Advanced Education Program in Implant Dentistry

Program Director

Jaime L. Lozada, DMD, FAAID Professor of Restorative Dentistry

Faculty

General Information

Notice to Graduates Licensed to Practice Dentistry in the State of California

Gainful Employment Disclosure

Application Method

Contact Information

One of two implant dentistry operating rooms in the graduate clinic.	One of the six operatories in the graduate implant dentistry clinic.

Program Description

The Advanced Education Program in Implant Dentistry is a three-year program leading to the award of a specialty certificate and an optional master of science (MS) or master of science in dentistry (MSD) degree. The certificate program has been offered for over 30 years allowing clinicians to undertake extensive training focused on clinical proficiency in both the surgical placement of dental implants and the complete fabrication of implant-supported restorations.

Program participants can expect to obtain advanced training in the following areas:

• Basic and advanced implant dentistry surgical procedures
• Patient management in an operating room (OR) environment
• Complex prosthodontic rehabilitation of implant-supported prostheses
• Participation in didactic courses exclusively related to advanced prosthodontics, periodontics, and implant dentistry
• Interdisciplinary treatment planning
• Hands-on application of state-of-the-art imaging technology
• Clinical and/or laboratory research in implant dentistry related areas
• Clinical and/or laboratory research and thesis for MS degree candidates
• Teaching implant dentistry to pre-doctoral students

The goals of the Advanced Education Program in Implant Dentistry are:

Two Master's Degree Tracks Now Available

Loma Linda University School of Dentistry now offers two master's degree tracks for graduate students/residents enrolled in the advanced education certificate programs.

Master of Science (MS) degree track:

The Master of Science (MS) degree track can be invaluable to students who wish to pursue an academic career in clinical dentistry, research, and teaching. The didactic and clinical components of the certificate program fulfill the academic requirements for the MS degree. Candidates must be admitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS), conduct a graduate level research project, write a thesis, and hold a public thesis defense. Students have three years from the date of acceptance to FGS to complete the requirements for the MS degree.

Candidates who meet the admissions requirements must submit an application to FGS through the Office of Advanced Dental Education and that application must be supported by the applicant's program director.

Master of Science in Dentistry (MSD) degree track:

Graduate students/residents may elect to apply for the Master of Science in Dentistry (MSD) degree track.  The MSD degree track is intended to provide individuals with an advanced degree widely recognized as having completed a dental specialty program.  Applicants must be recommended for admission to this degree track by their program director and subsequently approved for admission by the Associate Dean for Advanced Education. The MSD degree is awarded upon successful completion of the certificate program, completion of an approved graduate research project, and submission of a report of that research project in the form of a publishable paper in the format of a journal selected by the candidate and approved by the program director.  Candidates must also hold a public presentation of their research in a format similar to a thesis defense.  All the MSD requirements may be complete during the program but no later than one year from the candidate’s program completion date.

Graduates of the certificate, MS degree program, and MSD degree program are educationally qualified for certification by the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry and, upon application, may be qualified as an associate fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID).

Dental laboratory facility for the implant dentistry program.

Application and Admission Process

Application deadline - Applications for admission must be submitted by September 15^th of the year prior to the spring of intended enrollment. All transcripts and supporting documents must be sent to Admissions Processing, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350 and received by the September 15th deadline.

Electronic application submission - The application process must be completed online and only applications with all the required supporting documents will be reviewed for admission. Online application

Advisory to Applicants: To ensure prompt posting of your required supporting documents, complete your application before you request transcripts and test scores.

Invitation to interview - All complete applications that meet the minimum admissions requirements are reviewed (refer to Admissions Requirements below). The top candidates are invited for an interview by a selection committee composed of department faculty and outside faculty/administrators and chaired by the program director. A laboratory practical and treatment planning evaluation are included in the evaluation process. The candidates are ranked in two categories: 1) nominations for admission and 2) nominations as alternates.

Admissions decisions - The program director presents the list of nominations for admission (with alternates) for discussion and approval by the graduate admissions committee. The committee meets monthly, and candidates will be notified of a decision as soon as possible.

Acceptance - Candidates offered acceptance are required to submit a nonrefundable deposit check of $1,000 to hold a place in the entering class. These funds will be applied towards tuition and fees for the first quarter of study.

Background check - Accepted students must complete a background check in order to register and begin the program.

Health Clearance Information and CPR Training for Incoming Graduate Students and Residents - All individuals accepted into an Advanced Education Program must receive a health clearance from Student Health Service before they are permitted to start their program. A health clearance includes passing a PPD (tuberculosis), Hepatitis B, and MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) test. In addition, all incoming graduate students/residents also must undergo Health Care Provider CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training and obtain certification prior to the start of their program.

