orthodontics Department is September 1st of the year prior to matriculation. From over 125 applicants, approximately 30 applicants are invited to interview in late October or early November. Four positions are filled through the match.
For applicants from U.S. Accredited schools, the application consists of two separate parts:
Step 1: Send to OU Health Sciences
The first part of the application contains materials submitted to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. All materials for this process are submitted to the OUHSC Admissions and Records office. This process requires an online application to the Graduate College Graduate Dentistry – Orthodontics – MS program, which includes a $75 application fee that is payable online.
- Please submit all official transcripts of all college coursework electronically (preferred) to: admissions@ouhsc.edu.
- Non-electronic copies may be sent to:
OU Health Sciences Recruitment and Admissions
P.O. Box 26901
Oklahoma City, OK 73126-0901
Non-electronic transcripts must remain in their original sealed envelope until opened by Recruitment and Admissions.
Step 2: Send to Division of Orthodontics
The second part of the application contains the materials submitted to the Department of Orthodontics. These items can be submitted electronically to gradorthoadmissions@ouhsc.edu or mailed to the following address:
Graduate Orthodontic Admissions
Department of Orthodontics
College of Dentistry
1201 N. Stonewall Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73117-1214
Include the following materials:
- Supplemental application form. Download the supplemental application form, complete form on your computer, then print and send in the completed form with the other application materials. Remember to attach your 2 x 2 photo to the supplemental application. Please make sure to download the form and complete in Adobe. When using the browser version, it will appear blank otherwise.
- Curriculum Vitae (C.V.).
- Personal Statement.
- One Letter of Recommendation from the Dean stating class rank and cumulative GPA. Also include Official Documentation from the Dean's office stating class rank and cumulative GPA.
- Two Letters of Recommendation, with at least one from a current/former professor. Please send a list of names of all letter writers, including the Dean’s name, to ensure all letters are reviewed with the final application.
- Official National Boards Examination scores (emailed from the Board to gradorthoadmissions@ouhsc.edu).
The GRE is not required for any applicant.
International Students
Candidates with dental degrees from schools not accredited by the ADA Commission on Accreditation may be accepted.
International candidates are reviewed by faculty separately from the Match. After a personal interview, candidates are informed about their selection. If offered a position, the candidate will have the option to accept the position. If the applicant is also registered with the Match, by withdrawing from the Match, in general, the program accepts international students only on a periodic basis. International graduate students are required to pay out-of-state tuition.
All of the above application requirements are required for international applicants with the following exceptions:
- TOEFL scores are required for candidates from countries where the native language is not English. Minimum Score: 79 (internet based), 213 (computer based), and 550 (paper based)
- Registration with the National Matching Service is not required
- National Board Scores (Part I or II) are preferred but not required
- If providing an enrollment verification or class schedule, the applicant will need to have an official transcript mailed to the Office of Admissions and Records as soon as final grades are posted.
- Any applicant with foreign credentials is required to have their transcripts or marksheets evaluated course-by-course through WES (World Education Services) at the following web site: http://www.wes.org. The Office of Admissions and Records will only accept a WES credential evaluation.
The GRE is not required for any applicant.
Program Objectives
To meet the need for patient care and research in the field of orthodontics, a graduate program in this dental specialty was established in 1981. The program prepares dental graduates to manage the full range of dentofacial discrepancies which fall within the responsibility of the orthodontist. Current knowledge and research findings are applied to patient care in all age groups. A thesis is required. The degree awarded is a Master of Science, with orthodontics as the area of specialization.