Graduate Program in Orthodontics

The program maintains a number of active affiliations with neighboring institutions in order to provide a broader scope and more in-depth exposure to both clinical and research procedures.

Hospitals

For example, the program maintains active affiliations with Beaumont Hospitals and coordinates with Children's Hospital of Michigan. The affiliation with Beaumont provides in-depth exposure in diagnosis and treatment for patients with facial anomalies, including cleft lip and palate. Coordination with Children's provides a referral source for cleft lip and palate patients who need orthodontic treatment.

Research

A number of student research projects have been conducted jointly with various divisions within the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry. Some research projects are conducted in collaboration with private practices of alumni and other experts.

Associations

In addition to the clinical and research experiences outlined above, graduate students participate in program presentations and scientific exhibits at a number of regional and national orthodontic meetings such as those held by the Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists and the American Association of Orthodontists.

Clinical Teaching

The Graduate Orthodontic Clinic is in operation five days every week. During this time, five separate and distinct "Clinical Teaching Teams", functioning one-half day each week, instruct the graduate students in variously modified approaches to treatment utilizing the edgewise mechanism. The students also spend approximately four half-days each week in specialty clinics, staffed by additional "Teaching Teams": the Mixed Dentition and TMJ (semesters 1-4 only) clinics operate alternate half-days each week. The Advanced Orthodontic Clinics meets one half-day per week in the second year.

Immediate Hands-on Experience

Since it is the philosophy of the Department of Orthodontics to expose the student to as many varied clinical experiences as is both possible and practical, his or her clinical exposure is both extensive and immediate. Almost immediately after his or her arrival into the program, each student begins treatment for approximately 35 patients in need of comprehensive therapy. In the first year, he or she will have also begun treatment for approximately three Orthognathic Surgery cases, 10 Mixed Dentition cases, and three TMJ cases. Therefore, each student will be directly exposed to and responsible for the treatment of about 53 active treatment patients during the first year of the training program. In addition, approximately 25 transfer patients and 55 retention patients will be assigned in the second year. These patients are carefully screened and selected from the many orthodontic examinations that are conducted each year.

U.S. and Canadian Applicants

Please follow the admissions steps as described below in order to be considered as a candidate for the Graduate Orthodontics Program at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry:

For application questions, please contact Lisa Wyrick at wyricklm@udmercy.edu or 313-494-6651.

For program questions, please contact P.J. Baker at ortho@udmercy.edu or 313-494-6606.

• Application through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service program (PASS). On the PASS website is a connecting link to the University of Detroit Mercy’s graduate Orthodontic program.
  • Applications for admissions to the Orthodontic program will be available starting in May.
  • The application MUST be completed and returned to PASS no later than September 1st of the year preceding your desired registration.
  • The completed PASS application should include all documents requested by PASS.
• Applicants MUST sign up with the National Match to receive a MATCH number.

• Pass the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part I or the new Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE)
• The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT) are accepted, but not required. If taken, scores may be submitted in support of the application.
• After starting the PASS application process, send the REQUIRED two additional materials listed here by September 1st to the address listed below*

• • $75.00 application fee paid directly to: Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Graduate Orthodontic Program. Include your name and PASS ID number.
  • A 2”X2” passport size photograph with name and PASS ID number on the back

University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry
Graduate Orthodontics Program--Admissions
2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Detroit, MI 48208-2576

*Failure to include these required materials will result in application rejection

After preliminary screening, those candidates being considered for admission will be notified of a required interview appointment with members of the Graduate Orthodontic Admissions Committee. These interviews will be scheduled in late October to early November. Five students are accepted into the graduate program per academic year**.

Upon notification of the National Match results in December and acceptance into the program, a non-refundable $1,500 deposit is required. During the period between January and July prior to the beginning of the formal program, each accepted student will be sent some preparatory materials, a reading list, and instructions so that he or she may be better prepared to begin the intensive training in Orthodontics.

**Admission to the graduate Orthodontics program for all applicants graduating from ADA accredited U.S. or Canadian dental schools is based on academic credentials as well as other appropriate credentials requested by PASS and the postgraduate Orthodontic program. Candidates are not judged on race, religion, or national origin.