How to obtain information regarding policies on blood-borne and infectious diseases:
Federal OSHA (www.osha.gov) In search menu type: Bloodborne Pathogens 1910.1030
State Cal/OSHA (www.dir.ca.gov) In search menu type: Bloodborne Pathogens Standards 5193

Admissions Requirements

See a Comparison of the Admissions Criteria for all eight Graduate Programs

The following information and documentation are required for all applications to the Implant Dentistry Program:

1.  Transcript(s) - from all post-secondary institutions from which the applicant received credit whether or not the work pertains to their LLU degree.  Only official transcript(s) will be accepted.  An official transcript is one that is submitted directly from the school, college, or university to Loma Linda University.  Transcripts that are hand-carried or mailed by an applicant, even if in a sealed envelope, cannot be considered official and will be recorded as still missing.  Transcripts should be mailed directly to: Admissions Processing, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350.

Applicants who have transcripts from non-US dental schools must submit a translated course-by-course transcript report from one of the following agencies (See International Transcript Information):

1. World Education Services (WES) *
2. American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)
3. Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc (ECE)
4. American Education Research Corporation (AERC)

* If ordering an evaluation from WES, the applicant should select Loma Linda University from the drop-down list of recipient institutions as opposed to writing in an address. LLU does not need the additional ICAP service from WES. If their WES report is only for LLU the applicant should order the basic (non-ICAP) course-by-course report.  The electronic WES report to LLU will already include copies of the evaluated documents, however these document copies are not the Official transcripts/mark sheets that LLU requires to be sent directly from the issuing institution.

2.  Official Degree Certificate (for all international applicants) - Any foreign transcript (or mark sheet) that does not list on it the graduation information, including the actual degree earned, must be supported by an official degree certificate or school-verified copy of the degree certificate mailed directly from the issuing institution to Admissions Processing, Loma Linda University.

Applicants who are uncertain as to whether or not their transcript lists graduation information and degree earned should contact their school before requesting a separate degree certificate.

3.  GPA and Class Rank - A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher. Applicants should request the dean of their dental school to provide a letter with their official GPA and class rank.

4.  English Proficiency Exam - Regardless of nationality or citizenship, an applicant whose native language is not English or whose secondary education has been given outside the U.S. is required to pass one of the following English proficiency tests:

1. TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the test date.  The institution code for Loma Linda University is 4062. TOEFL minimum scores are: 80 - Internet-based test , 550 - Paper-based test, including a minimum final score of 5.0 on the TWE part (Test of Written English)
2. IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. LLU minimum score is 6.5
3. MELAB LLU minimum score is 77

5.  Letters of Recommendation - Three letters of recommendation from individuals who have known and worked closely with the candidate are required in support of an application.  Letters of recommendation are valid for no more than two consecutive years for the same program.  Letters of recommendation also must be program specific (ie, support an applicant for the actual program to which he/she is applying).  Any applicant applying to more than one Advanced Education Program in the same year must submit a set of three letters of recommendation specifically identifying and supporting the candidate for each program.

6.  Curriculum Vitae - Applicants must include their curriculum vitae sent electronically with the online application or mailed directly to the Office of Advanced Dental Education.

7.  Photograph - A passport-style photograph can either be sent electronically with the online application or mailed directly to the Office of Advanced Dental Education (this is optional, but recommended).

Important Instructions for the Transmittal of Official Documents

All official documents must be mailed from the issuing institutions. Applicants must not mail originals or official copies of transcripts, GRE scores, National Dental Board scores, and TOEFL scores themselves.

An application is not considered complete until all required supporting documents have been received. Only completed applications go to committee for consideration. This policy holds true for both U.S. and non-U.S. applicants. So please apply early.

First row (from left to right): Drs. Cosimo Loperfido, Montry Suprono, and Keith Komatsu. Second row: Drs. Thomas Maveli, Shuji Yoshino, Yun-Chi Wang, and Tarun Patel. Third row: Drs. Jamie Lozada (director), Alaa Moustafa, Antoanela Garbacea, Sunny Shah, Tsung-I Hung, Ashish Sharma, and Anne Wiseman. Fouth row: Drs. Juan Mesquida, Chun-I Lu, Yusuke Suzuke, and Taisuke Tsukiboshi attending literature review in implant dentistry. This course is attended by the graduate students and also interns, externs, fellows, and practicum students.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition for the 2012-2013 academic year (effective July 1, 2012) is $13,124 per quarter.  Health insurance is $470 per quarter and the student services fees are $232 per quarter.  The information technology (IT) support fee is $195 per quarter.  These fees do not include instruments and textbooks that may be required.

Departmental Required Courses

Interdisciplinary Required Courses

Curriculum by Academic Year:

1st Year

2nd Year

3rd Year

Graduation

Study may extend beyond 36 months for those pursuing a Master of Science (MS) degree or the Master of Science in Dentistry (MSD) Degree.

