Graduate Admission Guidelines for the Faculty of Dentistry

The M.Sc./Ph.D. Dental Specialty Programs

-- Offers research, plus advanced dental specialty training

The "graduate/dental specialty stream" is designed as either a M.Sc./Specialty or Ph.D./Specialty program in which thesis-based, graduate research education is combined with advanced education in a dental specialty discipline. Applicants to this stream must hold a D.D.S. degree or its equivalent and, through the graduate application process, must gain acceptance to one of our 10 specialty disciplines to be accepted to the combined program. Effective September 2009, new admission requirements for entry to the M.Sc./Dental Public Health coursework only option, now permit applications from dental hygienists with a four year undergraduate dental hygiene degree from a recognized university, or a four year undergraduate degree from a recognized university and dental hygiene training.

The M.Sc./Specialty and Ph.D../Specialty combinations are differentiated mostly by the career aspirations of the students. The M.Sc./Specialty is appropriate for students seeking to concentrate on clinical specialty practice, combined with part-time teaching or participation in a collaborative research program.

The Ph.D./Specialty is appropriate for students with a record of academic and research experience that would qualify for direct entry to Ph.D. programs seeking a full-time career in research and education, either in a university or industrial/technology setting.

Applicants to Ph.D./Specialty programs will be considered on an individual basis. Ph.D./Specialty applicants short-listed for interview will be required to undergo separate interview with the Specialty Discipline Selection Committee, as well as with the Ph.D. selection Committee. Wherever possible, the Graduate Department of Dentistry will endeavour to make arrangements for both interviews to take place at the same visit to Toronto. Acceptance to the combined program depends on independent approval of both committees. For consideration, please complete and submit the standard M.Sc./Ph.D. Advanced Specialty Application.

The standard minimum completion time for the M.Sc./Specialty is 3 years [2 years in Dental Public Health; 4 years in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery]. The standard for the Ph.D./Specialty is approximately 6 years. Graduates of the combined programs meet all the educational requirements for specialty practice; their research is at the same quality level as the doctoral stream M.Sc. or Ph.D.

Applicants must note that program completion, and conferment of the M.Sc./Ph.D. degree will be contingent upon completion of all requirements for the M.Sc./Ph.D. Specialty degree. Therefore, degree requirements necessitate the mandatory completion of all clinical and didactic courses for the clinical specialty, as well as all research/thesis requirements as set by the Graduate Department of Dentistry for M.Sc./Ph.D. degrees.