Foreign Dental School Applicants

At the present time all individuals in foreign countries may apply. All foreign applicants must complete the following exams to be considered as a candidate for the Graduate Orthodontic program at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry:

• Completion of the TOEFL test
  • Graduates of foreign dental schools must demonstrate competence in the English language.
  • Non-native English speakers are required to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 600 on the paper-based examination, 250 on the computer-based examination or 100 on the internet-based examination.
•  Pass the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part 1 or the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE).
• The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT) are accepted, but not required. If taken, they may be submitted in support of the application.

The following chart shows the estimated cost of two years of study leading to the Certificate and optional M.S. degree in Orthodontics at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry based on 2022-2023 tuition and fees.

*All School of Dentistry students must provide proof of health insurance coverage or must enroll in the University plan provided through Aetna.  Fees are subject to change without notice. It is anticipated that the costs of tuition and books will increase commensurate with inflation, budget needs, or similar affecting factors. Current costs are available upon request.

It is not possible for our full-time graduate students to work outside of the graduate program while enrolled. Such outside activity would seriously compromise the educational experience and the fulfillment of responsibilities to the patients and the division of Orthodontics.

The Research Program

One of the requirements for the successful completion of the Orthodontic program in the Graduate Department of Orthodontics at University of Detroit Mercy is that you initiate, conduct, and complete an original research project, including a written article for submission to a professional journal. The basis for the requirement stems from the conviction that a research experience can, perhaps better than any other learning experience, develop and/or refine habits of critical thinking and reading. More to the point, in conducting his or her own research a student learns how to ask and address hypothesis-driven questions.  We believe at Detroit Mercy that one of our roles of the prepared graduate from orthodontics is to continue life-long learning.  A large portion of this learning is from scientific journals, so practicing orthodontists must be able to read, comprehend and evaluate this body of literature throughout their lifetimes.

The Research Project

Topic Requirements

The research topic can be, for the most part, of your own choosing. However, the project must meet the generally accepted definition of "original research". In this sense, essays, reviews of the literature, and "state-of-the-art" papers will not be acceptable as fulfilling the research project requirements. The research issue must be one that can be formulated in terms of a research hypothesis and one that is amenable to systematic and scientific investigation, including statistical evaluation of the data. Also, the project should be one that can be completed during your two-year program.

The director of Research and the Research Committee at the outset must approve all research topics.

Within the limitations mentioned above, it should be obvious that the topic areas available to you are virtually unlimited. You are not required to pursue a research topic within the area of orthodontics, or even dentistry; nor must the topic necessarily be directly dentally-related. Thus, such diverse fields as acoustics, mechanical engineering, microbiology, neurology, nutrition, ophthalmology, pediatrics, physiology, and speech pathology would be entirely acceptable as areas within which you could perform your research.

The Research Process

The department offers two courses whose primary goals are to provide you with sufficient understanding of the elements of the research process to enable you to satisfactorily conduct and complete a research project during your graduate program, to conduct independent research, both now and at any time in your professional life, and to enable you to more effectively analyze and evaluate material in both clinical and research dental literature. The beginning course places considerable emphasis on assisting you in the selection of a research topic, planning the design, and initiating the research. Research interactions are available with a number of divisions within the School of Dentistry and selected private clinical practitioners.

The Research Paper

The University of Detroit Mercy Orthodontic program no longer requires the traditional thesis as the written report of your research. In place of the thesis, the program requires that the written report take the form of an article in suitable form for submission to a professional journal. The journal to which you submit your research may be of your own choosing. If you select a target journal at the outset of your research project, the format and style of the written report will adhere to that employed by that particular journal.

If you do not have a particular journal in mind as you begin your research, the written report will simply follow the format utilized by most professional journals in reporting research results, that is: Introduction, Review of the Literature, Methods and Materials, Results, Discussion, Summary and Conclusions, and References. The program director, the director of Research, and your project advisor will work closely with you during his phase of your project.

Project Advisor and Review Committee

In carrying out your research project, there are several people who will be available to you for advice and assistance. These include your program director, the director of Research, your project advisor, your Review Committee, and members of the faculty. 

Project Advisor

The project advisor generally will be a faculty member of this institution or some affiliated institution, and is the person with whom you will work most closely in terms of advice and guidance throughout the project. In most instances you may select the individual who will serve as your project advisor.