Notice to Graduates Licensed to Practice Dentistry in the State of California

The Dental Board of California, Section 1054 entitled Recognized Dental Specialty Boards and Associations states “...the board recognizes those dental specialty boards which are affiliated with specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, including: American Board of Dental Public Health; American Board of Endodontics; American Board of Oral Pathology; American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; American Board of Orthodontics; American Board of Pediatric Dentistry; American Board of Periodontology; and the American Board of Prosthodontics.  The board also recognizes those boards that require two or more years of training in a formal advanced education program affiliated with a school of dentistry or medicine that follows educational guidelines developed by the Council of Dental Education of the American Dental Association, dated January 1975, which are hereby incorporated by reference.”

Section 1054.1  Advertising Credentials.
Individuals who successfully complete the three-year advanced education program in implant dentistry, are awarded a professional certificate, and practice in the State of California fulfill the requirements of Section 1054. 

Section 1954.2. Advertising as a Specialist.
According to this section of the Dental Board of California, dentists may advertise they have “credentials from one of the dental specialty boards recognized by the Board of Dental Examiners of the State of California, pursuant to Section 1054.”  They also may advertise as a “specialist” if they are certified or eligible for certification by a dental specialty board recognized pursuant to Section 1054.

Fellowship in Implant Dentistry

The surgical prosthodontic fellowship in implant dentistry is designed for those dentists who have completed advanced education programs in a specialty discipline and wish to undertake additional training in the surgical and restorative aspects of implant dentistry. Candidates typically come from the specialties of oral and maxillofacial surgery, periodontics, and prosthodontics. In recent years, we have expanded the program to include endodontists.

This program differs from other fellowships in that it is limited to one year in length and the training is tailored to the candidate's background. However, all fellows obtain extensive exposure to surgical and restorative procedures.

Historically, the Implant Dentistry Fellowship has required full-time, five-day per week, enrollment with some limited evening and weekend on call duties for the management of implant dental emergencies.

Implant Dentistry Practicum Course - NEW

Effective January 1, 2010, the Advanced Education Program in Implant Dentistry will offer a new Implant Dentistry Practicum Course for graduates of U.S. and international dental schools.

This two-year, non-degree program consists of one year of internship training that includes didactic and laboratory courses in which students establish a foundation in the diagnosis, treatment planning, operating room protocol, and the laboratory procedures required for the fabrication of dental implants.  In the second year, participants continue their didactic courses, engage in the surgical placement of dental implants, perform the required laboratory procedures for their cases, and restore implants for patients with a wide range of treatment needs.  View Curriculum by Academic Quarter for the Implant Dentistry Practicum Course.

Graduates of approved U.S. Advanced Education Programs in General Dentistry (AEGD), General Dentistry Residency (GPR) programs, and those who have completed two to four years of service as a dental officer in a branch of the U.S. armed services, Indian Health Service, U.S. Public Health Services, or Veterans Administration may be exempt from the one-year internship requirement and be permitted to proceed directly to the second year for surgical training upon the successful completion of the summer quarter preclinical courses.

Alternatively, individuals who have successfully completed a U.S. or Canadian Advanced Education Program in a specialty recognized by the American Dental Association may wish to apply to the one-year Fellowship Program in Implant Dentistry.

The standard graduate tuition and fees apply for those accepted into the Implant Dentistry Practicum Course.

Internship and Externship Training in Implant Dentistry

The internship program was designed to provide general dentist an opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of implant dentistry. Trainees attend didactic courses, literature seminars, and interdisciplinary treatment-planning sessions in addition to assisting in advanced clinical and surgical implant procedures.

Training typically ranges from a little as three (3) months (externship) to as long as twelve (12) months (internship). In the Implant Dentistry Clinic the activity of externs and interns is limited to clinical and surgical assistance for faculty, fellows, and students enrolled in the three-year training program.

Interns can expect to obtain training in the following areas:

• Clinical assistance and observation in basic and advanced surgical procedures in implant dentistry.
• Clinical assistance and observation in advanced prosthodontic rehabilitation supported by dental implants.
• Attendance in didactic core courses common to other graduate programs.
• Attendance in didactic courses exclusively related to advanced implant dentistry.
• Participation in clinical and/or laboratory research in implant dentistry.
• Participation in didactic undergraduate teaching of implant dentistry.

Enrollement in the intenship/externship does not warrant nor is it a prerequisite to being accepted into the Advanced Education Program in Implant Dentistry.  These two programs have different prerequisites and require different application processes.

Internship or Externship in Implant Dentistry- This program emphasizes theory and technique related to implant dentistry through lectures, seminars, and courses. Clinical activity is secondary and limited to observation and/or assisting in advanced clinical and surgical procedures related to implant dentistry. Participants register as non-degree students, and their tuition is based on the length of their study as follows:

1 month or less = 1/3 quarterly tuition

Up to 2 months = 2/3 quarterly tuition

Up to 3 months = full quarter's tuition

• Application for Fellowship
• Application for Practicum Course 
• Application for Internship or Externship