Program Description

Information about this program is also available in pdf format.

Pacific's Graduate Orthodontic Program, instituted in 1971, is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Program's courses of instruction prepare the resident to provide excellent treatment based on contemporary biologic orthodontic principles and is recognized for educational eligibility by the American Board of Orthodontics.

Faculty foster the collegial atmosphere with informal professional relationships and mutual respect among residents and faculty. Clinical instruction and practice are conducted in the school's orthodontic clinic.

Residents treat the entire range of orthodontic problems during seven one-half day clinics per week including three general, two mixed dentition, one adult care, and one surgical orthodontic clinic. Adult patients constitute about one-fourth of a resident's case load. Each resident receives five new patients and eight to twelve transfer patients in each of the clinics. Residents are rotated to the facial pain research clinic. Fixed appliance treatment employs the edgewise technique although instruction permits a wide latitude of clinical variation based on patient needs.

Each resident engages in an investigative project and must complete an acceptable thesis to qualify for the Master of Science in Dentistry degree.

Residents are scheduled for didactic and clinical instruction five full days per week and full participation is required. While there is no prohibition of weekend private dental practice, residents' commitments during the program seriously limit this opportunity.

In this section, other information that is covered includes: academic progress, graduation requirements, tuition and financial aid.

Courses of Instruction

The courses of instruction include principles of:

Academic Progress

Academic progress is reviewed quarterly and records are maintained by the orthodontic department. Attendance and grading policies for this program, and access to the student appeals committee, are the same for residents as for predoctoral students and are outlined in the school's catalog under "Academic and Administrative Policies."

Graduation/Certification Requirements

The candidate for graduation and certification must demonstrate the following:

• competence in the full range of contemporary orthodontic practice
• completion of all technical and clinical requirements prescribed in the graduate orthodontic curriculum
• achievement of passing grades in all required courses with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 in didactic and clinical courses
• design, completion, and presentation of an original research project in orthodontics and a thesis acceptable at the graduate level in the opinion of the Graduate Orthodontic Research Committee
• return of all university property, and discharge of all financial obligations to the community and the school.

If, in the opinion of the Graduate Orthodontic Academic Performance Committee, the candidate has met all requirements, the committee is authorized to recommend conferral of the Certificate in Orthodontics and the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry. The committee may also recommend delay in an individual's graduation date. Approval of committee recommendations by the dean is required.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and other financial matters and policies are described in the School of Dentistry catalog under "Tuition and Fees." The two-year tuition for the postgraduate orthodontics program is $119,060.

Required instruments may be obtained directly from suppliers at an educational discount, and textbooks may be purchased through the school's student store. Most assigned reading can be accomplished in the Health Sciences Library or the department's current periodicals file.

Student Financial Aid

Scholarships currently are unavailable for residents but loans are available in some circumstances. Please see the Financial Aid section of this web site.