Orthodontic Residency Program

Program Overview

Introduction

The Orthodontic residency program is intended to prepare a specialist who is competent in providing preventive, interceptive and corrective Orthodontics with different complexity of malocclusion using removable functional and fixed appliances. Residents will be treating patients with wide variety of malocclusion including multiple disciplinary approaches as impacted canine missing laterals and hypodontia in order to work in public and private health clinics.

During their programme, residents will provide high quality patient care under supervision of highly qualified trainers. The program is designed to produce Orthodontists who are clinically competent in the planning and provision of patient care with critical understanding of practice and research so that they have the skills to maintain life-long cutting edge service delivery or enter a clinical career. The Orthodontic residency program is a three-year taught postgraduate program incorporates clinical training at the level of Specialist Trainee and appropriate preparation for the Membership of Orthodontics of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of UK and Ireland and the Jordanian board in orthodontics.

The resident will be part of the Invisalign certification course which will include two years of lectures and seminars with treatment of minimum two cases with Invisalign. By the end of the program, the students will be Invisalign certified user.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide a high-quality orthodontic training program, in order to prepare highly qualified professionals to deliver compassionate and ethical health care services. The mission of the residency Program supports the Mission of Ajman University (AU).

Admission Criteria

All accredited university dental graduates will be considered for admission to Orthodontic residency program if they meet the admission requirements. The program’s admission criterion is delineated below.

A) General Admissions:

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in dentistry from a university accredited by the Ministry of Education, UAE.
The minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) is 2.7 on a 4.0 scale or its established equivalent, in the applicant’s bachelor’s degree in Dentistry.
Applicants who have not completed an undergraduate degree from an institution where English is the language of instruction, are required to submit documented proof of competency in oral and written English prior to admission. A minimum score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or a minimum overall band score of 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required for admission to the program.
Undergo an interview by the program director to ascertain his/her suitability for the program.
One recommendation letter from professor who have known the applicant and is familiar with his/her work.

B) Conditional Admissions:

A student will be considered for conditional admission to the Orthodontic residency program in one of the following situations.

Conditional Admission due to Non-fulfilment of Cumulative GPA Requirement: An applicant may be offered a conditional admission due to non-fulfilment of cumulative GPA condition, if he/she satisfies the following:

He / She is a holder of a bachelor degree in Dentistry issued from a university accredited by the Ministry of Education, UAE
His / Her bachelor’s degree was completed with a minimum cumulative GPA between 2.0 and 2.7on a scale of 4.0, or its equivalent; Such a student must achieve an overall grade 70 out of 100 in the first year of the residency program.

Conditional Admissions due to Non-fulfillment of English Proficiency Requirement: An applicant may be offered a conditional admission due to non-fulfillment of English Proficiency requirement, however during the first year he/she should submit documented proof of competency in oral and written English prior to admission. A minimum score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or a minimum overall band score of 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS

Graduation requirements

The residents will be awarded the certificate of completion of three years residency training in orthodontics after fulfilling the following requirements:

Passing the exams at the end of each year with passing mark is 60.
Treatment of 50 new patients and 15 patients follow up from previous years

Program Learning Outcomes

The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the following areas.

Knowledge and Understanding

As a result of participating in the Orthodontic residency program, residents are expected to

develop an in depth, integrated and critical understanding of:

Basic science, health science, and research science, in relation to the clinical practice of Orthodontics
The application of theoretical knowledge to specialist clinical situations
The value of self-analysis, reflection, and criticism of personal standards of treatment
The value of synthesising information to reach logical conclusions
Statistical methods for the analysis of data in clinical orthodontics
Ethical issues which are inherent in the practice of clinical orthodontics

Practical skills

By the end of the programme, residents should be able to demonstrate competence in a significant range of principle skills, techniques, and practices intrinsic to the clinical practice of orthodontics:

Ability to undertake a full clinical history and examination, make a diagnosis, and formulate a treatment plan, or refer if appropriate, taking account of any medical, intellectual, and behavioural problems, level of oral health, and patient’s wishes.
Ability to carry out approved treatment regimens using removable and functional appliances
Understanding the limitations of the different treatment modalities
Understanding of the concept of relapse after active treatment and be able to prescribe, fit and monitor appropriate retention appliances
Understanding of the psychological aspects related to Orthodontic treatment
Ability to keep good clinical orthodontic records
Ability to diagnose anomalies in the development of the dentition or facial growth or dento/facial function
Ability to apply a multidisciplinary approach in complex clinical scenarios

Intellectual skills

By the end of the programme students should be able to:

Apply a constant and integrated approach to critical analysis of the dental and medical literature
Reflect on their practice in the context of published research and clinical guidelines
demonstrate creativity and problem-solving ability in responding to technical problems that may arise during their Research project

Programme Structure and Features

A- Introduction to the course.

The course commences with an introductory programme that will familiarise the student with procedures in the Dental School and University and include an introduction to laboratory and clinical techniques used in Orthodontics, searching and evaluating the literature and research methodology.

B- Academic Teaching programme:

There will be an average of one formal teaching session (lecture/seminar/discussion of the literature) per week.

C- Clinical Component

Own Patient treatment

Five sessions per week are spent in treating patients using a variety of techniques. The principal fixed appliance system in use is the Pre-adjusted Edgewise Appliance, clear aligners and functional appliances are in frequent use. The supervising consultants will allocate cases, which have been selected for their teaching value. Each student will build a caseload of at least 70 patients over the three years.

Diagnostic clinics

These clinics are attended one session per week throughout the two/three years and are supervised by different Consultants. Up to 5 new patients are seen on each session for initial diagnosis, advice and treatment planning.