Entrance Requirements
The Department’s minimum admission requirements are a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or equivalent plus an admission GPA of at least 3.4 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.
A master’s degree is expected, but does not guarantee acceptance into the PhD program. Applicant’s without a master’s degree may be considered for admission provided equivalency in prior relevant education and experiences as approved by both the Graduate Orthodontics Program Admissions SubCommittee and the Graduate Studies Committee of the School of Dentistry.
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 and the following minimum score on each of the individual skill areas: Listening 22, Reading 22, Speaking 26, and Writing 24;
- CAEL minimum score of 80 with at least 70 on each subtest;
- or an IELTS (Academic) minimum score of 7.5 with at least 7 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 is recommended.
- Completion of at least one year of experience as a licensed dentist immediately prior to the start of the program is required. This experience should happen within two years of the application date.
- 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 Graduate Orthodontics Admission SubCommittee, the Department of Dentistry’s Graduate Studies Committee, and the Medical Sciences Graduate Program Committee.
*For applicants that are not licensed by Alberta Dental Association and College (ADA&C), a condition of admission is for candidates to obtain registration on the Education and Research Register from the ADA&C by August 1 prior to starting the program in the fall term. Applicants who already possess a full license from the ADA&C do not need to obtain additional licensure.
Program Requirements
Students are required to complete a minimum of ★75 in required coursework . Additional courses related to the specific area of research may be required. The program also consists of seminars, a clinical component 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.
Students enrolled in the PhD in Medical Sciences - Orthodontics program will not have the option of transferring to the MSc in Medical Sciences - Orthodontics program.
The program of study and professional development requirements are determined by the Graduate Program Director in consultation with the supervisor and supervisory committee.
Student progress may be monitored through written and/or oral assessment. Feedback from this assessment serves to identify areas that require additional attention by the student. The assessment will permit the development of specific clinical and/or didactic improvement objectives before the next assessment.
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.
Six years is considered normal. After six years a formal extension request to The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research is needed.