Orthodontics and Periodontics

The Orthodontics and Periodontics program features a Clinical Track and an Academic Track. Applicants to this joint program must be accepted by both the Periodontics and Orthodontic admissions committees. 

Clinical Track

In this track, the first year provides a comprehensive background in periodontics through extensive literature reviews, seminars, and clinical practice. Selected periodontal cases are continued into the second year, which focuses on formal training in orthodontics, orthodontic preclinical laboratories, and the beginning of clinical training in several multi-band techniques. The third and fourth years consist primarily of orthodontic seminars, clinical practice of periodontics and orthodontics, and evaluation of post-treatment periodontal cases. Third- and fourth-year students also do limited teaching. Graduates in this program are fully certified and board eligible in both periodontics and orthodontics. The four-year track will develop skilled clinicians who will be able to practice and teach in a clinical setting.

Duration of program: 48 months

Academic Track

The five-year program is designed to prepare students for full-time academia as dental educators and highly trained clinicians in periodontics and orthodontics. This program is planned in cooperation with a research preceptor and leads to a Master of Science in Oral Biology. The five years are planned and balanced by the Departments of Periodontics and Orthodontics and the research preceptor, so students can undertake clinical research while also being trained as a clinician. The clinical portion of the program is similar to the four-year track. Students will also have courses in the Graduate School of Education and have teaching responsibilities the fourth and fifth years.

Duration of program: 60 months

Offline Recommendation

Penn strongly prefers that recommenders submit letters of recommendation online through the admissions system. If, however, your recommender is unable to submit an online recommendation, please follow these instructions:

1) Select the “Recommendation Form PDF Download” and download the form.
2) Complete the first section. Be sure to include the address of the appropriate admissions office — refer to the "Contact Graduate Admissions" list below. 
3) Print out the form and provide it to your recommender.

Please note:

• If you are applying to a program in Nursing, print out and provide your recommender with these special instructions for completing your letter of recommendation.
• If you are applying to a program in the School of Social Policy & Practice, print out and provide your recommender with these special instructions for completing your letter of recommendation.

4) Your recommender should send the form directly to the admissions office you designate, along with the letter of recommendation.