Frequently Asked Questions

The Advanced Education Program in Prosthodontics is 34 months in duration.

The Advanced Education Program in Prosthodontics is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of "approval without reporting requirements." The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education.

The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653, or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. For more information please visit the Commission’s website.

The Advanced Specialty Education Programs at NYU College of Dentistry all start on July 1 each year (or the Monday after July 1, if July 1 is on a weekend). The PG calendar ends on June 30 each year.

A mandatory two-day orientation program for all PGY-1 students is held on the two weekdays before July 1 each year. 

A welcome reception for the PGY-1 students is scheduled during orientation, and is an opportunity to meet the faculty and other PG colleagues. The summer of PGY-1 includes a general core curriculum as well as specialty-specific didactic, clinical and pre-clinical courses.

The single-most important aspect of the program is the extent and diversity of patient care in all aspects of prosthetic dentistry. The educational processes and goals focus on comprehensive care with a patient-centered approach. This philosophy is carried throughout teaching, research, and oral health care delivery.

During the entire training, interaction with other specialties is emphasized through clinical practice and interdisciplinary seminars.

The three-year program fulfills the educational requirements of the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association and the American Board of Prosthodontics. The program includes formal instructions in biomedical sciences, clinical and didactic seminars, while preparing postgraduate students for careers in clinical practice, teaching, and research. The program provides a strong foundation and a depth of knowledge to successfully complete the Board Certification in Prosthodontics.

Special features of the program:

• Provides a wide range of clinical, didactic, and research experiences
• Allows participation in a course in pedagogy, utilizing up to 10-percent of the total program time for teaching
• Emphasizes and supports scholarly activity and/or board certification process
• Fosters the development of the critical judgment skills needed to manage and successfully treat patients with ethical principles of empathy, honesty, and integrity
• Encourages the pursuit of full-time or part-time academic careers
• Offers an exceptional opportunity to be trained in surgical placements of implants through well-established curriculum with outstanding surgical faculty
• Features a multifaceted faculty comprised of full-time and part-time Prosthodontists and Dental Laboratory Technologists who have world-renowned reputations.

The program consists of the following components:

Didactic

Approximately 25 percent of the overall program time is dedicated to didactic components. The emphasis is on gaining a critical and analytical attitude towards existing and new information, with evidence-based dentistry serving as an integral component. The courses are a combination of shared core basic sciences, multi-disciplinary conferences and seminars, and specialty-specific courses.

Clinical

Clinical training comprises 55-60 percent of program time. The patient population in the Prosthodontics Clinic is extensive and diverse. PG students function as members of an interdisciplinary team, and become proficient in the diagnosis, treatment, and maintenance of a variety of prosthodontic needs for patients. The program is committed to excellence in patient care. Therefore, prosthesis fabrication is performed in high-quality laboratories.

Research

All PG students are required to complete an approved research project, which requires them to demonstrate the ability to understand the scientific process including data collection, statistical analysis, and presentation in a scientific forum. Additionally, students are required to attend several scientific and specialty-related meetings, and to present at least one Table Clinic at a professional meeting. The Research Program comprises of 5-10 percent of program time.

Teaching

Approximately 10 percent of the program time is the teaching program where students teach predoctoral dental students as a component of their graduate education.

The shared core basic science courses are taught by accomplished scientists and clinical faculty of various departments at NYU College of Dentistry. The Program Directors and faculty of the Advanced Specialty Education Programs lead the multi-disciplinary rounds and interdisciplinary seminars. The Department of Prosthodontics offers the expertise of 73 distinguished full-time and part-time faculty.

The NYU College of Dentistry Prosthodontic PG faculty are nationally and internationally recognized experts in the field of prosthodontics, maxillofacial prosthetics, and implant dentistry. Our mission is to teach and utilize clinically proven treatment approaches and techniques using state-of-the-art materials for our patients. We specialize in restoring and replacing missing teeth. Our department recently published a book, Clinical Cases in Prosthodontics, showcasing treatment methodologies for managing complex prosthodontic care. Our faculty holds high-ranking positions in major national prosthodontics organizations.

The AEPP has the highest level of faculty commitment. The program director has full time commitments to the program. There are full-time faculty members exclusively dedicated to the prosthodontics postgraduate program, and others who dedicate part of their time to the graduate program. Thirty-two part-time faculty provide a diverse and enriching educational experience to the PG students. This combination is ideal to meet our educational needs.

The breakdown of our faculty is as follows:

• 41 full-time and part-time faculty
• three full-time faculty dedicated to PG program only
• 32 part-time faculty dedicated to PG program only
• nine full-time faculty at NYU Dentistry who share responsibilities with the pre-doctoral graduate program
• three maxillofacial prosthodontists
• six surgically trained prosthodontists for implant placement

Admission into the Advanced Education Program in Prosthodontics is based upon the applicants portfolio of achievements, including but not limited to: professional history, personal statements, official transcripts, and letters of recommendation.

NYU Dentistry strives to enroll a diverse group of dentists with strong records of academic and clinical excellence, intellectual curiosity, and the personal attributes, endeavors, and accomplishments that are necessary to succeed as the future leaders and scholars of oral health care.

General Requirements include:

• Applicants will possess a DDS/DMD from a CODA accredited US/Canadian dental school, and/or equivalent credentials as an international dentist.
• PASS is required for all applications.
• International dentists are eligible to apply to this program.
• Applicants for whom English is not their native language must submit their official TOEFL scores. A minimum score of 100 is required.
• Graduates of foreign (non US or Canadian accredited) dental schools must:
  • submit official ECE transcripts
  • NDBE Part I and Part II and/or the ADAT are required

Our program requires challenging the American Board of Prosthodontics in the third year for a written and an oral section. The curriculum is designed to prepare the PG students for the ABP exams through exam question reviews, board case preparations, and literature reviews over the three years.

There have been a total of 11 board certified graduates between 2004 and 2013 and many more are currently in preparation to be board certified.

Each PG student is entitled to 4 weeks (20 business days) of vacation each year. All vacation time must be requested and approved in advance by the Program Director.

The Advanced Specialty Education Programs do not follow the pre-doctoral calendar, and PG students should not plan on pre-doctoral breaks for vacation time. Details on vacation policy for each Advanced Specialty Education Program can be found in the departmental orientation manuals.

In addition, NYU Dentistry is closed in observance of the following national holidays: July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day + Friday following Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents’ Day, and Memorial Day.

NYU College of Dentistry follows the principles set forth in the University Policy for Religious Observance. This is an accommodation, but not an excused absence, as the students are responsible for making up all didactic and clinical responsibilities. Students who require this accommodation should advise program directors well in advance, as patient schedules may need to be adjusted.

If a student requests/requires more than the maximum allowable number of days off/year, arrangements to make-up the extra days must be made directly with the Program Director.