Review Committee

Your Review Committee will consist of a minimum of three persons: the program director, the project advisor, and the director of Research.  Additional qualified persons may be asked to serve on the Review Committee by any of the persons previously mentioned, or by you. Such a request need only be relayed to the director or Research, who will make the necessary arrangements.

Hearings

At least two "research hearings" will be held. A "preliminary hearing" will be held soon after you have established your research design. It is at this time that any questions, confusions, or apprehensions concerning the research, either on the part of the Review Committee or yourself, should be fully aired.

The "final hearing" will be held after you have completed your research project and after each member of your Review Committee has received a copy of the final version of your research report. If, for any reason, either you or any member of your Review Committee should wish to convene the committee for an additional hearing, such requests simply may be relayed to the program director who will make the appropriate arrangements. The recommendations of the committee are given to the student immediately following the hearing, who is then responsible for implementing these recommendations.

M.S. Research Requirements

The primary purpose of this program is to prepare the dentist for the clinical practice of orthodontics while providing insight into the scientific basis of orthodontics. It is designed to cover two calendar years, which includes six terms, two of them being summer sessions. The program runs from the last week of June to June 30th two years later. The program combines a basic science foundation with clinical and psychological training relevant to treatment.

Special instructions are given in functional rehabilitation for adult and juvenile dentition, diagnosis, treatment planning and associated appliance therapy. Emphasis will be placed upon the function of the neuromuscular system and the temporomandibular joint as affected by the teeth and facial pattern. Special opportunity is provided to work with cleft lip and palate patients as well as individuals exhibiting other facial anomalies.

The major portion of the course material in orthodontics is presented by lecture, seminar and conference instruction. Clinical lectures and seminars are supplemented and emphasized by correction of malocclusions in the Orthodontic Clinic. The principal appliance mechanism used in the clinic is the edgewise appliance. Guest lectures are presented throughout the first and second years to acquaint the student with other areas of research and therapy related to orthodontics. Research by the graduate will permit the investigation of problems in almost any area of student interest.

The certificate will be granted by Detroit Mercy upon the satisfactory completion of all requirements. The optional M.S. in Orthodontics is earned upon the satisfactory defense of the student's research results and the completion of the research paper. 

Two-year curriculum from the last week of June to June 30th of second year 

First Year

Summer Term

• DBS 5010 Head & Neck Anatomy, 2 credits
• DOD 5000 Orthodontic Technique, 6 credits
• DOD 5100 Roentgenographic Cephalometrics, 2 credits
• DOD 5140 Physiology of Bone & Tooth, 1 credit
• DOD 5780 Biomechanics, 1 credit
• DOD 5940 Orthodontic Continuing Education Seminar, deferred course

Fall Term

• DBS 5130 Advanced Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology, deferred course
• DBS 5170 Oral Pathology, 3 credits
• DOD 5010 Orthodontic Seminar & Clinic, 7 credits
• DOD 5210 Early Treatment Seminar & Clinic, 2.5 credits
• DOD 5131 Retention Seminar & Clinic, deferred course
• DOD 5310 TMJ & Occlusion Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5380 Journal Club, 1 credit
• DOD 5432 Advanced 3D Orthodontics and Clear Aligners Seminar and Clinic, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5510 Dentofacial Abnormalities Seminar & Clinic, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5630 Speech Physiology & Pathology, 1 credit
• DOD 5710 Craniofacial Growth & Development, 1 credit
• DOD 5771 Sleep Medicine Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5831 Craniofacial & Special Care Orthodontics Seminar, 1 credit
• DOD 5910 Basic Research Methodology, 1 credit
• DOD 5940 Orthodontic Continuing Education Seminar, deferred course
• DOD 5990 Physiology and Pharmacotherapeutics, 0.5 credits

