Advanced Education Program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Program Description:

The advanced educational program in oral and maxillofacial surgery is designed to prepare the resident for the practice of the specialty and provide the foundation for the continued acquisition of knowledge and skills. Clinical surgical health care delivery and basic science research are emphasized. The resident is introduced to research methodology and teaching to develop an increased awareness of their importance in assessing clinical procedures and patient management. The content of the program conforms to the Standards of the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and is designed to prepare the surgeon for certification by the American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.

A four-year and six-year residency program is available. Two (2) six-year residency positions are available each year. In addition up to two (2) four-year positions may be offered in order to maintain two (2) residents per year completing the program. Residents in the 6-year program will also complete medical school and a one-year general surgery internship. The residency program starts on July 1.

Graduates of the residency program are educationally qualified for certification by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Two Master's Degree Tracks Now Available:

Loma Linda University School of Dentistry now offers two master's degree tracks for graduate students/residents 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 admitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) must conduct research, write a thesis, and hold a public thesis defense.  Students have five years from the date of acceptance to FGS to complete the requirements for the MS degree.  This degree option is available for all advanced programs except Dental Anesthesiology.

Applications to the FGS should be submitted through the Office of Advanced Dental Education and must be supported by the applicant's program director.  Satisfactory completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for FGS admission.  Interested individuals should consult the admissions criteria for the advanced education program to which they are applying for more detailed information.

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 from all the advanced education programs except Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics where the MS degree is a program requirement.

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 and subsequently approved by the Associate Dean for Advanced Dental Education.  The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required for admission to the MSD track.  The MSD degree is awarded upon successful completion of the certificate program and requires the submission of an acceptable publishable paper in the format of a journal chosen by the program director.  The publishable paper must be submitted either during the program or within one year from the program completion date.  A public presentation of the research, much like a thesis defense, is also required.

Application and Admission Process:

Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS) – The advanced education in oral and maxillofacial surgery program participates in the PASS application service of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) allowing applicants to apply to multiple participating institutions using one standardized format. http://www.adea.org/pass

The Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program (Match) – The Loma Linda University Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery also participates in the Match program to help to identify and “match” the preferences of applicants and the advanced education program a using rank order list of the applicants and the program. Applicants matched with our program are asked to complete an additional online application through the School of Dentistry. http://www.natmatch.com/dentres

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

Invitation to Interview – A select number of completed applications from PASS, which 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 separate interview is conducted by representatives of the Loma Linda University School of Medicine.

Admissions Decisions – The program director presents the rank order for admission for discussion and approval by the Graduate Admissions Committee at the end of the winter quarter. That rank order is then submitted to the Match Program. Applicants and programs will receive the results of the “Match” directly from the Match Program.

Acceptance – Candidates are offered acceptance through PASS/Match.

Background check – Accepted students must complete a background check in order to register and begin the program. Additional information on this process can be found in the University Catalog. http://ssweb.llu.edu/backgroundcheck

Admissions Requirements:

1. Transcript(s) – Only official transcript(s) will be accepted. Applicants who have transcripts from non-US and non-Canadian dental schools must submit a translated course-by-course Transcript Report from one of the following agencies:
   • Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc (ECE)
     (414) 289-3400 (www.ece.org)
   • World Education Services, Inc (WES)
     (305) 358-6688 (www.wes.org)
   • American Association of Collegiate Registrars And Admissions Officers (AACRAO)
     (202) 293-9161 (www.aacrao.org/international/foreignedcred.cfm)
   • See International Transcript Information.
2. 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.
3. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) – Satisfactory completion of the GRE is required by the Faculty of Graduate Studies for admission to the Master of Science degree track. The sum of the GRE verbal and quantitative scores must equal or exceed the sum of scores that correspond to the 50th percentile for each of those sections. Furthermore, neither the verbal nor quantitative score may be lower than the score corresponding to the 35th percentile for that section. In addition, only GRE test scores within the past five years will be accepted.
   
   The GRE Writing Assessment score must equal or exceed 4.0. Applicants with scores lower than 4.0 must satisfactorily complete the Loma Linda University Critical Essay or the university course in English Writing as specified by the Associate Dean for Advanced Dental Education.
   
   For information regarding the Graduate Record Examination, test locations, and test dates, please contact the Educational Testing Services (ETS) at www.ets.org.
4. National Dental Board examinations - Successful completion of the National Dental Board Part I and Part II (if available) is required of U.S. and Canadian-trained applicants. Part I must be submitted by the application deadline and Part II results are to be submitted when available.
   
   Foreign-Trained Dentists - These applicants should include official board examination scores taken in their country. Have the results sent directly from the originator to the Office of Advanced Dental Education. Applicants may not mail or personally deliver these documents.
5. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – Foreign applicants, whose first language is not English, must demonstrate proficiency in the English language as evidenced by minimum TOEFL scores of:

   • 550 - paper-based test
   • 213 - computer-based test
   • 80 - Internet-based test with a minimum of 18 on each section: reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
6. 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. These letters are submitted through PASS on the required PASS recommendation forms.

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 any non-U.S. applicants, so please apply early.

Tuition and Fees:

Tuition for the 2007-2008 academic year is waived for those accepted into the 4-year program. Individuals admitted to the 6-year program must pay School of Medicine tuition and fees for the three years of medical school enrollment. No tuition or fees are charged for the final three years.

Departmental Required Courses:

Interdisciplinary Required Courses:

Overview of the 4-Year Program and the 6-Year Dual-Degree
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program

6-Year Program

Year 1- Residents enter the second year of study in the Loma Linda University School of Medicine
[This first training year includes two (2) months in OMFS.]

Year 2 - Residents continue in the third year of medical school.

Year 3- Residents continue in the fourth year of medical school. [Training includes four (4) months of OMFS and two (2) months in the Department of Anesthesia.)

Year 4 – PGY-1 year of general surgery [includes two (2) months in the Department of Anesthesia]

Year 5 - Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS)

Year 6 - Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS)

Applicants accepted to our OMFS/MD training program receive advanced standing at Loma Linda University School of Medicine. At the conclusion of three years of medical school, there is a one-year general surgery internship, which will provide additional experience and fulfill the requirements of licensure in those states requiring one post-graduate year of medical residency. The remainder of the program will fulfill the requirements for advanced education in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as required by the American Dental Association, which requires at least 30 months of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery experience.

Residents receive stipends for their entire PGY-1 year of surgery and the final two years of OMS. Medical school tuition must be paid by the student for three years.

OMS/MD Program Requirements:

• Personal Statement
• Transcripts original (to date)
• Dental Admissions Test (DAT) scores
• Dental National Board part I
• Dental National Board part II (when available)
• School of Medicine Secondary Application

4-Year Program

Year 1 - Residents enter the second year of study in the Loma Linda University School of Medicine.
[This first training year includes two (2) months in OMFS.]

Year 2 - Residents continue in the third year of medical school.

Year 3 - Residents continue in the fourth year of medical school. [Training includes four (4) months of OMFS and two (2) months in the Department of Anesthesia.)

Curriculum by Academic Year:

1st Year

2nd Year

3rd Year

Graduation

Study may extend beyond the stated program length for those pursuing a Master of Science (MS) degree.

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