Entrance Requirements
The Department’s minimum admission requirements are a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or equivalent and a master’s degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last ★60 of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.
Applicants without a master’s degree may be considered for admission provided they can demonstrate adequate prior relevant education and experiences as determined by both the Department of Dentistry and the Division of Periodontology.
Where applicable, applicants must provide proof of English Language Proficiency (refer to English Language Requirement ). Any one of the following is acceptable:
- TOEFL (internet-based) minimum score 95 with at least 20 per section or equivalent;
- MELAB minimum score of 91;
- CAEL minimum score of 70 with at least 70 on each subtest;
- or an IELTS (Academic) minimum score of 7.5 with at least 6 on each band.
All applicants are also required to submit the following:
- a current curriculum vitae
- a statement of intent
- three letters of recommendation (two must be professional)
- An official letter from their dental school noting their class ranking upon graduation from dentistry.
- Completion of at least one year of experience as a licensed dentist prior to the start of the program is preferred.
- Applicants must have a license to practice Dentistry in Alberta, or must have passed the NDEB examination of Canada.
- Applicants who are not licensed but in a Canada/USA accredited GPR program are required to obtain a letter from the Program Director stating they are in good standing with no professional conduct issues.
- A personal interview is required for short-listed applicants. These applicants will be advised of the arranged interview date by e-mail.
- Identify a suitable supervisor to provide support.
Admission is dependent upon the approval of the Department of Dentistry’s Graduate Studies Committee, the Division of Periodontics Selection Committee, and the Medical Sciences Graduate Program Committee (see Medical Sciences).
Program Requirements
Students are required to complete a minimum of ★69 in required coursework, including ★12 to be completed during the research component, and ★57 to be completed during the clinical component. The program also consists of seminars and a thesis.
The clinical requirements involve successful completion of a selected number of teaching cases. Clinical training will not start until defined research milestones are attained and the candidacy examination is successfully passed. Clinical training will start in September immediately after these conditions are met.
The program of study is determined in consultation with the supervisor and supervisory committee. The research component will be exclusively performed during the first two years.
Students enrolled in the PhD in Medical Sciences - Periodontology will not have the option of transferring to the MSc in Medical Sciences - Periodontology program but may switch to the MSc in Medical Sciences - Dentistry or MSc in Medical Sciences - Oral Biology.
Length of Program
The time required to complete the PhD will vary according to the previous training of the applicant and the nature of the research undertaken.
The maximum time permitted to complete the program as set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research is six years.