Winter Term

• DBS 5130 Advanced Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology, 2 credits
• DSD 5111 Ethics & Professional Responsibility, 1 credit
• DOD 5120 Literature Review, 1 credit
• DOD 5020 Orthodontic Seminar & Clinic, 7 credits
• DOD 5132 Retention Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5220 Early Treatment Seminar & Clinic, 2.5 credits
• DOD 5320 TMJ & Occlusion Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5390 Journal Club, 1 credit
• DOD 5440 Human Development, 1 credit
• DOD 5442 Advanced 3D Orthodontics and Clear Aligners Seminar and Clinic, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5520 Dentofacial Abnormalities Seminar & Clinic, 1.5 credits
• DBS 5720 Microbiology & Asepsis, 2 credits
• DOD 5920 Basic Research Methods & Biostatistics, 1 credit
• DOD 5930 Research Project, deferred course
• DOD 5940 Orthodontic Continuing Education Seminar, deferred course
• DOD 5832 Craniofacial and Special Care Orthodontics Seminar & Clinic, 2 credits
• DOD 5772 Sleep Medicine Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DRD 5000 Graduate Dental Materials, 1 credit

Summer Term

• DOD 5030 Orthodontic Seminar & Clinic, 7 credits
• DOD 5133 Retention Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5230 Early Treatment Seminar & Clinic, 2.5 credits
• DOD 5330 TMJ & Occlusion Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5452 Advanced 3D Orthodontics and Clear Aligners Seminar and Clinic, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5530 Dentofacial Abnormalities Seminar & Clinic, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5730 Advanced Orthodontic Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5069 Orthodontic/Periodontic Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5833 Craniofacial and Special Care Orthodontics Seminar & Clinic, 2 credits
• DOD 5930 Research Project, deferred course
• DOD 5940 Orthodontic Continuing Education Seminar, deferred course
• DOD 5950 Advanced Orthodontic Seminar, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5773 Sleep Medicine Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5980 Craniofacial Pathology & Genetics, 1 credit

Two-year curriculum from the last week of June to June 30th of second year 

Second Year

Fall Term

• DOD 5040 Orthodontic Seminar & Clinic, 7 credits
• DOD 5070 Orthodontic/Periodontic Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5134 Retention Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5240 Early Treatment Seminar & Clinic, 2.5 credits
• DOD 5340 TMJ & Occlusion Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5463 Case Analysis & Treatment Planning, 0.5 credits
• DOD 5660 Business of Orthodontics, 1 credit
• DOD 5462 Advanced 3D Orthodontics and Clear Aligners, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5540 Dentofacial Abnormalities Seminar & Clinic, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5740 Advanced Orthodontic Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5781 Biomaterials-Biomechanics, 1 credit
• DOD 5774 Sleep Medicine Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5834 Craniofacial and Special Care Orthodontics Seminar & Clinic, 2 credits
• DOD 5930 Research Project, deferred course
• DOD 5940 Orthodontic Continuing Education Seminar, deferred course

Winter Term

• DOD 5050 Orthodontic Seminar & Clinic, 7 credits
• DOD 5080 Orthodontic/Periodontic Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5121 Literature Review, 2 credits
• DOD 5135 Retention Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5151 Case Analysis & Treatment Planning, 0.5 credits
• DOD 5250 Early Treatment Planning Seminar & Clinic, 2.5 credits
• DOD 5472 Advanced 3D Orthodontics and Clear Aligners, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5550 Dentofacial Abnormalities Seminar and Clinic, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5640 Practice Teaching, 2 credits
• DOD 5650 Table Clinic Preparation, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5750 Advanced Orthodontics Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5775 Sleep Medicine Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5930 Research Project, deferred course
• DOD 5835 Craniofacial and Special Care Orthodontics Seminar & Clinic, 2 credits
• DOD 5940 Orthodontic Continuing Education Seminar, deferred course

Summer Term

• DOD 5060 Orthodontic Seminar & Clinic, 7 credits
• DOD 5090 Orthodontic/Periodontic Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5136 Retention Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5260 Early Treatment Seminar & Clinic, 2.5 credits
• DOD 5482 Advanced 3D Orthodontics and Clear Aligners Seminar and Clinic, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5560 Dentofacial Abnormalities Seminar and Clinic, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5760 Advanced Orthodontic Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5776 Sleep Medicine Seminar & Clinic, 1 credit
• DOD 5836 Craniofacial and Special Care Orthodontics Seminar & Clinic, 2 credits
• DOD 5930 Research Project, 6 credits
• DOD 5940 Orthodontic Continuing Education Seminar, 1.5 credits
• DOD 5951 Advanced Orthodontic Seminar, 1.5 credits